46 Presentation Training Questions, Answered by Jess Todtfeld

Question 1What is presentation training?

Presentation training is structured, coached practice that improves how you organize and deliver information to an audience, whether that audience is one hiring manager or a thousand people at a conference. The best programs combine repeatable frameworks with video recorded exercises, playback, and critique, so you see yourself improving in real time.

Jess came to this work after 13 years as a television producer at NBC, ABC, and FOX, where he prepped thousands of guests to perform under pressure. You can see how he runs his programs at presentation training services.

Question 2How is presentation training different from media training?

Presentation training prepares you to speak directly to an audience you can see: leadership meetings, sales pitches, conference talks, all-hands. Media training prepares you for an interviewer, with a much larger audience watching through a camera or reading the result.

The skills overlap, especially messaging and storytelling, but the formats, the risks, and the practice scenarios are different. If your challenge involves reporters, podcasts, or on-the-record interviews, start with our media training programs and the companion page where Jess answered 50 media training questions.

Question 3What is high-stakes presentation training?

High-stakes presentation training is preparation for the moments where the outcome actually changes something: a board presentation, a funding pitch, a job interview, a keynote, or an announcement your company cannot afford to fumble. We built our High Stakes Presenter program around exactly these situations.

The training is customized to the specific moment you are facing, with recorded practice and coaching until the unknowns are gone. Read about the full program at high-stakes presentation training.

Question 4Do I really need good presentation skills to get hired?

Yes, and in this moment of AI being part of everything, human communication skills are rising to the top. This is an enormous growth area and an opportunity for people to stand out in their job.

As younger people make their way into the workforce, it will become more and more obvious who has not had time to hone personal communication skills. Even people who have been in the workforce a while do not realize they need to rise up a level. These skills help you get hired, and they help you get a raise. This will be a bigger and bigger differentiator as time goes on.

Question 5What presentation skills does every professional need?

We are all natural born storytellers. Humans have been telling stories since the caveman days, when they drew on walls, so why do people strip out the stories that help make data come alive?

The number one way to get better at presenting is to weave in more stories and more examples, and to use the data driven story framework: every story and every example carries a point your audience can understand and act on.

Question 6How do you improve your presentation skills quickly, without months of classes?

The number one way to improve presentation skills quickly is to practice with a video recording device. The problem with practicing in front of a mirror is that you are trying to practice and analyze at the same time, and it does not work.

The video camera will show you what is working, so you can do more of it, and it will show you what does not work, so you can do less of that. Ultimately, working with a coach gives you the quickest path to success.

Question 7Presentation skills training: what actually works versus what wastes time?

What actually works is hands-on practice with a coach next to you and video recorded exercises. Most presentation programs spend a good chunk of the day lecturing and sharing frameworks, and people lose out on what is most important. Just like looking at a golf swing on video, people are shocked to see that many of the things they did actually worked. When they see what did not work, whether they were stumbling around, saying um and ah, or never getting to the point the audience needed, a good coach highlights how to make the most of the time together.

As for wasting time: most people spend all of it gathering data and building PowerPoints, then stand in front of people and read the slides without ever having practiced saying the words out loud. It puts people to sleep. It is less interesting, less memorable, less actionable. The best use of time is identifying the core messages and bringing them to life with stories and analogies. We call them data driven stories.

Question 8How long does it really take to master presentation skills?

If you are on a real quest for mastery, presenting is something you practice often and over time. We recommend starting with a one day intensive for a massive increase in skills, then taking part in our complimentary 365 day post-training accountability program, so skills get better and better instead of worse and worse.

People like to cite 10,000 hours as the price of mastery, but you can get there a lot faster by working on it a little bit each week.

Question 9What are the best alternatives to Toastmasters for learning to present better?

A one day crash course intensive, like our High Stakes Presenter program, can do what most people take two years or more to master. One of the secrets is that we do not share tips. We share repeatable frameworks people can start deploying right away.

Combine that with video recorded exercises and participants see themselves getting better in real time, right there on the video. If you are weighing local options, Jess also wrote a guide to public speaking classes near you and how to evaluate them.

Question 10What are the best online presentation courses you can complete in weeks, not months?

We offer a high stakes presentation accelerator. People show up once or twice a week, work on exercises, and see themselves improving in real time. In between sessions, they practice what they have learned in their actual job and life.

