When might you use a five minute presentation?
Some situations like when you've been asked at the last minute to make a quick introduction for someone else or a quick product announcement in front of a group are where you usually see the five minute presentation show up. They can be very useful tools in business because they force you to be effective and on point, since time is limited.
To make a great five minute speech you need to do some of the following.
Focus on a Single Point
When your time is limited to five minutes, the best thing to do is to derive one clear main idea from the information being discussed and present that as a single focus. You simply don’t have the time to elaborate much beyond a main point. Decide what the main point is and build the rest of the presentation around it.
Come Out with a Bang
You already know that there is a limited amount of time to catch your audience’s attention. When your speech is compacted into a five minute window, even more effort is required to get that audience to sit up and pay attention. You want to get participants attention in the best and most effective ways possible, and starting strong is going to be the best way to do that. Use something like a quick quote or an anecdote to create something amazing.
Close Like a Pro
Okay, your five minutes are up. Now is the time to reiterate your opening and bring it home for the listener. What was your main point of your five minutes? Now is the time to reiterate that to your audience. Maybe your goal was to introduce yourself – now would be the time to state your name again, and to invite people to come mingle with you. Maybe you wanted to get everyone amped for the next speaker about to walk on the stage, so remind everyone now of why they should be excited for the person about to take over.
Five minute presentations might seem like an overwhelming task, but they should only be used in certain situations. Your five minute presentation isn't always going to cut it but it’s good to have one on the back burner, just in case you need it.
How do you deliver a five minute presentation?
