1st part of the presentation outline

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Create Effective Presentation Outlines: A Step-by-Step Guide with Tips & Examples

Table of Contents

What is a presentation outline .

A presentation outline is like a roadmap for organizing your thoughts and delivering your message smoothly during a presentation. It helps you structure your content logically, ensuring that your audience can follow along easily. By providing a clear framework, an outline enhances the clarity and effectiveness of your presentation.

Importance of Presentation Outline  

1. Clarity and Focus

Using an outline keeps your presentation organized and focused, preventing you from going off track. It ensures that your presentation has a clear purpose and that all the information you share is relevant to your main points.

2. Logical Structure

A well-crafted outline ensures that your presentation flows logically, guiding your audience smoothly from one point to the next. This helps your audience follow your train of thought and understand your message more easily.

3. Enhanced Delivery

Having a clear outline can boost your confidence and make your delivery smoother. With a structured plan, you’re less likely to forget important points or ramble on, resulting in a more professional presentation.

4. Time Management

An outline helps you manage your time better by estimating how long each part of your presentation will take. This ensures that you stay within the allotted timeframe, keeping your presentation on track and engaging for your audience.

How to Build Strong Presentation Outline s?

1. Purpose of Presentation

Understanding why you’re giving your presentation is crucial for planning its structure. Identifying your goal means thinking about what you want your audience to get out of it. This clarity forms the basis of your whole presentation. There are six potential reasons you might be presenting:

• Sharing information
• Teaching something new
• Making it enjoyable
• Inspiring action
• Convincing people of something
• Motivating them

Thinking about your goal will help you make a presentation that really grabs attention. Answering these questions can help you figure out what your goal is:

• What do I want people to learn or understand from my presentation?
• How will my presentation make a difference to those listening?
• What do I want people to do after my presentation?

Once you have the answers, you’ll have a good idea of what your presentation should cover and where to start.

2. Consider Color and Design

How you present your pitch matters just as much as what you say. Take a moment to think about the fonts and colors you’ll use on your slides. Research suggests that red can convey excitement and grab your audience’s attention, while white gives off a sense of simplicity and clarity.

3. Establishing Structure: Arrange Your Ideas in a Logical Order

When crafting your presentation, it’s important to structure your ideas in a clear and logical sequence. Start with an introduction to set the stage, followed by the main body where you delve into your key points, and wrap it up with a conclusion to summarize your main ideas.

4. Engaging Your Audience

When you’re getting ready for your presentation, think about how you can start off in a way that grabs everyone’s attention. You could ask a thought-provoking question, share an interesting story, or begin with a meaningful quote. The main thing is to get your audience interested right from the beginning and set the tone for the rest of your talk.

5. Adding Visuals

Give some thought to whether you want to include pictures, videos, or other visual stuff in your presentation. Even if your outline doesn’t mention exactly what visuals to use, you can suggest where they might fit in to help explain your ideas.

6. Encouraging Action

Come up with a clear and compelling message to encourage your audience to take action. Whether it’s encouraging customers to try out a new product or inviting people to join a demo, make sure they understand what’s in it for them. And if your presentation doesn’t really need a specific call to action, just wrap up by summarizing your main points and saying thanks for listening.

Alternatively, you can skip the hassle of crafting a presentation outline manually – try SlidesAI for seamless assistance .

Strategies for Crafting an Engaging Presentation

1. Understanding Your Audience

Take some time to know your audience by researching beforehand. This helps you adjust your presentation to connect with them better.

2. Enhance with Quotes, Testimonials, or Data

Make your presentation more interesting by adding extra info like quotes, testimonials, or data. It can make your audience more engaged and reinforce your message.

3. Visualize Your Concepts

How you show your ideas matters a lot. Tools like SlidesAI can help you express your concepts clearly and effectively.

4. Highlight Key Takeaways

Figure out the most important points you want your audience to remember. This makes it easier for them to recall and understand your message.

5. Seek Feedback

Ask for feedback to improve your presentation. It’s a good way to make sure it connects better with your audience.

Presentation Outline Example

Topic: The Impact of Social Media on Mental Health

Target Audience: College students

Time Limit: 15 minutes

I. Introduction (2 minutes)

Attention Grabber : Briefly discuss a real-life example of how social media can negatively impact mental health (e.g., cyberbullying, unrealistic beauty standards).

Introduce the topic : Clearly state the topic and its significance (e.g., “Today, I’ll be talking about the increasing impact of social media on mental health, particularly among young adults like yourselves”).

Preview : Briefly outline the key points that will be covered (e.g., “We’ll explore the positive and negative aspects of social media use, discuss common mental health concerns associated with it, and offer some tips for healthy social media habits”).

II. Main Body (10 minutes)

Positive aspects of social media:

Connection and community : Highlight how social media can help people connect with friends and family, build communities based on shared interests, and combat feelings of loneliness.

Information and self-expression : Discuss how social media can be a source of information, news, and inspiration, and provide a platform for self-expression and creativity.

Negative aspects of social media:

Social comparison and envy : Explain how constant exposure to curated online profiles can lead to social comparison, feelings of inadequacy, and envy.

Cyberbullying and harassment : Discuss the prevalence of cyberbullying and online harassment, their potential to significantly impact mental health, and the importance of online safety.

Addiction and anxiety : Explain how excessive social media use can lead to addiction, anxiety, and sleep disturbances.

III. Conclusion (3 minutes)

Summary : Briefly recap the key takeaways discussed in the presentation.

Call to action : Encourage the audience to be mindful of their social media usage and offer practical tips for developing healthy habits, such as setting time limits, curating their feed, and prioritizing real-life interactions.

Question and Answer : Allocate time for audience questions and address them thoughtfully.

This is just a sample outline, and you can adapt and modify it based on your specific topic, audience, and time constraints. Remember, a well-structured and engaging presentation will effectively communicate your message and leave a lasting impression on your audience.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can ai help you create a presentation outline .

With the assistance of AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini, crafting outlines becomes a breeze. Furthermore, you can utilize user-friendly online AI presentation tools such as SlidesAI to effortlessly generate your presentations.

Why is putting your outline on a slide a good idea?

Using a presentation outline can be helpful. It makes things clearer, boosts the speaker’s confidence, and helps manage information better. It also keeps the audience more engaged. But, if your presentation is fast-paced, casual, or focused on a specific area of expertise, you might want to keep the outline short and sweet. Just pick what works best for your situation and audience.

What is the format of the presentation outline?

There are various formats, but a common approach is using bullet points, numbered lists , or headings and subheadings. Choose the format that best suits your content and visualizes your information.

How can I adapt my presentation outline for different audiences?

Adapt your presentation outline by tailoring:

• Content : Depth, complexity, and examples based on audience expertise.
• Language : Formality, jargon, and storytelling to match audience and occasion.
• Visuals : Complexity and style to suit audience understanding.
• Delivery : Pace, volume, and even body language to audience energy.
• Focus : Highlight information most relevant to specific interests.

How long should a presentation outline be?

There’s no set rule; it depends on the complexity of your topic and presentation length.

Can I use a mind map to create a presentation outline?

Yes, mind maps can be a good way to visually brainstorm and organize presentation ideas.

What tools can I use to create a presentation outline?

You can use pen and paper, a word processing software like Microsoft Word, or dedicated outlining tools. Presentation software like PowerPoint also offers built-in outlining features.

Save Time and Effortlessly Create Presentations with SlidesAI

How to Outline a Presentation: A Complete Guide From a Pro

• Filed under: Public speaking articles , Speaking tips , Speech preparation

When you’re writing an important speech, you must start with a clear outline. However, I find that many speakers are uncertain of how to write a good outline for their presentation. This is why I decided to write a guide for you, in hopes that learning to perfect your outlines will help you give better presentations in the future.

How do you outline a presentation? Always start with your introduction and end with your powerful closing. Flesh out the body by listing topics in the order that you want to cover them in. Never skimp on the important details of your speech. Remember that an outline is only a draft.

I know at this point that you still have questions, and that you still be confused at how to write the best outline for your speech. But writing a good outline for your presentation does not have to be stressful! This is my complete guide from a pro for you, in hopes that you can take the stress out of this important step.

Table of Contents

How to Outline a Presentation

Outlining a presentation can be done with a regular piece of paper, or on a word processing program on your computer. If you are hosting a PowerPoint presentation, you may prefer to do the entire thing from the comfort of your computer. But if you do decide to write your outline on a piece of paper, make sure you use a pencil and eraser so that you can make changes as you go along.

The very first step in creating an outline is to ask yourself what the purpose of your presentation is.

Write your main message or a one-sentence summary of your thesis at the top of your outline when you get started. This may help you stay on task, and it will keep the purpose of your speech right in your eye’s sight. After all, you don’t want to stray too far off the main topic of your presentation !

Remember, a quality outline is meant to enhance the purpose of your presentation. If you do not write a proper outline, you may risk not properly conveying the right message to your audience.

Or you may even forget to cover essential points that you wanted to talk about. A thorough outline is especially important if you are planning to speak without notes.

You should remember to properly summarize what you want to say with every sentence of your outline. After all, this is not a full script, so a summary is all you really need. Remember to rehearse and practice with your outline, so that you can remember what you have written.

Start With a Strong Beginning

Your introduction is where you start strong by grabbing your audience’s attention from the very beginning. But if that makes you feel stressed out, just remember to stay calm! Creating a great first impression from the beginning of your speech is not as difficult as you might be worrying.

When you create a strong beginning, you should try some of the following:

• Start with an attention-grabbing statement that captures your audience from the start. If you have a few ideas but are not sure what to use, try running your ideas by a trusted friend or mentor.
• Give a strong signal that you are beginning your speech. You don’t want your audience unsure of whether you’ve actually begun or not.
• Give the main thesis statement about the purpose of your presentation.
• You could start by giving a brief preview of all of the things that you are going to talk about in the body of your speech.
• Talk about your credentials at the beginning. However, you should make sure to find a way to do it that is entertaining. You don’t want to risk boring your audience from the very beginning of your speech!
• Thank your audience from the very beginning! This is not only a good way to begin your speech, but a good way to end it, as well.
• If there are any current events or famous historical events that relate to the purpose of your presentation, you can start by talking about these. However, pick only one so that you do not draw your introduction out too long.
• Ask your audience a question at the beginning. You could draw out their interest by answering this question at a later point in your speech.
• Whenever possible, make sure you begin your speech on a positive note . This sets a good tone for the rest of the presentation.
• Start by telling a story that relates to your presentation. A good reason to start with a story is that it helps you form a strong connection with your audience from the beginning. Write some of the main details of your story in your outline so that you remember them.

Be reminded thought, that sometimes it is wise to write your introduction last as only you know what you’ll be introducing. This way, you’ll also avoid including something in your introduction that you won’t be actually talking about.

Once you have written out your introduction, you have completed the first step in creating an excellent outline for your presentation.

Create a Powerful Ending

In my experience, it can be easier to create ending before you flesh out the body of your presentation. However, it is up to you if you prefer to create your outline in a different order.

If you are a regular reader, you might have realized that I already posted an in-depth article here about how to end a presentation in a powerful way . Right now we are going to talk about the same thing in somewhat less detail.

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Just like with your beginning, make sure that you’ve made it obvious you are ending. After all, few things are more awkward than your audience sitting there long after you’ve finished, feeling confused about whether they should leave or not.

If the point of your speech is to motivate your audience to do something, you might consider ending your speech with a call to action . A call to action is simply an instruction that you give your audience about something you want them to do.

You could also potentially end your presentation with a powerful quote or an entertaining story . And if you have a unique tagline that exists to help promote your personal brand, consider ending with it.

But if you are planning to have a question and answer period at all, make sure you are not directly ending with one. Plan to wrap up your question and answer period before delivering your speech’s closing at the end.

This is because ending with a question and answer period is not only not memorable, but a negative question from an audience member can leave a bad taste in everyone’s mouth . This is not the last thing you want your audience members to remember as they’re leaving!

And as always, you should thank your audience at the end of your speech. This will make them feel valued, and impressed with your gratefulness.

Flesh Out the Body of Your Presentation

So, you’ve got your beginning and ending all figured out, but now what else do you do with your outline? This is the stage where you work on the body of your speech. That is, you will want to think about what you want to say in between your beginning and end. Here are some speech writing tips I have written about previously.

Write the main points of your outline in order

It may be easier for you to write bullet points or even a numbered list. List your main points in order of what you want to talk about. If at first glance the topics don’t seem to flow, it is okay to re-arrange them.

You can also decide at this point if there is anything you want to add or subtract. If you feel like you’ve made a mistake, don’t worry! It is okay to make any changes along the way.

Add sub-points and transitions to your topics

Add sub-points to your main points in order to further flesh out your outline. Even if you want to keep it simple, sub-points may help you to stay on track and remember what you were going to say.

You can also add to the ideas that your main points present. Make sure that the transitions from one point to another flow smoothly from one thing to the next.

Don’t forget the essential details!

Are there any special details that you need to remember for your presentation? Put these in your outline so that you don’t forget them. This can include important names, dates, and locations that you need to remember.

Write down how long will it take

If your speech is supposed to cover a certain amount of time, try listing times for each of your main points. This may help you not go over or under your time.

Also, take a look at these articles:

• 11 Great Tips How to Write a Great Persuasive Speech
• How to Deliver a Perfect Elevator Speech

How to Outline a PowerPoint Presentation?

You may be thinking that you don’t need an outline for your PowerPoint presentation. However, don’t rely on your slides alone ; you need a proper outline, too. An outline for a PowerPoint presentation should also include images that you intend to use for your slides.

Fortunately, the PowerPoint program itself also allows you to view an outline of your slides. This can help give you a visual of your overall presentation.

Remember, This is Only a Draft!

If your outline isn’t the way you want it to be, remember that it is only your very first rough draft. Your outline doesn’t have to be perfect, because it is not your final product. While you should work hard to make your outline as good as possible, you don’t need to stress about it.

And remember that if you finish your outline, and you are not satisfied with how it looks? It is okay for you to scrap it and start all over again. There is no reason that you should stick with an outline that you don’t feel confident about.

An outline is a great place to start whether you intend to read from a full script, read from cue cards, or speak without notes. If you are an avid reader of Speak and Conquer, you’ll remember that I recommend creating an outline in many of my articles.

Get Feedback From Others About Your Outline

There is no reason that you have to go any of this by yourself. If you have a friend or mentor who is experienced with public speaking , why not ask them to take a look at your outline for you? They may see something that needs to be changed that never even occurred to you.

You could also give a practice round of your speech in front of a friend, family member, or mentor. Give them a chance to make suggestions about whether or not there’s anything that you should change. After all, it’s better for you to realize if something needs to be done differently before the actual day of the presentation.

If you don’t have someone who you can rehearse in front of in person, try recording your presentation in front of a video camera . Show it to someone you trust via email or social media. If they have any suggestions for change, you can alter your outline accordingly.

Why is a Presentation Outline so Important, Anyway?

While reading this article, you may be wondering why you even need an outline for your presentation. This may be especially puzzling to you if you are planning to give a speech without notes . But I find that an outline can be incredibly useful no matter what kind of presentation you are planning to give to your audience.

Like I said before, the main point of an outline is to enhance the main purpose of your speech further. But I’m also going to give you a list of some more reasons why I believe an outline is absolutely essential.

Some other good reasons for creating an outline for your presentation are:

• You will have an easy visual to look at the order of the topics you are talking about. This way, you can see if anything looks out of place.
• The proper outline will help to keep your speech organized.
• You will be able to look at the connections between your ideas . This may even help you realize you need to add or subtract certain things from your speech.
• A good outline will help you remember to t ouch on every important point that you need to cover in your presentation.
• Outlining helps you see whether or not your main points and sub-points flow smoothly . If you create your outline and realize that some of your points do not flow, you can easily re-write key parts.
• Using an outline instead of a full script will give you more freedom to improvise during your presentation. This is why creating an outline is a great first strategy if you are speaking without notes, or trying to memorize a speech in a short period of time.
• If you’re not sure where to start preparing for your speech, then writing a loose outline is a good first step to help you out.
• Practicing with an outline will help enhance your memory about the main points and sub-points of your presentation.

No matter what kind of presentation you are planning to give, a solid outline with help you be prepared and ready to go.

Conclusion: How do you make an outline for a talk?

Today, I have compiled a thorough guide about writing a quality outline. We discussed creating a good beginning, ending, and body of your presentation. We have even talked about why a good outline is important, too. If you have any other tips to share about creating an outline for your presentation, make sure to share them in the comments section.

If you are looking to improve your public speaking and presentation skills, check out the rest of my articles on Speak and Conquer. The purpose of my site is to help you succeed in becoming a better public speaker. For example, I have covered popular topics such as how to memorize a speech in less than an hour , and how to use hand gestures effectively during a presentation .

Related Questions

What software should I use to outline my speech? Preferably, you should have a program that allows you to use bullet points or numbered lists. Bullet points and lists are a good place to start when you are outlining. Microsoft Word, Word Processor, or Notepad are acceptable for basic outlines.

How do I decide what the purpose of my speech is? Decide if you are there to inform, educate, motivate, or entertain your audience. When you have narrowed it down to just one of those, you will be able to decide the main idea of your speech. You should preferably speak about a topic that you are well-educated about.  

How do I write a speech? Start with a purpose, and then create a detailed outline. Flesh out the points and sub-points from your outline. Decide very early on if you want to give your speech with or without notes. Revise your drafts as much as possible until you have created a full speech. If you are going to speak with notes, write some of the information from your outline onto cue cards.

Useful reading

• 16 secret ways how to speak to a bored audience
• How to Use Your Voice Effectively in a Presentation?
• 13 Effective Ways How to Make Speech Pauses

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How to Structure your Presentation, with Examples

August 3, 2018 - Dom Barnard

For many people the thought of delivering a presentation is a daunting task and brings about a  great deal of nerves . However, if you take some time to understand how effective presentations are structured and then apply this structure to your own presentation, you’ll appear much more confident and relaxed.

Here is our complete guide for structuring your presentation, with examples at the end of the article to demonstrate these points.

Why is structuring a presentation so important?

If you’ve ever sat through a great presentation, you’ll have left feeling either inspired or informed on a given topic. This isn’t because the speaker was the most knowledgeable or motivating person in the world. Instead, it’s because they know how to structure presentations – they have crafted their message in a logical and simple way that has allowed the audience can keep up with them and take away key messages.

Research has supported this, with studies showing that audiences retain structured information  40% more accurately  than unstructured information.

