| 10 Presentation Skills You Can't Live Without |
|
|
|
|
Whether you give presentations all the time or you fear the thought,
these 10 tips will practically guarantee a successful presentation. 1. Be yourself. If you can't be you, you can't accomplish the one thing most experts tell you is needed to win -- create chemistry. You do business with people you like. If the listeners don't feel they can relate to what you are saying they will lose interest fast. Plus, being yourself will make you more relaxed and your presentation smoother. 2. Have style. You have to do things in a unique style to get your message heard above others. Sometimes if everyone is doing formal presentations, an informal and friendly one will really stand out. No matter what you do, keep it polished and compelling. 3. Rehearse, Rehearse, Rehearse. The more you rehearse, the more it "just comes naturally." This is the one thing that most speakers don't do enough of before they go in front of their audiences. Trust me, it shows. 4. Engage them. Invite them in. Use charts, handouts, overheads, video, music, juggling or anything else that will catch your audience's attention. The result will be engaged people who will listen to what you have to say. 5. You can make a mistake. Being human is not a crime. Whether it's technology that will not work for you or saying the wrong word, things happen. Try to laugh about it and move on. 6. Be different. I think we've covered this one in the above points. You would be surprised by how similar many agencies' presentations are. If all you have going for you is the correct strategic and marketing solution, you have a problem in today's hyper-competitive world. 7. Know the audience. Tailor your voice, pitch, speed, and choice of topics to the people you will be talking to. Delivering a highly technical three hour speech to a 3rd grade class would be a disaster. Learn as much as you can ahead of time so you can make the most of both yours and your audience's time. 8. Scout the scene. Will it be large enough? Does it have enough plugs if you need them? It's better to know ahead of time what o expect than finding out the moment you arrive. 9. Get the details. The world belongs to those who follow instructions. You would be surprised how many speakers divert from what they were supposed to talk about. That doesn't mean you can't improvise, have fun, fall on the floor, paper the walls, etc., but remember to accomplish what you set out to do. 10. Make it interactive. People listen more closely when they think they will have an opportunity to speak or respond. It's a proven fact. Your presentations will get better immediately if you structure them to invite the audience's interaction. nxtConcepts.com You may link to any story you would like. All other rights reserved, contact us for reprints/story use at 888-215-0820. |
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
