On occasion, we are called on to give a presentation or speak to group of people on a particular topic.  We know we can speak for a long time on many subjects but imagine you only have 5 – 10 minutes to give your talk.  How can you give the most effective talk without going over the 10 minute mark?  Can we deliver a presentation that will land with people and make you memorable?  There are specific principles that you must adhere to if you are only given a short window to deliver your message.

These same concepts can be extrapolated out to sales managers and marketing executives who may have 30 minutes to talk but really need a full hour to get across their points.  Stick to these 5 tips and you’ll be able to give effective and dynamic presentations in 5 minutes or 30 minutes.

Power of 3

In our post on Steve Jobs, he was a master at this.   The fact is that people remember things in threes.  When you get above that number, it can be tough for audience members to recall all the facets of your talk.  This becomes even more critical when you have a short window of opportunity to deliver your talk.  Of course sticking with the purpose of your message, keep your talk to three take-aways.  Tell them those three take-aways at the beginning.  Flush them out in the middle.  And at the end, remind them of those take-aways.  Sticking to the power of three will make your short and dynamic presentations memorable and incredibly effective.

Tell A Story

Telling a story is a surefire way to wrap your audience into your message.  We’re not suggest telling your story for the entire 5 – 10 minute talk.   You may tell your audience you want to share a story that will drive home your point. And if you are figuring out what exactly you have to tell the audience in the presentation speech, tell them the story and then for the last minute explain it’s importance and how it relevant to them.  Stories allow people to be in your world, which makes it even easier for you to share your world with them.

Stick To Your Purpose

Many times, speakers will go over the 10 minute mark of a short presentation because they’re not staying true to the purpose of the presentation or they’re adding in too many details that really aren’t vital to the purpose. At the beginning of any presentation you create, think about the purpose and remind yourself of it so you’ll remember exactly why you’re giving the talk to begin with. By integrating the theme of maximizing sales with virtual presentations, you can create a creative presentation that not only resonates but also drives action.

5 – 10 Slides Max

Do not go into a presentation with 20 slides when you have only 5 – 10 minutes to talk.  Frankly, anything over 7 slides if a bit much.  Also, do not place a lot of text and information that needs to be explained.  It is next to impossible to spend 30 seconds to 1 minute per slide without giving off the impression that you are rushing. When you’re rushing, your message is not being properly conveyed.

Must Practice & Time Yourself

This is an often overlooked area, but practicing your talk is probably the best thing you can do when you are limited on time.  Practicing allows you to think through specific areas of the talk and how they’ll resonate.  It also lets you know if you’re going over the time allotted and what areas may or may not need to be curtailed.  Some people choose not to practice because they think they’re better “off-the-cuff.”  This is actually a fallacy and most of the best public speakers practice relentlessly including the late Steve Jobs.  Practice makes perfect and practicing will only make you an effective presenter.

With every creative presentation is a good presentation builder that fit the intricacies and identity of your organization. At CustomShow, we believe our presentation software can do just that.