In fact, not only is structuring a presentation important for the benefit of the audience’s understanding, it’s also important for you as the speaker. A good structure helps you remain calm, stay on topic, and avoid any awkward silences.

What will affect your presentation structure?

Generally speaking, there is a natural flow that any decent presentation will follow which we will go into shortly. However, you should be aware that all presentation structures will be different in their own unique way and this will be due to a number of factors, including:

• Whether you need to deliver any demonstrations
• How  knowledgeable the audience  already is on the given subject
• How much interaction you want from the audience
• Any time constraints there are for your talk
• What setting you are in
• Your ability to use any kinds of visual assistance

Before choosing the presentation’s structure answer these questions first:

• What is your presentation’s aim?
• Who are the audience?
• What are the main points your audience should remember afterwards?

When reading the points below, think critically about what things may cause your presentation structure to be slightly different. You can add in certain elements and add more focus to certain moments if that works better for your speech.

What is the typical presentation structure?

This is the usual flow of a presentation, which covers all the vital sections and is a good starting point for yours. It allows your audience to easily follow along and sets out a solid structure you can add your content to.

1. Greet the audience and introduce yourself

Before you start delivering your talk, introduce yourself to the audience and clarify who you are and your relevant expertise. This does not need to be long or incredibly detailed, but will help build an immediate relationship between you and the audience. It gives you the chance to briefly clarify your expertise and why you are worth listening to. This will help establish your ethos so the audience will trust you more and think you’re credible.

Read our tips on  How to Start a Presentation Effectively

2. Introduction

In the introduction you need to explain the subject and purpose of your presentation whilst gaining the audience’s interest and confidence. It’s sometimes helpful to think of your introduction as funnel-shaped to help filter down your topic:

• Introduce your general topic
• Explain your topic area
• State the issues/challenges in this area you will be exploring
• State your presentation’s purpose – this is the basis of your presentation so ensure that you provide a statement explaining how the topic will be treated, for example, “I will argue that…” or maybe you will “compare”, “analyse”, “evaluate”, “describe” etc.
• Provide a statement of what you’re hoping the outcome of the presentation will be, for example, “I’m hoping this will be provide you with…”
• Show a preview of the organisation of your presentation

In this section also explain:

• The length of the talk.
• Signal whether you want audience interaction – some presenters prefer the audience to ask questions throughout whereas others allocate a specific section for this.
• If it applies, inform the audience whether to take notes or whether you will be providing handouts.

The way you structure your introduction can depend on the amount of time you have been given to present: a  sales pitch  may consist of a quick presentation so you may begin with your conclusion and then provide the evidence. Conversely, a speaker presenting their idea for change in the world would be better suited to start with the evidence and then conclude what this means for the audience.

Keep in mind that the main aim of the introduction is to grab the audience’s attention and connect with them.

3. The main body of your talk

The main body of your talk needs to meet the promises you made in the introduction. Depending on the nature of your presentation, clearly segment the different topics you will be discussing, and then work your way through them one at a time – it’s important for everything to be organised logically for the audience to fully understand. There are many different ways to organise your main points, such as, by priority, theme, chronologically etc.

• Main points should be addressed one by one with supporting evidence and examples.
• Before moving on to the next point you should provide a mini-summary.
• Links should be clearly stated between ideas and you must make it clear when you’re moving onto the next point.
• Allow time for people to take relevant notes and stick to the topics you have prepared beforehand rather than straying too far off topic.

When planning your presentation write a list of main points you want to make and ask yourself “What I am telling the audience? What should they understand from this?” refining your answers this way will help you produce clear messages.

4. Conclusion

In presentations the conclusion is frequently underdeveloped and lacks purpose which is a shame as it’s the best place to reinforce your messages. Typically, your presentation has a specific goal – that could be to convert a number of the audience members into customers, lead to a certain number of enquiries to make people knowledgeable on specific key points, or to motivate them towards a shared goal.

Regardless of what that goal is, be sure to summarise your main points and their implications. This clarifies the overall purpose of your talk and reinforces your reason for being there.

Follow these steps:

• Signal that it’s nearly the end of your presentation, for example, “As we wrap up/as we wind down the talk…”
• Restate the topic and purpose of your presentation – “In this speech I wanted to compare…”
• Summarise the main points, including their implications and conclusions
• Indicate what is next/a call to action/a thought-provoking takeaway
• Move on to the last section

5. Thank the audience and invite questions

Conclude your talk by thanking the audience for their time and invite them to  ask any questions  they may have. As mentioned earlier, personal circumstances will affect the structure of your presentation.

Many presenters prefer to make the Q&A session the key part of their talk and try to speed through the main body of the presentation. This is totally fine, but it is still best to focus on delivering some sort of initial presentation to set the tone and topics for discussion in the Q&A.

Other common presentation structures

The above was a description of a basic presentation, here are some more specific presentation layouts:

Demonstration

Use the demonstration structure when you have something useful to show. This is usually used when you want to show how a product works. Steve Jobs frequently used this technique in his presentations.

• Explain why the product is valuable.
• Describe why the product is necessary.
• Explain what problems it can solve for the audience.
• Demonstrate the product  to support what you’ve been saying.
• Make suggestions of other things it can do to make the audience curious.

Problem-solution

This structure is particularly useful in persuading the audience.

• Briefly frame the issue.
• Go into the issue in detail showing why it ‘s such a problem. Use logos and pathos for this – the logical and emotional appeals.
• Provide the solution and explain why this would also help the audience.
• Call to action – something you want the audience to do which is straightforward and pertinent to the solution.

Storytelling

As well as incorporating  stories in your presentation , you can organise your whole presentation as a story. There are lots of different type of story structures you can use – a popular choice is the monomyth – the hero’s journey. In a monomyth, a hero goes on a difficult journey or takes on a challenge – they move from the familiar into the unknown. After facing obstacles and ultimately succeeding the hero returns home, transformed and with newfound wisdom.

Storytelling for Business Success  webinar , where well-know storyteller Javier Bernad shares strategies for crafting compelling narratives.

Another popular choice for using a story to structure your presentation is in media ras (in the middle of thing). In this type of story you launch right into the action by providing a snippet/teaser of what’s happening and then you start explaining the events that led to that event. This is engaging because you’re starting your story at the most exciting part which will make the audience curious – they’ll want to know how you got there.

• Great storytelling: Examples from Alibaba Founder, Jack Ma

Remaining method

The remaining method structure is good for situations where you’re presenting your perspective on a controversial topic which has split people’s opinions.

• Go into the issue in detail showing why it’s such a problem – use logos and pathos.
• Rebut your opponents’ solutions  – explain why their solutions could be useful because the audience will see this as fair and will therefore think you’re trustworthy, and then explain why you think these solutions are not valid.
• After you’ve presented all the alternatives provide your solution, the remaining solution. This is very persuasive because it looks like the winning idea, especially with the audience believing that you’re fair and trustworthy.

Transitions

When delivering presentations it’s important for your words and ideas to flow so your audience can understand how everything links together and why it’s all relevant. This can be done  using speech transitions  which are words and phrases that allow you to smoothly move from one point to another so that your speech flows and your presentation is unified.

Transitions can be one word, a phrase or a full sentence – there are many different forms, here are some examples:

Moving from the introduction to the first point

Signify to the audience that you will now begin discussing the first main point:

• Now that you’re aware of the overview, let’s begin with…
• First, let’s begin with…
• I will first cover…
• My first point covers…
• To get started, let’s look at…

Shifting between similar points

Move from one point to a similar one:

• In the same way…
• Likewise…
• Equally…
• This is similar to…
• Similarly…

Internal summaries

Internal summarising consists of summarising before moving on to the next point. You must inform the audience:

• What part of the presentation you covered – “In the first part of this speech we’ve covered…”
• What the key points were – “Precisely how…”
• How this links in with the overall presentation – “So that’s the context…”
• What you’re moving on to – “Now I’d like to move on to the second part of presentation which looks at…”

Physical movement

You can move your body and your standing location when you transition to another point. The audience find it easier to follow your presentation and movement will increase their interest.

A common technique for incorporating movement into your presentation is to:

• Start your introduction by standing in the centre of the stage.
• For your first point you stand on the left side of the stage.
• You discuss your second point from the centre again.
• You stand on the right side of the stage for your third point.
• The conclusion occurs in the centre.

Key slides for your presentation

Slides are a useful tool for most presentations: they can greatly assist in the delivery of your message and help the audience follow along with what you are saying. Key slides include:

• An intro slide outlining your ideas
• A  summary slide  with core points to remember
• High quality image slides to supplement what you are saying

There are some presenters who choose not to use slides at all, though this is more of a rarity. Slides can be a powerful tool if used properly, but the problem is that many fail to do just that. Here are some golden rules to follow when using slides in a presentation:

• Don’t over fill them  – your slides are there to assist your speech, rather than be the focal point. They should have as little information as possible, to avoid distracting people from your talk.
• A picture says a thousand words  – instead of filling a slide with text, instead, focus on one or two images or diagrams to help support and explain the point you are discussing at that time.
• Make them readable  – depending on the size of your audience, some may not be able to see small text or images, so make everything large enough to fill the space.
• Don’t rush through slides  – give the audience enough time to digest each slide.

Guy Kawasaki, an entrepreneur and author, suggests that slideshows should follow a  10-20-30 rule :

• There should be a maximum of 10 slides – people rarely remember more than one concept afterwards so there’s no point overwhelming them with unnecessary information.
• The presentation should last no longer than 20 minutes as this will leave time for questions and discussion.
• The font size should be a minimum of 30pt because the audience reads faster than you talk so less information on the slides means that there is less chance of the audience being distracted.

Here are some additional resources for slide design:

• 7 design tips for effective, beautiful PowerPoint presentations
• 11 design tips for beautiful presentations
• 10 tips on how to make slides that communicate your idea

Group Presentations

Group presentations are structured in the same way as presentations with one speaker but usually require more rehearsal and practices.  Clean transitioning between speakers  is very important in producing a presentation that flows well. One way of doing this consists of:

• Briefly recap on what you covered in your section: “So that was a brief introduction on what health anxiety is and how it can affect somebody”
• Introduce the next speaker in the team and explain what they will discuss: “Now Elnaz will talk about the prevalence of health anxiety.”
• Then end by looking at the next speaker, gesturing towards them and saying their name: “Elnaz”.
• The next speaker should acknowledge this with a quick: “Thank you Joe.”

From this example you can see how the different sections of the presentations link which makes it easier for the audience to follow and remain engaged.

Example of great presentation structure and delivery

Having examples of great presentations will help inspire your own structures, here are a few such examples, each unique and inspiring in their own way.

How Google Works – by Eric Schmidt

This presentation by ex-Google CEO  Eric Schmidt  demonstrates some of the most important lessons he and his team have learnt with regards to working with some of the most talented individuals they hired. The simplistic yet cohesive style of all of the slides is something to be appreciated. They are relatively straightforward, yet add power and clarity to the narrative of the presentation.

Start with why – by Simon Sinek

Since being released in 2009, this presentation has been viewed almost four million times all around the world. The message itself is very powerful, however, it’s not an idea that hasn’t been heard before. What makes this presentation so powerful is the simple message he is getting across, and the straightforward and understandable manner in which he delivers it. Also note that he doesn’t use any slides, just a whiteboard where he creates a simple diagram of his opinion.

The Wisdom of a Third Grade Dropout – by Rick Rigsby

Here’s an example of a presentation given by a relatively unknown individual looking to inspire the next generation of graduates. Rick’s presentation is unique in many ways compared to the two above. Notably, he uses no visual prompts and includes a great deal of humour.

However, what is similar is the structure he uses. He first introduces his message that the wisest man he knew was a third-grade dropout. He then proceeds to deliver his main body of argument, and in the end, concludes with his message. This powerful speech keeps the viewer engaged throughout, through a mixture of heart-warming sentiment, powerful life advice and engaging humour.

As you can see from the examples above, and as it has been expressed throughout, a great presentation structure means analysing the core message of your presentation. Decide on a key message you want to impart the audience with, and then craft an engaging way of delivering it.

By preparing a solid structure, and  practising your talk  beforehand, you can walk into the presentation with confidence and deliver a meaningful message to an interested audience.

It’s important for a presentation to be well-structured so it can have the most impact on your audience. An unstructured presentation can be difficult to follow and even frustrating to listen to. The heart of your speech are your main points supported by evidence and your transitions should assist the movement between points and clarify how everything is linked.

Research suggests that the audience remember the first and last things you say so your introduction and conclusion are vital for reinforcing your points. Essentially, ensure you spend the time structuring your presentation and addressing all of the sections.

How to Write an Effective Presentation Outline

Key Takeaways:

• A presentation outline is a structured plan that helps you organize and deliver a well-structured presentation.
• Creating an outline is important for organizing your ideas, ensuring clarity, and engaging your audience.
• Identify your objective, gather content, organize ideas, add supporting details, create an introduction, develop the body, and summarize with a conclusion.
• Tips for creating a compelling outline include keeping it concise, using bullet points, visualizing with headings and subheadings, including engaging elements, and practicing and revising.

What Is a Presentation Outline

A presentation outline is a structured plan that helps you organize and deliver a well-structured and engaging presentation. It serves as a roadmap, guiding you through the content, flow, and key points of your presentation. By creating an outline, you can ensure that your ideas are organized, your message is clear, and your audience remains engaged.

Importance of Presentation Outline

A presentation outline plays a crucial role in ensuring the success of your presentation. Here are some key reasons why having a well-crafted outline is important:

• Organization: A presentation outline will help you structure your thoughts and ideas in a logical and coherent way. It ensures that your presentation flows smoothly and that your main points are effectively conveyed to the audience.
• Clarity: By outlining the main ideas and supporting details of your presentation, you can clarify your message and avoid confusion. It helps you stay focused and deliver a clear and concise presentation.
• Engagement: An outline allows you to plan engaging and interactive elements , such as visual aids, examples, and audience participation. It helps you maintain your audience’s interest throughout the presentation.

Without an outline, your presentation may lack coherence and direction, leaving your audience confused and disengaged. By creating an outline, you can strategically plan the flow of information, ensuring that each point builds upon the previous one.

Elements of an Effective Presentation Outline

A well-crafted presentation outline consists of several key elements. In this section, we will discuss the essential components that make up an effective outline, including the introduction, body, and conclusion. Discover how to structure your outline to create a cohesive and impactful presentation.

• Introduction: The introduction sets the stage for your presentation and grabs the attention of your audience. It should include a compelling opening statement, an overview of what will be covered, and a clear thesis statement that highlights the main purpose of your presentation. By crafting a strong introduction, you can captivate your audience from the start.
• Body: The body of your presentation outline is where you will present your main ideas, supporting evidence, and arguments. Break down your content into logical sections or subsections, making it easy for your audience to follow along. Each point should be clearly articulated and supported by relevant examples or data. Use headings and subheadings to create a structured flow of information.
• Conclusion: The conclusion is your opportunity to wrap up your presentation and leave a lasting impression on your audience. Summarize the main points discussed in the body of your presentation and reiterate your key message. You can also provide a call to action or offer a thought-provoking question that encourages further reflection or engagement. A strong conclusion ensures that your presentation ends on a high note.

Tips for Creating a Compelling Presentation Outline

Crafting a presentation outline requires careful consideration of various elements. To enhance your outline and ensure a compelling presentation, it’s important to organize your ideas effectively, incorporate visual content strategically, and engage your audience from start to finish. Here are some practical tips and techniques to help you create an outline that captivates your audience:

Outline Organization

Start by identifying your main points and structuring your presentation in a logical order. Use headings and subheadings to create a clear hierarchy of ideas. This will help your audience follow along and comprehend the flow of your presentation.

Structure your Content

With your main ideas and supporting evidence in hand, it’s important to structure your content in a logical and coherent manner. This can be done by organizing your ideas into sections or segments that flow smoothly from one to the next.

“A well-structured presentation will capture the attention of your audience and keep them engaged throughout.” – John Smith, Speaker and Presentation Expert

Incorporate Visual Content

Visuals can significantly enhance the impact of your presentation. Consider using images, graphs, charts, and videos to support your key points. Visual content not only adds interest but also helps reinforce your message and make it more memorable.

Engage Your Audience

A successful presentation is interactive and engages the audience throughout. Incorporate interactive elements such as polls, Q&A sessions, or group activities to encourage participation. This will not only keep your audience engaged but also make your presentation more memorable and impactful.

“A well-structured presentation outline acts as a roadmap to guide both the presenter and the audience. It helps maintain a logical flow of ideas and ensures that key messages are effectively communicated.” – Jane Smith, Presentation Expert

Learn from Presentation Outline Examples

Take inspiration from real-life examples of effective presentation outlines. Analyze how others have organized their content, used visuals, and engaged their audience. By studying successful presentation outlines, you can gain valuable insights and ideas to enhance your own.

Pay Attention to Color and Design

Creating a presentation outline is crucial when it comes to making a good presentation. Start by brainstorming ideas on color and design that will create an impact. Using a presentation outline template helps in organizing your thoughts and structuring the main body of your presentation. When creating your outline, make sure to include a slide for each point you want your audience to take away. Consider the font and design of your presentation slides to ensure your audience stays engaged.

Including a Call to Action

To ensure your presentation design is on point, you should make a presentation outline that includes a call to action. When you have created your presentation outline, you can use presentation templates to help you make a presentation that is both visually appealing and engaging for your audience.

When writing a presentation outline for a new product, it’s a good idea to answer these questions:

What should be included in your outline to make a creative presentation? How can you make a presentation that leaves a lasting impact on your audience? By including a call to action as a part of your outline, you can create an effective presentation that encourages your audience to take action after the presentation is over.

Review, Revise, and Refine

Once you have created your initial outline, review it carefully. Ensure that it aligns with your presentation goals, effectively communicates your message, and maintains a logical flow. Revise and refine as needed, keeping your audience’s perspective in mind.

Step-by-Step Guide to Create an Effective Presentation Outline

Creating a presentation outline is an essential step in delivering a successful and impactful presentation. A well-structured outline helps you organize your thoughts, maintain a logical flow, and ensure that you cover all the key points you want to communicate to your audience.

Brainstorm and Define Your Objectives:

Start by brainstorming ideas and determining the main objectives of your presentation. Consider what information you want to convey, the key messages you want to deliver, and the desired outcomes you want to achieve.

Identify Your Main Points:

From your brainstorming session, identify the main points you want to address in your presentation. These should be the key ideas or concepts that support your objectives and help you effectively convey your message to the audience.

