Take your Presentation from Good to Great with these Top Tips

Do you want to up your game and grow your career? There are many ways to make an impact in the work environment, but there is nothing quite like delivering a powerful presentation to a room full of decision makers.

Whether you are an experienced presenter, or a beginner, these tips will help you develop your presentation skills.

Passion and Connection

Great presenter’s all say that connecting with your audience is key to a successful presentation. And the best way to connect with your audience is to let your passion shine through.

Audiences respond to passion, enthusiasm and honesty. You may be nervous, but if you walk into your presentation with a sense of enthusiasm and honesty, your audience will connect with you and respond.

Focus on the Needs of your Audience

You need to build your presentation around the needs of your audience. Ask yourself what they want to get out of the presentation?

When creating your presentation, always consider what your audience wants to know and what they need to know. Don’t just concentrate on what you want to tell them and what you want to sell them. While presenting, take note of your audience’s response and react accordingly. Your audience is your number one priority!

Concentrate on your Core Message

Before creating your presentation, you should be able to communicate your key message briefly and effectively. You need to begin designing your presentation with a complete understanding of your key message and what you want your audience to take away from the presentation.

The most important thing to remember in this regard is to keep your message brief and focused. If part of what you want to say in your presentation does not reinforce your core message, then it is unnecessary information and should be removed from your presentation.

You can sum up your key message at the end of your presentation in what is known as an “elevator summary.” This is a 30 second summary of your presentation in its entirety.

Smile and make Eye-Contact

This may seem obvious, but surprisingly most presenters fail to do this. By smiling and making eye-contact with your audience, you are nurturing rapport. This “rapport” is what helps your audience connect with your subject and connect with you!

Make sure you don’t turn down all the lights in the boardroom or presentation room. Your audience needs to see your presentation slides and they need to see you too! How else are they going to see you smile and make eye-contact?

Smiling and making eye-contact is also a powerful way to calm nerves. It helps you realise you are talking to individuals as opposed to a sea of unknown faces.

Begin with a Bang

The start of your presentation is crucial. Don’t introduce yourself drearily and dive into your presentation in a monotone voice. The beginning of your presentation is when you grab the attention of your audience – and hold it! Always begin with enthusiasm. The key is to keep your audience entertained or else they will switch off quickly.

No one wants to listen to a dull speaker! A way to grab your audience’s attention is through story-telling…

Speaking Well

Speaking is not the greatest means of communication because this makes use of only one of your audiences five senses. Therefore, visual aids are important to presentations. But if you use your voice well, you can make an impact.

Emphasise change in pitch and tone to make your voice more interesting, and vary the speed in which you talk to hold your audience’s attention.

Body Language

Did you know that three quarters of communication is non-verbal? As well as your voice and visuals, your body language is important to getting your message to your audience.

Avoid: crossed arms, hands in pockets, hands behind your back, and packing back and forth repetitively.

Make your gestures confident and open, move confidently!

Breathe, Relax and Enjoy

If you get nervous or anxious before a presentation, focus on your breathing. Breathe slowly, deeply, and fully. Always remember to pause for breath during your presentation – do not rush through!

If you can keep calm, your presentation will be better and you will enjoy yourself.

Stick to these presentation tips and your presentation skills will improve greatly – along with your confidence.

Masterskill: Education through Innovation

Masterskill offers courses to help improve your presentation skills.

Some of the courses we offer include: