Photo by Lynn Lukiyanova on Unsplash
Do you become a bundle of nerves when you know you need to make a presentation? In this post, we share some tips to help you make your next presentation your most powerful presentation yet.
If you own a business, you are likely to find yourself making presentations before investors or your peers. However, if public speaking isn’t your forte, there is nothing like a looming presentation to shake up those nerves. That’s because you know that everything about you, from your clothes to the content of your project, will be under scrutiny.
Your presentation could be the vehicle that launches you into stardom at your company. It might be the bait that hooks the big “whale” of a client for your firm. In fact, it can be just what your fledgling startup company needs to attract investors who want to play a role in the growth of your business.
Therefore, if you have an upcoming presentation, the worst thing that you can do is leave its results to chance. Proper preparation is paramount. Continue reading to get tips to make your presentation a true reflection of your talent and potential.
Prepare Diligently for Your Presentation
Have you ever had that dream where you show up to work only to realize that you forgot to get dressed before leaving the house? Hopefully, the closest thing you will feel to being nude at work in real life is showing up for a presentation without having put in enough effort. It will indeed leave you feeling naked as you try to engage peers who can see through your lack of preparation.
Therefore, practice your presentation before the mirror. As a matter of fact, practice it just the way you intend to deliver it when it’s time to do the real thing. Also, picture yourself being in the setting where you will be as you practice. In this way, you can get a feel for the space that you will have to work with. In addition, practice being as mindful of your body language as you are of your words.
When you feel like you have your presentation down pat, deliver it in front of a brutally honest family member or friend. And don’t fear constructive criticism. Use it to your advantage to bring out your absolute best.
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Organize Ancillary Materials
Every part of your presentation needs to run fluidly. If it comes off as disjointed, your audience will quickly become lost and lose interest. Therefore, your PowerPoint slides and any materials you pass out all need to accentuate what you have to say without drowning out your voice.
Further, you need to grab the attention of your audience right away. At times, passing out pamphlets full of numbers and jargon can send people off into daydreams.
Mines Press Online Printing can help you organize your materials, and they can also help to make them attention-grabbing. You will find that when it comes to making your visual aids engaging, a little decor can go a long way.
Keep Your Audience’s Attention
When giving a presentation, no feeling is quite like the one you’ll get from knowing your audience is eating out of your hand. Even if you’re a person who shies away from attention, you can get the crowd engaged and completely control the atmosphere.
One way to make sure you have all eyes on you and attention on your presentation is to make bold statements. For shock value, you want to put special emphasis on the most striking facts of your presentation. Therefore, start by saying something outlandish. Then support it with facts.
Additionally, engage your audience by asking them questions and providing them with opportunities to offer input. Even though you have your own conclusions, asking questions will give your audience the sense that you’re reaching those conclusions together.
Also, you want to be ready for any questions that audience members may ask of you during your presentation. To be ready for those questions, put yourself in the mind of someone who is witnessing your presentation and imagine the questions they might raise. Think also of tough questions that detractors might ask, and come up with answers for those.
Make Your Next Presentation Your Best Yet
The next time you need to give a presentation, refer to the tips in this post to make it your most interesting and powerful presentation yet.