Organize Your Thoughts:

Once you have identified your main points, organize them in a logical sequence that flows naturally. Consider using headings and subheadings to create a hierarchical structure that guides your audience through the presentation.

Add Supporting Content:

Think about the supporting content that you need to include for each main point. This can be facts, statistics, examples, case studies, or visuals that help reinforce your message and provide additional context to your presentation.

Summarize Key Takeaways:

At the end of each main point or section, summarize the key takeaways or messages you want your audience to remember. These should be concise and impactful statements that leave a lasting impression.

Review and Refine:

Once you have created a draft of your presentation outline, take the time to review and refine it. Ensure that the structure is clear, the content is well-organized, and the flow is logical. Make any necessary adjustments or additions to improve the overall effectiveness of your outline.

1. What is a presentation outline?

A presentation outline is a roadmap or blueprint that helps you organize your ideas and content for a presentation. It outlines the structure, flow, and key points of your presentation, ensuring a logical and cohesive delivery.

2. How can I engage my audience throughout my Business presentation?

To engage your audience throughout your presentation, consider using storytelling techniques , interactive elements, or thought-provoking questions. Encourage audience participation through activities, discussions, or Q&A sessions. Use visual aids, such as images, videos, or graphs, to enhance understanding and maintain interest. Finally, deliver your content with enthusiasm, clarity, and confidence.

3. What are the three basic parts of a presentation outline?

When creating a presentation outline, it is crucial to include three essential components. The first part is the introduction, which sets the stage for the presentation and provides background information. Following the introduction is the body, where the main points and supporting details are discussed in depth. Finally, the outline should include a conclusion that summarizes the key points and reinforces the main message.

4. What are the 5 pieces of presentation Outline? The 5 key pieces of an outline include the introduction, main points, supporting information, visuals, and conclusion. Each section plays a vital role in delivering a clear and impactful message to the audience.

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• Strategy & planning

How to make a presentation outline: a step-by-step guide

Georgina Guthrie

April 07, 2021

Whether you’re building a house, baking a cake, or writing an essay — having all the necessary pieces in place before you begin will make the task much easier.

It may seem counterproductive to spend time sorting things out when you’re in a rush… After all, why spend time organizing when you could dive straight in? But the fact is, the opposite is true: Planning saves time, and the same goes for creating a business presentation. Start with a presentation outline.

A presentation outline is a bare-bones version of your talk. It should take the general direction of your pitch, plus summaries of your key points. Its purpose is to help you shape your thinking, organize your thoughts, and make sure your material is presented logically.

In this article, we’re going to take a closer look at what a presentation outline is, how storytelling can help engage your audience, and how to create a flawless outline of your own. Let’s get stuck in.

What’s the purpose of your presentation?

This is the foundation on which you will build your whole presentation — so make sure you know the answer to this question. A good starting point is to think about the overall purpose. There are six possible purposes your presentation might have:

• Inspire action
• Inspire or motivate

In a business setting, it’ll usually be ‘to inform,’ along with one or two others. If you’re there to talk about quarterly results, then you’ll want to inform and motivate. If you’re a business coach, your goals will likely be to inspire, motivate, and entertain.

Once you’ve worked this out, you’ll be one step closer to working out the purpose of your pitch. Here are some questions to help you find an answer to this question:

• What do I want people to take away from my presentation?
• How will what I talk about help others in the room?
• What do I want people to do after my meeting?

Note down your ideas and start creating a topline summary of your presentation purpose. Summarize it into one or two sentences, then put that on your first slide. You can change it later, but this is a good starting point.

Create a story arc for your presentation

As humans, we love a good story. We’ve been doing it since, well, forever. The earliest cave paintings helped the painters and those who saw the paintings make sense of the world.

Interesting things happen when you start telling a story. Your brain’s auditory cortex (aka the bit that helps you listen) switches on. This helps you imagine the activities being described. Meanwhile, the frontal and parietal cortices are fired up, which helps us emotionally engage with what’s being said.

Stories have been, and will always be, a powerful tool for bringing people together. Great stories persuade and inform; the best stories inspire and stay with us. But we don’t often see this happening in the boardroom, where graphs and quarterly results preside.

Stats and numbers suck the life out of a presentation. We think these details will speak for themselves. But… they don’t because, well… they’re boring, and they make us switch off. If you want to inspire your audience, you need to weave those stats into a story . But where do you begin, and how do you start?

Storytelling isn’t something only a few select people are good at. Anyone can master the art with a little practice. It doesn’t even require heaps of creativity because the truth is, stories are formulaic, and once you’ve got the formula down, the rest runs on autopilot.

Let’s look at how to build your notes and ideas into a compelling story using one of the formulas below.

1.Fact and Story

Mixing storytelling with facts works in a kind of mutually supportive cycle. Facts add substance to the story; the story adds interest to the facts.

In this structure, you weave the two together and move back and forth between the two.

• Start with a ‘what if’ question. For example, if you were pitching a vacuum cleaner, your initial sales pitch might be ‘what if you didn’t have to lose suction?’
• From here, work in facts that illustrate the way things currently are. To continue with our example, it might be current stats on traditional vacuums losing suction. Keep alternating facts with fiction throughout the body of your presentation.
• End on a high note that makes the listeners feel like they learned something and want to move to action because of it. For example, to invest in your new product, or to sponsor your new app .

2. The hero’s journey

From Odysseus to Chihiro , adventure stories typically feature a hero who goes on a journey fraught with peril and learns a vital lesson at the end of it. It’s a formula employed by thousands of writers — and you can draw from it to add some drama to your presentation.

This structure works really well for inspirational personal stories, or tales about a company from its humble beginnings to the success it is today.

• Begin somewhere neutral. The situation is neither ideal nor unbearable.
• Introduce a challenge — one that needs to be solved.
• Present a worsening situation. The problem is being addressed, but things are still getting worse.
• Talk about rock bottom. The situation seems impossible; there is apparently no way forward and all seems lost. Until…
• Talk about a new discovery that offers hope.
• Armed with your new abilities, you can tackle the issue head-on.
• Talk about resolving the problem, but instead of returning to the way things were before, the hero (you) discovers an even better way of living.
• Finish with a lesson, which you can share to inspire your audience.

3. The Pitch

The ‘pitch’ style of presentation is commonly used by salespeople. The goal is to show how a product or idea can help an individual overcome a hurdle toward a positive outcome. The story should be relatable, so the audience can picture themselves in the situation and, therefore, benefitting from the solution.

• Start with a summary of the way things are in a way that’s easy to relate to.
• Introduce the problem or hurdle that you need to solve. Make it relatable to further help your audience put themselves in the situation.
• The solution: give your audience a glimpse into a possible solution.
• The fork in the road: Give your audience a couple of options for solving the problem. Offer an average option first, then follow up with a better one.
• Close: Choose the better option and explain why that’s the best one (and only real suitable choice).
• Finish up by telling the audience exactly how to solve the problem, step by step.
• But that’s not all: Before you finish, talk about extra benefits that extend beyond simply solving the problem. Finish on an uplifting high.

4. The explanation

This presentation format is for when you want to teach your audience something — whether that’s a process, a new skill, or a way to overcome a problem. It has similarities with the fact and story structure, insomuch as facts should weave into the story.

• Explain how things are at the moment, what the goal looks like, and how you plan to get there. You can even start with a story to add emotional interest from the get-go.
• Take your first step on the journey toward the final destination.
• Add more steps that build on this.
• Take a moment to recap on the points you’ve covered so far while tying them into the main point. This will help your audience visualize the ground you’ve covered and see where you’re heading.
• Add the finishing pieces to the puzzle and lead your audience to the end.
• By the end of your journey, your audience should feel as though they’ve learned something new.

5. The Opportunity

A close relative of the pitch, this three-part structure swaps a hurdle for an opportunity. Here, you want to show your audience that a problem they thought they had actually has an easy fix.

• Start with the situation as it is now.
• Next, add a ‘but’ — this could be a small hiccup that stops things from being as good as they could be. For example, our chocolate pudding company is doing really well. But we could be doing better if we changed supplier.
• Talk about the opportunity, with as many facts and stats as possible to make it feel achievable and real.
• Add a conclusion.
• Explain why the product or service meets the challenges raised. Add more stats and facts to support your point.

How to plan your presentation

Now you’ve worked out your structure, it’s time to start building your presentation, pulling in all your points and forming them into a story.

Storyboarding is the best way to do this. Directors use storyboards to map out their films scene-by-scene — you’re going to use it to map out your presentation, slide-by-slide.

(Don’t worry, you can do stick people and squiggles if drawing isn’t your strong point.) Image Source

The trick here is to use broad strokes without adding too much detail. Make it too wordy and you’ll lose your top-level view, which is important for assessing the arc of your story. Ideally, have one or two sentences on each slide summarizing what each one will address.

You can do this with pen and paper, but when it comes to final drafts and editing, it’s a good idea to move your drawings over to a digital format. It looks far neater, and it means that if you need to change something, it’s as simple as deleting or editing a cell or slide rather than you having to start over.

Once you’ve got your rough storyboard more or less ready, it’s time to start building your presentation.

Your presentation outline

Using a presentation template will be a big help here. First, choose your template — then start adding pre-made slides according to your storyboard. For those who didn’t plan, this can be a bit of a nightmare that usually ends up with you shuffling slides around indefinitely. For those who planned, it’s simply a matter of putting all your hard work in place, then spicing it up with pictures, video, and audio.

Top Tip : If your slides are there to support your spoken words, try not to make them too wordy. Talking too much will distract your audience, whose attention will be split between what’s on screen and your voice. Instead, opt for images and video. If you’re sharing your presentation slides without presenting them, keep your communication simple and succinct. A wall of text is never engaging.

Finally, rehearse your presentation. According to experts, 10 is the magic number when it comes to practicing speeches . The more you practice, the better it’ll flow, the easier it’ll be for your listeners to get sucked into your story. And when it comes to persuading, inspiring, informing, or selling — having a captive and engaged audience is half the battle.

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How To Make an Effective Presentation Outline

Edraw content team, do you want to make presentation outline.

EdrawMind helps move ideas forward, faster and better. Learn from this complete guide to know how to make a perfect Presentation Outline. Just try it free now!

1. What is a Presentation Outline?

A presentation outline presents a comprehensive idea of what you plan to share with the audience. It is a synopsis of a talk, pitch, or subject matter under discussion. It serves as a guide for writing a paper, publishing a study, or building a presentation and enables you to structure your information in a way that is easy to understand. Making a presentation outline is similar to having all the necessary pieces in place before building a house. It may appear counter-productive to spend time and resources sorting things in the form of an outline. However, outlining saves time and gives clarity on a particular topic.

2. Why Should You Create a Presentation Outline?

A presentation outline assists you in preparing for your pitch or speech. It provides a clear path to take your audience from where it is to where you want it to be. It plays an important role in positively shaping people's perspectives about your planning and execution skills. There are several other advantages associated with creating a presentation outline which includes:

• It helps in brainstorming your presentation and saves time by giving a clear idea of what you need to focus on.
• It helps structure ideas so that they appear in a logical order.
• It enables you to determine the main points you need to keep in your presentation.
• You can categorize ideas into groups and create separate slides for each group for further clarity.
• It helps you rehearse your presentation while going over the important points.
• It provides a visual aid to help people understand your topic in a better way.

3. How to Create a Presentation Outline?

The following steps will help you create a presentation outline:

1 Considering the Purpose of Presentation

Determination of your presentation goal is fundamental to creating an outline. To find the purpose, you need to think about what you want from your audience. Finding this out will enable you to build your whole presentation. There are six purposes your presentation possibly have:

• Entertaining
• Inspiring to act

Considering the purpose will help you build an impressive presentation. The following few questions will enable you to figure this out:

• What do I want people to take away or understand from my presentation?
• How will my talk help those attending the presentation?
• What do I want people to do after the presentation is over?

Answers to these questions will help you create a summary of your presentation and will serve as a fine starting point.

2 Creating Structure

Creating a structure implies considering where different points belong in your discussion and where to use the supporting material. There are three main components of a presentation:

• Introduction

Structuring your points and arguments in these parts will enable you to transition from one part of the presentation to another without creating any trouble.

3 Using an Attention Grabber

Thinking about how you want to open your topic is an integral part of planning a presentation. If you want your audience to get engaged with what you are talking about, you can ask an interesting question, share a related story or quote something entertaining. It sets the tone for the rest of your discussion.

4 Considering Visual Content

You can add images, videos, or other visual content to your presentation to convey what you want to. It helps you to communicate emotions, excitement, passion, and experiences effectively. You can also focus on using different fonts and colors to make your presentation more interactive and interesting.

5 Including a Call to Action

A creative call to action will inspire your audience to take appropriate action. It will show what you want your audience to do after the presentation. Let your audience know what it will get from performing the required action.

4. How to Make a Presentation Outline?

You can make a presentation outline in the following two ways:

With PowerPoint and Word

1 creating an outline in word.

• Open Word document.
• Select View > Outline. This will automatically generate an outline and open the Outlining tools.
• If there are headings in your document, you will witness those headings organized by level (from H1 to H9). If there are no headings in the document, the outline will appear as a bullet list. You can assign or edit headings, and heading levels. You can also set up the structure of your document.
• Select a bullet item.
• Select a heading Level 1 for slide titles, Level 2 for bullet points on that slide from the Outline Level box.
• When the work is done, select Outline View to edit your document.
• Select Save to save your document, name your file, and then select Save once more.
• Select Close to close the document.

2 Importing a Word Outline into PowerPoint

• Open PowerPoint and select Home > New Slide.
• Select Slides from Outline.
• In the Insert Outline dialog box, find and select your Word outline. Select Insert.

With EdrawMind

5. Presentation Outline Template

This presentation outline template describes three components of the outline: The introduction, the main body, and the conclusion. The introductory part opens the topic with an attention grabber and summarises the importance of the topic and its relevance of the topic to the audience. It also includes learning objectives that points out what the audience is going to learn from this presentation. The main body part constitutes the main idea of the topic. This idea is substantiated by supporting material. The concluding part constitutes a summary of the topic discussed and what the audience learned from it. It reviews the main points and calls the audience to take appropriate action.

6. Key Tips for Creating a More Effective Presentation

Here are some important points to consider to create an effective presentation:

• Know Your Audience. Get to know your audience by researching ahead of time so that you can make your presentation relatable.
• Add Quotes, Testimonials, or Data. Adding additional information to your presentation can help you engage your audience better.
• Visualize Your Ideas. The way you present your ideas is fundamental to the success of those ideas. EdrawMind helps you to create and present your ideas most effectively and efficiently.
• Identify Key Takeaways from Your Presentation. It will enable you to recall, review, and reassert what you want to communicate with your audience.
• Gather Feedback. Gathering honest feedback will help you make further improvements and adjustments to your presentation to make it more effective.

7. Key Takeaways

A presentation outline is a tool to communicate your ideas precisely. It helps you brainstorm and plan your presentation in a logical flow. Moreover, it helps to grab the attention of your audience by providing it with a visual depiction of what you are going to talk. If you want to create an impressive and creative presentation outline, EdrawMind will help you in this regard. It has a variety of functions and tools which enable you to create a dynamic outline suited to your topic. It enables you to brainstorm and present your ideas most effectively by using different diagrams, charts, graphs, clipart, etc. EdrawMind provides the best solution to your presentation problems.

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December 4, 2023

How to create a presentation outline (with examples)

Four methods to create a presentation outline and example outlines for inspiration

Co-founder, CEO

Like it or not, if you work in an office environment or go to school, you'll probably have to make a presentation at some point. But creating a great presentation can be challenging, especially when you're short on time or suffering from writers' block.

Luckily, there are lots of ways to get a head start on your presentation outline, and in this article we'll walk through four options for creating a presentation outline and show you several examples of great presentation outlines.

Why should I write a presentation outline?

An outline helps you organize your ideas in a clear and logical way . Instead of getting bogged down on details like formatting or word choice, an outline presents the overarching story of your presentation with just a few main points. This helps to make sure you have a cohesive narrative before you dive in to the nitty gritty work of wordsmithing individual bullet points or selecting the perfect slide theme.

If this sounds like a lot of work, it often is! But spending time writing a great outline will save you time and effort down the road because it will be easier to organize your work and create each slide when you understand how it fits in to the broader presentation.

Here are four ways you can get a start on creating your next presentation outline.

Method 1: Create your outline from scratch

Creating an outline from scratch may sound intimidating if you have never written a presentation outline before, but this is the most straightforward way to get started.

Start by jotting down the three main points you want to make in your presentation. Once you have your main ideas in order, write down a few supporting details and examples for each point.

Then, add an introduction (find an interesting image, quote, or question to help grab the audience's audience) and a conclusion (decide on the best way to summarize the takeaways from your presentation) to the outline, and you are ready to go.

This method is great for those who prefer to have complete control over their presentation and want to create a custom outline that works best for their needs.

Method 2: Create a presentation outline using an AI presentation maker

If you're short on time or looking for a quick way to get a first draft of a presentation outline that you can then refine, using an AI presentation maker is a great option.

Plus AI lets you type a short prompt like "Create a presentation that provides an overview of the Norwegian oil industry," and it will automatically generate an outline of a presentation for you. After Plus creates the outline, you can change the titles of slides, rearrange slides, and remove any pieces of the outline that are not necessary.

From there, once your outline is created, you can click the "Generate presentation" button, choose a template, and let the AI create the first draft of your entire presentation.

This method is a good option for those who want to create a polished presentation without getting stuck with a blank piece of paper. Instead, it frees you up to take a first draft presentation and customize it for your needs.

Method 3: Create a presentation outline using ChatGPT

ChatGPT is an AI chatbot that can help with a wide variety of tasks - everything from acting as a therapist, to sharing recipes, to helping you come up with presentation ideas and creating content for a presentation .

To have ChatGPT help you generate a presentation, you can take two different approaches:

• Use a custom GPT that has been trained to help people create presentations or
• Ask the general ChatGPT interface to "Create a presentation outline for me on the topic of [XYZ]."

Both approaches will yield similar results, but a custom GPT like Plus AI presentation maker will be more fine-tuned to helping people create presentations. It will also provide additional functionality like providing a visual preview of the slides and feedback on how to improve your presentation.

Method 4: Create a presentation outline using a template

Last but not least, using a template is a good way to speed up the process of creating a new presentation outline. Similar to using an AI presentation maker, a template can give you a first draft of an outline that is easier to edit and refine than starting from scratch.

Presentation templates often come pre-designed with example text and images, so all you have to do is fill in your own content. For example, this TED Talk presentation template provides some instructions on how to create an outline for a TED Talk-style slide deck.

