Would you like to improve your presentation skills to achieve higher success in your work and life in general?
It is a well known fact that public speaking is the number one fear in the world, over and above death and terminal illness. The term for this is Glossophobia (the fear of public speaking) and it is the most common phobia! It is however a skill and a skill that can be developed and improved by using the right approach and techniques.
To help you, here are 5 tips that I feel will significantly improve the way you present.
1. Know your aims and outcomes upfront.
People have not come to see you, they have come to hear about the subject of your presentation and what this can do for them. You need to be clear what your audience will benefit from. You also need to be very clear what your desired outcome is and work towards this.
2. Make your slides visual.
I recently carried out a 25 minute presentation with 55 slides (remember that mistaken rule of 2 minutes per slide?). You need to limit the detail on your slides and use more images and diagrams to keep it interesting. The detail can be provided elsewhere.
3. Do away with notes.
Many of you will have come across the use of visual imagery to aid memory and this is certainly applicable for presentations too. You can create a visual image for each part of your presentation and then tie them together by using visual links too. At the very least use cue cards or cues from your slide images, but don’t read from notes or even worse from wordy presentation slides!
4. Engage your audience.
Ask questions at the start and throughout and use simple exercises to break up your presentation and relate to your audience. Most of all make greater use of the word You, rather than I. This will show you are interested in your audience and not just talking about yourself. Showing empathy and putting yourself in your audience’s shoes is the key to engaging them more
5. Use stories.
People may find what you have to say interesting, but this will be greatly helped by telling some stories. Interesting stories that relate to your subject, stories about people you have worked with and personal stories from your own experience.
Try one or all of these and see the improvements in the way you present.
If you would like help in becoming a better presenter, you can join me when I run my next presentation skills training programme in partnership with the East Midlands Chamber.
You can find out more about the 6 module training programme starting at the end of January by clicking here.
Please note I am also able to provide discounts for trainer referrals, so if you are in any way interested please give me a call on 07912143040 or email me at tony@theleadershiptrainingworkshop.com
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