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How you present yourself to your audience can make or break your presentation. Listed here are some points that are a quick refresher for anyone preparing a presentation.
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| » | Psyche yourself up! Warm up your vocal cords with some simple drills. Do some stretching to relieve the tension in your neck, shoulders and hands. Relax your facial muscles by LAUGHING. Take deep breaths. Eat chocolate...it produces natural endorphins in your body that can relieve stress. |
| » | Show enthusiasm for your topic! |
| » | Show confidence. |
| » | Project positive thoughts. Imagine your audience giving you a rousing standing ovation. See them rushing the podium, shaking your hand and telling you this has been the best presentation they've ever experienced! |
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| » | Rehearse your presentation, but don't memorize it. Practice in front of a mirror, friend, spouse or colleague. Tape yourself and then listen for any rough spots. |
| » | Don't read from your notes and never read from the screen. |
| » | Talk louder than you think you should. As you increase volume, you automatically increase inflection as well. |
| » | Speak clearly and loud enough so the microphone can pick up your voice. |
| » | Use humor, as appropriate, to connect to or extend the content. |
| » | Make eye contact with various members of the audience. Work the whole room, but don't do it mechanically. |
| » | Use body movement for effect only, otherwise stand still when speaking. Refrain from rocking or swaying. |
| » | Use gestures to animate your presentation and channel nervous energy productively. Make your gestures large and above the waist. |
| » | Communicate a sincere and positive attitude. Convey "I feel great, and I am here to help you learn." |
| » | Refrain from using empty words and fillers, such as "uh, like, you know, uhm..." |
| » | Strive for the Five C's of platform excellence. You should look and sound confident, credible, competent, convincing and comfortable. |
| » | IMPORTANT! When an audience member asks a question, repeat the question (...repeat the question) so the entire audience can hear the question. |
| » | Respect your audience's schedule and stay within the allotted time. |
| » | Encourage attendees to complete the evaluation forms so you can learn how the audience responded to your presentation. |
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| » | Repetition - Repetition calls attention to the central points of your presentation. |
| » | Quotes - The best quotations are short and memorable. |
| » | Startling or surprising moments - Use surprise to draw attention to the point you are about to make. |
| » | Tell a short story - As we listen, we visualize the action of the story in our minds. This is why and how we remember stories long after we have forgotten most other things. |
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| » | Give your presentation an attention-getting, forceful title. If possible, incorporate the key benefit the audience will receive from attending. |
| » | Show only highlights on each slide; YOU are there to provide additional information. A good rule of thumb is no more than 5 lines per page and 6 words per line. |
| » | Use bullets and numbers to organize ideas in lists. |
| » | Convey one point or comparison per visual. |
| » | Use the simplest terms and relationships. |
| » | Use a consistent format and an easy-to-read font for your slides. Helvetica is an ideal font. Fancy or ornate types should be avoided. |
| » | Avoid using all caps for large blocks of type. They are difficult to read. |
| » | Type size should reflect the importance of the various ideas in a slide. Main points should be larger than secondary points. |
| » | Carefully proofread your transcript, charts, graphics; you are the best judge of technical accuracy. Have someone you trust proofread your materials. Avoid any grammatical errors. |
| » | Provide your slides in the same order as your presentation. |
| » | Number your slides. |
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