The secret to using this method is to find the closest template to the type of presentation you want to create. You should use detailed search terms to and look across multiple sites and resources to find one that matches the content and style that you would like.

Once you have your template, start by reviewing the overall outline or structure and tweak it to meet your needs. Then, you can fill in the specific content (e.g., text and images) with your materials to make it your own to quickly make a beautiful presentation.

Presentation outline examples

Basic presentation outline example.

Let's take a look at a presentation outline and accompanying notes for a persuasive presentation on encouraging people to meditate every day:

I. Introduction

• Hook - find a striking image and tell a story
• Thesis statement - everyone should meditate for 10 min per day

II. Main point 1 - Meditation is one of the easiest ways to improve your health

• Physical health
• Mental health

III. Main point 2 - Meditation is backed up by thousands of years of practice and research

• One anecdote from antiquity
• One anecdote from recent research

IV. Main point 3 - You can get started with meditation today

• Basic technique
• Tips for newcomers

V. Conclusion

• Summarize key points
• Call to action

As you can see, this is a relatively lightweight plan for the presentation, but it provides an easy-to-understand framework that we can fill in with slides.

There are rough notes on specific content for the different points in the presentation, but we don't need to write out everything in fine detail, just the broad strokes.

Pitch deck outline example

Now let's review an outline for a pitch deck that someone might use to present their startup idea to prospective investors. This is for a startup that uses autonomous food trucks to deliver meals to people's homes and workplaces.

I. Problem statement - "Food delivery sucks, and here's why"

• Hook - pictures of typical food delivery headaches (e.g., late/no show, bad selection, etc)

II. Value prop - "FoodDrive revolutionizes the food delivery model"

• Compare value chain of FoodDrive to traditional restaurant and delivery service
• Show how $50 order gets allocated to different people

III. The product - "Customers love our trucks"

• Picture of food truck and menu
• Customer quotes and reviews

IV. Why now? - "Our self-driving technology is ready for prime-time"

V. Business model - "Each truck can generate $2-3M of revenue per year with a 60% gross margin"

• Show high-level financial forecasts on unit basis

VI. Competitive landscape - "FoodDrive's closest competitors don't come close"

• Comparison table with delivery services, in-house delivery, eating out-of-home, etc.

VII. Go to market strategy - "We've tested FoodDrive in 2 markets so far. Here's how we win in new markets"

• Overview of social media strategy
• Case study on new market launch

VIII. Team - "Our team has experience in autonomous vehicles, food delivery, and quick service restaurants"

IX. Traction - "We generate $5M of revenue per year with our 2 trucks, and we can ramp up new trucks immediately"

• Show revenue growth chart with focus on time to ramp new trucks to productivity

X. Fundraising goal - "We are raising $50M to expand FoodDrive to 10 more markets"

• Highlight key milestones we aim to reach with additional funding

Even though a pitch deck is a specialized type of presentation that often requires specific content, it's helpful to start with an outline to build out the 'story' behind the content. That way, you have a cohesive story rather than a set of disparate slides.

How can I create a presentation from an outline?

Once you have your presentation outline written, it's time to start writing your slides. Since you already know the main points you are trying to make in your presentation, the main decisions here are

• What type of visual style you want to follow
• How many slides you want in your presentation
• How you will present or share the slides

To get a head start on creating a first draft of your presentation, you could enter your outline into an AI presentation maker.

This will provide a first draft of the slides so that you can focus on making sure they tell a cohesive story or tweaking individual slides to leave a memorable impression.

Other tips and tricks for great presentations

Here are some resources to help you create great presentations:

• Make slides look good - Here are six tips for making visually appealing slides.
• Number of slides - Here is a calculator that can help you calculate how many slides you need for a presentation depending on how long you need to present.
• Unique presentation ideas - Here are 250 ideas for presentation topics that will help you create a great presentation.

Creating a presentation outline can be one of the most time-consuming parts of the creative process for making a new slide deck. Luckily, there are many tools and templates that can help you kickstart this process.

With these four methods, you can choose the one that works best for your needs and get started on your presentation outline today.

And once you have your outline, make sure to try out a tool like Plus AI presentation maker to quickly get your slides as well!

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Present Like a Pro with a Well-Designed Presentation Outline

Whether you’re pitching a new idea to investors or putting together an inspiring talk for potential customers, you’ve got your hands full. Presenting is tricky. Like tightrope walking tricky.

First, you need to convey a huge amount of info to make an impact. And second, it’s too easy to lose your audience’s attention. One boring slide or organizational slip-up and your whole presentation might tumble to the ground.

But there is a way to balance informational depth with curiosity. If you plan ahead and start out with a clear, well-organized presentation outline, you can walk the presenter high wire. You’ll have a clear flow of ideas that carries your audience from start to end.

And the best part? No snoring. 😁 No one’s going to tune out when you have a captivating story to tell.

But just like creating your presentation design, making your presentation outline design is a process. It requires forethought, planning, and organization.

What It Takes to Design Visual Presentations with Impact

So what do you need to get started? Let’s look at what a presentation outline is, why it matters, and how you can create one.

What Is a Presentation Outline?

A presentation outline is the roadmap that guides your talk. It clarifies your main points, your structure, and the movement or flow of the underlying story. Critically, this is where you hone in on why this information matters to your audience and what you want them to take away from it.

Without a presentation outline, you might have the most compelling stats, facts, quotes, and illustrations in the world. But, no string to thread them all together.

This is why creating an outline – even a simple presentation outline design – should always be step one. 🤓 It’s a critical tool for marketing, sales professionals, motivational speakers, educators, entertainers, and anyone else who presents.

Whether you’re putting together an inspirational talk, a sales pitch, or internal training, an outline should always be your starting point. It’s the visual aid that will guide your talk and ensure your presentation resonates with your audience .

With a well-designed outline, there’s no way your presentation will go off track. That’s why so many brands and professionals turn to design services. Experienced designers know how to create a super-useful, easy-to-follow visual aid.

With a knockout outline design, you can say goodbye to pre-presentation jitters and hello to a captivated audience.

Want to present with confidence? Expert design services ensure your presentation is a success.

Why Create a Presentation Outline?

Okay, so I know what you’re thinking. Why should I create a full outline design? Won’t that take more time?

In the long run, no. Believe it or not, the better your outline design, the more time you’ll save. But there’s a bigger why behind creating an outline. Ultimately, it’s going to ensure your presentation is a hit.

Without it, you have something to share, but no guidelines to give your ideas and supporting points structure.

Here’s the thing: when you present – versus telling a story through written content or a video – you have to work harder to hold your audience’s attention. People are listening to your words .

You might have visual slides to accompany your talk. But if you lose them for even a moment , there’s no paragraph of text or video clip to fall back on. It’s just you, your slides, and them.

Also, everything happens in real-time. So there’s no assurance your audience is following you once you start talking.

That’s why you have to create your success guarantees beforehand. And the way to do this is with a simple, clear presentation outline.

Planning ahead with an outline helps you:

• Establish your line of thinking. Your outline develops the form to hold your ideas in place and determines the shape of your thoughts.
• Organize your points. You need to share your key points and details in a logical manner, and the outline empowers you to do this. Honestly, you can spend infinitely reshuffling your slides trying to figure out the best sequence to use without a premade outline.
• Build the story. A good presentation has conflict, suspense, and resolution. The outline design is where you set up your story’s structure.
• Increase confidence in your presentation. Planning ahead, you know your presentation has meaning: because you put in the hard yards to outline why your information matters. That lets you present with confidence.

How to Create a Presentation Outline in 7 Steps

There’s no one way to create an outline for a presentation. From visual-forward storyboards to descriptive text and everything in between, what works for you depends on the type of presentation and your personal preferences.

But no matter what direction you choose, there are a few key components you need. Let’s unpack what you should include in your outline.

1. Identify your purpose

The first part of your outline is the why. Why are you presenting this information?

To figure this out, name your goal. Here are some of the most common presentation goals:

• Motivate an action
• Inform or educate

Besides this overarching purpose, you need to get clear on your presentation’s underlying agenda. Here are some questions you can answer to help you dig further.

• What do you want your audience to learn?
• What are the key takeaways?
• How will your presentation help them?
• What action should they take or want to take when you’re done?

Once you answer these questions (the ones that are relevant to your presentation), distill your purpose into a one or two-sentence summary that you can fit on a single slide. This summary is the first part of your outline design.

2. Set up the structure

Okay, enough philosophizing about your purpose and goals. Time for the meat and bones of your presentation: the story structure. 😎

Storytelling is the best way to keep your audience hooked. Not just because your audience will relate to what you’re saying and form an emotional connection. A good narrative goes way further. It has the power to put you and your audience on the same wavelength .

That’s any presenter’s dream, but it’s real. A Princeton University research team found that the brain wave patterns of the listener and storyteller sync up during a story .

And the better your audience’s understanding, the closer the alignment, which is why it’s so critical to get your story structure right in your outline. The better you organize your structure, the easier it will be for your audience to follow along and absorb your main points.

So, how do you design an effective story structure? You follow a formula. Remember the plot formulas you learned in middle school English class? Hook and exposition, rising movement, climax, falling action, and resolution?

The formulas are slightly different, but the idea is the same. All you need to do is choose the best story formula for your presentation.

So, let’s dive in – here are the formulas you can use to create the story structure for your outline design:

a) The hero’s journey

The hero’s journey starts with the call to adventure and ends with the return. Along the way, there’s some sort of initiation through trials or challenges. When you create your presentation outline, your designer can make a storyboard or map out a chart of events showing how your hero moves through those stages, changes from the experience, and comes back with a solution or better say.

Let’s take a beverage company as an example for a presentation outline. They have a new, exciting product to introduce to the market – herbal coffee. 😮 It doesn’t have any caffeine but tastes like coffee. So it appeals to health-conscious consumers who are trying to limit their caffeine intake.

Now, the company has to convince its partners – the grocery stores and coffee shops that sell their products – to stock this new herbal coffee on their shelves.

So they need a compelling story that makes their new product out to be the next hot trend in the beverage world.

• The company is the hero.
• The call to adventure is the need to find a caffeine-free coffee alternative that people actually like to drink.
• Next, the storyboard design shows all the obstacles they face on their quest – the search for the right ingredients and the challenges creating a product that tastes similar to coffee.
• The company finally nails the perfect recipe. That’s the high point in the story arc.
• Then, as they start selling it to customers, they realize it’s a bigger hit than expected. The storyboard might include slides of graphs or charts demonstrating these findings. Or maybe quotes from happy customers.
• The outline ends with slides of content herbal coffee drinkers and projections for how popular this new drink will be. It’s positive, inspiring, and motivates the audience to contact a representative to learn more about getting this herbal coffee on their shelves.

When to use it

The hero’s journey is a good story structure when you’re talking about a company’s history, introducing a new product, or using a personal story in a motivational presentation.

b) The fact flow

This story structure uses a combination of hard facts and interesting story points.

In your presentation outline, you’ll flow back and forth between the two to keep the momentum going. It can go something like this:

📜 Story: What if you needed to cut back on coffee for health reasons, but you don’t want to give up on the comfort you get from your daily coffee ritual?

✅ Fact : 54% of coffee drinkers say that the caffeine in coffee makes them feel anxious, and 71% believe it impacts their sleep cycle.

📜 Story: NewX Drinks (our example company) traveled to France to find the best chicory, Finland for the most nutrient-rich chaga powder, and the mountains of China for naturally harvested cordyceps.

✅ Fact : Studies show that the ingredients in our herbal coffee can help raise energy levels without causing anxiety or dehydration.

Continue alternating facts and story points until your closing slides. Finish with a wrap-up of how noteworthy this new information is, and what your audience can do next to take action based on what they learned.

When to use it:

You can use this formula for almost any type of presentation. It’s a good fit when you have a lot of statistics, quotes, and other facts to weave into your presentation.

c) The how-to

When your presentation is educational, use the how-to story formula to organize your ideas.

The how-to is linear, which makes it perfect for when you are showing how to get from point A to point B.

The beginning of the outline design shows the current situation and your end goal. Then, your subsequent blocks or storyboard cells illustrate each step someone needs to take to get from that starting point to the endpoint, whether the objective is to learn a new skill or how to resolve a challenge.

For example, if you want to show your team how to protect their work devices from hackers, you can prepare a how-to style presentation to depict:

• The current situation – existing cybersecurity threats
• The end goal – a cyber-aware workforce
• Steps to get there – different cybersecurity best practices, like multi-factor authentication and recognizing phishing emails, how to use them, and the impact taking these steps can have
• Obstacles and challenges along the way – stats or case studies showing how sophisticated hackers are becoming and how complex the threat landscape is

Any time you want to demonstrate how to use a product, follow a process, or resolve a problem, you can use the how-to formula. It’s useful for employee training presentations and any scenario where you are teaching your audience how to do something.

d) The solution pitch

Want to make your solution seem irresistible to stakeholders? Use the solution-pitch formula to create a presentation they resonate with.

The goal here is to set up your storyboard so your audience can see themselves in the situation. They should walk away with a clear sense of the immense benefit they’re in for if they get on board with your idea or product.

Here’s how the formula works:

• The first cell of your storyboard should lay out the initial environment and circumstances where the audience’s problem exists. You can use a fictional product user or a past client to set the scene.
• Next, dig into the problem – why does your hero need to solve this problem? Why won’t it go away on its own, or what will they gain by overcoming it?
• Build the story arc by hinting at a solution.
• Create tension by offering different ways to solve the problem, presenting your idea or product as the best option.
• Close with a deep dive into why this is the best choice, why that is, and how much better off your audience will be with this new product, investment, or idea in their court.

The solution pitch is a good fit for sales. But it’s not just useful when pitching to prospects. It’s also useful when trying to get investors or executive decision-makers on board with your great idea.

3. Expand with visual content

Visual content helps tell your story. Well-designed data visualizations, images, animations, and other visuals play several critical roles.

• Holds the audience’s attention for longer
• Creates emotional connections and makes your presentation more relatable
• Further develops the points you make
• Achieves a sense of consistency that makes it easier for your audience to follow along

So how do you pull all these benefits into your presentation?

You guessed it – by integrating your visual content into your outline design.

There are different ways to do this:

• Include sketches or other starter visuals in your outline design. Then, your designers can create all of your visual content for your final presentation.
• Show where you want your illustrations, photos, charts, and graphs to appear in your outline. Simply describe what you want and where they should go. With this approach, your designer can handle the visual aspects once you get your structure organized.
• Start with professional-quality designs from the beginning and plug them into your outline. This approach lets you put all your images in their places when you’re still in the pre-planning phase so you can visualize how your elements will look side by side.

4. Establish your design guidelines

Another component to include in your outline is the design guidelines. Color palette, typography, font size, style – they should all be uniform throughout your presentation.

And they should match – or at least complement – your brand guidelines.

How to Create a Brand Style Guide that Supercharges Your Marketing Strategy

But don’t feel stuck with your brand parameters. Ultimately, you want the colors, fonts, and other elements to reflect the nature of your presentation’s content more than anything else. Then your brand guidelines can take a back seat through subtle details and the logo.

For example, if you’re presenting serious information and lots of data visuals – but your brand is bright and bubbly – you will probably want to tone down your presentation aesthetics.

You don’t want rainbows of colors and heavy fonts overwhelming the information you’re presenting. 🥴

Ready to create a presentation outline that puts your talk in the Presentation Hall of Fame? 😉 You handle the planning, we’ll do the design.

5. Weave in statistics, quotes, and testimonials

Hard facts will help to build trust. To beef up your presentation, be sure to weave these nuggets into your outline. Use statistics to back up your main points. Testimonials for validation. And quotes are perfect for slowing things down – they create space for pause and reflection.

Or as Turkish novelist and playwright Mehmet Murat Ildan says, “A very wise quote is a spectacular waterfall! When you see it, you feel its power!”

6. Time your talk

Even if you don’t have a time limit, your audience does have limited patience.

Decide how long your presentation will be – research says the perfect length is 20 minutes . Then, use your presentation outline to divvy up your main points so each one gets enough love.

If you find that you’re spending too much time on one point or another, lean more into your visual elements to tell your story. Design can get across more information in less time and with fewer words.

7. Finish with a call to action

And what about the end?

Your closing slides are not just a place to wrap things up and summarize your points. This is where you have your chance to lay out the next steps you want your audience to take.

Your call to action should clearly state what they can do next to get their hands on your product, benefit from your solution, join your cause, support your idea, or do whatever else you want them to do.

You also want to use emotion here. Whether you motivate with a sense of inspiration and excitement or compel with a sense of urgency, your audience should feel like they have to take your next step.

But they’re not going to feel motivated if you didn’t keep them interested along the way. This is why a well-organized, well-designed outline can make or break your presentation.

How to Pre-Plan Your Presentation

To pre-plan, prepare your outline. Then, perfect it, practice, and perfect some more. Let’s dive into the details:

First, put all your components together in your outline

There are three ways to build your outline format:

1. Text-only . Write out all your information and indicate where each slide starts and where you want your visuals to go. If your talk is short and doesn’t require a lot of supporting info, this can work.

The major downside with this presentation outline example is a lack of clarity. You can’t look at text notes and get a feel for how all your components flow or where you might have holes in your story arc.

2. Chart it . Put all your ideas, points, and visuals in bubbles, boxes, or other shapes. Give each content category – topic, key point, supporting info – a unique shape or color. That way, when you map out your presentation, you’ll see the structure clearly.

3. Storyboard . We recommend using a storyboard. You’ll be able to quickly see how your presentation unfolds. And, if you’re creating slides to show your audience, a storyboard lets you see how all your charts, visual design choices, and other elements will look together. Basically, a storyboard gives you the big picture.

Next up – perfecting

Once you have everything laid out, you can decide if you want to reorder your slides or refine any of your content.

Then, practice

Before designing the actual presentation, practice your talk. Find someone to present to and ask for their feedback. As you test-run your presentation while it’s in outline format, you might find that switching the sequence of a couple of slides, adding more supporting visuals, or even eliminating some content will elevate your presentation to super-star level.

And finally, pat yourself on the back. 😉 You’ve done an amazing job prepping. You’re ready to design an amazing presentation!

Need Help? Epiic Designers Make It Easy to Create Compelling Presentations

If you’re struggling to bring your ideas to life, we can help. So go ahead, crumple up your stick figure storyboard sketches and toss them in the bin. Say goodbye to stressful presentation planning, and get ready to deliver a talk that you feel 100% proud of!

