I was talking to a colleague recently about the "Bring Back Bovril" presentation I'd once delivered on a training course to illustrate the link between my favourite football team's decline and it's removal of Bovril as a hot drink option for spectators. I convinced my fellow delegates through graphs and anecdotal evidence that re-introducing the beef-extract beverage would help restore the team to it's former glories, and by the end of my presentation they were all chanting my BBB war cry! They were worried about an upcoming presentation so they'd asked me for some tips. As my suggestions and stories seemed to go down well, I thought it would be another good topic for an article. In my experience, successful presentations are built around two main pillars - preparation and delivery. I've summarised my tips on a slide - I hope you found it useful. Please use the following link to check out my full article on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/presentations-ensuring-your-slides-go-down-well-jon-stephenson

1. Jon Stephenson
https://uk.linkedin.com/in/stephensonjon
Presentations – ensure your slides go down well!
Preparation
1. Make it interesting and informative
– what would your audience want to know?
2. Consider using a theme or analogy
– to make your presentation more memorable
3. Add graphics, tables, and/or videos
– to provide variety and widen its appeal
4. Use concise and simple language
– avoid complex words and jargon
5. Ensure all animation is appropriate
– not too gimmicky or distracting
6. Apply a consistent font and style
– so it looks like your slides belong together
7. Ask a colleague to proof-read it
– to identify any typos or mixed messages
8. Practise & time your presentation
– run through it with a friendly audience
Delivery
• Confirm you’ll circulate your presentation
– if you haven’t already shared it
• Be clear about when you’d prefer questions
– do you want them throughout or at the end?
• Pick out the salient points from each slide
– don’t just read them verbatim
• Give examples to bring them to life
– demonstrate your expertise or proficiency
• Add humour if appropriate
– check beforehand if unsure
• Keep to a steady pace
– it’s not a race to the end!
• Take issues offline
– if they’re a distraction
• Request feedback
– capture learning points