Instead of spending session time on an instructor teaching lessons, those lessons are delivered virtually, so all of the time with the trainer goes to practice and improvement.

Question 11Can you learn presentation skills from online videos, or do you need a live course?

The good news is you can learn from both online course videos and live instruction, and we offer both. But there is one ingredient people forget: you actually have to practice these skills to get them to stick and become part of what you do going forward.

Practice can start on your own or with a coach, but it needs to be long term. It is just like eating right and exercising. It is obvious once you hear it.

Question 12How do you practice your presentation when you don't have an audience?

Visualize your exact audience. If you can stand in the location where you will deliver the presentation, put yourself there and deliver the entire speech. This creates visuals in your own mind and sets you up for success. Imagine the audience loving everything you are saying.

Also, realize that objections are actually good: they are your audience telling you what they think. The worst case scenario is them not telling you. When someone shares an objection, it is your opportunity to deal with it and help both parties move forward.

Question 13How do you get feedback on your presentation skills?

The best tool for feedback is a video recording device, and watching the playback with a coach gives you the smartest feedback. We do this in both our virtual and in-person programs.

To simplify it on your own: take a sheet of paper, draw a line down the center and a line across the top, so you have two columns. On the left, write the heading like, and list what you liked about what you saw. Finding things you like matters, because it is the only way you will repeat what works. On the right, write improve, and write down what you should do to improve. Then make those course corrections. This technique works. Jess has shared it with CEOs, Prime Ministers, UN leaders, and managers across the world.

Question 14How do you build confidence in public speaking, even if you're terrified?

Fear of speaking is actually fear of the unknown, mixed with a few other fears: looking bad, making a mistake, being embarrassed. Most of these are unfounded. The fight or flight part of the brain looks for danger and will create it even when it is not there.

The way to overcome it is to practice with a video recording device, and the best way to practice is with a coach who can guide you and get you to your destination even faster. Confidence in anything is built by doing the actions over and over until they become second nature.

Question 15How do you stop being nervous when presenting in front of your boss?

As humans, we fear the unknown, and if presenting in front of your boss carries too much unknown, the fix is practice. Practice with a video recording device, and do it numerous times so you can see yourself improving.

Now you have a new memory of what is possible and what a good outcome looks like. Practicing being calm, comfortable, and confident actually leads to success.

Question 16How do you present your work to senior leadership without freezing up?

Our brains freeze when we get stuck on the unknown, and the way to eliminate the unknown is to practice and record yourself so you have seen what you look like succeeding. That builds confidence. When the moment comes, you know you can perform because you have watched yourself do it. It is just a matter of repeating it for senior leadership.

Two more things not to forget: solve their pains and their worries, and begin with the strategy or assessment you want to share with them, instead of spending the whole time leading up to it and talking about how you got there.

Question 17How do you deal with presentation anxiety?

Presentation anxiety is real. Some call it fear of speaking, but it is actually fear of the unknown, plus other fears like making a mistake or looking bad. To get past it, eliminate as much of the unknown as possible.

That means taking extra time to create some mastery over the material. It means practicing and saying the presentation out loud. It means practicing on video and watching it get better and better. That builds actual confidence, because you are measurably better than you were before you took those actions.

Question 18Why do some people make presentations look easy, and how can you too?

The biggest secret is that if you look calm and comfortable, you get credit for it. If you look confident, you get credit for it. You do not need to feel it; you just need to look the part.

Now, actually knowing what you are talking about is obviously one of the ingredients. But as far as making presentations look easy, it comes down to controlling your own personal optics.

Question 19How can introverts present without draining their energy?

Introverts tend to become energy depleted around too many people, so the key is practicing out loud when alone. The best way is with a video recording device: play it back, see what works and do more of it, see what should be improved and make those course corrections. None of that requires other people in the room.

The fastest way to improve is still with a coach, but even doing this by yourself, speaking out loud, will dramatically improve your leadership presentation skills.

Question 20What is the best presentation skills course for job interviews?

A job interview is a type of high stakes presentation, and we offer a course called High Stakes Presenter that is customized around the exact situation you plan to face.

