Tips to Upgrade Your Presentation or Speaker Skills

Being able to give effective presentations or talks is a valuable skill. Whether you need to pitch potential investors about a startup or train a group of people how to use software, there are certain techniques that make you more effective. Here are some guidelines to help you improve your presentation or speaker skills.

• Have a clear objective. Is your main purpose to educate or to persuade? Make sure that most of your presentation helps you achieve your main goal. You have limited time, so it’s vital to make the most out of every minute.
• Create a smooth flow. You warm people up with an introduction, which should transition smoothly into the body of your presentation. Make sure you give the proper amount of time to each point. For example, if you’re making five main points, don’t spend so much time on the first or second one that you don’t have time for the remaining points. Wrap everything up in a conclusion that summarizes the main theme.
• Connect with your audience. The best speakers don’t just convey information, they communicate with the audience. If you don’t do this, the presentation will be dry and dull. Take brief pauses where you look around the room. Make eye contact with people. If there’s time, invite people to ask questions or make comments.
• Tell stories. Storytelling makes any topic more interesting. You can do this with even the most technical topics. For example, if you’re describing how a piece of software works, relate a specific instance when someone used it to solve a problem. This is more interesting than simply listing the software’s features. Introducing actual characters into a narrative brings your subject to life.
• Practice your delivery. Like anything else, speaking and giving presentations are skills you hone over time. If you’re not comfortable with public speaking, practice in front of people you know or even a mirror. It’s helpful to video all of your presentations so you can look back and see what you did well and where you could make improvements in the future.

The ability to give effective presentations is an extremely valuable skill. The way you communicate is often more important than the words, props or technology you use. By practicing and honing your presentation skills, you can become more persuasive no matter what message you want to get across. Contact ustoday to find out how we can help make your meeting, event or presentation a success.