The next time you give a presentation, take some time afterward to evaluate your success.
Here’s a 7-point checklist to get you started:
1. Was my voice clear, pleasing and loud enough for everyone to hear?
2. Did I make eye contact with listeners throughout the room? (Don’t ignore the sides or the back of the room.)
3. Did I pause at appropriate times?
4. Did I engage the audience?
5. Were my notes effective? (Hint: If you forgot to make an important point, your notes were not good enough!)
6. Was my ending strong – and it did connect with my beginning in some way?
7. Did the audience look interested? Litmus test: Did they invite me to return to speak again?