The Last-Minute Presentation Series – A Guide to Confidence in Presentations

There is nothing like a last-minute presentation assignment to make your heart race, your palms sweaty, and your mind in a turbulent spin. Be it a meeting presentation or an impromptu PowerPoint presentation deck to prepare, this may just be the very high-stakes communication environment that you want to impress in. Instead of diving into the deep end without any structure, there is still room for you to run through some last-minute preparation for your presentation!

A last-minute presentation is more than just a speech. There is a fine balance between mastery of the content, delivery elements, and a call to action. Sometimes, these presentations may also require a persuasive edge to convince your audience to take a specific action or accept a new proposal. In this article, we share three quick tips you can look out for when tasked with that last-minute presentation!

Tip #1: Scan, Study, Summarise

Before you think of ‘winging it’, your initial priority should be to master your content (at least, as best as you can!). Even if you were given the content deck with only a short getting up period, you should still start with a focus on the key information/details you need to deliver. In this worst-case scenario, you need your ‘shortcut’ to extracting the main content details, distilling the main message for your audience, and translating them in an understandable fashion.

The three steps you can take note of is to Scan, Study, and Summarise. First, scan the extent of the materials that you need to deliver. The scanning process will also allow you to quickly extract the main points you want your audience to glean from the presentation. Second, focus on core portions of your content and study the material as well as you can. You don’t need to memorise everything, you just need to understand the key facets of your content. Third, attempt to summarise the points you have gleaned from the scanning/studying of the content. This summary can act as your skeletal content guide – both in the substantive details and the overall flow of your last-minute presentation.

Tip #2: Take Control of the Environment

In such a high-stress, high-stakes environment, everything may come across as your stress centres. You may heighten or overstate your fear in preparing your presentation. Worse still, you may adopt a defeatist attitude and be lulled into complacency. After all, a last-minute assignment can only be delivered with a last-minute quality standard, right?

Well, we disagree! If you approach every presentation with the audience’s interests in mind, you will always provide value anytime you are on stage. In that sense, take control of your speaking environment so that nothing else would distract you from that goal. For example, try to confirm your presentation’s logistical/operational aspects instead of waiting for the minute before the presentation itself (the literal last-minute!). Leave some room to walk on the speaking stage, try out the technical elements (e.g., microphone), and implement stage-fear management techniques (e.g., power poses).

Tip #3: Create Long-Term Engagement

Some of you may view a last-minute presentation as a ticket to disaster. You may feel a deceptive sense of peace as you think: I just have to sit through that train-wreck of a presentation, and it will all be over. Unfortunately, you need to remember that your audience members are constantly scrutinising you. They may not know about your last-minute assignment and are unlikely to be as kind to you. This may adversely impact your speaker credibility.

In this regard, you need to keep a look-out for your long-term engagement with your potential audience. A last-minute presentation may end up being a long-term disaster – to avoid that, maintain the dedication to deliver value to your audience members. For example, if the short preparation timeline results in lower confidence in your content, leave room for your audience members to follow up with questions or clarifications. Your presentation itself may be last-minute, but your commitment to your audience should continue beyond the stage!

*** Giving value can be extended beyond the presentation itself ***

Present with Power!

No matter the setting, a complete communicator will always aim to be versatile and give his/her 100% to the speaking stage. In a last-minute scenario that may be out of your control, the same dedication can help endear yourself to your audience. If you find yourself in a bind over how you can prepare in such a setting, try our three tips above!

Watch our Chief Training Officer break it down for you in this video: “Last-Minute” Presentation/ Public Speaking Tips | #CommunicationSkills”

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By The Way…

If you are keen to take your public speaking skills & presentation skills (either business/corporate presentation / kids in-class presentation) to the next level so that you may communicate and deliver speeches with greater flair and charisma, feel free to check out our public speaking course for adults and public speaking course for kids below!

For more about our (weekly group classes) Public Speaking Course for Adults :

https://publicspeakingacademy.com.sg/courses-and-programs/group-classes-for-adults/

If you are looking for a 2-day intensive public speaking/ presentation skills course for adults instead (for our adult learners who can’t do weekends), learn more about our Presentation Skills Training Course here: https://publicspeakingacademy.com.sg/presentation-skills-training-course-by-world-champion/

If you are looking for Public Speaking Courses for Kids / Children:

https://publicspeakingacademy.com.sg/group-classes-students-age-9-18/

If you are a human resources manager/ business owner in your company…

We want to help you bring out the best in your team, organization, and company. Public speaking and communication skills for the workplace, such as persuasion, remain a priority for most corporate training out there. We believe in staying ahead of the curve in sharing the contemporary communication skills to help you and your team remain relevant, competitive and nimble. Through our customized corporate training programmes, your team will benefit from an in-depth, hands-on, and potential-maximising public speaking & presentation skills training programme!

Feel free to reach out to us to curate your own public speaking corporate training programme for your team, company, or organization! Let us help you develop them into highly effective public speakers at work, empowered with effective presentation skills & storytelling skills – them giving speeches with charisma, influence and impact is something you can look forward to!

For effective presentation skills training & public speaking skills training for corporates/ employees: https://publicspeakingacademy.com.sg/corporate-public-speaking-training-workshop/