I was recently fortunate enough to watch Chris Packham displaying his photography while presenting his passion for saving wildlife around the world.
PresentationHis fervour was evident through his deliverance which then got me thinking about how, as businesses people, we frequently have to do presentations. Although I now have no worry of standing up in front of an audience, I remember the days of sweating palms, nerves managing to evaporate moisture from my throat and constantly fumbling for loose change in my pockets!!
So here are Coaching to Success’ top 8 tips on how to deliver that all important presentation.
Establish Credibility
Forget the long intro, keep it short and relevant. Share past involvements that lead to this presentation.
Write the dialogue
Preparation to a presentation is the key! Write the whole dialogue, rehearse then rehearse again. Another tip (having learned through being a mason) is to recite it out loud, not just in your head.
Deep breathing
This helps slow the racing heart down. Pace the speech to insure you don’t deliver too quickly. Try to mimic conversation speed.
Jackanory time!
I may be showing my age here. Jackanory was all about storytelling and they say stats are interesting, facts convincing but stories are engaging so tell one that encourages the audience to join in with the journey!
Tonality & Emphasis
When wishing to get a point across, elevate your volume and use gestures whilst altering your tone. When wishing to get facts and figures across, slow down, lower the volume so the audience needs to really listen
Visual aids
Don’t play around with something you need to draw their attention to later. Keep the attention on yourself and remember (through rehearsing) when the next slide is to be shown without having to look at it.
Don’t pace up and down
pacingIt’s off-putting to see someone pacing around a stage. A trick I learned was to stand on one side when delivering and to stroll to the other when asking! The audience subconsciously recognise when they are to listen or to participate. By strolling you are seen to be comfortable.
Q&A Time
Always allow time for feedback. Also, members of the audience may have other questions raised as a result of what you delivered. The better you answer these with re-affirmed interest, the greater it reflects point 1. Prepare for questions that attempt to derail you. Be confident in your reply without getting personal. Plan answers for questions you feel may fit this criteria. No questions asked? Eek! No problems, have a few up your sleeve to help them. “You may still be wondering about…”, “one thing I’m often asked is..”
This is but an overview of areas to be considered but is a great foundation for getting the message across positively and confidently. You can’t be expected to know all the answers all of the time but when it comes to your presentation, this is one area you can shine in and remember, the audience are here for themselves primarily!
If you have any questions or would like to discuss how Coaching to Success can help you with that all important presentation, take the first step by contacting Neil either be email, neilnutburn@coachingtosuccess.co.uk or call 07761 187238 where you are assured a warm welcome.
