Ever wondered how Steve Jobs does what he does so well? Do you have an important presentation coming up? This post is all about you and how you can deliver an effective and engaging presentation.

I recently had the opportunity to present a full business plan to a panel of investors, and current successful entrepreneurs. It somewhat resembled the format of the popular television shows; Dragon’s Den and Shark Tank. As much as I was nervous and didn’t know what to expect, I shared the stage with some fellow classmates and was not alone. The presentation went well, just as expected but as a team we followed some simple steps that have been drilled into us for the last two years. These steps are the backbone of delivering effective presentations, time after time.

Now once again I need to say I am by no means a specialist in presentations, however as a graduating business student presentations have become a regular event for me.  From instructor to instructor, topic to topic, the content varies but the format and delivery are one in the same. I have developed a simple system based on the teachings in college that can be used, and will be used in future presentation delivery.

The first step of preparing a presentation is always the most challenging because you don’t know where to begin. So how do you begin? The important word that you’ve all heard before is plan. Yes I said it… a presentation will not be very effective without any planning. Planning doesn’t need to be complicated or extremely in depth, it just needs to be done. So what is there to plan? I use a blank piece of paper or computer document and write down all the topics and points that could be presented. This provides scope and direction.

The next step – organize. Have you ever tried to drive somewhere new without a map? In most cases it’s pretty difficult. Organizing the information is basically creating a roadmap for the presentation. It helps when you move into the writing stage, by already having guidance and structure. It also helps when creating your visual aids. Most people these days use a video or PowerPoint format for presentations, which is solely based on the structure.

Delivering effective presentations is not all about writing. In fact you’re not writing a story here at all. The writing stage is where you fill in all the key points for each section in your organized plan. Bullet form is best, and should be kept in bullet form for easy transfer of thoughts to presentation cue cards or notes. The information needs to be concise and to the point. Your understanding of this information needs to be bang on and easily recalled.

Now that we have basically created the entire presentation it’s time to focus on those visual aids. PowerPoint is the most versatile and popular choice when it comes to visual aids. There are some simple rules for PowerPoint that makes it extremely effective and not detrimental to your presentation:

• Follow the 5X5 or 6X6 rule when creating slides. Content should be simple and should fill two thirds of your slides
• Slides should be simple, elegant and very readable
• Use Simple Sans Serif fonts on slides such as Calibri, Times New Roman, and Arial
• Bold and colors are great ways to emphasise words
• The data needs to be very concise, just highlight key points, vocally you can deliver much more information

So we have a completed PowerPoint and a well structured presentation that is simple and in point form. The next step in preparation for delivery is a run through its important to test slides and visuals ahead of time, this will eliminate mid-presentation crisis. Run through your part a few times and elaborate on the points in a few different ways to see which way flows the best.

Delivering the presentation is the most important step, but if you have followed these simple guidelines it does not need to be nerve wracking.  Be confident, engaging and relaxed. Open with a question or attention grabber, this takes the initial heat off. Give yourself or have someone give you a clear introduction. Your credibility doesn’t really matter but it helps build confidence when your audience understands what you’re all about. Pause, pause, and pause again. A simple pause between slides or concept creates a powerful break in the presentation and gives you a chance to gather your thoughts.

As a firm believer in the K.I.S.S.  principle, I try to incorporate it into everything I do. Keep it simple stupid. That’s the motto and it works, especially when it comes to presentations. As I stated previously, presentations become a part of college life. I often don’t struggle when it comes to delivering presentations because I take myself through these same steps every time. The corporate world, sales, and entrepreneurship all involve the ability to deliver effective presentations. So stop being scared, take the stage, and rock it! Delivering effective presentations is a simple process, and doesn’t need to be complicated or hard. It just needs to be engaging and if you follow the steps, you will be successful each and every time.

Cheers to sharing the stage one day,

Mike Perrin