With unlimited designs, you can get all the design work your heart desires – storyboarding, data visuals, presentation slides, and more. But your costs never change.

Sign up for a plan today and find out how much easier (and prettier!) your life can be with an epiic designer in your corner.

Apr 21, 2022

A content writer and editor for over 12 years, Brenna spends her days (and nights!) creating content to help brands better connect with their audience.

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Presentation Outline Example and Template

How to create a presentation Outline

A presentation outline is a roadmap to a more successful business pitch — a general plan that summarizes what you want to say to prospective customers, clients or investors. It lets you organize your thoughts, group ideas into main points and present your material logically. But what should you include in your slides?

We've compiled 11 tips for more effective pitch prep.

If you came here looking for presentation templates , here's an a couople of examples from of our most popular ones. If not, just carry on.

Browse our PRESENTATION TEMPLATES

What is a presentation outline.

An outline for a presentation is a helpful tool that organizes the main points and flow of the presentation. It acts as a guide for the presenter, outlining the order in which information will be presented and the main ideas that will be covered. A good outline should include headings and subheadings that outline the main topics and supporting details, ensuring a clear and logical arrangement of information. Creating a presentation outline helps the presenter stay organized and focused, and makes it easier for the audience to follow the content and understand the main concepts of the presentation.

11 tips to create more effective presentations

1. decide on a goal.

Before you brainstorm, and before you scribble down any notes, come up with a goal for your presentation. What do you want your pitch deck to say to your audience? What message do you want to convey? What do you want it to achieve?

Perhaps you want your pitch to raise seed funds. Maybe you want to introduce a new product or service to customers. Whatever the reason for creating your pitch, decide on a specific, measurable goal. This will guide the rest of your preparation.

2. Create a Structure for Your Presentation

Every good presentation includes an introduction, main body, and conclusion. These three components form the "skeleton" of your presentation — the bare bones of your pitch. You don't need to think about all the small details at this stage — you can flesh out your presentation slides at a later date.

Your introduction is probably the most important part of your pitch. After all, you only have seven seconds to make a good first impression, according to research. Use your intro to introduce your brand, greet your audience and give a taster of what's to come.

The body of your presentation includes your main ideas and any supporting ideas. Use it to feature testimonials, financials and fundraising info, traction and milestones, and, of course, your marketing plan.

Finally, your conclusion summarizes all your points in a few slides. This should leave your audience wanting more.

3. Think About Visual Content

Visual content is an essential ingredient. The human brain processes visuals 60,000 times faster than regular text, so including images in your pitch is a great idea. Don't forget about videos, either. Consumers are 64 percent more likely to purchase a product after watching an online video, making visual content a good choice if you want to generate leads and boost sign-ups.

The most successful pitch decks incorporate striking visuals. Others have fancy fonts and graphics. All of this visual content demands attention from your audience and creates a cool aesthetic that will help you outrank your rivals.

At this early stage of pitch deck preparation, you don't have to finalize the images you are going to include in your pitch. However, we think it's a good idea to point out where you are going to use images in your presentation. This way, you can organize your ideas and make sure everything flows properly.

4. Understand What Makes a Good Presentation — and a Bad One

No two presentations are the same. The most successful pitch decks, however, certainly have a lot in common. When creating your outline, discover what makes a brilliant pitch. The University of Hawaii says great presentations rarely cover more than five points. The University of Cambridge in England says there should be four key points in every 45-minute presentation.

Here at Slidebean, we think one idea per slide, good design, lots of images, and quotes all make presentations so much more interesting. We're not fans of the 'thank you' slide, though — the one that recognizes your audience for sitting through your presentation. It's completely unnecessary.

5. Include a Call-to-Action

A call-to-action is much better than a 'thank you' slide. This encourages your audience to take action after your presentation. When creating your outline, think of a short, snappy call-to-action that prompts a response. A call-to-action is your final chance to engage with your audience during your presentation. You might want to encourage people to sign up to your mailing list, for example. Alternatively, you can include a link to your website so people can download a trial version of your product.

"No matter what form your CTA takes, the most important aspect is the copy," says growth marketing expert Sujan Patel and Voila Norbert co-founder, writing for Forbes magazine . "You’re telling the visitor what you want them to do, so it needs to be persuasive. Remember, your audience is looking for an answer or a solution to a problem. Connect with them by telling them exactly what they’re going to get if they take action."

6. Identify a Solution to a Problem

Every day, more than 30 million presentations are created on PowerPoint alone. Then there are the hundreds of thousands of pitches designed in Keynote, Prezi, and Slidebean. With so many presentations out there, how do you inspire people to invest in your services? One way to create a successful pitch is to identify a solution to a problem that your audience might have.

Slidebean recently reviewed some of the best presentation examples from successful startups. Most of them provide solutions to common problems early on in their respective pitches. Customer messaging platform Intercom, for example, says analytics, customer base browsing, and customer research is the answer for businesses who find it hard to engage with customers. They include these solutions near the beginning of their pitch deck.

If you want to have a more successful presentation, think about solving problems in your niche when creating your outline.

7. Use Quotes, Testimonials and Statistics

Quotes from senior management help you convey abstract ideas and make your presentation more engaging. You should obtain any quotes you want to use in your presentation during the planning stage. Testimonials from customers and clients also prove popular. Research shows that positive reviews influence purchasing decisions and increase trust.

Finally, statistics add some depth to your presentation. Industry facts and figures back up any claims you make and increase engagement. Discover relevant statistics when creating your outline. You don't need to include any actual quotes, testimonials or statistics yet. Just jot down where you want to place them in your presentation.

8. Think About Color and Design

The way you present information in your pitch is just as important as the information itself. Now is the time to start thinking about the font/s you want to use or the color of your slides. Research shows that red conveys passion and excitement and catches the attention of your audience. White, on the other hand, conveys simplicity and purity.

Slidebean has a range of color palettes that transform the look of your slides. You can choose up to three color sets and play around with different text, backgrounds, and highlights.

9. Plan the Order of Your Slides

Think of your presentation outline template as a very rough first draft. Decide on what types of slides you want to use, and decide on a final running order. You might feature quotes early on in your presentation, for example, and leave testimonials until the end. Don't forget to include a slide with your contact details — website, phone number, address, etc. — and your brand values.

Your presentation outline should be a group effort, too. Ask your colleagues for input.

10. Identify Key Takeaways From Your Presentation

Your outline should include enough information so you can visualize what your final presentation will look like. Once you have finished your outline, read it back and identify the key takeaways from the document. Is the structure of your presentation clear, for example? Does it convey your brand message? Will it engage your audience?

Every slide in your presentation should achieve the goal you created at the beginning of your outline. If something isn't working, make changes. You might want to switch slides around or remove unnecessary information, for example.

11. Use a Presentation Template

Once you have completed your outline, it's time to start putting everything together. Yes, you could create a PowerPoint pitch deck from scratch, but this is often time-consuming and complicated. Instead, use a template, which provides you with all the presentation slides you need.

Here at Slidebean, we have presentation templates for business of all sizes, including startups and scaleups. You can create a professional pitch deck in just a few minutes by following the on-screen prompts. Everything's included — bullet points, graphics, headers, footers, and more. Take the time to plan your pitch to produce a powerful sales document that helps you communicate with your audience.

Once you have created your presentation outline template, sign up to Slidebean and design a pitch that provides you with a huge return on your investment.

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Writing an outline: creating a presentation blueprint

What is a presentation outline? A presentation outline is an initial plan for your future presentation. It lets you understand which points to concentrate on and which structure to apply. A plan helps creating a presentation outline much easier and saves time and money. So, let’s dive straight into some useful tips!

Determine your presentation goal

• What do you want to convey with the presentation?
• Who will be in the audience?
• What would make the presentation successful?
• What would you like to achieve with the presentation?

Answering these questions will make you understand how to direct your future work and write a basic presentation outline. Deciding on your presentation’s goal is the outline foundation. Make sure your goal can be evaluated appropriately, and we can go right to the next step!

Mind the structure

Creating a structure is essential for an informative outline in a presentation. Usually, presentation services provide the foundation of your presentation the three main parts: introduction, main part, and conclusion. Your goal is to hook the audience in your introduction and make sure you have caught their attention. Then, you can elaborate on your ideas in the central part and finish with a summary of your points.

Get the right visuals

The next step in the outline for a presentation is good visuals. Here, you must decide what visual materials you would like to use on the slides. At this point of the presentation outline, you don’t need to decide on the exact visual materials, but rather what type you’d like to use and where: graphs, photos, infographics, etc.

Decide on evaluation criteria

It is a quality control step. Think of what makes a good presentation, and most importantly — how do you define a great presentation? There is no universal answer — some concentrate on the lengths, while others focus on design. Your goal here is to evaluate all the points that seem important to consider in the outline for the presentation. Studying other presentations may help!

Call to action

Now we’re getting to the content, starting from the end of your presentation . A call to action is a short phrase encouraging your audience to do something related to your presentation: buy a product you advertise, dive deeper into the field you’re researching, and so on. A call to action is much better than a simple “thank you” since it encourages interaction among your audience.

Provide a solution

Remember your presentation structure? The solution refers to the conclusion part and can be a highly effective way of summarizing your material. While the other parts of your, e.g., business presentation outline may be dedicated to a market problem you want to highlight, the solution, in conclusion, will be a logical ending satisfying to the audience.

Primary sources 

We’ve come to one of the most important parts of your PowerPoint presentation outline. Primary sources, like quotes and especially statistics, are the most persuasive arguments you can use to prove your point. Moreover, a good quote can also open your presentation, so think of several places to put them.

Make a design draft

Design is a feature that can’t be overlooked. In this part of the outline for a presentation, you can choose the theme for your slides, the color scheme, and the layout of the slides. Think of where the text and visuals would be and what background is the most fitting to your presentation type.

Decide on an order

No presentation outline can’t be complete without the slide order creation. This step is pretty easy — just place your slides logically, depending on what information they display and to which part of the presentation this information refers. Don’t forget the “technical” slides, such as the title or the slide with your contact info.

Check your outline

You can perform quality control once again at this point of your presentation outline — only this time, you check the outline itself. By this point, your outline should provide you with a functional presentation slab, with only some details to insert into it — basically, the content itself. You might want to make some changes here and there — and that’s the reason for quality control! Once satisfied with the outline, you can start working on a presentation and feeling all the missing parts.

To Conclude

As you can see, the outline creation is effortless. We hope this article will enrich your knowledge of “how to write a presentation outline”. The presentation will compose itself with a good outline, leaving you with only minor details to fill in.

If you still need help with a strong outline that includes all critical points, feel free to contact us .

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• Keynote VS PowerPoint
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How to start and end a presentation: top tips and tricks from professionals (+ special focus)

Introduce a new product idea in a presentation

Practical Presentation Outline Examples For Success (+ 8 Must Have Elements)

Jane Ng • 05 Apr 2024 • 6 min read

Looking for Presentation Outline Examples ? Do you want to take your presentations from mediocre to magnificent? The secret weapon in achieving that transformation is a well-crafted presentation outline. A clear and organized outline not only guides you through your content but also ensures your audience stays captivated throughout your talk.

In this blog post, we’re going to share practical presentation outline examples and 8 key elements for constructing your own outlines that will leave a lasting impression.

Table Of Contents 

What is presentation outline, why is presentation outline important, 8 key elements of presentation outline , presentation outline examples, key takeaways , faqs about presentation outline examples.

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A presentation outline is a plan or structure that helps you organize and deliver a presentation or speech. It’s like a map that guides you through your talk. 

• It outlines the main points, ideas, and key elements you intend to cover during your presentation in a logical and organized sequence.
• It ensures that your presentation is clear, logical, and easy for your audience to follow. 

In essence, it’s a tool that helps you stay on track and communicate your message effectively.

A presentation outline is a valuable tool that enhances both the organization and delivery of your presentation. 

• It benefits you as a presenter by reducing stress and improving focus, while also benefiting your audience by making your message more accessible and engaging. 
• If you’re using visual aids like slides, an outline helps you synchronize your content with your visuals, ensuring they support your message effectively.
• If you need to make last-minute changes or adapt your presentation, having an outline makes it easier to identify and adjust specific sections without overhauling the entire presentation.

Whether you’re giving a business presentation, a school lecture, or a public speech, an outline is a key element in ensuring your presentation’s success.

A well-structured presentation outline should include the following key elements:

1/ Title or Topic: 

Begin your outline with a clear and concise title or topic that represents the subject of your presentation.

2/ Introduction:

• Hook or Attention-Grabber: Start with a compelling opening statement or question to engage your audience.
• Purpose or Objective: Clearly state the purpose of your presentation and what you aim to achieve.
• Main Points or Sections : Identify the major topics or sections that you will cover in your presentation. These are the core ideas that support your thesis statement.

3/ Subpoints or Supporting Details: 

Under each main point, list the specific details, examples, statistics, anecdotes, or evidence that support and elaborate on that main point.

4/ Transition Statements: 

Include transition phrases or sentences between each main point and subpoint to guide the flow of your presentation smoothly. Transitions help your audience follow your logic and connect the dots between ideas.

5/ Visual Aids: 

If your presentation includes slides or other visual aids, indicate when and where you plan to use them to enhance your points.

6/ Conclusion:

• Summary: Recap the main points you’ve discussed during your presentation.
• Include any final thoughts, a call to action, or a closing statement that leaves a lasting impression.

7/ Q&A or Discussion: 

If applicable, mention when you’ll open the floor for questions and discussion. Be sure to allocate time for this if it’s part of your presentation.

8/ References or Sources: 

If you’re presenting information that requires citations or sources, include them in your outline. This ensures you give credit where it’s due and can reference them during your presentation if needed.

Here are some additional tips for creating a Presentation Outline

• Time Allocation: Estimate how much time you intend to spend on each section of your presentation. This helps you manage your time effectively during the actual presentation.
• Notes or Reminders: Add any reminders, cues, or notes to yourself that will help you deliver your presentation effectively. These can include tips on delivery, body language, or specific points to emphasize.

Here are a few presentation outline examples for different types of presentations:

Example 1: Sales Pitch Presentation – Presentation Outline Examples

Title: Introducing Our New Product: XYZ Tech Gadgets

Introduction

• Hook: Begin with a relatable customer problem.
• Purpose: Explain the presentation’s goal.
• Thesis: “Today, I’m excited to introduce our innovative XYZ Tech Gadgets designed to simplify your life.”

Main Points

A. Product Features

• Subpoints: Highlight key features and benefits.

B. Target Audience

• Subpoints: Identify potential customers.

C. Pricing and Packages

• Subpoints: Offer options and discounts.

Transition: “I’m glad you’re interested in our product. Let’s talk about the different ways you can purchase it.”

Purchase and Support

• a. Ordering Process
• b. Customer Support
• Recap product highlights and benefits.
• Call to action: “Visit our website or contact our sales team to get your XYZ Tech Gadgets today.”

Q&A Session.

Example 2: The Evolution of Jazz Music – Presentation Outline Examples

Title: The Evolution of Jazz Music

• Hook: Begin with a famous jazz quote or a snippet of iconic jazz music.
• Purpose: Explain the goal of the presentation.
• Thesis: “Today, we’ll take a journey through time to explore the fascinating evolution of jazz music.”

A. Early Origins of Jazz

• Subpoints: African roots, New Orleans as a melting pot.

B. The Jazz Age (1920s)

• Subpoints: Swing music, jazz legends like Louis Armstrong.

C. Bebop and Modern Jazz (1940s-1960s)

• Subpoints: Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, experimental jazz.

Transition : “Let’s now turn our attention to the diversity of jazz styles, which is as vast and complex as the history of the music itself.”

Different Styles of Jazz

• a. Cool Jazz
• b. Fusion Jazz
• c. Latin Jazz
• d. Contemporary Jazz

Influence of Jazz on Popular Music

• Subpoints: Jazz’s impact on rock, hip-hop, and other genres.
• Summary of the evolution of jazz music.
• Call to action: “Explore the world of jazz, attend live performances, or even pick up an instrument to contribute to this ever-evolving art form.”

Presentation outlines are indispensable tools that can elevate your presentations from good to great. They provide structure, organization, and clarity, ensuring that your message reaches your audience effectively. No matter if you’re delivering an educational presentation, a convincing sales pitch, or an interesting speech, these presentation outline examples aim to offer you valuable information.

To take your presentations to the next level, leverage AhaSlides. With AhaSlides , you can seamlessly integrate interactive features into your presentation, such as spinner wheel , live polls , surveys , quizzes , and audience feedback features.

These interactive features not only enhance audience engagement but also provide valuable insights and real-time interaction, making your presentations more dynamic and memorable.

So, let’s explore our template library !

📌 Tips: Asking open-ended questions help you to create an outline for presentation easier!

What should a presentation outline include?

Title, Introduction, Key points, subpoints, transitions, visuals, conclusion, Q&A , and time allocation.

What are the 5 parts of a presentation?

Introduction, main points, visuals, conclusion, and Q&A.

How do you outline a project presentation?

Define objectives, list key topics, organize content logically, and allocate time.

Do you need an outline for a presentation?

Yes, an outline helps structure and guide your presentation effectively.

Ref: Indeed | EdrawMind

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How to Outline a Presentation – A Complete Step By Step Guide

It is inevitable that on certain occasions we would be asked to give a presentation. Some people may find this terrifying and become hesitant, especially when the topic assigned is unfamiliar to them. However, acing a presentation is possible if you would prepare properly. Mostly overlooked, and a step that many skips but this is the key to saving yourself from having self-doubt and anxiety caused by i nsufficient readiness. If you are wondering how to begin, then it’s best to start digging for information to draft your outline.   

A presentation outline is a blueprint or framework of your speech. It is a  textual arrangement that gives a picture of the entire speech you are preparing.  It is an important planning tool which guides you logically through all the aspects that you need to consider prior to writing the presentation itself. It helps you to think of the elements to include and how do they correspond to one another. It also allows you to analyze and test the order of arrangement of your ideas and makes identifying weak and unnecessary points in your speech easier. Thus the preparation outline helps in giving your speech a structure.

Outline Structure

Since outlines are used to arrange all the elements in a presentation, it has organizational hierarchy and a common format There are a variety of outline styles, however, they all generally follow the same pattern. Below is a sample of a generic speech outline that can support your core message and works for a wide range of speech topics.

Outline Formatting Guidelines

As shown in the generic outline structure above, the following basic principles can be observed when organizing ideas and preparing your outline.

