great portion of our chosen profession involves presenting information. Sometimes we are presenters in the traditional sense; we stand at the front of a banquet room or meeting hall and present slides or other data. Sometimes we are presenters on a smaller scale, as we have a one-on-one meeting with a prospect or a phone call with a client.

These are all forms of presentations, and they are all vital to our careers. Some people feel that writing the presentation is the easy part; the difficult part is actually presenting the information. Below are some tips to help you sharpen your presentation skills.

Be Clear and Speak Slowly

You've invested a lot of time and effort preparing for this presentation. You've carefully chosen each word, and you don't want your audience to miss one of them. To make sure each carefully crafted sentence is heard, practice speaking clearly, pronouncing each syllable.

You might have a tendency to drop off the ends of your sentences. Work hard to clearly finish each word. Keep your volume and energy up throughout your comments. If you mumble or speak too softly, you might send a subliminal message that what you're saying isn't important or isn't as important as your other points. All of your points are important so give them all equal attention.

Public speaking scares most people. It can be very daunting, and many would gladly have their in-laws visit for three weeks rather than speak in public. When we are nervous or anxious, we do things like breathe shallowly or talk very quickly.

Take your time and practice speaking slowly. You don't want the presentation to go by so quickly your audience is left wondering what hit them. Take deep breaths. The extra oxygen will invigorate you as well as force you to slow down.

Present Yourself

What are you presenting? You're presenting your product, your service and your company, but you're also presenting yourself. Your audience, whether they are one person or an entire auditorium of people, is looking at you. That fact may initially frighten you, but it's a positive thing. You want them to look at you so they can get your message.

You've spent many hours fine-tuning your presentation, now it's time to fine-tune your look. This means wearing appropriate clothes that fit well, are in good condition and are properly laundered.

If you're trying to decide if something is appropriate or not, don't wear it. If you are unsure, chances are others will be also, and you don't want to risk offending anyone. If you're debating whether to wear a new suit that you haven't had time to get altered, or one that is a few years old and fits well, go with the older suit. It's better to wear something that fits well even if it's not the latest fashion. But, do get that new suit altered so it's ready for your next event.

Lighten Up

Don't be afraid to have a sense of humor. Sure, this is business and you need to be professional, but humor and professionalism are not polar opposites. It's perfectly fine, and many times preferred, to lighten up a presentation with a few humorous comments here and there. Even if your audience doesn't guffaw and hold their stomachs in laughter, you might get a little smile or grin. And your audience will remember your point because it was different.

Draw a Picture

Visual aids can be just the thing to add some pizzazz to your presentation. But remember to use only a few to complement your presentation; if you use more, they may lose their effect. You should place visual aids where they will have the most benefit. To determine the most appropriate time and place, review your presentation and identify three points that you feel are the most important.

If you're having trouble narrowing your list, answer this question: "If my audience leaves having learned only three things, what do I want them to be?" Then, use visual tools, such as charts, graphs, news articles or advertisements, to visually enforce those points.

Communication is a key to success in our industry. Whether you're talking to one person or 100 people, your message is important and needs to be heard. If you sharpen your presentation skills it will be impossible for people not to listen to you! Speak slowly and clearly, dress professionally, use visual tools and don't forget to laugh. With each presentation, you will improve and become more comfortable. Before you know it, it will be second nature.