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We’ve all known times when a good presentation has been spoilt by poor attention to practical details, for example when the speaker arrives late or speaks for too long. Do your best to make sure that nothing can go wrong. When thinking about your presentation, consider the details of the venue.

You need to think about the practical details of where you are physically going to give your presentation.

• How will you reach the venue in good time? If you don’t know the location of where you are speaking, work out how you are going to get there. Check the location on a map or check the postcode for your

case study Sarah once led a two-day seminar in Chicago. She booked into the hotel the evening before the first day and in the morning rang for a taxi to take her to the venue of the seminar. The taxi turned up fine and the first day of the course went well. She thought the same would happen the second day but she hadn’t reckoned with the weather. On the morning of the second day it was raining heavily and all the taxis were busy already. She eventually arrived very late for the seminar – even at the point when some of the delegates were wondering if she’d ever arrive at all. The lesson: now she always books a taxi the evening before a presentation.

satellite-navigation system. Find out what the car-parking facilities are. If you are travelling by train, check the railway timetable and where necessary book a taxi to take you from the railway station to the venue. Time spent on these matters in advance helps you feel more in control and prepared for possible delays or other unforeseen eventualities.

• Think through the arrangements at the venue. Who will meet you, where and at what time? Remember to allow sufficient time from arriving at the venue to when you are scheduled to begin your presentation, to allow time to freshen up.

• Check the lighting of the room. If possible, give your presentation in a room that has natural light.

• Consider the ventilation of the room If the air in the room is too hot and stuffy, your audience will become drowsy. On the other hand, you don’t want people to become cold. Check how to operate any airconditioning or heating systems.

Make sure your presentation is not spoilt by poor attention to the practicalities set by the venue.