#2 - DON'T WRITE A FANTASTIC PRESENTATION ... THEN NOT MAKE SURE IT'S TIMED PROPERLY

Time your presentation.

Yeah, I know. EVERYONE'S heard this ... but less than half of them DO it properly (ie. Standing ... Out Loud ... Pausing to Reflect Where There are Likely to be Pauses ... Early Enough To Make Changes ... all that sort of thing).

I bet even YOU ... a person nice enough to take the time to read this article ... hasn't done it EVERY single time you've created a presentation.

Well, truth is, good timing is as important as your content itself. Why? Think of it this way:

In sport, there is a saying that, "You're Only As Good As Your Last Game".

Well, when speaking at a conference, delegates assess you similarly: "You're only as good as your last few minutes".

Leave them on a well-crafted high ... they will love you and forgive some of your presentation's weaker moments.

But hurry through slides uttering, "Well, I don't have time to cover this" ... or, worse still, going OVER time ... means if someone asks them, "What did you think of THAT presentation?" they'll likely say, "Well, it felt a bit rushed" or "Unpolished" or some other negative thought that reflects how your poor timing left them feeling.

If you find in your read-through that you're over time, don't panic. Believe it or not cutting parts from your script usually is an improvement. Think of how, when a sculptor removes bits of marble, it actually clarifies their work.

When it comes to your presentation ... and even to the individual points you are making within it ... the Golden Rule is neatly expressed in this 1973 Album cover:

LES is MOORE.

Good luck and have fun!