Effective presentation skills
A good presentation is planned for the audience, has a clear opening, body and close, and is delivered with confidence through voice, eye contact and practice.
Preparing and giving a presentation
Structure of a presentation
| Part | What to do | Example line |
|---|---|---|
| Opening | Greet, gain attention, state the purpose and give a preview | “In the next ten minutes I will show you three reasons why our new gift pack will sell.” |
| Body | Cover 3-5 main points in a clear order, with evidence and examples | “First, the market. Second, the product. Third, the price.” |
| Transitions | Link one point to the next | “Now that we have seen the market, let us look at the product.” |
| Close | Summarise, give a call to action, thank the audience | “So, three reasons: market, product, price. Please push the pack from 1 November.” |
| Questions | Invite and answer questions | “I'm happy to take your questions now.” |
Methods of delivery
| Method | Meaning | Strength and weakness |
|---|---|---|
| Manuscript | Reading a full script | Exact wording, but little eye contact; sounds flat |
| Memorised | Learning the script by heart | Smooth, but risky if you forget a line; sounds stiff |
| Impromptu | Speaking with no preparation | Natural, but may lack structure |
| Extemporaneous | Prepared and rehearsed, spoken from brief notes | Natural and organised; the best for most business talks |
Delivery skills
- Voice: speak loudly enough for the back row; vary pitch and speed; pause before key points.
- Eye contact: look around the whole room, holding each person's gaze briefly.
- Posture and gestures: stand straight, keep hands natural, avoid pacing or fiddling.
- Appearance: dress one level more formally than the audience.
- Language: short sentences, simple words, no unexplained jargon.
- Time: finish on time or a little early.
- Nerves (stage fright): prepare well, rehearse aloud, breathe slowly, arrive early to check the room, and focus on the message, not yourself.
- Questions: listen to the whole question, repeat it for the room, answer briefly, and admit it if you do not know and offer to find out.
Example: planning a 10-minute presentation
Tharushi Wickramasinghe, Marketing Assistant at Kumbuk Tea Traders (Pvt) Ltd (a fictional company), must present a new tea gift pack to 15 sales representatives in 10 minutes. Plan the presentation.
- Purpose: persuade the sales team to promote the gift pack from 1 November.
- Audience: experienced sales staff; they want to know why it will sell and what they will earn.
- Main points (three): (1) the market: gift buying before Christmas and the New Year; (2) the product: four teas in a wooden box; (3) the price and the sales incentive.
- Opening: show the actual box and ask, “Who has bought a gift this month?” Then state the purpose and the three points.
- Close: summarise the three points and ask each representative to place a first order by 5 November.
- Visual aids: the real product, plus four simple slides.
- Time plan: opening 1.5 min + three points × 2 min (= 6 min) + close 1 min + questions 1.5 min = 10 min.
A clear purpose, three main points, an attention-getting opening with the real product, a close with a call to action, and a time plan that adds up exactly: 1.5 + 6 + 1 + 1.5 = 10 minutes.
Sri Lankan managers present to banks for loans, to buyers at trade fairs and to head office on targets. A sales manager may present in English to an export buyer in the morning and brief the sales team in Sinhala or Tamil in the afternoon: the same skills, a different audience.
Essay: “Explain how to plan and deliver an effective oral presentation.” Planning (purpose, audience, main points, structure, visual aids, rehearsal) then delivery (voice, eye contact, posture, nerves, time, questions), with an example.
Short answer: “What is extemporaneous delivery?” A prepared and rehearsed talk, spoken naturally from brief notes rather than read or memorised.
Structured question: “Explain how a speaker can manage stage fright.” Prepare and rehearse aloud, know the opening by heart, check the room early, breathe slowly, focus on the audience's needs, and use notes as a safety net.
Tell them what you'll tell them, tell them, then tell them what you told them: opening (preview), body (3-5 points), close (summary). Plan → Purpose, Audience, Points, Practice.