How do you create a conference presentation that stays on schedule?

1 Define your goals

Before you start working on your slides, you need to define the main goals of your presentation. What is the key message you want to convey? Who is your target audience and what do they need to know? How do you want them to feel or act after listening to you? Having clear and specific goals will help you focus your content and avoid unnecessary or irrelevant information.

2 Structure your content

Once you have your goals, you need to structure your content into a logical and coherent flow. A common framework for presentations is the PEP model: Preview, Explain, and Preview again. This means you start by telling your audience what you are going to talk about, then you explain your main points with evidence and examples, and then you summarize and reinforce your key message. This helps your audience follow your logic and remember your main takeaways.

3 Limit your slides

A common mistake that can make your presentation run over time is having too many slides or too much text on each slide. A good rule of thumb is to have one slide per minute of speaking time, and no more than six bullet points or lines of text per slide. This will help you avoid cluttering your slides and overwhelming your audience with information. Instead, use visuals, charts, graphs, or images to illustrate your points and make them more memorable.

4 Practice and time yourself

The best way to ensure that your presentation stays on schedule is to practice it several times and time yourself. This will help you identify any parts that are too long, too short, or unclear, and make adjustments accordingly. It will also help you improve your delivery, confidence, and fluency. Try to practice in front of a mirror, a friend, or a colleague, and ask for feedback. You can also record yourself and watch it later to spot any areas for improvement.

5 Anticipate and manage questions

Questions from the audience can be a great way to engage them and demonstrate your expertise, but they can also disrupt your flow and make you lose track of time. To avoid this, it's important to anticipate and manage questions effectively. To do this, indicate at the beginning when and how you will take questions, such as at the end, during breaks, or after each section. Additionally, prepare some answers for common or expected questions in advance. Keep your answers brief and relevant while referring back to your main message. If a question is off-topic, unclear, or too complex, redirect or defer it and offer to follow up later. By following these tips, you can create a conference presentation that stays on schedule and delivers value to the audience. Remember, quality is more important than quantity, and clarity is more important than complexity - good luck with your presentation!

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?