Effective Presentations - 5 Surefire Tips to Make You a Better Presenter
Often, the main thing most presenters overlook is that making a presentation should not be a one way thing. Many presenters simply get up, put on the PowerPoint slide show, run through 20 slides talking about the bullet points and then summarizing, leaving themselves 10-15 minutes for a question and answer session. Is this what presenting is all about? And more importantly is this what a great presenter does? The answer is no. A great presenter connects with the audience and eventually moves them towards his desired goals and objectives.
Let me give you 5 sure fire tips to improve your presentations and audience relationships.
1. Come out fighting!
I am sure that you have heard it before, but first impressions really do stick. The first 3 minutes of your presentation are the most important. In general, an audience wants to like a presenter, and they will give you a few minutes at the beginning to engage them, but if you miss this opportunity, you may not be given another. Most presenters fail here because they ramble for too long about background and other uninteresting information regarding their personal/ professional history, etc. If your audience wants a CV then leave them one, do not read it out to them
2. Be passionate
Be passionate about your topic and let that enthusiasm come out. You need great content, yes, and you need to be professional, and you need well designed visuals. But none of these things will be worth anything if you do not have a deep, heartfelt belief in your topic. I would say that arguably the strongest criteria that separates a mediocre presenter from a great one is their ability to connect with an audience in an honest and exciting way. Do not hold back. Be confident, and let the passion for your topic be evident for all to see.
3. Do Not hog the podium
Many presenters get on stage and hide behind the podium. Try to move closer to your audience by standing in front it or away from it. A podium is a barrier. It separates you and your audience. The goal of your presentation is to connect with the audience. Removing physical barriers between you and the audience will help you build rapport and make a connection.
4. Short and Sweet
We humans have a very short attention span. When it comes to passively sitting and listening to a speaker, this span is even shorter. Audience attention is greatest at the beginning of your presentation. So, evaluate your presentation. If you have 45 minutes for your presentation, make sure that you are finished in 35 minutes. It is better to have the audience wanting more of you than to feel that they have had more than enough. Hence, it is better to finish 10 minutes early and have the audience hearing what you have to say, than to have them watching clocks for the last 10 minutes of your presentation and pretending to listen to you.
5. Practice really does make perfect
The old saying, "practice make perfect" is spot on in this instance. One of the biggest problems an audience has with any presenter is the "ums..." and the "errs..." nothing puts an audience off more than someone who clearly has not prepared for the presentation, and has not cued up their slides properly, or is fumbling about for cue cards, or visual aids.
It should almost be routine. As a presenter you are asked to perform. And again, as any entertainer will inform, often the final take is the easiest. The preparation, the rehearsals, and the practice, this is where the hard work really lies. So make sure that you put in your effort if you wish to receive response to it.
The Author of this article is an experienced presenter and a champion story teller. He has immense interest in topics on public speaking, leadership, the art of negotiation, internet marketing strategies, investing and personal success
This following article is adapted/extension from/of his new ebook: "How to Develop Great Presentation Skills".
If you like the tools to be able to improve your presentation skills by 100 times, YES 100 times please visit http://www.greatpresentationskills.com
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