Presentations can be very stressful. It is an integral part of today’s world no matter if you are a high school student, college student, university student or business executive. Presentations can leave your throat dry, make your hands sweaty, get you on the verge of a panic attack and make you can’t remember the words. This is the common situation and condition that most students go through while making presentations. There are 5 tips to make your presentation effective, enjoyable and memorable.
Know your audience and topic well
Know both, your audience and topic as good tips for presentation. Choose a topic that is relevant in order to connect to your audience. Prepare the speech in a logical sequence to captivate your audience. Emphasize on the best part of your speech, by explaining it in a line or two. Keep your presentation as simple and short as possible but covering with all the points. Learn to study the body language of your audience. Most of the time when they are bored, you can able to read their body language. Preferably, avoid making your presentation grandiloquent, as it will confuse your audience, and your presentation will be lost in translation.
Eye contact
Before your presentation, if you have chance to sit on the stage with other speakers, use the opportunity. Try to sweep the hall with your eyes and make few eye-contacts with the audiences. Don’t take the eye-contact to extreme and stare at one person for long time, they will get nervous. Just do it for a second with one person and then keep moving. This will boost your confidence. Do not read the whole presentation from the notes. Memorize it as far as possible and rehearse it, in front of the mirror. Ask your family to be your judge and take the criticism constructively. Memorizing the presentation will allow you to make an eye contact with the audience, which will make you seem confident.
Speak with confidence
Speak with confidence and gumption in your presentation. You can’t expect your audience to believe you but you must believe in what you say. To make the presentation effective, maintain a logical sequence right from introduction till the end. Every part of the presentation must be supporting the theory you are trying to establish. Deliver your presentation in clear voice, don’t use any accents.
Sense of humor
Start with a joke relevant which is related to the day’s topic. Having a sense of humor, no matter how serious the topic is and making the audience laugh are essential tips for presentations. Adding a few jokes and humor to your presentation will glue the audience to the seats. It will make the time fly by, rather than making it boring.
Body language
Do mind your body language when you are presenting. Audience will focus on your body language, the way you stand, walk, move and your gesticulations. Improper body language, such as fidgeting movements, touching ears and hairs can make audience turn away in revulsion or abhorrence. A steady and sporting body language can show your confidence which makes your audience take you seriously.
Finally, every presenter has to develop his or her own style. Fortunately there are training courses available today, such as the communication skills training course in Singapore, that can help you achieve your desired communication and presentation skill level. Preparing well in advance and try to have good night sleep in the night before. Yes, you can emerge to have a great presentation by putting in your best efforts.
