Ways to Improve Your Presentation Skills
Do you have to lead presentations? Does your job or career advancement hinge on your ability to speak publicly? It’s not an easy task, especially if, like most, you weren’t lucky enough to come with those skills as a default setting. So how do you boost your public speaking skills.
While some people are naturally eloquent and adept at speaking in public, the rest of us find it nerve-wracking. The more you do it, the better you will become. However, there are plenty of ways for you to improve your presentation skills in the meantime.
Firstly, one of the biggest tips we can offer you is that you have to have your own speaking style. You might not be eloquent, but you can make up for that with your enthusiasm and content. It’s the way you do it. Keep that in mind as we embark on this journey of improving your presentation skills.
There are three big ways to boost your skills – preparation, delivery, and questions.
Preparation
” Research – this isn’t just about researching the subject you will speaking on. It’s also important to research your audience. You can tailor your speech and presentation to their needs and interests if you know what those are. You can do this by handing out questionnaires to people you know will be in the audience. If this isn’t possible, speak to your audience before you begin and look for ways to slot in relevant information before you start speaking.
” The Presentation – this isn’t rocket science, when you structure your presentation, it should have an opening, a body, and a closing. Your opening should forge an emotional bond with the audience. The body should include your main points. Remember, you don’t have to unload a stream of information on them, you’re trying to engage them.
The closing is your opportunity to create a call to action or to leave them with a point that will last.
” Practice – you don’t need to memorize your presentation word for word, but you should practice it regularly. Start the process well in advance of your speech. Do it in front of a mirror, record yourself, ask friends to listen. Whatever will help you feel comfortable with the content.
Delivery
” Verbal – the human brain can only focus for so long, don’t get caught up on one subject for too long. Be as brief as possible. Don’t be afraid to use questions as a way to engage the audience. Know your demographic and use language that makes sense to them. Don’t speak softly or engage in speech patterns that suggest weakness or a lack of confidence. Your tone is also just as important as avoiding filler words like um and ah.
” Body Language – you should try to maintain a comfortable distance between you and the audience. Be sure to make eye contact with your audience, do so one at a time, and maintain this contact for a few seconds. Don’t forget your posture. You should keep your shoulders back, relax your eyes, smile, and be purposeful in your movements.
” Slides – if you use slides, there are a few things to remember. Use images, and only bullet point information (no more than two or three sentences). They should be entertaining, not simply summarizing your presentation, but enhancing it.
Questions
The audience will likely have questions, be prepared to answer them. You can do this by anticipating what type of questions may come up. If you want to have the final word, you can hold a Q&A before your closing statement. You’ll just need to let them know you aren’t done.
If you find yourself stumped by a question, assure the person you will follow up with the answer as soon as you can. Read more…