The skills to work on: storytelling, because you need stories about ways you stood out or solved problems in past jobs. A roadmap for working in specific messaging tied to solving the problem of the hiring manager, and the problem of the company that needs your help. And finally, just like they say, dress for the job you want, not the one you have got: dress in a way that inspires confidence that you are the full package.

Question 21How do you give a great 20 minute presentation to impress hiring managers?

Start by listing the pains, worries, and challenges of the person you are trying to help, in this case the hiring manager. That is your beginning point. Next, use an AI tool to research the pains of that organization, and match stories and examples from past jobs that show you are the right fit to solve their problems.

The mistake most people make is talking about themselves and highlighting skills and benefits. That matters, but it is not the whole equation. Humans want their problems solved, and when people see you as a solution, you become somebody they want to work with. Then build the talk from the middle out: three main messages or ideas, each with a story or example. Open with fire, with something that surprises them, and end in a memorable way, with a story or your personal mission statement. This is something we teach in the High Stakes Presenter job interview version.

Question 22What do hiring managers actually look for in interview presentations?

Hiring managers pick people who can do the job, but they also pick people they can envision working with. They want people who match the company culture, and people who are able to solve problems.

Sharing stories about problems you solved at other jobs, or with other clients, is the key to success.

Question 23Can bad presentation skills actually cost you a job opportunity?

Bad presentation skills absolutely can cost you a job opportunity. Human leadership communication skills will be what define excellence, and they are the difference between an average employee or candidate and an exceptional one.

Question 24How can career changers use presentation skills to prove their value?

It is all about positioning yourself in the industry. Look closely at your experiences and how you have dealt with challenges, then create short case studies that are told as stories.

That is the key to showing how valuable you are. Others will see that you can solve problems they have yet to deal with.

Question 25What presentation skills will help you get promoted at work?

I see these as leadership communication skills, and they are important for career advancement. That means being able to get to the point quickly. Being able to match the energy of other people. Being able to synthesize information and help others understand data and facts in an accessible way. And being a good listener.

Being a presenter does not mean giving a formal speech in front of a large audience at a conference. It is any time you are sharing information, whether one to one or one to many.

Question 26How do you improve your speaking skills for professional settings?

Changing your speaking style to sound more formal is not the secret to success. There are only two types of speeches or presentations in the world: good and bad. Nobody walks away saying what you did was very professional. They say it was helpful, or it was not.

So the best way to improve your speaking for professional settings is to speak to the problems, worries, fears, and challenges of that professional audience. It gets them to pay attention. It gets them to focus. It gets them to love you, because you are helping with something they desperately need. This is exactly what we teach in the High Stakes Presenter program.

Question 27Presentation skills for sales: how do you pitch like a pro?

People do not like to be sold, but they love to buy. We operate in a way that makes us avoid pain or seek pleasure, and that really is the secret.

Listen closely to what somebody says, then play a matching game with your solutions. And if you are still in the sales stage, never solve everything on the spot. Examine the pain and the problem deeply.

Question 28How do you give a presentation that makes people want to work with you?

Solve their pains. Investigate their problems deeply. Make it all about them: it is never about you, it is about helping other people.

The more you focus deeply on your audience, even if it is an audience of one, the more people will want to work with you, and they will want more of your time and your business.

Question 29How do you structure a presentation so your message actually sticks?

The way to be memorable is to speak in visuals, and to use visuals instead of text on a screen. How do you speak in visual terms? Tell stories, use analogies, and make sure every one of them has a point or a message the audience understood. That works far better than bullet points on a PowerPoint.

The four keys to being a great presenter: one, the audience needs to understand. Two, they need to remember. Three, they need to be moved to action. Four, they need to pass it on to others.

Question 30How do you use storytelling to engage people in presentations?

Storytelling is the number one skill for standing out in leadership presentations and high stakes presentations. Humans love stories. If you went to dinner with a friend, you would spend the whole time telling stories. But for some reason, when we give a presentation, we spend all our time fact dumping and giving it no context.

The context is the stories, the examples, and the analogies. They give flavor and visuals to your messaging, and it is more memorable when it is visual. When your audience remembers what you said, they can act on it and pass it on to others.

Question 31How do you make your presentation informative and engaging, not boring?

There needs to be a balance between content and delivery. People wonder which matters more, style or substance, and a lot of people misquote a study claiming 93 percent of a speaker's impact is body language. I interviewed the author of that study, and he said people get it completely wrong.

