5. Practice, practice, practice!
Once you’re happy with your presentation give yourself plenty of time to become familiar with it. Learn it by heart if you can – it’s far better if you can avoid using prompt cards and will help to show that you know your stuff. Practice in front of friends and family too. This will also give you chance to practice how you deliver your presentation.
Practice makes perfect and is also a good opportunity to make final editorial decisions. What looks great on paper may sound very different when you actually say it – you may need to make long sentences shorter just so that you can take a breath.
Think about how you project your voice, the speed of delivery and how you use your voice to maintain interest. Aim to speak as naturally as possible and don’t fall into the trap of reciting your presentation parrot-fashion in a droning voice. And remember that you need to make eye contact with everyone in your audience.