Three Presentation Tips To Make Your Presentation Sizzle
Are you petrified when you need to present? Do you feel unprepared
? It's understandable. And, it's not because you're not a good presenter. It's simply because you've never been taught the presentation tips and tricks of the pros. Read how to present with polish and keep your audience enthralled.
Almost all of us, at some time, have to present in front of two to hundreds of people. Whether you're a CEO of a company, or a salesperson, presentation skills are a 'must' to get ahead in business today. Unfortunately, most of us aren't trained with the best presentation tools. Instead, we just 'wing it' or copy someone else. It doesn't have to be that way. Becoming a great presenter is as simple as mastering learn able skills.
As a long-time creator and facilitator of an Instructor Development Course, plus, from my many years as a platform presenter, I've seen the good, the bad, and the ugly (and have done all of it myself, too!). Applying the three powerful speaker's tips below will make your presentation sizzle, instead of crumble.
Those Three Powerful Speaker's Tips
1. Don't lecture for more than 10 minutes.
Adults just don't have that long an attention span (too much on our minds!). Change it up. Use various "alternative delivery methods"--methods to teach other than lecture. In my Instructor Development course, I help students learn these teaching methods by modeling them so they can observe me teaching. Then, we debrief on what we did. Finally, each student teaches a short module using creative methods, and the rest of the students provide feedback. Studies show that 99% of what we learn is by doing. Doing greatly increases confidence--and competence.
2. When you want to change adults' perceptions, beliefs, or knowledge, start your presentation with something provocative . Why? To help your adult attendees become open to change.
How to tackle the 'old belief' challenge:
Prepare students to learn something new. For example: Use a 'true-false' or 'multiple choice' to start the presentation, or to check learning. I do this in my Instructor Development course in the middle, and ask students how they would have answered at the beginning of the course--and then contrast that with their new perceptions and learning. It creates lots of 'ahas' with them, and further cements their learning experience.
3. PowerPoint can be addictive! Don't let it tether you to the screen.)
If a presenter does that, I feel I want to just take that outline and leave. I can read, thank you! Too many presenters rely on PowerPoint to do the teaching.What are you providing your audience of take home value? Why not offer an exceptional handout with ready to use strategies: a handout to put your ideas to immediate use.
Use that Right Brain of Yours
Effective presenting is much more than just talking. It should be creative. Watch how the pros get someone's attention at the beginning of the presentation. Then, adapt some of those attention strategies yourself.
Suggestions:
Use props, stories, various audio-visual aids, handouts to control the audience "contour". I learned this as a musician playing for dancing. You direct how you want the audience to dance, and you 'contour' the whole experience (slower to faster, then back to slow). As a great instructor/ facilitator, you can direct your audience in an awesome learning experience. You can hone those skills and bring them to your audience.
Resources to Get the Skills
A very few people seem to be born with innate talent for getting front of people. However, for most of us, it's a matter of gaining and practicing the necessary skills. Here are some methods to get skilled, and raise your confidence level dramatically:
Join Toastmasters. It's inexpensive, and will provide you skills and practice. If you get serious about speaking, look into joining your local chapter and national organization for speaking professionals, National Speakers' Association. As a long-time member of both my chapter and the national organization, I highly recommend it for both skill and marketing development.
It's Worth the Effort
Most presenters/trainers aren't in it for the big bucks (where are those big bucks, again?). They're in it to assist others. Gaining and practicing presentation skills helps us give back better. The bonus: Deep appreciation from our audience. We've even been known to change lives for the better! No amount of money can provide that sense of accomplishment.
by: Carla Cross
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