Quality or quantity? That was the topic of a webinar run by the International Institute of Business Analysis, for whom I’m a regular panelist. It’s a great talking point for all of us – and especially for anyone who has to make presentations and speeches.

Most people put way too much information in their presentations. How may times have you been in the audience and heard an apologetic ‘Oh we’re almost out of time. I’ll quickly run through the rest of my slides’.

The apology is inevitably followed by the person zipping through their slides at the speed of light. You can’t make out the slides, you can’t process the torrent of words, and you start to lose any connection you might have had with the speaker.

Flipping through your slide deck faster and faster in an effort to squeeze everything into the presentation has just one consequence: zero – and I mean zero – information is retained. The audience sees your panic. They get restless. They tune out. You lose.

Always end a speech or presentation on time. And in a controlled manner. Here are a few tips to help:

Understand the cost of racing through scripts and slides: nobody wins.
Know your patterns. If you always prepare too much material – prepare less.
Don’t build too many slides: people want to hear you, not read slides.
Know your edit points. Identify parts of the script you can jettison if necessary.
Watch the clock. Don’t leave it to the last minute to start trimming. Know how long each section should take, and adjust accordingly.
Don’t skip through slides. Number your deck and if you really must miss out some slides, use the software to skip directly to the slide you need.
Know your hook (opening) and conclusion, and regard the rest of the presentation or speech as a flexi-zone, where you can comfortably make timing adjustments.
Don’t speed through your conclusion. It’s probably your big thought, your call to action. Don’t waste it. You don’t want to cruise through a smooth presentation and then have it end in a car-wreck.

Presentations are live. Anything can happen – and usually does. So don’t be surprised. Just be prepared. Have a plan. And always remember that less is more when you speak.

Plan your content for quality – not quantity.