Did you know the number one fear in humans is public speaking? There is no doubt about it: presenting is tough. But help is on the way. Here are simple hacks to become a better presenter in just a matter of minutes. Let’s break down planning, structuring, and prepping for a presentation so you can knock it out of the park.
1 – Practice Out Loud
Often times when you practice a presentation, it is done silently. Next time you are preparing for your next presentation practice it out loud. Doing this will ensure what you have to say makes sense out loud, versus in your head. Take the time to practice inflection and word emphasis.
2 – Create a Dynamic Beginning
An audience can size you up in the first 30 seconds of your presentation, so lead with a bang. Show confidence, preparation, and passion in the first few seconds of your presentation.
3 – Structure Your Presentation
Don’t try to cover too much ground during your presentation because you will wind up skimming over a breadth of topics. Hone in your presentation by creating a centralized key point. Branch out with two to three concepts related to your key point. Reinforce the key point in the conclusion of your presentation so your audience has a key takeaway.
(PRO TIP: List-style presentations are an effective strategy to create structure. Presentations with a logical order creates a better flow and aids recall.)
4 – Make No Apologies
“I am sorry I am nervous” …. Or “ I am sorry, my voice is horse”… I bet you’ve heard an apology at the start of a presentation before. You should never apologize during a presentation as these statements request leniency from the audience — something you don’t want. Avoid apologies and be confident!
5 – Be Funny
Stop taking yourself so seriously — be funny! Humor makes you more approachable, authentic, engaging, and creates a buzz of energy in the room. Challenge yourself and add a few light-hearted elements into your presentation. Tell a funny story, poke fun at yourself, or add an element of surprise.
6 – Use Pauses to Your Benefit
It is our human inclination to fill pauses with words. Don’t do it! Instead, use pauses to further emphasize your points… Think of them as an auditory punctuation marks. Pausing also helps you collect your thoughts.
7 – If You Blank Out…
Take a second to drink a sip of water, or ask your audience a question.
8 – Add an Anecdote
Storytelling is an important aspect of the presentation process. If will help you relate better to your audience and aid in recall. In fact, information is recalled 20 times better if it’s part of a story. So, add a story or two to support your presentation’s key point.
9 – Move Around
You would be surprised how different parts of a room can give you different amounts of energy. Move away from the podium and change you your position around the room. It shows confidence and gives you AND your audience a different perspective.
10 – Don’t Rush
Rushing causes poor delivery, which will lessen the impact made on audience members. Rushing also emits a sense of inexperience and lack of confidence. It’s also important to give your audience a second to digest your presentation’s main points, so slow down as you present.
With a few pointers, you’ll be on your way to becoming a better presenter. For more tips on presenting read this: “20 Tips to Ace Your Next Presentation“.
This topic is useful every where at anytime and for every body. To communicate what you want your audience must understand is always important: teachers, parents, business people, politicians … etc.
Working on these 10 points, you can get it easily. THANK YOU VERY MUCH !!!
This came just in time for my presentations. I briefed senior staff members and their subordinates on a interim process change. I received several praises:)
Thank you!
Great Post Allison. I have recently been to a training program organised by http://challenginghorizon.com/magical-presenters/ and really learnt a lot on effective presentation. You guys can also check if you are looking for something similar.