Preparation checklist for your presentation or speech
Ten steps that separate a prepared speaker from a hopeful one. Open each step for the detail.
1. Define the purpose and objective
Start with the outcome: what should your audience think, feel or decide when you finish? Write it in one sentence. Then check the length and pace against the agenda for the day. Everything you include should serve that outcome; everything else can go.
2. Know your audience
Who will be in the room, what do they already know, and what do they expect from you? Choose the terms, examples and references that will resonate with them. A talk built for the wrong audience fails even when it is well delivered.
3. Research the topic and add your own insight
Gather reliable information and understand it fully. Then add what only you can offer: your experience, the conclusion you reached and why. That is what makes a presentation yours and gives the audience a reason to listen to you rather than read a report.
4. Choose the right format and materials
Decide what supports the message best: slides, a video, a prop or nothing at all. Organise and back up everything. Arrive at least 20 minutes early to test the equipment, lights and microphone, so that technical surprises do not touch your confidence.
5. Prepare an outline, not a script
Decide your key points and their order. Work from an outline rather than memorising word for word: it lets you use your own words, adapt to interruptions and answer unexpected questions naturally. Do memorise your opening and your closing line.
6. Practise out loud, several times
Rehearse standing, out loud, at speaking pace. Practise in front of a mirror, a recording or a trusted colleague and ask for honest feedback. Repetition reveals the weak transitions and builds the ease that audiences read as confidence.
7. Time yourself
Know exactly how long you take, and finish inside your slot. Ending on time shows respect for the audience and protects your closing, which is the part they remember. Time every rehearsal and adjust the content, not your speed.
8. Choose your clothing and grooming
Dress for the audience, the venue and the level of formality, and make sure you feel comfortable in it. Do a full run-through in the outfit. Looking composed removes one worry and supports first impressions.
9. Prepare for technical difficulties
For online presentations especially, test your microphone, camera, screen sharing and slides beforehand. Keep a backup copy of the materials, and a backup connection such as a phone hotspot. Know what you will say if the slides fail.
10. Rest and hydrate the night before
Sleep is part of preparation. Go easy on caffeine and alcohol the evening before, eat properly on the day and drink water. A rested body gives you sharper thinking and steadier nerves.
On the day: be clear, warm and unhurried
You have prepared, so let the preparation work. Breathe out slowly before you begin, deliver your opening, and speak to the people in front of you. The goal is connection: to inform, persuade or inspire. If you would like a second pair of eyes on an important presentation, Elio can coach you through it.
Three add-ons for high-stakes rooms
Lead with the decision
In board and investor settings, state the ask or conclusion first, then support it.
Prepare the hardest question
Write the toughest question you could receive and rehearse a two-sentence answer.
Rehearse the room
Whenever possible, practise in the actual space or one that resembles it: standing, with the equipment you will use.
Want feedback on your next presentation?
Elio coaches executives on structure, delivery and composure for the moments that matter.