Your boss has just asked you to make a presentation to perspective clients on a new product line you’re developing. You can a) create a terrific presentation, make the sale and snag a promotion three months later or b) dissolve into a panic because making presentations is definitely not one of your skills.

We recommend going with choice a – it’s sure to serve you better in the long run. But how do you put together a presentation that looks polished and professional even if you aren’t feeling very polished and professional?

• Visuals – These days PowerPoint is typically the presentation tool of choice. It’s great, but don’t overdo it. Do not put your entire talk – word for word – on the slides. Just offer up key points, statistics, charts or images. The PowerPoint should serve as a guide to your presentation, not a script.
• Expect the worst – Just assume the Internet connection will work fine five minutes before the presentation begins and then freeze up five minutes into your talk. If your presentation depends on showing Web sites, for example, then pull some screen shots and have them ready should you lose Internet connection.
• Keep it casual – Invite the audience to ask questions during the presentation, which makes it feel less like a presentation and more like a conversation.
• Keep it short – Try to contain your talk to about 20-30 minutes. This not only keeps people from getting distracted or overwhelmed by the information, but also forces you to distill your key points into the most compelling and useful information. Now is not the time to take 40 minutes to explain the entire process of how you came up with this new product line – just get to the point of how it will help your audience.
• Practice – If you’re not accustomed to giving public presentations, gather a couple of co-workers, family members or even the family dog and do a trial run.
• You hold the power – Remember, people are here to listen to what you have to say. You have information, experiences or advice they want to hear, so be confident in your approach.

Share your best tips for giving effective presentations. And, if you’re brave, we’d love a good story about what worked – and what didn’t – in your presentations.