DO

Arrive early and make sure the room is set out in the way that you want. Make sure that all the equipment is available and that you know how to work it.

Try to relax and breathe deeply. Acknowledge that this is your first presentation and people will tend to help you along.

Produce aide memoirs, either on cards, paper, OHP transparencies or presentation software such as PowerPoint.

Make it clear from the outset whether you are happy to be interrupted or whether questions should be left for the end. If you have invited questions, make sure you make every effort to answer them.

Look around the room while you are speaking – if it’s a small group, make eye-contact with as many people as possible.

Present interesting visual information such as graphs, charts and tables in a format which can be viewed by everyone. This could be

OHP transparencies, slides, PowerPoint or handouts.

Alter the tone and pitch of your voice, length of sentence and facial/ hand gestures to maintain audience interest. Show that you are interested in your subject.

Produce a paper or handout which people can take away with them.

Talk to people after your presentation and ask them how it went, whether there are any improvements they might suggest for future presentations.

DON’T

Rush in late, find that the overhead projector doesn’t work and that you have no pen for the whiteboard.

Worry about showing your nerves. Everybody gets nervous when they first start giving presentations and your audience should know this.

Read straight from a paper you have written.

Get cross if you are interrupted and have not mentioned that you don’t want this to happen. Invite questions and then do not answer them or patronise the inquirer.

Look at your notes, never raising your head.

Produce visual information which people can’t see, either due to its size or print quality.

Present in a monotone voice with no facial/hand gestures. Make it clear that your subject bores the pants off you.

Let the audience go home without any record of what you have said. Run away never to be seen again.