Presentation Handout Tips

You have a speaking event coming up and you are trying to decide...

To have a handout or not? 
I think almost any presentation can benefit from having a handout. A handout will help the audience remember you and enhances your creditability. You handout should:

- USE A LARGE FONT. It makes more impact and is easier to read. It also makes you handout larger which makes it appear more substantial.

- DOUBLE CHECK FOR TYPOS AND ERRORS. The best way to proof read is to print out the document. This is something I learned way back in grade school. I dont know why, but when I proof read my document on the computer I always miss a typo or error. You want to come across as an expert so make sure your handout represents that.

- LEAVE LOTS OF WHITE SPACE. I had a complaint recently that said there was not enough space to write notes. I usually deliver very high content so this was clearly a mistake on my part in not leaving enough space for notes. You want to make it easy for the audience to take notes and follow along with your presentation. Encouraging audience members to take notes on your handout will help them retain information and more than likely your handout wont end up in the trash. 

- ALWAYS MAKE EXTRA COPIES. Being prepared is key and being over prepared will save you a lot of headaches if something goes wrong. You should be excited if somebody requests multiple copies the more people that see your material the better.

- PUT CONTACT INFORMATION ON EVERY PAGE. You never know when people will tear out a page or photocopy a single page of your handout. Putting your info on every page makes sure whoever sees any page of your handout can contact you.

- PUT IMPORTANT RESOURCES ON EVERY PAGE. If you want people to keep your handout make sure each page has some important resource that an audience member cannot do without. When you put all the resources on one page it makes it easy for someone to tear it out and throw the rest of your handout away.

-Don't print out your Powerpoint slides. That is just boring and a waste of time and paper. Your handout should add value to your presentation. 

- USE A TEAR OFF ACTION ITEM PAGE. Make it the last page so it's easy to tear off at the beginning of the seminar or speech. Have the attendees use it for those special aha's they get. You can then have them say some of their items aloud which reinforces the value you are giving.

Handouts are only a small part of effective presentations. Learn the secrets of highly paid public speakers.