Secrets to Making a Stellar Seminar Presentation

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No matter how experienced a speaker you are, you need to rehearse, rehearse, rehearse each time you make a presentation to a seminar, conference or other function. Rehearsing your talk allows you to get the pacing and timing down pat, and helps you feel comfortable with the material so that you have the freedom to ad lib, personalize the talk for the room, and get your audience more involved.

How to Use Audio-Visual Aids

1. Give your delivery a boost by using props.

If speaking does not come naturally to you, you can to some extent compensate for it with interesting, well-prepared visual or electronic aids. If you are relying heavily on props or technology, make sure you test everything thoroughly with respect to function, timing, flow, impact, and blocking. Familiarize yourself with the workings of all equipment beforehand, to reduce the possibility of delays or malfunctions. If you're using charts, tell your audience what the chart represents before getting into the details. Don’t just read what’s on the chart – add your own insight and discuss the material presented in the chart.

2. Work the tools into your performance.

Be careful not to impede the audience’s view of your visual materials.
Remember to talk to the audience, not the screen or monitor. Equipment and visuals should not distract the audience from what you are saying. Show only enough at a time to keep the audience’s attention where you want it.
Pace your spoken presentation to track with your visuals.
When you’ve finished with a visual, remove it from sight so that the audience’s attention is directed back to you.

3. Extend your reach with handouts and downloadable materials.

If you are handing out materials for review by the participants, give your audience enough time to review them. This also applies to audience members taking notes. Is your presentation available for download or viewing after the event? Be sure to include the URL and log-in (if required) for the website.

Dress Rehearsals Are a Must

When developing your presentation, test it for length and flow especially at key points, such as the introduction of visuals. Conduct one or more “dress rehearsals” which include all props, equipment, A-V materials, and try to simulate the environment as closely as possible. At least one rehearsal should include an audience (family, friends, etc), who should be encouraged to give their honest feedback. Remember, this isn't criticism - it's constructive input intended to help you improve your presentation. These run-throughs should be done well in advance so that any required changes can be implemented and rehearsed.

Verbal and Non-Verbal Communication

Eye Contact. Make and maintain good eye contact with your audience, not with your visuals. Direct your communication to all areas of your audience equally.
Posture. Maintain good posture and avoid slouching. This will help your vocal projection and help you look more confident. Strive to keep your movements natural. Talking to one person at a time will promote this.
Physical Distractions. Avoid creating your own nonverbal distractions – coin jangling, chalk tossing, pointer waving, gum chewing, hair tossing, low necklines, tie adjusting, etc.
Attire. Dress comfortably and appropriately. When in doubt, dress conservatively. Tight or ill-fitting clothes and poorly chosen accessories detract from the positive image. Strive to maintain an air of professionalism, courtesy, sensitivity and good humor.
Passion. If your subject matter is something that you are truly excited about, you want to communicate that passion to the people in the audience. This will aid in your vocal projection and help to keep your talk interesting.
Tone of Voice. Don’t just read your notes and charts – TALK to these people, and strive to speak naturally. If you talk to one person at a time, it will be easier to maintain a conversational tone. But don’t get too conversational; remember that your voice needs to be heard by the whole audience. If you need to use a microphone, make sure you know HOW to use it. You should still project your voice even with a microphone. Strive to vary the rate, pitch and volume of your voice to keep your spoken presentation interesting and to place emphasis on key material. Be careful not to speak so quickly that your audience will not be able to understand what you are saying, or so slowly that they can finish your sentences for you.
Pronunciation. If certain words give you trouble, practice your pronunciation until they roll off your tongue easily. Ensure that your pronunciation is correct.

Post-Presentation

Conduct a Q&A Session

Anticipate the types of questions that are likely to arise after your talk and have the answers ready. Keep your data and visuals ready for the Q&A in case you need to refer to them or want to present them again in support of your answer to a question.
Repeat questions or comments from participants so that the whole audience can hear them. Listen carefully to ensure that you understand the question or comment.
Answer each question courteously, accurately and succinctly. If a question comes up that you don’t have the answer to, admit it and arrange to provide the answer later via email or social media.
Stay in control of the Q&A session – don’t let it get sidetracked from the main area of discussion. If this begins to happen, bring the discussion back to where it should be.
Wrap up with a brief summary of the presentation.

Ask for an Audience Evaluation

Want to find out how well you did? Prepare an Evaluation Questionnaire for attendees to complete. Here are some sample questions that should provide you with valuable information for your next presentation:

Did the presentation start on time and with good impact, i.e. did it get the audience’s attention in a positive fashion?
Was the introduction about the right length?
Was the transition from the introduction to the main part of the talk smooth?
Was the speaker able to establish rapport with the audience?
How well did the speaker cover the subject material?
Was enough background material provided?
Were key points clearly identified and did they effectively emphasize the main theme?
Was the presentation well ordered?
Did some areas get too much or too little attention?
Was the Question & Answer period cut short by the length of the presentation?
Were participants given adequate time to ask questions and give their comments?