There are those who can go into a presentation with minimal research and knowledge and still manage to convince their audience that what they are saying is gospel. However, these lucky people are very rare and, for most of us, making a presentation work will involve a huge amount of preparation, an ability to relate to and empathise with an audience and time spent honing the way in which facts will be imparted.

One of the most important things in any presentation is confidence and professionalism. If you look like you know what you are talking about and if the supporting materials impress, you will be a great deal of the way there. However, these traits alone do not an effective presentation make.

For those who have never given major presentations before, it will be hard to know what to expect. In turn, one unforeseen question or one incident of stumbling over one’s words can throw the whole thing off track. As such, for those who are charged with making an important presentation, it may well be worth taking short presentation training courses to ensure that you are ready for the job at hand.

Being clear and concise is important, but in many cases it is knowing your audience and adjusting your approach accordingly that will have the biggest effect. Presentation skills training courses will help you learn how to put any audience at ease, how to gain their trust and how to create slideshows or packages that will best emphasise the point you need to make, and these skills will help you give the best possible presentation.