• Depending on your preference, your speech details may be preceded by the title, topic, specific purpose statement, thesis statement plus additional information you may want to add. As you develop and organize your speech this will help you to be on track on the purpose and main theme of your speech.
• When writing your outline follow the suggested simple formula for any presentation: (1) Tell them what you are going to tell them (2) Tell them (3) Then, tell them what you told them. In your presentation’s outline, this is your introduction , body , and conclusion . Dividing your presentation into main headings will ensure a logical and orderly development of the subjects 
• In sequencing the ideas in your outline, observe the principles of unity, coherence, and emphasis. Try to avoid random order and focus instead on seeking and extracting meaningful relationships on the materials you gathered.  Arrange it according to their meaningfulness and usefulness in the speech.
• Include only the essentials. If you have covered too much, narrow it down and sift out irrelevant materials to keep your focus on pertinent details. Distinguish clearly between important ideas and less important ones and rearrange your points if needed. If some of your main points are sufficiently supported while others are lacking, you may add or subtract supporting material to polish your presentation. 
• The body of the speech contains the main ideas about your topic.  To help your listeners easily understand and remember your main points, group your facts into a few main topics. If possible, limit it to three then start with the strongest and most supportive argument. 
• Under each main point, write down the supporting information. These subordinate ideas should develop the main points above them. Also, each division of the outline should contain only one idea. Make sure that the supporting details you are going to add are placed under the appropriate main point.
• When preparing the outline, focus on the body of your speech first to make writing the introduction and closing easier. 
• After carefully planning your body, identify how you would like to begin your presentation. Write an introduction that would arouse the attention of your audience then provide a  general view of the speech.
• Pull together all your main points, subordinate points and supporting materials in your conclusion to give a final impact on your proposition
• Use transitional statements between elements to hint your audience that you are moving from one point to another. Write it in parenthesis and place it between the main points
• To indicate the main and subordinate ideas, use a consistent set of symbols and numbers. Also, make sure that your subordinate points are properly indented under its main idea. Indenting makes identifying your main points, sub-points, and examples easier. 
• Write each heading or subheading in complete sentences using the active voice. It should contain the words of the actual speech that helps to somewhat complete the script of your entire speech. Writing your points in full-sentence will help you to remember the easy to forget significant points. 
• At the end of the outline, include bibliographic information for any outside resources you will mention during your presentation. This will help you to easily find the sources you will use.

Some may be writing their presentation without an outline, however, having it saves time. The speech you are writing will almost develop itself by having an adequate and detailed outline, therefore allowing you to craft a coherent and more focussed presentation. Exceptional English presenters and public speakers understand the value of having an outline. They know that is an effective device to write and deliver a successful presentation. 

Special Bonus Tip: Writing a presentation outline is often perceived to be reserved for planning purposes only.  However, your outline can function both as a tool when organizing your points and as a reference when delivering your speech. The only difference is that with your preparation outline you utilize full sentences. If you decide to convert it as a speaking outline then you just have to tweak it and use words or short phrases instead of full sentences. 

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The number of points in the body of your lecture can expand and contract as required.

• average adult attention span is 15-20 minutes: divide the body of your talk into 15-minute sub-topics
• give each sub-topic a short introduction, conclusion, and transition into the next sub-topic
• vary the pace: for example, have question periods at the end of each sub-topic, or alternate 15-minute lectures with 15-minute interactive activities or audio-visual presentations

I. Introduction (2-3 minutes)

• Opener Or Attention Getter
• Significance of topic
• Relevance to Audience
• Thesis and Preview (Tell your audience “the big picture”; give them a roadmap to their learning)  
• Support material

(sign post - words that indicate that you are going to make a point - initially, finally, next.)

TRANSITION and CONNECTION

(sign post - words that indicate that you are going to make a point - initially, finally, next)

III. Conclusion (2-3 minutes)

• Summary of topic and what was learned
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How To Write A Speech Outline

Do you have a speech coming up soon, but don’t know where to start when it comes to writing it? 

Don’t worry. 

The best way to start writing your speech is to first write an outline.

While to some, an outline may seem like an unnecessary extra step — after giving hundreds of speeches in my own career, I can assure you that first creating a speech outline is truly the best way to design a strong presentation that your audience will remember.

Should I Write A Speech Outline?

You might be wondering if you should really bother with a preparation outline. Is a speaking outline worth your time, or can you get through by just keeping your supporting points in mind?

Again, I highly recommend that all speakers create an outline as part of their speechwriting process. This step is an extremely important way to organize your main ideas and all the various elements of your speech in a way that will command your audience’s attention.

Good public speaking teachers will agree that an outline—even if it’s a rough outline—is the easiest way to propel you forward to a final draft of an organized speech that audience members will love.

Here are a few of the biggest benefits of creating an outline before diving straight into your speech.

Gain More Focus

By writing an outline, you’ll be able to center the focus of your speech where it belongs—on your thesis statement and main idea.

Remember, every illustration, example, or piece of information you share in your speech should be relevant to the key message you’re trying to deliver. And by creating an outline, you can ensure that everything relates back to your main point.

Keep Things Organized

Your speech should have an overall organizational pattern so that listeners will be able to follow your thoughts. You want your ideas to be laid out in a logical order that’s easy to track, and for all of the speech elements to correspond.

An outline serves as a structure or foundation for your speech, allowing you to see all of your main points laid out so you can easily rearrange them into an order that makes sense for easy listening.

Create Smoother Transitions

A speaking outline helps you create smoother transitions between the different parts of your speech.

When you know what’s happening before and after a certain section, it will be easy to accurately deliver transitional statements that make sense in context. Instead of seeming like several disjointed ideas, the parts of your speech will naturally flow into each other.

Save Yourself Time

An outline is an organization tool that will save you time and effort when you get ready to write the final draft of your speech. When you’re working off of an outline to write your draft, you can overcome “blank page syndrome.”

It will be much easier to finish the entire speech because the main points and sub-points are already clearly laid out for you.

Your only job is to finish filling everything in.

Preparing to Write A Speech Outline

Now that you know how helpful even the most basic of speech outlines can be in helping you write the best speech, here’s how to write the best outline for your next public speaking project.

How Long Should A Speech Outline Be?

The length of your speech outline will depend on the length of your speech. Are you giving a quick two-minute talk or a longer thirty-minute presentation? The length of your outline will reflect the length of your final speech.

Another factor that will determine the length of your outline is how much information you actually want to include in the outline. For some speakers, bullet points of your main points might be enough. In other cases, you may feel more comfortable with a full-sentence outline that offers a more comprehensive view of your speech topic.

The length of your outline will also depend on the type of outline you’re using at any given moment.

Types of Outlines

Did you know there are several outline types? Each type of outline is intended for a different stage of the speechwriting process. Here, we’re going to walk through:

• Working outlines
• Full-sentence outlines
• Speaking outlines

Working Outline

Think of your working outline as the bare bones of your speech—the scaffolding you’re using as you just start to build your presentation. To create a working outline, you will need:

• A speech topic
• An idea for the “hook” in your introduction
• A thesis statement
• 3-5 main points (each one should make a primary claim that you support with references)
• A conclusion

Each of your main points will also have sub-points, but we’ll get to those in a later step.

The benefit of a working outline is that it’s easy to move things around. If you think your main points don’t make sense in a certain order—or that one point needs to be scrapped entirely—it’s no problem to make the needed changes. You won’t be deleting any of your prior hard work because you haven’t really done any work yet.

Once you are confident in this “skeleton outline,” you can move on to the next, where you’ll start filling in more detailed information.

Full-sentence outline

As the name implies, your full-sentence outline contains full sentences. No bullet points or scribbled, “talk about x, y, z here.” Instead, research everything you want to include and write out the information in full sentences.

Why is this important? A full-sentence outline helps ensure that you are:

• Including all of the information your audience needs to know
• Organizing the material well
• Staying within any time constraints you’ve been given

Don’t skip this important step as you plan your speech.

Speaking outline

The final type of outline you’ll need is a speaking outline. When it comes to the level of detail, this outline is somewhere in between your working outline and a full-sentence outline. 

You’ll include the main parts of your speech—the introduction, main points, and conclusion. But you’ll add a little extra detail about each one, too. This might be a quote that you don’t want to misremember or just a few words to jog your memory of an anecdote to share.

When you actually give your speech, this is the outline you will use. It might seem like it makes more sense to use your detailed full-sentence outline up on stage. However, if you use this outline, it’s all too easy to fall into the trap of reading your speech—which is not what you want to do. You’ll likely sound much more natural if you use your speaking outline.

How to Write A Speech Outline

We’ve covered the types of outlines you’ll work through as you write your speech. Now, let’s talk more about how you’ll come up with the information to add to each outline type.

Pick A Topic

Before you can begin writing an outline, you have to know what you’re going to be speaking about. In some situations, you may have a topic given to you—especially if you are in a public speaking class and must follow the instructor’s requirements. But in many cases, speakers must come up with their own topic for a speech.

Consider your audience and what kind of educational, humorous, or otherwise valuable information they need to hear. Your topic and message should of course be highly relevant to them. If you don’t know your audience well enough to choose a topic, that’s a problem.

Your audience is your first priority. If possible, however, it’s also helpful to choose a topic that appeals to you. What’s something you’re interested in and/or knowledgeable about? 

It will be much easier to write a speech on a topic you care about rather than one you don’t. If you can come up with a speech topic that appeals to your audience and is interesting to you, that’s the sweet spot for writing and delivering an unforgettable speech.

Write A Thesis Statement

The next step is to ask yourself two important questions:

• What do you want your audience to take away from your speech?
• How will you communicate this main message?

The key message of your speech can also be called your “thesis statement.”

Essentially, this is your main point—the most important thing you hope to get across.

You’ll most likely actually say your thesis statement verbatim during your speech. It should come at the end of your introduction. Then, you’ll spend the rest of your talk expanding on this statement, sharing more information that will prove the statement is true.

Consider writing your thesis statement right now—before you begin researching or outlining your speech. If you can refer back to this statement as you get to work, it will be much easier to make sure all of the elements correspond with each other throughout your speech.

An example of a good thesis statement might read like this:

• Going for a run every day is good for your health.
• It’s important to start saving for retirement early.
• The COVID-19 pandemic had a negative impact on many small businesses.

The second part of this step is to know how you will communicate your main message . For example, if your key point is that running improves physical health, you might get this across by:

• Citing scientific studies that proved running is good for your health
• Sharing your personal experience of going for a run every day

Your goal is for all of your sub-points and supporting material to reflect and support your main point. At the end of the speech, your audience should be appropriately motivated, educated, or convinced that your thesis statement is true.

Once you have a topic for your presentation and a good thesis statement, you can move on to the bulk of the outline.

The first part of your speech is the introduction, which should include a strong “hook” to grab the attention of your audience. There are endless directions you can go to create this hook. Don’t be afraid to get creative! You might try:

• Telling a joke
• Sharing an anecdote
• Using a prop or visual aid
• Asking a question (rhetorical or otherwise)

These are just a few examples of hooks that can make your audience sit up and take notice.

The rest of your introduction shouldn’t be too long—as a general rule of thumb, you want your introduction to take up about 10% of your entire speech. But there are a few other things you need to say.

Briefly introduce yourself and who you are to communicate why the audience should trust you. Mention why you’re giving this speech. 

Explain that you’re going to cover X main points—you can quickly list them—and include your thesis statement. 

You could also mention how long your speech will be and say what your audience will take away from it (“At the end of our 15 minutes together today, you’ll understand how to write a resume”).

Then smoothly transition into the body of your speech.

Next, you’ll write the body of your speech. This is the bulk of your presentation. It will include your main points and their sub-points. Here’s how this should look:

Your subpoints might be anecdotes, visual aids, or studies. However you decide to support your main points, make them memorable and engaging. Nobody wants to sit and listen to you recite a dry list of facts.

Remember, the amount of detail you include right now will depend on which outline you’re on. Your first outline, or working outline, doesn’t have to include every last little detail. Your goal is to briefly encapsulate all of the most important elements in your speech. 

But beyond that, you don’t need to write down every last detail or example right now. You don’t even have to write full sentences at this point. That will come in your second outline and other future drafts.

Your conclusion should concisely summarize the main points of your speech. You could do this by saying, “To recap as I finish up, today we learned…” and reiterate those primary points.

It’s also good to leave the audience with something to think about and/or discuss. Consider asking them a question that expands on your speech—something they can turn over in their minds the rest of the day. 

Or share one final story or quote that will leave them with lasting inspiration. Bonus points if your conclusion circles back around to your introduction or hook.

In other cases, you may want to end with a call to action. Are you promoting something? Make sure your audience knows what it is, how it will benefit them, and where they can find it. Or, your CTA might be as simple as plugging your Twitter handle and asking listeners to follow you.

Finally, don’t forget to say thank you to your audience for taking the time to listen.

Additional Helpful Speechwriting Tips

Your speech outline is important, but it’s not the only thing that goes into preparing to give a presentation. Take a look at these additional tips I recommend to help your speech succeed.

Use Visual Aids

Visual aids are a good way to make sure your audience stays engaged—that they listen closely, and remember what you said. Visual aids serve as an attention-getter for people who may not be listening closely. These aids also ensure that your points are sufficiently supported.

You might choose to incorporate any of the following in your talk:

• A PowerPoint presentation
• A chart or graph
• A whiteboard or blackboard
• A flip chart
• A prop that you hold or interact with

Don’t overdo it. Remember, your speech is the main thing you’re presenting. Any visual aids are just that—aids. They’re a side dish, not the main entrée. Select one primary type of aid for your speech.

If you decide to include visual aids, use your speaking outline to make a note of which items you will incorporate where. You may want to place these items on your working outline. They should definitely be on your full-sentence outline.

Keep Your Audience Engaged

As you write and practice your speech, make sure you’re doing everything you can to keep your audience engaged the entire time. We’ve already talked about including stories and jokes, using visual aids, or asking questions to vary your talk and make it more interesting.

Your body language is another important component of audience engagement. Your posture should be straight yet relaxed, with shoulders back and feet shoulder-width apart. Keep your body open to the audience.

Make eye contact with different people in the audience. Incorporate hand gestures that emphasize certain points or draw attention to your visual aids.

Don’t be afraid to move around whatever space you have. Movement is especially helpful to indicate a clearer transition from one part of your speech to another. And smile! A simple smile goes a long way to help your audience relax.

Practice Your Speech

When you’re done with speechwriting, it’s time to get in front of the mirror and practice. Pay attention to your body language, gestures, and eye contact. 

Practice working with any visual aids or props you will be using. It’s also helpful to make a plan B—for instance, what will you do if the projector isn’t working and you can’t use your slides?

Ask a friend or family member if you can rehearse your speech for them. When you’re through, ask them questions about which parts held their attention and which ones didn’t.

You should also use your speaking outline and whatever other notes you’ll be using in your speech itself. Get used to referring to this outline as you go. But remember, don’t read anything verbatim (except maybe a quote). Your speaking outline is simply a guide to remind you where you’re going.

Learn to Speak Like A Leader

There’s a lot of work that goes into writing a speech outline. That’s undeniable. But an outline is the best way to organize and plan your presentation. When your speech outline is ready, it will be a breeze to write and then present your actual speech.

If you’re looking for more help learning how to become a strong public speaker, I recommend my free 5 Minute Speech Formula . This will help you start writing your speech and turn any idea into a powerful message.

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About Brian Tracy — Brian is recognized as the top sales training and personal success authority in the world today. He has authored more than 60 books and has produced more than 500 audio and video learning programs on sales, management, business success and personal development, including worldwide bestseller The Psychology of Achievement. Brian's goal is to help you achieve your personal and business goals faster and easier than you ever imagined. You can follow him on Twitter , Facebook , Pinterest , Linkedin and Youtube .

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Chapter 5: Presentation Organization

35 Outlining Your Presentation

Preparation outlines are comprehensive outlines that include all of the information in your presentation. Our presentation outline will consist of the content of what the audience will see and hear. Eventually, you will move away from this outline as you develop your materials and practice your presentation.

Your speaking outline will contain notes to guide you, and is usually not shared with your audience. It will summarize the full preparation outline down to more usable notes. You should create a set of abbreviated notes for the actual delivery.

Your organizational model will help determine how you will structure your preparation outline. However, most, if not all, of the organization models will align with this structure:

• Attention Statement: an engaging or interesting statement that will cause your audience to sit up and take notice.
• Introduction: setting out your general idea statement (LINK) and giving the audience an idea of what to expect.
• Body: This section contains your research, main points and other relevant information. It will follow your organizational pattern.
• Conclusion: reiterating your idea statement, and/or includes a call-to-action — what you want the audience to do or think about following your presentation.
• Residual Message: this is an optional section, but a powerful one. It is the final message you want the audience to remember.

You can use your presentation outline as a starting point to developing your speaking outline. It’s a good idea to make speaking notes to align with your main points and visuals in each section.

UNC Libraries Presentation Planning Worksheet

Using Examples and Scenarios

Presenters will often use examples and scenarios to help illustrate the their message. The main difference between examples and scenarios is that while both help “show” the audience what you mean, an example is the “thing” itself, while a scenario would include more detail about the sequence or development of events. Scenarios also tend to be longer and more nuanced.

An ‘example’ of a sales target might be: to sell 500 units in 30 days. A ‘scenario’ might be described as: Company A is selling vacuums to the Atlantic Canada region. They are trying to increase their sales, and so have set a target of 500 units in the region in 30 days, using a sales incentive program for employees and promoting a sale at local stores.

A Word About Storytelling

Storytelling can be an effective way to convey your message to your audience. Stories are a fundamental part of the human experience, and, if well-told, can resonate with listeners. Some of the most inspiring TEDTalks speakers use storytelling effectively in their presentations. You can find out more about how to incorporate storytelling techniques into presentations from the TEDTAlk speakers directly.

Read the following blog post from Nayomi Chibana (2015).

http://blog.visme.co/7-storytelling-techniques-used-by-the-most-inspiring-ted-presenters/

Communication for Business Professionals Copyright © 2018 by eCampusOntario is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Chapter 12: Developing Presentations

Joseph Williams

Chapter Learning Objectives

• Identify the different methods of presentation delivery.
• Identify key elements in preparing to deliver a presentation.
• Utilize specific techniques to enhance speech delivery.
• Demonstrate how to methodically plan a presentation.

12.1: Introduction and Methods of Presentation Delivery

12.2: from start to finish: an example of planning a professional presentation, 12.3: choosing and refining your topic.

• 12.4: Analyze your Audience

12.5: Creating the Draft

12.6: developing a meaningful introduction, 12.7: developing a meaningful conclusion, 12.8: developing a meaningful slideshow, 12.9: contemplating delivery particulars, 12.1.1: impromptu speaking.

