SUPPLIES

Some presentations require materials and supplies to be available for audience members. You’re always better to have too many than too few; 10 to 20 percent is a good margin of safety in most settings. So if you have fifty people scheduled to attend a training presentation, you should have fifty-five (10 percent over) to sixty (20 percent over) books, sets of handouts, tools or instruments, or whatever items audience members will use.

At most presentation venues, I usually need:

• Flip chart.

• Markers for the flip chart. Markers for the

• Bottled water.

• Paper for my notes, possibly pads to distribute to the audience.

• Writing implements for audience (I have my own pens).

If your presentation requires training manuals or other materials that the client or organization is supposed to provide, confirm that these are available and there are enough of them (this detail should be on your handout checklist.) Make sure you have the correct markers to use for your flip chart. Many general use markers will bleed through the paper, which at best means you need to use two pages for every one page you write on and at worst means you may leave your presentation notes on the walls of the room if you write on pages already taped up.