The real answer is that everybody must have two things: style and substance. You cannot have one without the other. Combine that with coached practice on video, with playback and critique, and you get fast success.

Question 32PowerPoint tips: how do you create presentations that actually engage your audience?

The number one thing you can do is begin with the hook: a big question you are going to solve, or a big, bold claim or statement. Most people spend the whole presentation winding up to some sort of thesis, and they have already lost their audience.

Hooking them in early works with the brain science, which says the amygdala is the gatekeeper. When we appeal to survival, even the person's business survival, they stay engaged the rest of the time. For more on openings, see Jess's guide on how to start a speech.

Question 33Should you hire someone to create your PowerPoint presentations?

At this moment in time, you should use AI tools to create the actual presentation. We have a free presentation builder at highstakespresenter.com that helps with the delivery and the content.

As for the look, you can use AI for that too. But keep in mind: nobody ever walked away thinking, wow, that was worth my time because the PowerPoint was pretty. People need their problem solved.

Question 34How do you prepare a 30 minute presentation that keeps people interested?

First, use the free presentation builder at highstakespresenter.com. Start with the middle: pick three or five key messages and make sure each one has a story or an example that goes along with it. Then build out the intro and conclusion.

Open with fire and end with intrigue. Stories make you memorable, and a little bit of showmanship goes a long way. For the close, Jess wrote a full walkthrough on how to end a presentation.

Question 35How do you remember your presentation without reading slides word for word?

Musicians call it a set list, and it works for presenters too. Print a sheet with your main points and messages, with a story cue next to each one. The shorter the phrase, the better, in 22 point type so you can read it from one foot or ten feet away. Do not worry if people see you glance at it. It is far better than reading off a PowerPoint, which bores everyone in the room. Nobody likes being read to in a business setting.

Another good tweak: print your slides as a packet and let your audience read through them first, then have a conversation, tell stories, give analogies, and answer questions. People will love your presentation even more. If you want to go further, here is Jess's guide on how to memorize a speech.

Question 36How do you handle questions during a presentation without losing your train of thought?

Keep a set list in front of you, the same tool musicians use, and one most trainers never talk about. Create a sheet with your key points in 20 or 22 point type, and next to each point a few words that trigger the mind to tell a story or give an example. You can also add a phrase that tells you what the next slide is.

That way you are always the one leading, and the slides follow you. After any question, a glance brings you right back to where you were, so you never have to worry about losing your train of thought. And do not worry about people seeing you look. It is much better than reading every word off a PowerPoint, which destroys credibility and insults the mind of the audience.

Question 37How do you handle difficult audience members?

If somebody is speaking too much from the audience and basically taking over your presentation, give them a short answer and invite them to speak more about the topic offline: in the hallway afterwards, or when everybody else is not present.

This will usually quiet an audience member who is taking too much time from the group.

Question 38How do you deliver a presentation when you're not the subject matter expert?

No one expects you to know everything on a topic if you are not the subject matter expert. They expect you to have done some level of research you can verify, and then to share things they did not know before. That means you helped your audience raise the bar, and you get credit for making their life better.

The secondary pieces: solve their problems, and deal with their pains, worries, and fears.

Question 39What is the one presentation skill nobody talks about, but everyone notices?

Vocal variation. Our voice is an instrument. Pausing can add huge impact. Speeding up, slowing down, playing with the highs and the lows, and using inflection to show passion or interest will grab the attention of the people you speak to.

Everyone notices this, because they can feel the energy. There should be some level of passion in what you are talking about. If you are not passionate about the topic, no one else will be.

Question 40Presentation skills and body language: what is your posture really saying?

Most people have no idea their body language is destroying their credibility. They may be touching their face, playing with jewelry, or slumping down like they do not care about the topic they are talking about.

There is a very simple way to catch the problem: video record your practice presentation, ideally with a coach. On video, you get to see what it is like from the audience perspective. Many people look tightened up, locked up, and uncomfortable. There are simple changes you can make, starting with open posture, and they make a real difference.

Question 41What helps non-native English speakers present with confidence?

I work with clients from the United Nations and have worked with people from more than 100 countries, and all of them stress about the same thing. They are worried they will say the wrong word or conjugate incorrectly.

