Saw a presenter recently utilize some signs as part of their presentation. I thought it was a nice way to highlight some key points, provided a nice pause to put the signs out (of course you would pause — you wouldn’t talk while you did that, would you?), and was a constant reminder of what the main points were. One logistical problem — the presenter did not put the tape they used for the presentation out before they needed it. Thus, what would have been a nice pause became a long pause while they fiddled with the tape dispenser and tried to get pieces that would work. We all can imagine that it folded up on itself and took much longer than it needed to. The presenter became preoccupied with tape, and the flow of delivery suffered as a result. The value gained by a good presentation idea was lost in its poor implementation.When you are relying on props or changing things as you present, make sure that all the elements are in place and ready to go. In the case of tape, have the tape pre-selected and sitting at the edge of the podium. I’d suggest an extra piece, just in case. If you use props, have them ready and accessible. Make sure signs are in order.
Prepare the logistics of every element of your presentation beforehand.
