Presentation Skills

Whether you call it presenting or public speaking, talking in front of a crowd is not easy for everyone.  It is a skill.  To really succeed at presenting and build effective public speaking skills there are several key areas to focus on.  Once you’ve mastered these skills, you’ll be able to develop and present a clear message with confidence.

Know how to plan and write the presentation

·  Planning the presentation should always be done before you actually deliver the presentation. This is a very important area and it is also one that many people need the most improvement in. 

·  Part of the planning process is to research your presentation audience.  The more you know your audience, the more you can understand them.  You’ll know what their preconceptions might be, and prepare your presentation to meet them.  Knowing the purpose of the presentation is important.

·  Then you begin to brainstorm.   What you do here is to write down everything you are actually going to say and then structure it into an introduction, body, and conclusion.

Use your visual aids effectively

·  Once you’ve done your planning, if you want to use visual aids and you’re going to be using.   Often visual aids are put in for the sake of it.  Think about what you want to do, and why you actually need the visual aids in your presentation.  Using them effectively is a good public speaking skill.  You want to use the ones that are going to help you with your presentation and use only those needed to support your message.

Overcoming fear of public speaking

·  For some people even hearing the words speech or presentation causes nerves to kick in and they forget all the public speaking skills they’ve learned.  There are techniques and things you can do to help you to control your nerves and build your confidence.   

·  Knowing your material inside out will make you more comfortable.  If you have this fear, you can practice and rehearse your speech at home or anywhere you can be at ease and comfortable.  Practicing in front of a mirror, friends, colleagues or family can give you confidence.  Record or video yourself and then watch it to see what you do right and wrong.

Deliver the presentation confidently

·  Think about how you’re actually going to deliver your presentation.  Know the techniques and skills you can call on to help you speak confidently, keep the audience’s interest, really engage with them and create the presence that want to have.  Personal resources are important when you deliver your presentation.

Answer questions competently

·  Interacting with your audience and dealing with any questions that your audience might throw at you is also an important skill to learn.  Try to think of questions they might have in advance, and know how you’ll answer.  Even with all the preparation in the world, you still have to expect the unexpected.

These are the five key elements for building and delivering a successful presentation.  Work on these skills.  Take public speaking courses if necessary.  Once you build your skills, apply them.  You’ll be surprised how much easier public speaking can be once you acquire the right skills.


Would you like to become a better speaker? Would you like to overcome any speaking anxiety you may have?
My free video training shows you how to overcome speaking anxiety and is packed with presentation tips. Go to:

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