7 Steps to More Effective Presentations

(Inspired by Training from the Back of the Room) Tired of presenting content that gets forgotten by the next day? If you want your message to stick and actually be used, these 7 steps will help. Each one is backed by how the brain learns best and focused on making your presentations more relevant and meaningful.

  1. Start with Connection Open with a pair share, or movement and discussion activity, get brains and bodies engaged in the topic right away.
  2. Make Learners Do the Thinking Instead of telling, give them something to solve, compare, or decide. Think: short activities over long lectures.
  3. Make It Learner-Centered Shift the spotlight from the speaker to the participants. They should be actively engaging with the content, not just listening.
  4. Keep It Short Break content into chunks, aim for 10- to 20-minute blocks before switching gears.
  5. Get Them Moving Even a simple stand-and-share or walk-and-talk boosts focus and memory. Movement matters!
  6. Let Them Practice It Don’t just talk about it, give learners a chance to try it out in a safe, low-stakes way.
  7. End with an Action Plan Don’t just wrap up, help learners connect what they learned to what they’ll do next.
Giving a Presentation