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As a speaker or company leader you will, at some time, be asked to appear on the radio. It may be the taping of a panel discussion. It may be a one-on-one interview about a topic for which you have expertise. It may be to answer some questions that have been asked about your business and/or one of your products. For whatever reason you are going to be heard over the air, you will want to sound polished, professional and knowledgeable. In this article, I discuss some of the ways to make it happen.

Remember that the radio audience can’t see you, so your voice, pacing, and words are all important. When we are presenting to an audience or leading a meeting, we have the benefit of our physiology — our breathing, eye contact, physical appearance, and movement. Recently, I listened to the taping of a panel discussion that had been presented by several of the leaders of IT (Information Technology) in our region. It was disappointing. The speakers, even though all are intelligent men, spoke so quickly and without any tonal variety, they were difficult to follow. It took all of my energy to stay focused on what they were saying.

Be prepared. The more prepared you are for any presentation, the more smoothly it will progress and the more professional you will appear. If you are going to be interviewed about a topic or happening, type out a list of questions that you feel your interviewer will ask, or you would like him or her to ask. When I have appeared on the radio, I have handed the person interviewing me a sheet of questions I would like to be asked, for which they are usually quite thankful. Then, there are few or no surprises for either of you. Of course, you are prepared with answers to those questions.

What if I am asked difficult or uncomfortable questions? It is necessary to be honest with our answers, but if someone asks a question that is damaging or confrontational, you don’t have to be so honest that your answer harms you and/or your business. If some of the questions are political and/or confrontational, avoid saying anything harmful to others or yourself.

If at all possible, try to inject some humor and lightness. Even if your topic is serious, make an effort to lighten up. This will help give you a “human” quality. A program is made palatable and more interesting to listeners by the addition of some light banter and laughter.

Avoid rambling. In an unfamiliar situation it is easy to be nervous and when we are nervous, we have a tendency to ramble. Remember to stick to the point, say what you have to say as succinctly as possible, and stop talking. Make sure, however, that you do get a chance to say the words that you feel are relative to the interview and/or presentation.

Know what your most important points are and be sure that you state them. I suggest having those answers that you feel are the most important written down on a 3 X 5 card, and even if you are not directly asked the questions you want to be asked, work those points into the conversation. Otherwise, the interview may be over without your achieving your reason for being on the radio in the first place.

Even though this can be serious business, it can also be fun and offer a big boost to you, your business, and your career. Enjoy it!

Many of us use PowerPoint to convey a message to both small and large groups. Too often we see “death by powerpoint” in the corporate environment where people don’t use it effectively. Get clever when using your PowerPoint – this article has 20 tips for becoming a more engaging presenter when you use this tool.

Only use a maximum of six (6) words on each line. Too many words is too much clutter and hard for your audience to read.

Only use a maximum of six (6) lines of text on each slide. If you have too many lines of text your audience will spend their time reading your slides and not listening to you speak.

Keep slides clear and uncluttered. Avoid using many graphics or too busy with information – make your message clear.

Use animation where relevant but don’t overdo it. This feature can really highlight a key message… or distract your audience if not done correctly.

Use sound effects and movie clips to enhance your presentation. This is a great technique when it works! Be sure to test your presentation in the live environment before you show your audience. Just because it worked at home or your office… doesn’t always mean it will work when your audience appears.

Don’t talk to your Powerpoint … remember you have an audience that can read. Don’t insult the intelligence of your audience and assume they can’t read your slides. Use different words to the ones on your slides.

Keep your slides to a minimum - people want to hear your message not be distracted by too many slides. They have come to hear a real person, not an electronic presenter. Only use slides to enhance and reinforce your message.

Don’t use dark coloured backgrounds – this makes it hard to read from the back of the room. Be aware of the effects of different background colours.

Use large font only as small font is too hard to read from a distance.

Change the font size of words on the same slide to emphasize key words. Don’t make every word the same font – if you want to make words stand out, use different colours and fonts.

Don’t rely on your PowerPoint – technology can sometimes fail us – know your content and also have a hard copy of your presentation with you at all times.

Get creative with photos and images Don’t use Italic font – it is too hard to read.

Avoid using all capital letters as it is also difficult to read. In email etiquette this is seen as shouting, PowerPoint could be interpreted the same way.

Test the colours on a large screen as some may change from your laptop to the large projection.

Create a master slide – this might include your logo and in your corporate colours to reinforce your brand.

Use a remote controlled mouse or plan your movement and slide design so that you are not bound to your keyboard location.

Know how to navigate Powerpoint – in the event you press your mouse incorrectly or your system falters it is important to look like you know how to use this tool.

Learn how to insert tables, graphs, graphics and photos to enhance your presentation – rather than just using text.

Attend a course to increase your Powerpoint skills and learn creative ways to use this tool.

Don’t kill your audience with ‘death by PowerPoint’ – find creative ways to use this tool and you will become a more engaging and on-purpose presenter.