Monday, December 12, 2011

Tip #354: 6 Tips for Turbo-Charging Your Presentation


Do you know what makes the difference between a plain presentation and a turbocharged presentation? Passion. The more passionate a speaker is, the more their presentation comes alive, and the more their audience becomes transfixed. A well-delivered presentation may seem like an effortless act, but in truth any dynamic presentation is the result of extensive planning and their efforts during delivery.

Delivering A Strong Presentation Will Help You Excel In The Business World.

Eventually, most employees at any given company are going to need to deliver a presentation, or be compelled to deliver a presentation to introduce a new idea or initiative. If you have a presentation in mind or one assigned to you, heeding the six tips below will put you on the right track to delivering a stellar presentation that leaves a lasting impression.

6 Tips For Delivering A Turbocharged Presentation:


Tip #1. Prepare Accordingly: If you think you will be able to pull off a dynamic presentation by the seat of your pants, one that engages your audience, well, you have another thing coming. The foundation of any presentation is the amount of preparation the speaker puts in behind the scenes. Develop a topic, flesh it out into concise, relevant and specific bullet points that tie back to the central theme and develop a narrative arc to follow. Then perform a handful of dry runs -- in front of the mirror, a friend or colleague, your partner, your family, etc.

Tip #2. Open With Something Strong And Unforgettable: There is a saying in the writing community that you need to capture your readers within the first 100 pages (some contest 50 pages, others say as few as 25). Well, you can apply this idea to your presentation as well. Perhaps through a hypothetical, perhaps through anecdote -- whatever method you choose, the first 2 to 3 minutes of your presentation can make or break your audience's interest in what you have to say, so make it count.

Tip #3. Keep Your Presentation Short: Be wary of long-winded presentations that seem to have no real direction or purpose. You have probably sat through such a presentation on more than one occasion. If you want to avoid being a bore that makes the audience snore, you should pare down your presentation to its slimmest, trimmest, most refined form. Each bullet point should pack a meaningful punch that, once delivered, leaves the audience in anticipation for the next verbal blow you have to deliver.

Tip #4. Maximize Visual Aids: Including a visual aid with your presentation is a must these days. The trick is to incorporate it in such a way that it never overshadows your presentation itself, but complements it. PowerPoint is the most common means through which people add a visual (and audio) element to their presentations. But scale back the glitz and glam, the crazy transitions and the musical accompaniment. Keep your visuals aesthetically noteworthy, but not so brazen as to steal focus from you.

Tip #5. Avoid The Statue Routine: That is to say, be animated. Don't stand behind a podium, relax and be casual, loose. Move around, wander about and most importantly, make eye contact with a handful of the members of your audience. Locking eye contact with someone will not only hold their attention, but others nearby will also pick up on the subtle action and find themselves drawn in more to your presentation. Remember, when it comes to presentations, periodic contact with your audience is a necessity.

Tip #6. Never Apologize During The Presentations: This is a Public Speaking 101 lesson. Never apologize for mispronouncing a word or losing your place, confusing the order of your presentation or having difficulty with technology. Doing so will:

(a) Compromise your command/air of authority.
(b) Break the flow of your presentation.

This will in turn cost you the audience's full attention. If you trip up, just move along. The best way to avoid this is to pause frequently. Just gather your thoughts and take a breath.

Executive Summary: There are four core components to dynamic presentations: (1) how much preparation you put into your preparation, (2) how well you maintain momentum during the presentation, (3) how animated you are and (4) how well you integrate visual aids into the presentation. These components need to come together seamlessly and flow naturally in order to captivate your audience and make your presentation memorable -- a presentation that leaves a strong impression.

For more information, visit our website.

No comments:

Post a Comment