How to Win Your Audience’s Attention
Anxious about an upcoming corporate presentation, a speech or a lecture? It’s normal to feel nervous every time a speaking engagement gets near. Even the best speakers claim to have that feeling from time to time and still ask for presentation tips from fellow public speakers or their mentors.
Winning the audience’s attention is certainly a big challenge to a public speaker or a presenter regardless of how big or small his audience is and regardless of his or her experience as a public speaker. To be able to successfully do that, one must not only be gifted with natural communication skills but must also be knowledgeable enough about his subject matter. Similarly, he must know how to properly communicate his message to his audience.
To help you win your audience’s attention while doing a presentation, below are some presentation tips you can follow:
• Assess your audience’s needs – a big part of preparing for your presentation is assessing your audience’s needs. Do they need to be informed, persuaded or entertained? What do they need to know about your topic? Be sure to match your discussion, your speech or the contents of your presentation with their needs. If your audience realizes that they have nothing to gain from your presentation or your discussion, they won’t be interested to listen.
Communication experts George Grice and John Skinner recommend that when seeking to inform the audience, you must project yourself as a mentor. When seeking support to a belief or a cause, project yourself as an advocate. When aiming to amuse the audience, be an entertainer to them.
In addition to knowing your audience’s needs, it is important for you to determine their characteristics before the presentation. Although they might have the same interests, they may differ in many other aspects such as age, gender, economic status, cultural background and the like. Prepare a presentation that would be able to meet expectations and needs of different kinds of people as much as possible.
• Be presentable – Like an actor performing on stage, you are the center of attention when speaking or presenting to an audience. One way of sustaining your audience’s interest is to show a desirable image to them. You can do this by dressing appropriately, standing or moving confidently without appearing arrogant, and staying calm and unruffled. By being presentable, you exude authority and mastery of your presentation. It’s also one way of establishing rapport with your audience.
• Watch your body language – Simple gestures, facial expressions and hand movements or even sitting or standing positions could communicate a different and unintended message to your audience. They could suggest meanings that could lose their interest or their respect to you as the presenter. Avoid unnecessary gestures, facial expressions and body movements that could distract your listeners.
• Use visual aids – Visual aids are effective transmitters of message. They come in handy when you are lost for words, presenting highly technical concepts, or have been talking for a long time. It can break the monotony of your presentation or discussion and can help deliver your message clearly and more effectively.
Take note however that they are only tools for your presentation. They must not be used as your substitute or as an alternate speaker or presenter.
There are different kinds of visual aids you can use. Advancements in computer technology allow us to make more effective visual aids such as PowerPoint presentations. They combine texts with images, videos, sound clips, animation and other audio-visual effects.
• Establish rapport with your audience – It is important to make your audience feel like you are talking to them sincerely. You can achieve this by maintaining eye contact, listening to them intently when they comment or ask questions, and responding to their reactions.
If you know of a good public speaker, it would be best to get some presentation tips directly from that person and to know about his public speaking experiences. Nothing beats words of a seasoned speaker who’s been there and done that.
To your success,
Greg
Showing posts with label Presentation Skills Training. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Presentation Skills Training. Show all posts
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Friday, February 26, 2010
Tips For The Best Presentation Skills
Tips For The Best Presentation Skills
Take note of this fact: no matter who you are or what you do for a living whether as a self-sufficient professional, a freelancer, or a self-regulating agent, you will need to make a presentation. As a member of any institution, you have to welcome any opportunity of presenting your ideas to a group of people because it will be for your own benefit. It will gauge how well you can handle pressure and yet maintain your poise, your reputation, and enhance your own experience in terms of presentations.
You need your presentation skills when attempting to speak and stand in front of a group. The “big meeting”, as most business corporations term it, marks the day for the showcasing of many individuals’ presentation skills. Take note that business firms rely upon the success of every project that they spearhead and you as the presenter must prove to all that you are capable of living up to whatever expectations they have.
Hence, it’s time to sharpen your presentation skills with the following tips.
