Many times, we are called upon to make a public presentation to a group of reporters, to the general public or a specialized audience. Each presentation's objectives are different, but there are certain common traits that run through them:
Be prepared:
- Know your audience well
- What do they want to know from you?
- Clarify your goals
- Research well
Designing the slides …
- Present only the key points and issues
- Use short sentences
- keep only 3 to 5 points per slide
- Add charts and graphics were useful
- Keep distractions and animations to a minimum
Add Spice to your Presentation ...
- Talk with anecdotes and examples
- Make references to real situations and people
- Use statistics to gain attention
- Use visual aids where necessary
Doing the talking ...
- Prepare the speech first.
- Cull the pile.
- Simplify.
- Be creative.
- Slow down.
- Eyes front.
Practice, practice, practice …
Prepare an outline - what will you speak on, what needs to be emphasized …
- Have I achieved my goals?
- Are all my points relevant?
- Can I cut?
And a final word ...
- Before speaking: Think about your first impression—your clothing, actions, and message.
- While speaking: Find common ground with your audience and get feedback. Don’t censor yourself; be animated.
- Use humour: Refrain from making judgments about your audience.
- After speaking (responding to audience questions): Look for clues to other people’s moods—and to their hidden agenda. Listen for points of agreement and verbalize them.
- Listen for results: don’t oversell your ideas.
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