What do Barack Obama, Bill Cosby, and Zig Ziglar have in common? They are charismatic public speakers who captivate millions with their engaging and entertaining delivery.

Whether you are a student, an employee, or a mom entrepreneur, the way you present ideas and information impacts your professional success. Follow these tips to connect with any audience (from one to 1,000) and ensure your presentations are dynamic and memorable.

What you should know to present like a pro:

1. Nail the opening. If the first three to five minutes of your presentation are dynamic and captivating, you will build rapport that will carry you through the rest of the presentation. Your audience will be willing to forgive a few mistakes later in the presentation, plus you will be energized by your audience’s response to your hot opening.

2. Use Stories. Show me a good story teller and I’ll show you someone who can build rapport and likeability with anyone. Incorporate humor as much as is business appropriate. Use stories to demonstrate key points, connect with your audience, and make your message memorable.

3. PowerPoint can be your best friend or your worst enemy.

When using PowerPoint DO
•    Use bullets
•    Limit content on each slide
•    Insert professional pictures and graphics
•    Use limited animation

PowerPoint DON’TS include
•    Putting every word you will say on the slide
•    Using distracting sound effects or animation
•    Using fonts smaller than 20 pt.
 
For a little comic relief about the use of PowerPoint check out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rp8dugDbf4w

4. The more senses you appeal to in a presentation the more of your message will be remembered. Whenever you can, leverage the sense of smell, sound, taste, and touch, in addition to visuals. This can mean incorporating food or drinks related your message, playing songs or audio clips, and bringing props or samples related to your message.

5. Avoid the dead zone. One study found that audiences remember 70% of the opening, 20% of the middle and 95% of the ending. To improve retention of your message, include unexpected and attention-grabbing activities throughout your presentation. For example, right before an important point, revive your audience with a story or pull out a prop to demonstrate a key point. Mix messages between PowerPoint and flip charts to keep the audience on their toes. Strategically placed transitions have been proven to help retention of key points.

Getting your messages across to buyers, bosses, and peers is critical to taking your career to the next level. Invest time in your messaging to improve your results.

Bio: Courtney Briggs is a working mother of two and an MBA with over 15 years of advertising, sales, sales training, and management experience. Visit www.courtneybriggswrites.blogspot.com to learn more about her and her work. Check out www.momstrengths.blogspot.com to learn more about your unique Mom Strengths and how to use them to be a happier, more successful Mom.