1. Research and write your presentation
You may get information on your presentation from a variety of sources. Start with YOU. You may know more on the subject than you think you do. After you exhaust your own knowledge, start broadening the circle of your sources. Some of the sources you can use are the people you know your colleagues, friends, students, teachers and family. The next circle will be the internet, a library, studies and research, trade publications and expert quotes.
Write everything that comes to mind or you come across in your research and information gathering stage regarding your presentation. Do not try to make much sense. Have a brain-storming session. Your notes do not have to be in any order. The structuring and editing will come later. This is gathering stage. Don’t even worry if you write some duplicate notes. Each note may have something unique about it. After you gathered all the information you think you could, put the script away for a short time.

2. Edit your presentation
Get back to your script and edit it.
• The first edit is for you – keep all you like. It may be too much, but do not discard it. You may use your ideas and research data in some future presentations.
• The second edit is for your presentation – keep only what is relevant/pertinent to the subject at hand. Customize your notes to reflect the needs of the current
presentation.
• The third edit is for your audience – keep what is relevant to your presentation and your audience. Make sure you are taking into consideration everything you learned
about your audience. Make sure you are using proper language and materials for your audience.
• The fourth edit is final – keep what is relevant to your presentation, your audience and can be presented within the allotted time.

The total length of your presentation may be easily calculated using the following method: Research shows that an average person speaks 120 to 160 words per minute. If you write your speech start to finish and measure your average speaking speed, you will know how many words your speech should be to fit into the allotted time. Allow some time for interruptions, laughter and activities.
To measure your average speaking speed, do the following: Get any text and a stop watch. Read the text out loud for one minute. Count the number of words you were able to read. Repeat this process three or four times. The average number of words for the times is your average speed. Make sure you are reading out loud because the speed is different between loud and silent readings.

3. Read it out loud
Read your script out loud. Do not concentrate on how you are saying it, just say it. Get comfortable pronouncing the words in your script. Read it as many times as you need to, to get comfortable with the entire presentation. If you stumble on some word or a phrase repeat it again until you are comfortable.

4. Talk it out
This is the time to use your voice variety. Please remember that voice variety is not just the volume. It is the pitch, the speed and the pauses (do not forget to pause). Think about how you are saying something. Do not hesitate to stop and go back to rehearse a part of your speech. This is your time to present without an audience, so use it well. Although you are alone it may help to visualize your audience enjoying the presentation.

5. Walk and talk
Practice your presentation in motion. This will help you when you are on stage. Pretend you are in front of an audience. Mark off a stage for your presentation and use it. Make sure you are not glued to one spot, work the stage. Make sure you are addressing the entire room, not just the first few rows or a specific side of the room. Try to make your movements meaningful don’t just move for the sake of moving. Visualize presenting to a room full of people.

6. Present to family and/or friend(s)
Ask for other people’s opinions. They may prove invaluable. Although your loved ones may hate you at the moment, their input may make the difference between a presentation that is just OK and a presentation that is excellent.

7. Video or audio record your presentation
The best learning experience, besides working with a presentation coach, is to record and analyze your presentation. This will help you hear yourself the way your audience will hear you. The trick is to videotape yourself and observe your own speech as an outsider. Remember, this is how everyone else sees you so it is important both personally and professionally that you be aware of how you really appear. Have a pen and paper handy to take notes as you go. It is helpful to track your progress and target your opportunities for growth.
If you have an audio recording you will, obviously, miss out on all visual advantages however it is MUCH better than nothing.

Here’s how to get the most from your review:

First, turn the sound off completely and watch your body language. Look for powerful, positive, believable gestures and posture. Also check for annoying habits you might not be aware of.

Second, replay the tape as you close your eyes and listen. Hear how you sound without the benefit of the visual component. Listen for the best examples of vocal inflection, variety, melody, speed, pacing and pauses. Here’s the time to notice and correct those weed words, “umms,” “errrs,” and “aahs.” Listen for awkward phrasing, slang, jargon, mispronounced words, mumbling, etc.

Third, rewind your video once again and listen as you view it. Make notes on what you would like to do to improve your performance and incorporate those ideas into the next run-through.

Forth, rewind again and watch the video on higher than normal speed. This will make all the little gesture mistakes much more prominent.

8. Write an outline
The outline has multiple benefits: it will keep you on track and it is very compact and does not give the impression that you are reading your speech. Write bullet points of your presentation. The bullet can be a key word, a phrase or a short sentence. As you get more and more proficient presenting, and as you present your material more and more times, you may need your notes on a rare occasions.

9. Time your presentation
Time is a very important commodity while you are presenting. It is very important to start your presentation on time, and possibly even more important to complete your presentation on time. Practically every meeting has an agenda, which are very tight on time. Running over the allotted time with your presentation may throw the entire meeting off track. If you are conscientious about time, the organizers and the audience will greatly appreciate it. Be flexible to adjust your presentation if the allotted time changes. Develop your presentation in modules; each module a point with supporting materials; each module independent. All the modules should be connected by a common thread, but should be able to stand alone. This way, if there is a need to shorten your presentation, it can be done seamlessly so the audience will not notice.

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