Are there any words that fill you with dread more than “PowerPoint Presentation”?
Whether you’re a confident speaker or not, there are times when the thought of presenting is enough to send shivers down the most confident businessperson’s spine.
While public speaking comes naturally to some people, for others, it’s a fate worse than death. So, in order to guarantee that your next presentation will be a roaring success, we’ve compiled some tips to hopefully install you with a bit more confidence for the next time you take to the stage.
Tell a story
When delivering your talk, you should frame it like a story, with a clear beginning, middle and end.
There’s nothing more confusing to the audience than a presentation that jumps from point A to point Z and back again, with no clear structure. As humans, we’re wired to listen to stories, so creating engaging metaphors or real-life examples can help the audience build a better picture of the point you’re trying to get across.
Death by slides
The slides in your presentation should be used as a visual aid only.
While it can be tempting to fill a slide with as much content as possible for your own reference, it’s almost guaranteed to make the audience switch off if you’re just reading to them what they can already see on the screen.
So, if you want your audience to concentrate on what you’re saying, rather than thinking about what they’re going to have for dinner, use your slideshow as a prop, perhaps with engaging images or bite-sized facts to back up what you’re saying.
Body language
Getting up on the stage is often the hardest part.
Shifting from one foot to another, swaying from side to side and pacing are all natural occurrences when we’re nervous, but speakers should aim to practice remaining motionless if possible, using only hand gestures to minimize distractions. Any notes or pieces of paper are best left on the side, as uncontrollable, shaky hands can cause the presenter to feel even more anxious.
Here at Engage Web, our team have had their fair share of presenting experience. Sign up for EngageWeb.Club NOW if you want to see our skills in action and learn a thing or two in the process.
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