• 12.1.2: Manuscript Preparations

12.1.3: Extemporaneous Presentations

12.1.4: memorized speaking.

Whether you have a marketing presentation coming up for a potential client or a scientific presentation to give to your expert colleagues, you want to be certain your presentation is built on a sound foundation of current concerns and trends your audience will want you to address. As you read this chapter, consider what you might do to win and/or inform a client or supervisor based on your presentation development.

This chapter will help you consider how to organize presentation information and develop a winning strategy for a surefire professional presentation. While knowledge and research on your topic are key to an effective presentation, do not underestimate the importance of organization.

Organization in any presentation is helpful both to you and to your audience. They will appreciate receiving the information presented in an organized way, and being well organized will make the presentation much less stressful for you.

A successful presentation involves flexibility and organization. You know your material. You are prepared and follow an outline. You do not read a script or PowerPoint presentation, you do not memorize every single word in order (though you may memorize some parts), but you also do not make it up as you go along. Your presentation is scripted in the sense that it is completely planned from start to finish, yet every word is not explicitly planned, allowing for some spontaneity and adaptation to the audience’s needs in the moment.

Your organization plan will serve you and your audience as a guide. Your plan will also help you present a more effective speech. Just as there is no substitute for practice and preparation, there is no substitute for organization and an outline when you need it the most: on stage.

Delivery is your unique interaction between you and your audience, and delivery is what you are probably most concerned about when giving presentations. This chapter is designed to help you give the best delivery possible and eliminate some of the nervousness you might be feeling. To do that, you should first dismiss the myth that public speaking is just reading and talking at the same time. Speaking in public has more formality than talking. During a speech, you should present yourself professionally. This policy doesn’t necessarily mean you must wear a suit or “dress up,” but it does mean making yourself presentable by being well-groomed and wearing clean, appropriate clothes. It also means being prepared to use language correctly and appropriately for the audience and the topic, to make eye contact with your audience, and to look like you know your topic very well. Lastly, HAVE FUN with your presentation. Looking like you care about the subject matter, you’re comfortable with speaking in general, and you’re comfortable with your audience all make a difference in terms of audience perception.

While speaking has more formality than talking, it has less formality than reading. Speaking allows for flexibility, meaningful pauses, eye contact, small changes in word order, and vocal emphasis. Reading is a more or less exact replication of words on paper without the use of any non-verbal interpretation. Speaking, as you will realize if you think about excellent speakers you have seen and heard, should provide a more animated message.

Different speaking occasions call for different delivery methods. According to Engineering professor and author Michael Alley (2013), there are four methods of delivery that can help you balance between too much and too little formality when giving a presentation.

Impromptu speaking is the presentation of a short message without advance preparation. You have probably done impromptu speaking many times in informal, conversational settings. Self-introductions in group settings are examples of impromptu speaking: “Hi, my name is Steve, and I’m an account manager.” Another example of impromptu presenting occurs when you answer a question such as “What did you think of the report?” Your response has not been preplanned, and you are constructing your arguments and points as you speak. Even worse, you might find yourself going into a meeting and your boss says, “I want you to talk about the last stage of the project…” and you have no warning.

The advantage of this kind of speaking is that it’s spontaneous and responsive in an animated group context. The disadvantage is that the speaker is given little or no time to contemplate the central theme of their message. As a result, the message may be disorganized and difficult for listeners to follow.

Here is a step-by-step guide that may be useful if you are called upon to give an impromptu presentation in public:

• Take a moment to collect your thoughts and plan the main point you want to make.
• Thank the person for inviting you to speak. Avoid making comments about being unprepared, being called upon at the last moment, being put on the spot, or feeling uneasy.
• Deliver your message, making your main point as briefly as you can while still covering it adequately and at a pace your listeners can follow.
• If you can use a structure, use numbers if possible: “Two main reasons . . .” or “Three parts of our plan. . .” or “Two side effects of this drug. . .” Timeline structures are also effective, such as “past, present, and future,” or geographical structures like “East Coast, Midwest, and West Coast.”
• Thank the person again for the opportunity to speak.
• Stop talking (it is easy to “ramble on” when you don’t have something prepared). If in front of an audience, don’t keep talking as you move back to your seat.
• Smile, even if you’re not feeling like it. A smile shows the audience that you’re in control.

Impromptu presentations are generally most successful when they are brief and focus on a single point.

12.1.2: Manuscript Presentations

Manuscript presentations are the word-for-word iteration of a written message. The speaker maintains their attention on the printed page in a manuscript presentation except when using visual aids. The advantage of reading from a manuscript is the exact repetition of original words. In some circumstances, this repetition can be critical. For example, reading a statement about your organization’s legal responsibilities to customers may require that the original words be exact.

A manuscript presentation may be appropriate at a more formal affair (like a report to shareholders). Your presentation must be said exactly as written in order to convey the proper emotion or decorum the situation deserves.

However, there are costs involved in manuscript presentations. First, it’s typically an uninteresting way to present. Unless the presenter has rehearsed the reading as a complete performance animated with vocal expression and gestures, the presentation tends to be dull. Keeping one’s eyes glued to the script prevents eye contact with the audience. For this kind of “straight” manuscript presentation to hold the audience’s attention, the audience must be already interested in the message and presenter before the delivery begins.

Extemporaneous presentations are carefully planned and rehearsed, delivered in a conversational manner using brief notes that feature “punch” words. Using notes with punch words rather than a full manuscript allows the extemporaneous presenter to establish and maintain eye contact with the audience and assess how well they understand the presentation as it progresses. Without all the words on the page to read, you have little choice but to look up and make eye contact with your audience.

Presenting extemporaneously has some advantages. It promotes the likelihood that you, the speaker, will be perceived as knowledgeable and credible since you know the speech well enough that you don’t need to read it. In addition, your audience is likely to pay better attention to the message because it engages both verbally and nonverbally, such as through eye contact. It also allows flexibility; you are working from the strong foundation of an outline, but if you need to delete, add, or rephrase something at the last minute or adapt to your audience, you can do so.

The disadvantage of extemporaneous presentations is that in some cases it does not allow for the verbal and nonverbal preparation that are almost always required for a good speech.

Adequate preparation cannot be achieved the day before you’re scheduled to present, so be aware that if you want to present a credibly delivered speech, you will need to practice many times. Because extemporaneous presenting is the style used in the great majority of professional presentation situations, most of the information in the subsequent sections of this chapter is targeted toward this kind of speaking.

Memorized speaking recites a written message that the speaker has committed to memory. Actors, of course, recite from memory whenever they perform from a script in a stage play, television program, or movie scene. When it comes to speeches, memorization can be useful when the message needs to be exact and the speaker doesn’t want to be confined by notes.

The advantage of memorization is that it enables the speaker to maintain eye contact with the audience throughout the speech. Being free of notes means moving freely around the stage and using your hands to make gestures. If your speech uses visual aids, this freedom is even more of an advantage. However, there are some real and potential costs.

First, unless you also plan and memorize every vocal cue (the subtle but meaningful variations in speech delivery, which can include the use of pitch, tone, volume, and pace), gesture, and facial expression, your presentation will be flat and uninteresting, and even the most fascinating topic will suffer. Second, if you lose your place and start trying to ad lib, the contrast in your delivery style may alert your audience that something is wrong. More frighteningly, it will be quite difficult to find your place and keep going if you completely blank out during the presentation. Obviously, memorizing a typical seven-minute presentation takes a great deal of time and effort, and if you aren’t used to memorizing, it is challenging to pull off. Realistically, you probably will not have the time to give a completely memorized speech. However, if you practice adequately, your approach will still feel like you are being extemporaneous.

Congratulations! You have been asked or selected to speak on a topic. Here’s one presenter’s method for creating a professional presentation.

• Use a brain drain or mapping to list the concepts under your main topic. The brain drain serves as a “wish list” that you can discuss in a perfect world where there is enough time.
• Analyze your audience. Who are they? Are they experts, non-experts, or both?
• What does your presentation intend to do: inform, persuade, or both?
• How much time do you have? Do you need to leave room for questions? Create a skeletal outline that features a basic order of your presentation subtopics. Consider placing a number of minutes beside each concept so that you have a rough estimate of how long each subtopic will take you. Remember to leave room for a few minutes of introduction and conclusion!
• Now it’s time to research. What do you need to say about each subtopic? Does your subject matter require primary research, secondary research, or both? Are there special thinkers, professionals, or heavy-hitters that you want to include in some of your subtopics?
• Create a rough draft of your presentation content. You can choose from a chronological pattern, spatial pattern, topical pattern, cause-effect pattern, or problem-solution pattern. Practice your presentation and note the time of each of your sections, whether this includes complete sentences or punch words. Does everything fit where you want it? Is there a natural flow of ideas from one topic to another? If not, feel free to shift content until you get a sense of a natural flow of ideas. Is there any content that does not appear to be inviting to demographic sections of your audience? This is the place for you to objectively remove and replace any content that may be viewed as objectionable or othering.
• Now it’s time to develop your final presentation content. As often as possible, replace complete sentences with punch words so that you rely more on your memory and expertise (as well as your prowess!) on the subject rather than reading your notes. If there is complex material, never fear: Write those full sentences down!
• Choose a slideshow format that you feel comfortable with, such as Google slides, PowerPoint, or Prezi. Adjust your content so that less is more—audiences should listen to your presentation and watch you rather than read long content on your slides.
• Practice until you get the balance right. Then approach friends, colleagues, and family members to try out your material on them. Do they offer recommendations? Consider their advice, but ultimately, you’re the boss of your own show.

Let’s break it down.

First, think about what your audience will already know about your topic. Conversely, think about what your audience does NOT know about your topic to keep your presentation streamlined and concise. Finally, what information do your audiences need to know in order to be properly informed and/or persuaded?

Write a specific purpose statement, which will be the foundation for everything you say in the speech and a guide for what you do not say. This formula, borrowed from Simon, Grimes, and Roch (2018), will help you in putting together your specific purpose statement:

To _______________ [Specific Communication Word (inform, explain, demonstrate, describe, define, persuade, convince, prove, argue)] my [Target Audience (my classmates, the members of the Social Work Club, my coworkers)] __________________ [The Content (how to bake brownies, that Macs are better than PCs)].

Example: The purpose of my presentation is to demonstrate for my coworkers the value of informed intercultural communication.

12.4: Analyze Your Audience

Who will be listening to your presentation? Ask yourself the following questions:

• Will audience members be experts in the subject matter, non-experts, or both? What kind of information must be tailored so that experts AND non-experts can follow along?
• What methods do you intend to use to persuade, inform, or both?
• Will a significant portion of your audience be speakers of English as a second language? If so, avoid overuse of humor, metaphors, two-word verbs (such as shut up, shut in, shut out, shut down), and use of slang.
• What kind of action do you want your audience members to take? What will be your methods to win them over?
• Will audience members be objective, indifferent, or hostile about the subject matter? All of the above? Consider what “moves” you want to make to placate those who are not already onboard with your presentation material so that it will further convince them to take action.

12.5.1: Using Examples and Scenarios

12.5.2: a word about storytelling.

To be successful in your presentation, you’ll need two outlines: a preparation outline and a speaking outline. Preparation outlines are comprehensive outlines that include all of the information in your presentation. A presentation outline will consist of the content of what the audience will see and hear.

Eventually, you will move away from this outline as you develop your materials and practice your presentation. Your speaking outline will contain notes to guide you and is usually not shared with your audience. It will summarize the complete preparation outline down to more usable notes. You should create a set of abbreviated notes for the actual delivery. Your organizational model will help determine how you will structure your preparation outline. However, most, if not all, of the organization models will align with this structure:

• Attention statement : An engaging or interesting statement that will cause your audience to sit up and take notice.
• Introduction : Setting out your general idea statement (LINK) and giving the audience an idea of what to expect.
• Body : This section contains your research, main points, and other relevant information. It will follow your organizational pattern.
• Conclusion : Reiterating your idea statement, and/or includes a call to action—what you want the audience to do or think about following your presentation.
• Residual message : This is an optional section but a powerful one. It is the final message you want the audience to remember.

You can use your presentation outline as a starting point to developing your speaking outline. It’s a good idea to make speaking notes to align with each section’s main points and visuals.

Presenters will often use examples and scenarios to help illustrate their message. The main difference between examples and scenarios is that while both help show the audience what you mean, an example is the thing itself; in contrast, a scenario would include more detail about the sequence or development of events. Scenarios also tend to be longer and more nuanced. An example of a sales target might be: to sell 500 units in 30 days. A scenario might be described as: Company A is selling vacuums to the Atlantic Canada region. They are trying to increase their sales and so have set a target of 500 units in the region in 30 days, using a sales incentive program for employees, and promoting a sale at local stores.

According to Simon, Grimes, and Roch (2018), storytelling can be an effective way to convey your message to your audience. Stories are a fundamental part of the human experience, and if they are well told, they can resonate effectively with listeners. Some of the most inspiring speakers of TED Talks use storytelling effectively in their presentations. You can find out more about how to incorporate storytelling techniques into presentations from the TED Talk speakers directly.

By now you have identified your main points, chosen your organizational pattern, and written your outline, and you are now ready to begin putting your presentation together. But how will you connect your main points together in a relevant manner so that your presentation appears fluid?

Transitions are segues: words, phrases, or visual devices that help the audience follow the speaker’s ideas, connect the main points to each other, and see the relationships you’ve created in the information you are presenting. Transitions are used by the speaker to guide the audience in the progression from one significant concept or point to the next issue. They can also show the relationship between the main point and the support the speaker uses to illustrate, provide examples for, or reference outside sources. Depending on your purpose, transitions can serve different roles as you help create the glue that will connect your points together in a way the audience can easily follow.

Internal summaries: a type of connective transition that emphasizes what has come before and reminds the audience of what has been covered. Examples include: as I have said; as we have seen; as mentioned earlier; in any event; in other words; in short; on the whole; therefore; to summarize; as a result; as I’ve noted previously; in conclusion.  

Internal previews: a type of connective that emphasizes what is coming up next in the speech and what to expect with regard to the content. Examples include: if we look ahead to….; next we’ll examine; now we can focus our attention on; first we’ll look at; then we’ll examine.

Signposts: a type of connective transition that emphasizes physical movement through the speech content and lets the audience know exactly where the speaker is: stop and consider; we can now address; next I’d like to explain; turning from/to; another; this reminds me of; I would like to emphasize.

Time: focuses on the chronological aspects of your speech order. Use of time is particularly useful in a speech utilizing a story, as this transition can illustrate for the audience progression of time: before; earlier; immediately; in the meantime; in the past; lately; later; meanwhile; now; presently; shortly; simultaneously; since; so far; as long as; as soon as; at last; at length; at that time; then; until; afterward.

Compare/contrast: draws a parallel or distinction between two ideas, concepts, or examples. It can indicate a common or divergent area between points for the audience: in the same way; by the same token; equally; similarly; just as we have seen; in the same vein.

Cause and effect or result: illustrates a relationship between two ideas, concepts, or examples and may focus on the outcome or result. It can illustrate a relationship between points for the audience: as a result; because; consequently; for this purpose; accordingly; so; then; therefore; thereupon; thus; to this end; for this reason; as a result; because; therefore; consequently.

Examples: illustrates a connection between a point and an example or examples. You may find visual aids work well with this type of transition: in fact; as we can see; after all; even; for example; for instance; of course; specifically; such as; in the following example; to illustrate my point.

Place: refers to a location, often in a spatially organized speech, of one point of emphasis to another. Again, visual aids work well when discussing physical location with an audience: opposite to; there; to the left; above; below; elsewhere; farther on; beyond; nearby; next to.

Clarification:  restates or further develops a main idea or point. It can also serve as a signal to a key point: to clarify; in other words; to put in another way; this means.

Concession: indicates knowledge of contrary information. It can address a perception the audience may hold and allow for clarification: we can see that while; although it is true that; granted that; while it may appear that; I admit that even though.

Introductions are important so that the audience obtains a concise picture of what the rest of the presentation will be about. Keep the audience’s attention and pique their interest:

• Express details to keep the audience’s attention.
• Put the most important information at the introduction’s beginning. This placement will help to “hook” your audience.
• Involve your audience
• Ask a question that requires audience participation
• Tell a story/anecdote
• Relate a personal experience
• Use humor…if the context warrants it
• Create suspense
• Use a quotation or poem
• Use a visual aid
• Give a startling fact or statistic

Your introduction should be up to 5% of your entire presentation. Once you’ve set the tone and informed your audience what you’ll be discussing, segue to the first part of your presentation body.

Like introductions, conclusions should comprise around 5% of your presentation time. The basic structure of a presentation is not so much linear as it is circular: Speeches should take you in a circle from A to Z. Therefore, your conclusion should take your audience back to the introduction—with an enhanced understanding of the topic. Here are some meaningful cues you can use to signal the eminent closing of your presentation:

• Language cues (“ Now that we have seen that we can solve this problem effectively, we can review the entire situation. ”)
• Movement cues (Physically move back to the center of the room where you began your speech.)
• Paralinguistic cues (Slow your rate of speech and use more pauses.)

Present final appeals to your audience. Depending on the type of presentation you give, you will be asking your audience for something.

• You may be asking them to act in a certain way or to change their attitude toward a certain person or topic.
• You may be asking them to simply understand what you have had to say.
• Leave your audience motivated positively toward you and your presentation topic.
• Stories can make excellent conclusions, as they complete the story that you started in your introduction. You can finish your introduction’s story OR you can retell the story; this time the story will reflect what the audience has learned from your presentation.
• If you decide to use humor, make sure that the humor is relevant to the presentation as well as the audience. A little bit of humor goes a LONG way, so don’t overdo it. Additionally, inappropriate use of humor is a very bad idea.

Knowing your audience will give you a good idea of how to adapt your slideshow design. Additionally, ask yourself, “What is my presentation’s goal?” Is your slideshow meant for training employees, selling a new product, or something else altogether different?

Slideshows should have one clear design; otherwise, the design can contribute to the audience’s lack of attention. Correct formatting should have a legible font from the back of a room, non-distractive themes, proper text and graphic alignment, and consistency.

The best visual aids are images that add context to your presentation topic, images that enhance your audience’s understanding of the topic, and informative graphics that are easy to follow. Your visual aids should complement rather than substitute for your presentation content. Ultimately, they should not be the primary focus of the slideshow.

