Advanced Presentation Skills

1. Know what your purpose in giving this presentation is – in 10 words!
•    To inform? 
•    To instruct? 
•    To entertain?
•    To inspire or motivate? 
•    To activate?
•    To persuade?

2. Understand the focus of your audience
•    Prepare carefully, so that your listeners know that you have considered them and their needs/interests
•    Make the audience want to listen to you; devise an intriguing opening and a title that you know will fit the audience
•    Present your ideas dramatically; use stories, examples and facts to make people remember what you say
•    Show clearly how your ideas affect the people in your audience and what the benefits are. Bridge the gap between the facts and their interest in those facts
•    Use appealing words: discovery, easy, guarantee, health, love, money, proven, results, safety, save, you
•    Draw people in by asking them to study or think about these ideas further. Use phrases such as: Just imagine …, If you think about…, For example …, etc.
•    Ask the audience to act on your presentation; what should the next steps be?

3. Decide on a structure and stick to it
Take charge of your presentation from the outset and be responsible for organising and leading your session. A clear structure shows confidence, helps you to remember what you will say, and makes it easy for the audience to follow your points.

Choose one of the following:

In sequence
Present the information as a sequence or process. This could be a chronological sequence if that is appropriate to your topic.

Problem and solution
This can be used to encourage people to take action.
•    Where we are now: symptoms of the problem
•    Analysis of the problems (where, why, how)
•    Possible solutions

Contrast and compare
Often this is used to help an audience to evaluate alternatives by examining differences and similarities

In categories
Useful if there is no obvious sequence or process involved. Try and invent interesting categories.
Example: Walking for the unfit; Walking for seniors; Walking for adventurers
Remember that less is more. If you can make your most important points stick in the minds of your listeners, you have done a good job. If you overwhelm them with detail, they may switch off – they certainly won’t remember it all.

4. Sound and look confident
When we’re nervous we speak more quickly than usual. In fact, you need to slow right down to give your listeners time to hear and take in what you say.

Speaking more slowly will make you sound immediately more confident and in control.

If you give your first and last sentences high impact, your energy will take your audience with you.

Use words that your audience will understand – they may not have the technical knowledge to follow all you say; how will this make them feel?

You may have your favourite relaxation techniques; if so, take time out to use them. It will pay dividends. Here is one we like – the trick is to keep breathing!

Look confident – feel confident
•    Stand in a neutral position, feet hips’ width apart, knees slightly bent.
•    Distribute your weight evenly; feel the solid ground under your feet
•    Let your shoulder blades drop; let your head sit easily without tension

To loosen up neck and shoulders
•    Breathe in and lift your shoulders to your ears. Hold your breath and count 5
•    Relax your shoulders and let go of the breath at the same time.
•    Now lift and hold again; let go in 2 stages…
•    Then in 3 stages…
•    Then in 4 stages…
•    Keep checking your shoulders to make sure they’re relaxed.

Breathe into your diaphragm
•    Empty the air right out so you feel completely empty.
•    Hold it like that for 5
•    Then breathe in “through your feet”; feel the air filling your body from the floor up.

Speak out
•    Once you’re loosened up, stretch and yawn like a cat.
•    Feel your voice resonate through your whole body to open your mouth, throat, and lungs.
•    Now sigh hugely with relief!

5. Answer questions confidently

When you are asked a question, take a few seconds to think:

What is the questioner asking for?
•    Reassurance?
•    More information?
•    Clarification?

This is an opportunity to provide something extra.
If you really don’t know the answer, stay calm, and tell the person you will come back to them and when.
Then do it.