You know it when you see it. It just feels right. Everyone is on the same page, taking the same trip. The audience is absolutely hooked, and the speaker just seems to be hitting all the right points at exactly the right moment. But what makes this presentation stick out? Was it all just serendipity? Or, is there a way to reproduce that special moment when a presentation just clicks?

I have been presenting for over 20 years. Since excelling in presentation class at Loyola High School with Mr. Dubé, I have been keenly aware of the power and potential of a well-crafted presentation. Now, I have presented dozens if not, hundreds of times to groups of two or three to over two hundred. I have also read up on presentation skills and public speaking and developed my expertise over the years through trial and error in practice. If you ask anyone that knows me, they would say I have a bit of a gift for the gab. And here, I would like to share with you what I’ve learnt, so that you can take these ideas and improve your own professional presentations.

In another article, I lay out my Top Ten Tips for a Killer Presentation, but here I would just like to introduce a few ideas and things to look for the next time you are part of the audience or want to critically evaluate your own presentation.

A natural presenter has presence. I am not talking specifically about the Tony Robbins-esque sort of grotesque size mixed with sheer volumized energy, I am simply saying they command the stage. Presence can be quirky, energetic, docile, intellectual, humorous, it can be almost anything you want. However, it has to be genuine and it has to captivate. Presence is a mixture of knowledge, genuine interest, and level of comfort being centre stage. Lacking one of these key ingredients will signal to the audience that something is “off”, and credibility of your message will suffer.

A good presentation is well thought out. It doesn’t leave you wondering what the speaker really thought about the subject, it doesn’t leave lingering questions, and it doesn’t force you to jump from one scatter-brained idea to the next. Imagine getting into a taxi and the driver starts taking every possible avenue until he finds your stop. What an uncomfortable notion! Presenting takes time and work: you don’t just blurt out a magnificent speech, you have to mull your subject over before you can declare it to others or you’ll be caught making up your mind as you speak, which will affect your reputation as a reliable source.

A good presentation leaves you feeling better about something. No one wants to leave a boardroom or an auditorium on a downer. Speeches should make you feel like there is hope, they should encourage the communal espoir that is central to all of humanity, they should elevate, encourage, and bring positivity to the forefront. Even drab or negative subjects can be shown to have a bright side. If your message is one of dire necessity, it should not leave the listener feeling as though there is no point to action, it should be a call to action.

Make your presentations killer, command the stage (regardless of its size or scope), think deeply about your subject (regardless of its breadth or importance), and shine a positive light on all (regardless of its content or nature). Your audience deserves as much, and so do you.