How to practice your presentations

Create an outline

Any succinct presentation should start with an outline. Creating an outline maps out a clear narrative from point A to point B for you and your audience to follow.

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As you begin outlining, consider your audience and topic. This will help to identify the appropriate structure and tone as you rehearse. For example, constructing a presentation on how to save money to children would be different than what you would present to adults. In addition to defining your audience, what do you want them to take away from the presentation? If your intention is to inform an audience, include visual aids like charts, images, and diagrams. If you’re persuading an audience to act, make sure to include and emphasize your call-to-action.

Finally, create the structure by sectioning an introduction, body, and conclusion. You can use a numbered list, bullet points, or a multi-level list with Microsoft Word to develop your outline.

Write key talking points on notecards

Using the outline, tone, and audience, brainstorm key talking points to include on notecards. Practicing with notecards can build confidence and familiarity before you present as you polish the flow of your presentation. After you feel more comfortable, put them to the side. It’s better to present without them so that your speech patterns sound more natural.

If you’re using Microsoft PowerPoint to present, you can include speaker notes to review while you present.

Practice in front of a mirror

See how your audience will perceive you by practicing in front of a mirror. Make sure your body language is confident, avoid folding your arms, and if appropriate, use hand gestures that complement your talking points. Looking in the mirror also can help you build confidence with eye contact, as you look at your reflection. Using this technique can also help you become less reliant on notecards.

Record rehearsal presentations

After you feel comfortable practicing in front of a mirror, take it up a notch by recording yourself. Start recording as you begin your presentation and stop when you finish. If there is time limit for your presentation, note the length of the recording. As you review, pay attention to any filler words, areas you stumble over, pacing, tone, and cadence. If your speech is too long, make any necessary amendments to your talking points or increase your pacing in lengthier sections. It’s better to trim down than speed up so that the audience can clearly understand the focal points of your presentation.

You can upload recordings of your presentation to OneDrive to save space on your phone or computer.

Rehearse with people

The best way to mimic the presentation is doing a mock presentation with a real audience. Gather your friends, family, and colleagues and do a full run-through of your presentation. Practicing in front of an audience will have more pressure than practicing on your own. If you have stage fright, make sure to breathe and smile, even if you are feeling anxious. Before starting your presentation, feel free to include any disclaimers or areas you want your audience to focus on for feedback. Don’t take any critique to heart. Feedback will only help you as you get ready for presentation day.

Visit the location where you’re presenting

Avoid environmental variables by visiting your location ahead of time. Conduct a mock presentation utilizing any presentation material, lighting, microphones, and clickers to make sure everything works. Technical errors can create unnecessary interruptions, affect the flow of your presentation, and be distracting for the audience. So, try practicing at the location beforehand and give yourself a final boost of confidence.

Presenting is a nuanced skill that takes plenty of practice and rehearsals to make your delivery impactful. Learn more ways to improve your presentation skills.