Animation of your transitions can make or break a presentation and should be used sparingly—less is definitely more (and perhaps none at all). Ask yourself the following questions:

• Is this transition animation subtle?
• Does this animation distract from my key points?
• Is this transition animation necessary? Does it enhance my message?

12.9.1: Presentation Space

12.9.2: presentation timing, 12.9.3: presentation clothing, 12.9.4: gestures, eye contact, and paralinguistic features, 12.9.5: pacing and speed, 12.9.6: verbal crutches, 12.9.7: technical issues, 12.9.8: rough audience members, 12.9.9: practice, practice, practice.

So you’re ready for your professional presentation in terms of content and slideshow. McMurrey and Race (2020) provide some topics outside of your presentation to consider for professional delivery.

We have presented in good spaces and not-so-good spaces. You have been given access to the room where you will soon give your presentation. Test it out. Consider the venue of your presentation, whether it is in a large room at an international conference or an 8-seater meeting room in your office. Surely your presentation will be tailored differently depending on size of venue and size of audience.

How would you handle specific problems such as creaky floors, loud projectors, disorganized chairs, and immovable objects that obstruct the audience’s view of your slideshow?

• Walk around your presentation space and see if you detect creaky places where you should avoid stepping.
• You need to project your slideshow, but perhaps it becomes apparent that your own voice will have to compete with the loudness of the projector itself…or a particularly loud air conditioning unit. Acknowledge this issue ONE TIME to your listeners so that the audience understands that you are doing your best.
• If you have time to clean up the presentation room, such as disorganized chairs and trash, go for it.
• One time I delivered a presentation to a 75-member audience, and a massive concrete column was inexplicably placed to my left, thereby impeding the view of my slideshow for 20% of the audience. If space is limited and chairs cannot be moved, ACKNOWLEDGE these audience members: “For those of you who cannot see my slideshow, it is showing X, Y, and Z.…”

Time each section of your presentation and write out the percentage each section takes. Does your presentation add up? Which parts should be edited for a more streamlined, smooth delivery?

You certainly do not want to try on your presentation outfit at the moment you plan to present, as you will already be nervous. This nervousness is natural and indicates that you’re ready to perform! Try on your entire presentation outfit to ensure that you feel comfortable moving and walking effortlessly around in it.

What if you’re in the middle of giving a 40-minute presentation and your shoe breaks? ACKNOWLEDGE it one time, but don’t let it steal your presentation’s thunder. Simply remove your shoes and continue with your presentation. Your audience will be on your side, rooting for you. The show must go on!

Where are you placing your hands? Are you addressing each side of your audience with eye contact? If you want to take more calculated risks, experiment with such paralinguistic features as pregnant pauses, a contrast in pitch, or a contrast in volume. The more presentations you give in which you address these items, the better you will become at adopting them and adapting your delivery.

Sometimes, oral presenters who are nervous talk too fast. All that adrenaline causes them to speed through their talk, making it hard for the audience to follow. Although it’s entirely normal to be nervous, it helps listeners understand you better if you speak a bit more slowly and deliberately than you do in normal conversation. Slow down, take it easy, be clear…and breathe.

Watch out for too much “uh,” “you know,” “okay” and other kinds of nervous verbal habits. Instead of saying “uh” or “you know” every three seconds, just don’t say anything at all. In the days before your oral presentation, practice speaking without these verbal crutches. The silence that replaces them is not a bad thing—it gives listeners time to process what you are saying.

You have begun your presentation, but you soon realize that there are technical problems. Perhaps your projector light burns out or you are suddenly without Wi-Fi during a presentation that requires an online presence. Always have a Plan B, which may include a saved copy of your slideshow on a flash drive or actual handouts of your slide. Alternatively, you can pass out business cards or dictate your email address to your audience, telling your audience before and after the presentation that they can contact you and you would gladly forward them your slideshow and notes. APOLOGIZE ONE TIME. In your career, you will have great presentations and not-so-great presentations. That is part of the process! Muster as much energy and creativity as you can and salvage your technically derided presentation before you eventually close, refer back to your email address, and ask if there are any questions you can answer.

Audiences from both academia and industry comprise mostly of those who wish you to do well. Occasionally, there are those audience members who wish to sabotage your presentation or are simply caught up in their own dramas. Never fear!

• If you have an audience member who interrupts your presentation with asides or questions, thank them and mention that you would happily discuss topics further AFTER the presentation. The same approach can be taken if an audience member intends to tout their own research (and usurp your presentation time).
• If you have a few noisy conversationalists in the crowd, slowly walk up to their table as you continue to address your presentation materials; generally, this simple walk informs these audience members to quiet down.
• If you have an audience member who wishes to embarrass you in front of your audience in some way, do your best with your responses and your source materials. These interactions are not about you—they are about whatever hang-ups or insecurities the obnoxious audience member has.

These types of irritating audience members are fairly rare; however, it is a real possibility that they will be a part of your own audience. It is always better to strategize ahead of time your own course of action: “If A happens, I will do B.” In that way, you won’t have to flail miserably in response nearly as much if/when these tense moments present themselves.

The first time ANY speech is uttered from your lips, content comes out stilted and awkward. The second time you practice your presentation content, delivery becomes a little bit smoother. By the time you arrive to your seventh or eighth round of presentation practice, you will start varying delivery aspects, and ultimately you will master your presentation and its content.

As you prepare your visuals, look at resources that will help you. There are many rules for using PowerPoint, down to the font size and how many words to put on a single slide, but you will have to choose the style that best suits your subject and your presentation style.

The two videos that follow will provide some pointers. As you watch them, make some notes to help you remember what you learn from them.

The first one is funny: Life After Death by PowerPoint by Don McMillan , an engineer-turned-comedian:

You may also have heard about the presentation skills of Steve Jobs. The video that follows is the introduction of the iPhone…and as you watch, take notes on how Jobs sets up his talk and his visuals. Observe how he connects with the audience…and then see if you can work some of his strategies into your own presentation skills. This is a long video; you don’t need to watch it all, but do take enough time to form some good impressions. The following video does not have closed captioning.

Test your Understanding

2. Design three visuals for your topic, including a title page. Use the Styles and Themes feature in PowerPoint to create a consistent theme for a presentation. How do the visuals affect the mood and topics of your presentation?

3. Find a YouTube video or a tutorial online on how to make good presentations. Share it with classmates by teaching some of the main points in group discussion.

4. In small groups, develop a list of “rules” to follow when you have to give an oral presentation…then create a class list.

5. In a memo to your teacher (or in an online discussion forum) share some of your best practices and ideas for getting through a presentation effectively. Also, share some details from the most horrible presentations you’ve ever seen or given. Perhaps you can help a classmate avoid making the same mistakes. (I once watched a presentation in which the presenter demonstrated how to sharpen knives. Although there were no injuries, I was on edge the entire time.)

Alley, M. (2013). The craft of scientific presentations: Critical steps to succeed and critical errors to avoid. 2nd edition. Springer.

McMurrey, D., & Race, C. (2020). Open technical communication. 4th edition. Affordable Learning Georgia. CC Attribution 4.0 International License.

Simon, D., Grimes, M., & Roch, S. (2018). Communication for business professionals. eCampusOntario, CC Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Chapter 12: Developing Presentations Copyright © 2022 by Joseph Williams is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Will Modi win 400 seats in India’s election? The south holds the answer

As the first phase of voting kicks off on April 19, Modi’s dreams of a record win hinge on a part of the country that has traditionally been immune to the BJP’s charms.

New Delhi, India – In the early part of his campaign for India’s upcoming 2024 election, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a target for his ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led alliance that is ambitious even by the standards of his successful coalition.

“Abki baar 400 paar,” Modi declared, claiming that the National Democratic Alliance, the ruling group of parties, would cross the 400-seat mark in a house of 543 parliamentary seats, with the BJP alone winning 370. Only once in India’s 77 years as an independent nation has any party or alliance won more than 400 seats: the now-in-opposition Congress Party in 1984, in the aftermath of the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

Keep reading

Modi accused of ‘anti-muslim hate speech’, ‘infiltrators’: modi accused of anti-muslim hate speech amid india election, why kerala isn’t buying modi claim of ‘double-digit’ win in india election, ‘children of the ganges’ — the boatmen of india’s varanasi.

Yet, with India poised to hold the first phase of its 44-day, seven-stage election on April 19, analysts say the success of Modi’s calculations could hinge on one significant part of the country, which has so far remained largely impervious to the BJP’s Hindu majoritarian charms: the country’s south.

Home to about 20 percent of the nation’s population, the five southern states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Telangana, and the union territories of Puducherry and Lakshadweep, constitute India’s most economically prosperous region. The south contributes more than 30 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).

But despite Modi’s pitch that his government has helped boost the Indian economy, the BJP won just 30 of the 131 seats from the region – the vast majority of them from one state, Karnataka – in 2019. It drew a blank in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh, and lost the constituencies of Puducherry and Lakshadweep. Some analysts believe a repeat is inevitable.

Nationally, the BJP won 303 out of 543 seats, almost maxing out in most northern states – its traditional strongholds – and leaving the south as the territory it likely needs to gain in for the party to win a larger mandate than in 2019.

“BJP is very unpopular in Andhra Pradesh and other southern states. In fact, anyone that allies with the BJP will do badly in these elections,” said Mohan Guruswamy, a political analyst and the chairman of the Centre for Policy Analysis (CPA), a New Delhi-based think tank.

Parakala Prabhakar, an economist and the husband of India’s finance minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, said the coming election would reflect a “north-south divide”. Prabhakar has been a critic of the government his wife is a key member of.

The BJP’s struggles in India’s south are not new. With substantially better development indices, including on education and health, than the north, the region has been relatively immune to the religion-driven politics that have traditionally characterised the BJP.

The southern state of Kerala, for instance, has an infant mortality rate of six deaths out of every 1,000 births– almost on par with the United States. The figure for the BJP-ruled state of Madhya Pradesh on the other hand stands at 48, a rate similar to that of war-torn Afghanistan.

Those relative development gains make the BJP’s Hindu majoritarian Hindutva ideology less of a draw in the south, said Prabhakar.

Kishore Chandra Deo, a former federal minister who resigned in February from the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), a regional force in the state of Andhra Pradesh, after it decided to ally with the BJP in the 2024 election, agreed. “In North India, it is possible to bring about religious consolidation whereas in the south, it is not possible,” Deo said.

“Here, the Ram temple is not an issue,” he added, referring to the temple to the Hindu god Ram consecrated by Modi in January, in the city of Ayodhya. The temple was built on the ruins of the 16th-century Babri Masjid mosque, which was demolished by hardline Hindu activists in December 1992.

Palanivel Thiaga Rajan, the Tamil Nadu minister for information technology and digital services, who until recently was the state’s finance minister, echoed Deo’s view.

“The south has a tradition of harmonious co-existence between all religions going back several hundred years. Attempts at communal polarisation will definitely backfire in the south,” Rajan told Al Jazeera.

That hypothesis is now about to be tested – starting on Friday.

Modi’s Tamil Nadu push

Despite its traditional struggles there, the BJP and Modi have been trying hard to break through in the state of Tamil Nadu, which, with 39 seats, sends the largest contingent of parliamentarians from the south to the national legislature.

All of Tamil Nadu votes on April 19, and Modi has made at least six trips to the state in the lead-up to the election – using an artificial intelligence-driven app that translates his Hindi speech into Tamil in real-time for audiences; and apparently breaking down in tears at the support the BJP claims he has received during rallies.

Modi has also revived a dispute over Sri Lanka’s Katchatheevu Island , which was settled by New Delhi and Colombo 50 years ago. Modi and his government have claimed the island was gifted to Sri Lanka by the former Congress government. Katchatheevu has historically been an emotive subject in Tamil Nadu, where the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagham (DMK) , a Congress ally, has historically been opposed to Sri Lanka’s control of the island, just 33km (20 miles) off India’s coast.

Ahead of the election, the BJP and Modi have also tried to accuse the DMK of being anti-Hindu. Last September, DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin made controversial remarks comparing “Sanatana Dharma” (the eternal religion) to malaria and dengue. Sanatana Dharma is used by many Hindus as an alternative term to Hinduism, though others – including the DMK – have long associated it with the caste system embedded in traditional Hinduism.

Amid this push, some New Delhi-based pollsters have suggested that the BJP could increase its vote in Tamil Nadu to 20 percent from under 4 percent in 2019 – and win a few seats too.

That is easier said than done, say analysts.

Cracking the southern fortress

Tamil Nadu’s politics has for decades been shaped by anti-Brahmanical sentiments: Ideas of nationalism have long been met with suspicion in the southern state, where they are seen as a way to preserve the historical domination of Brahmins, who sit at the top of India’s complex caste hierarchy.

One of the early idealogues of what is known as the Dravidian movement was EV Ramasamy Naicker – better known by his pen name, Periyar – who was critical of Hinduism and broke with the Congress, which through much of the 20th century was widely viewed as an upper caste party. BJP leaders have frequently criticised Periyar but both the DMK and its rival, the All India Anna DMK (AIADMK), swear by his legacy.

To the northwest of Tamil Nadu, the state of Karnataka has for the past two decades proven much more fertile ground for the BJP in southern India. Home to the city of Bengaluru, India’s tech and startup hub, Karnataka was ruled by the BJP from 2008 to 2013, and then again from 2018 to 2023. In the 2019 national election, it won 25 out of the state’s 28 seats.

Now back in power in Karnataka , the Congress, which won just one seat in 2019, will be hoping to win more – riding on a campaign alleging that Modi’s government has engaged in “discrimination” and “injustice” against southern states.

On average, southern states receive far fewer resources from the central pool of taxes collected by the federal government than what the people of these states pay through taxes, as compared with the north, explained RS Nilakantan, the author of South vs North: India’s Great Divide.

Proponents of this approach point out that the federal government needs to support states with weaker social indices in the north more, to help them get better. But critics argue this punishes southern states for their success, even as there is little evidence that northern states are making rapid advances in health or education using central resources.

“Tamil Nadu, for instance, is getting back 29 paise for every rupee that it contributes to the union government,” Rajan, the Tamil Nadu minister, said. “We have come to a situation where the ruling parties of the southern states have had to hold protests in Delhi to highlight the injustice done to them and fight to protect federalism.”

Those worries in southern states have been amplified by the prospect of delimitation by 2026, a process through which boundaries of constituencies will be redrawn to ensure they have roughly equal voter numbers.

Because India’s south has been far ahead of the north in population control measures, the delimitation exercise could significantly shrink the south’s seats in parliament, reducing its political power. Tamil Nadu, for instance, could see its seats drop to 30 from 39, while northern Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state, could see seats go up from 80 to 90, according to Nilakantan.

“The North vs South is not just an emotive issue,” said Rajan. “It boils down to hard facts and figures.”

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So far, the biggest mystery of the new 'Jinx' is: What's the mystery?

Linda Holmes

The Jinx was interesting because murderer Robert Durst was a gruesomely fascinating interview subject. The Jinx – Part Two falters without his involvement. HBO hide caption

The Jinx was interesting because murderer Robert Durst was a gruesomely fascinating interview subject. The Jinx – Part Two falters without his involvement.

HBO's The Jinx , which aired in 2015 (yes, nine years ago), was a huge contributor to the true-crime boom in television and audio. It came out the same year as Netflix's Making a Murderer and only a few months after the first season of the podcast Serial . Few later attempts have been as successful, though, because they lack The Jinx 's secret weapon: the participation of the extraordinarily strange, compulsively talkative, and now deceased subject, Robert Durst.

The first 'Jinx' ended with a hot mic murder admission. 'Part Two' shocks as well

The story of the docuseries goes like this: Durst had long been suspected in both the disappearance of his wife, Kathie, in 1982 and the shooting death of his best friend, Susan Berman, in 2000. He had admitted shooting his neighbor, Morris Black, in 2001 but was acquitted by a jury on a theory of self-defense. For reasons known only to himself, Durst chose to live out his life as an ultrawealthy real estate tycoon, but also to sit for long interviews with director Andrew Jarecki for The Jinx to discuss the alleged crimes.

These interviews were what made The Jinx so compelling. Durst could not stop himself from talking, even when staying silent was obviously in his best interests. This extended to a hot-mic incident that Jarecki treated as a bombshell confession, even though it turned out to be a bit more complicated than that . The day before the finale aired, Durst was arrested for the murder of Berman, based in part on evidence that the documentarians had uncovered and provided to law enforcement. This follow-up series essentially covers his trial and the time leading up to it. But it, too, lacks the punch that Durst's presence offered the original.

Millionaire Robert Durst Was In HBO's 'The Jinx.' It Led To His Murder Conviction

There are some things about the self-referential nature of this second chapter that are a little unpleasant. The Jinx is now part of the story of Durst's life after his arrest. The filmmakers show some footage of the series finale viewing party they held in 2015 for (among others) the family of the disappeared first wife Durst is suspected of having killed. We watch their (apparent) relief and gratitude when the "confession" is played. Not shown: the incident reported in The New York Times in which another guest at the same party (Rosie O'Donnell, for whatever reason) immediately demanded to know why the filmmakers would have withheld this evidence from law enforcement to use it as the kicker to the show, a question that played out in the press as well, along with some other tough questions about the making of The Jinx . But the way the viewing party is shown in Part Two , nobody felt anything but vindicated and thankful.

Robert Durst, who was featured in HBO's The Jinx, got life in prison for murder

It seems questionable to set up a viewing party for a putative victim's family and film their reaction to your big reveal about her murder, and a bit sketchy to omit parts where people weren't sure you were doing the good deed you think you were doing.

Ethically, those things raise some questions. But as television, the biggest problem with the episodes HBO provided to critics (four out of what will eventually be six) is that they're pretty boring. Without Durst's involvement (it seems that he finally stopped participating in documentary-making after he was arrested and died shortly after his conviction), the series often seems to be grasping for revelations. It's also heavily reliant on reenactments, which aren't particularly visually interesting and look a lot like every other true-crime reenactment on TV.

'The Jinx' And The Challenges of Public Curiosity

The third episode is the best of the four; without spoiling it, it sheds a bit of additional light on the back story, if you're still looking for it. But what The Jinx – Part Two reveals is that The Jinx was interesting because while Durst might be a murderer, he was also a gruesomely fascinating interview subject. While there's tape here of phone calls from when he was incarcerated, and sometimes you get those "Bob being Bob" moments, the mesmerizing aspects of the original are not there.

There's no telling what might come in the final two episodes; perhaps they have more to say, and that's why they were held back from critics. The big revelations in The Jinx came in the last two episodes, after all. But in the meantime, this feels like a mystery show in search of a mystery, a true crime series with limited truths to share.

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