4 tips on giving a great presentation

1. Frame your story

"There's no way you can give a good talk unless you have something worth talking about," Anderson writes, and the most important part of a presentation is conceptualizing and framing what you want to say.

When he thinks of compelling presentations, Anderson thinks of taking the audience on a journey. To do that, you need to determine where to start and where to end.

To figure out where your presentation should start, consider what people in the audience will already know about your subject and how much they care about it. You want to avoid assuming they have more knowledge or interest than they actually do, or else you'll lose them.

Avoid going too broad with your presentation, Anderson writes. Instead, go deeper and give more detail. "Don't tell us about your entire field of study — tell us about your unique contribution," Anderson writes.

However, it's also important not to overexplain to the audience. "Remember that the people in the audience are intelligent," Anderson writes. "Let them figure some things out for themselves. Let them draw their own conclusions."

Anderson also notes that, as a general rule, people aren't particularly interested in talks about organizations or institutions. "Ideas and stories fascinate us; organizations bore us — they're much harder to relate to," he writes.

2. Plan your delivery

There are three main ways to deliver a talk, Anderson writes. You can read it off a script or teleprompter, you can use a set of bullet points to map out what you're going to say, or you can memorize your presentation word-for-word.

Anderson's advice is to not read your presentation and don't use a teleprompter. "It's usually too distancing — people will know you're reading," he writes. "And as soon as they sense it, the way they receive your talk will shift."

Many of the most popular TED Talks have been memorized, and Anderson said if you have the time to do it, it's the best way to go. However, if you don't have time to memorize your presentation thoroughly, instead go with bullet points on note cards.

Paying attention to tone is also important, Anderson writes. While some speakers may want to sound authoritative or wise, it's best to just sound conversational. "Don't force it," Anderson writes. "Don't orate. Just be you."

3. Develop stage presence

Being onstage can be the most difficult part of a presentation for inexperienced speakers, but people often overestimate its importance, Anderson writes. The words, story, and substance are far more important than your stage presence. However, a little coaching can help develop your stage presence.

Anderson writes the biggest mistake he often sees is people moving their bodies too much onstage. They'll move from side to side or shift their weight, which can be distracting and make the speaker seem weak.

The most important physical act onstage is making eye contact, Anderson writes. "Find five or six friendly-looking people in different parts of the audience and look them in the eye as you speak," he writes. "Think of them as friends you haven't seen in a year, whom you're bringing up to date on your work. That eye contact is incredibly powerful, and it will do more than anything else to help your talk land."

Nervousness is another big hurdle for speakers to overcome, both before the talk and while onstage. Many speakers stay in the audience until they go on, which can be helpful, as keeping your mind engaged can distract you and limit your nervousness.

Amy Cuddy, a professor at Harvard Business School who studies how body poses can affect power, recommends people spend time before a talk striding around, standing tall, and extending their bodies, as these poses can make you feel more powerful.

Generally speaking, "nerves are not a disaster," Anderson writes. "The audience expects you to be nervous. It's a natural body response that can actually improve your performance: It gives you energy to perform and keeps your mind sharp. Just keep breathing, and you'll be fine."

4. Plan your multimedia

If you choose to use PowerPoint slides, it's important to keep it simple, don't use your slide deck as a substitution for your notes, and don't repeat out loud the words that are on a slide, Anderson writes.

Anderson notes that many of the best TED Talks have no slides at all, but if photos or illustrations can help make your topic come alive, go ahead and use them. If not, Anderson recommends going without them, at least for part of the presentation.

Video can also be effective if used well, but Anderson writes it's important to keep a clip short — less than 60 seconds — and to not use corporate videos or any videos that sound self-promotional.

Ultimately, Anderson writes that the most important thing to remember is that there isn't one single good way to give a talk.

"The most memorable talks offer something fresh, something no one has seen before. The worst ones are those that feel formulaic," he writes. "So do not on any account try to emulate every piece of advice I've offered here. Take the bulk of it on board, sure. But make the talk your own. You know what's distinctive about you and your idea. Play to your strengths and give a talk that is truly authentic to you." (Anderson, Harvard Business Review, June 2013)

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