The number one thing that makes a difference is slowing down and enunciating. That, combined with storytelling, equals success. People from every country find it useful to hear stories and examples that all have a point or a message. That formula is the formula for success.

Question 42Virtual presentation skills: how do you engage people on camera?

The number one skill for a virtual presentation, on Zoom, Teams, or any of the others, is to look at the camera. When you look at the camera, it feels to the other person like you are looking them in the eye. Humans love that, and when you do not do it, something seems off.

A few other important skills: have proper audio. People are willing to put up with video that is not perfect, but not audio. You should have an actual microphone at this moment in time, and you should never sound echoey or too far from the microphone. You should also have proper lighting, and you may need to light up the background or curate it. These are the things that make you look great during a virtual presentation.

Question 43What are the differences between virtual and in-person presentations?

There definitely is a difference. As humans, we like looking into somebody else's face, but we have all gotten used to Zoom and Teams meetings. One bridge is looking into the camera, which makes it feel like there is eye contact on the other side. Make sure your lighting is good, make sure people can see you, and make sure you have a good microphone and camera. People will put up with subpar video, but not subpar audio: if they cannot hear you, you have lost.

For in-person presentations, maintaining eye contact, moving around the room, and getting to the point are the key ingredients. Both have their benefits and challenges, but in business, becoming great at both of them is non-negotiable. We coach both in our virtual and on-site programs.

Question 44What presentation skills do remote workers need?

Remote workers need to be seen, and that means looking as good as they can on Teams or Zoom meetings. It means dressing the right way, even though they are remote. It means combing their hair. It means not having dishes in the background.

Remote workers need to work harder to have powerful face time. Getting on a meeting with your camera turned off is a huge mistake, and people will pay for it.

Question 45How do you communicate technical information in a way anyone can understand?

Analogies and stories are the number one way to make data come alive and become understandable, without feeling like you are dumbing down your information or forcing smart people to pretend they are talking to a 12 year old. Everybody benefits from stories and analogies.

The magic phrase that gets you there is: for example. Try it. It works.

Question 46What should presentation training cover for data analysts and scientists?

Smart people spend too much time in the weeds. Stories, analogies, and real life visuals that serve as analogies are the secret to getting people to understand difficult information.

When creating charts for data, use the one idea rule: what one idea does this chart explain that somebody can understand by looking right at it? And never speak the whole time you are expecting your audience to read your charts. They cannot do two things at once.

Question 47Where do you offer presentation training?

We offer presentation training in our Madison Avenue studio in New York City, on site in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Washington DC, anywhere in the world a team needs us, and through live virtual sessions.

The right question is not who is closest. It is who is the best fit for the moment you are facing. Once that is settled, the delivery part is easy: we come to you, you come to us, or we meet on camera.

Question 48How much does professional presentation training actually cost?

There are do-it-yourself options above and below $1,000, and most of our custom programs come in the mid to high four-figure range. Every program we run is customized, so the number depends on scope and on what problems need to be solved. One thing that does not change: our one day intensives include a complimentary full year of ongoing support, so the skills keep improving long after the training day.

And weigh the other side of the ledger. The cost of not working on these skills is plateauing in a job, losing out on sales, or missing the chance to make bigger connections.

Want a number for your exact situation? You can get instant pricing guidance, or Get Pricing and Jess will scope it with you.

Question 49Presentation skills certification: is it worth it?

Our High Stakes Presenter program is a certificate program, and some industries like the idea of having a certification. There is also a designation called CSP, Certified Speaking Professional, which Jess holds. Fewer than 1 percent of professional speakers in the world have it, and about 12 percent of the members of the National Speakers Association hold the designation.

Is it worth it? For professional speakers who want to show as much expertise and as much proof as possible that they have put in the hours and the time to help others through speaking, it can be.

Question 50Is presentation skills training worth the investment in your career?

It is if you want to advance your career. With all the AI tools, we can get a perfectly crafted answer in print. We can click a button and have a computer help us with an email. But the one thing a computer cannot do yet is get inside our brain and give us the presentation skills that are worthy of job advancement, or of getting others to buy from us or take action.

This is the number one skill for advancing in a career. Some call these soft skills, but there is nothing soft about connecting with a human being and moving them to action.