Details- Find out all the necessary details that you will need before the scheduled presentation. Hop from one department to another to gather the pertinent data that you’re possibly going to use. During the face to face encounter with the bosses or with budding clients, there may be questions that will arise and will suddenly take you by surprise. But, by being thoroughly prepared for the big day, you’re confident enough that you can handle all the queries even with your eyes closed.
Prepare- Not only should you prepare your materials but yourself as well. Remember that no one may come to your rescue should you start to fumble for words. The audience will entirely depend on what you’re going to share and discuss with them, so you’ll be the master of your own show. Prepare yourself from the apparel that you’re going to wear, up to the very last words to finish your sentence.
Maneuver the discussion- Be in control of the presentation. Solicit effective responses such as nods to confirm that the audience is getting your delivery. Emphasize important points. Ensure that they understand everything.
Be enthusiastic- Your enthusiasm to convey an idea to your audience will reflect on how you talk. Use visual materials to stress your points. Touch on their emotions and engage them into the dialogue.
Look confident and knowledgeable- Your audience will readily know how capable you are in handling your presentation topic. Skilled presenters can play with their topic and appear really knowledgeable although they lack material. It’s your own calling to enthuse your audience.
Presentation skills don’t solely cover the speaking prowess of a person. It is vital that you create a link between your idea and the technique that you’re to use in conveying it. Your efficiency as a presenter will matter a lot as you tackle tasks such as this.
To your success,
Greg
Take note of this fact: no matter who you are or what you do for a living whether as a self-sufficient professional, a freelancer, or a self-regulating agent, you will need to make a presentation. As a member of any institution, you have to welcome any opportunity of presenting your ideas to a group of people because it will be for your own benefit. It will gauge how well you can handle pressure and yet maintain your poise, your reputation, and enhance your own experience in terms of presentations.
You need your presentation skills when attempting to speak and stand in front of a group. The “big meeting”, as most business corporations term it, marks the day for the showcasing of many individuals’ presentation skills. Take note that business firms rely upon the success of every project that they spearhead and you as the presenter must prove to all that you are capable of living up to whatever expectations they have.
Hence, it’s time to sharpen your presentation skills with the following tips.
Details- Find out all the necessary details that you will need before the scheduled presentation. Hop from one department to another to gather the pertinent data that you’re possibly going to use. During the face to face encounter with the bosses or with budding clients, there may be questions that will arise and will suddenly take you by surprise. But, by being thoroughly prepared for the big day, you’re confident enough that you can handle all the queries even with your eyes closed.
Prepare- Not only should you prepare your materials but yourself as well. Remember that no one may come to your rescue should you start to fumble for words. The audience will entirely depend on what you’re going to share and discuss with them, so you’ll be the master of your own show. Prepare yourself from the apparel that you’re going to wear, up to the very last words to finish your sentence.
Maneuver the discussion- Be in control of the presentation. Solicit effective responses such as nods to confirm that the audience is getting your delivery. Emphasize important points. Ensure that they understand everything.
Be enthusiastic- Your enthusiasm to convey an idea to your audience will reflect on how you talk. Use visual materials to stress your points. Touch on their emotions and engage them into the dialogue.
Look confident and knowledgeable- Your audience will readily know how capable you are in handling your presentation topic. Skilled presenters can play with their topic and appear really knowledgeable although they lack material. It’s your own calling to enthuse your audience.
Presentation skills don’t solely cover the speaking prowess of a person. It is vital that you create a link between your idea and the technique that you’re to use in conveying it. Your efficiency as a presenter will matter a lot as you tackle tasks such as this.
To your success,
Greg
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Effective Presentation Tips
Effective Presentation Tips
Preparing for an effective presentation takes a lot of time and effort on the part of the speaker. Aside from the amount of research involved, it is also important to know how to deliver the message effectively to the audience so that they can understand what you really want to say. There are both technical and practical ways for you to do this.
