Duration
How long should a presentation be? Often, you have to fit your presentation into a timetable developed by others.
For example, you may be granted 30 minutes to deliver a sales presentation to a buyer. In other instances, you are in control of the timing, and you can determine the optimal length for your presentation.
The following guidelines are helpful in both situations:
- Make the presentation as long as it needs to be to convey your key message clearly and completely.
- Make it only long enough to be clear and complete within the allocated time.
- It is better to make fewer points and make them well. Five, plus or minus two, is the limit of most adults for recalling important messages.
- If you do not have time to make a point clear or acceptable to your audience, save it for another presentation.
- Ending early is better than not completing the talk or rushing through the talk at the end.
- Plan on what to delete if your time is cut short.
- Allow time at the end for questions as a basic courtesy.