I have a 45-minute presentation. Even if I have the full 45 minutes allotted, I have to speak quickly and flip through my slides at a rapid pace to get it all in. What really throws me is when my time is cut short to, say, 30 minutes. I panic. What can I do?
Signed, Running Out of Breath
Dear Running,
Your plight is a common one. At least you know how long your presentation is! Many speakers don't.
The first thing I suggest is that you decide the top three points of your presentation. Even if you had only 15 minutes, what three points would you choose to make?
Next, decide what to cut from this speech. If you are racing to get it into a prescribed 45-minute slot, you are already trying to present too much information.
In fact, I'd suggest you only prepare 30 minutes worth of remarks for a 45-minute time slot. This allows for both schedule slippage and a question/answer session.
Finally, stick to your three main points. The most effective speakers deliver fewer message points and repeat them more times. If we really want our audience to take something away, they need to hear our key messages at least three times.
Make a point, use an example, tell a story. Then repeat the point at least one more time at or near the end of your speech. If you do this, your audience will become engaged instead of fatigued. They won't be exhausted and you won't run out of breath. Let me know how it goes!
Sincerely, The Savvy Communicator