Visuals
For an effective presentation, you need to provide enough visuals so that the audience can understand your message easily. You can use PowerPoint presentations, one of the most popular visual tools, to enhance your message. When using the PowerPoint, you need to determine which design, text, and colors you should include to make the visuals effective. In addition, you should set the right amount of transition time for each slide so that you will be able to discuss each concept properly. In line with this, you first need to determine how much time you need for the discussion by talking through the presentation before the actual one.
Content
Of course, the content of your presentation is probably the most important factor in the presentation. You need to make a list of important concepts that needs to be discussed. Remember though, that it would not be practical for you to memorize your text because it will waste a lot of time on your part. Besides, you can scan through your list even while you are in the actual presentation.
The delivery: Verbal and Non-verbal
Verbal language
The delivery of the message is also a very significant factor in the presentation. Before the presentation, you need to think about ideas because from there, your words will flow out naturally. You need to set a natural and moderate tone of the speech so that the audience can understand your words. The projection of your voice is another factor you need to look into; even the audience at the farthest parts of the room needs to hear what you are saying. If there are any key points in your presentation, you need to repeat the key information.
Non-verbal language
While the way you talk is important, the non-verbal aspect in communication is another factor that can influence how the audience will understand your message. You always need to keep your eyes on the audience to let them know that you are interested in letting them learn. In addition, take note that during a presentation, the speaker should always be seen, so never turn your back on the audience or hide behind the lectern. You may also use natural gestures to stress your point. Remember that body language can be as powerful as verbal language so use it accordingly.
Demeanor
Your demeanor during the presentation is another thing that you should practice on. Showing enthusiasm during the presentation is important because nobody wants to listen to a boring presentation that is delivered by a dull speaker. Try to talk as if you are talking to a friend; that means you also need to involve the audience during the discussion by asking them questions. Make the audience feel as if they are part of the presentation so they will enjoy themselves as well. After the presentation, you need to ask whether anyone has a question they want to raise, so that you can be assured that they really understood your message.
Preparing for an effective presentation takes a lot of time and effort on the part of the speaker. Aside from the amount of research involved, it is also important to know how to deliver the message effectively to the audience so that they can understand what you really want to say. There are both technical and practical ways for you to do this.
Visuals
For an effective presentation, you need to provide enough visuals so that the audience can understand your message easily. You can use PowerPoint presentations, one of the most popular visual tools, to enhance your message. When using the PowerPoint, you need to determine which design, text, and colors you should include to make the visuals effective. In addition, you should set the right amount of transition time for each slide so that you will be able to discuss each concept properly. In line with this, you first need to determine how much time you need for the discussion by talking through the presentation before the actual one.
Content
Of course, the content of your presentation is probably the most important factor in the presentation. You need to make a list of important concepts that needs to be discussed. Remember though, that it would not be practical for you to memorize your text because it will waste a lot of time on your part. Besides, you can scan through your list even while you are in the actual presentation.
The delivery: Verbal and Non-verbal
Verbal language
The delivery of the message is also a very significant factor in the presentation. Before the presentation, you need to think about ideas because from there, your words will flow out naturally. You need to set a natural and moderate tone of the speech so that the audience can understand your words. The projection of your voice is another factor you need to look into; even the audience at the farthest parts of the room needs to hear what you are saying. If there are any key points in your presentation, you need to repeat the key information.
Non-verbal language
While the way you talk is important, the non-verbal aspect in communication is another factor that can influence how the audience will understand your message. You always need to keep your eyes on the audience to let them know that you are interested in letting them learn. In addition, take note that during a presentation, the speaker should always be seen, so never turn your back on the audience or hide behind the lectern. You may also use natural gestures to stress your point. Remember that body language can be as powerful as verbal language so use it accordingly.
Demeanor
Your demeanor during the presentation is another thing that you should practice on. Showing enthusiasm during the presentation is important because nobody wants to listen to a boring presentation that is delivered by a dull speaker. Try to talk as if you are talking to a friend; that means you also need to involve the audience during the discussion by asking them questions. Make the audience feel as if they are part of the presentation so they will enjoy themselves as well. After the presentation, you need to ask whether anyone has a question they want to raise, so that you can be assured that they really understood your message.
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