Introduction

Giving presentation is itself an art considering the fact that it takes most attention to details while its preparation. Only an effective presentation can crave an audience attention and can deliver what the presentation is trying to communicate. Whether you are an experienced one, or just lingering your way out as beginner, you must go through certain guidelines, although not compulsory, to give an effective presentation.

This lesson will guide you how to give an effective presentation

Show your passion and connect with your audience.

But time and again, the great presenters say that the most important thing is to connect with your audience, and the best way to do that is to let your passion for the subject shine through. Be honest with the audience about what is important to you and why it matters. Be enthusiastic and honest, and the audience will respond.

Focus on your Audience’s Needs

As you prepare the presentation, you always need to bear in mind what the audience needs and wants to know, not what you can tell them. While you’re giving the presentation, you also need to remain focused on your audience’s response, and react to that. You need to make it easy for your audience to understand and respond.

Keep it Simple: Concentrate on your Core Message

You should be able to communicate that key message very briefly.

Some experts recommend a 30-second ‘elevator summary’, others that you can write it on the back of a business card, or say it in no more than 15 words. Whichever rule you choose, the important thing is to keep your core message focused and brief. And if what you are planning to say doesn’t contribute to that core message, don’t say it.

Smile and Make Eye Contact with your Audience

If you smile and make eye contact, you are building rapport, which helps the audience to connect with you and your subject. It also helps you to feel less nervous, because you are talking to individuals, not to a great mass of unknown people.

To help you with this, make sure that you don’t turn down all the lights so that only the slide screen is visible. Your audience needs to see you as well as your slides.

Start Strongly

They will give you a few minutes’ grace in which to entertain them, before they start to switch off if you’re dull. So don’t waste that on explaining who you are. Start by entertaining them.

Try a story, or an attention-grabbing (but useful) image on a slide.

Remember the 10-20-30 Rule for Slideshows

Follow the simple rule:

a) Contain no more than 10 slides;

b) Last no more than 20 minutes; and

c) Use a font size of no less than 30 point.

Tell Stories

Stories help us to pay attention, and also to remember things. If you can use stories in your presentation, your audience is more likely to engage and to remember your points afterwards. It is a good idea to start with a story, but there is a wider point too: you need your presentation to act like a story.

Think about what story you are trying to tell your audience, and create your presentation to tell it.

Use your Voice Effectively

The spoken word is actually a pretty inefficient means of communication, because it uses only one of your audience’s five senses. That’s why presenters tend to use visual aids, too. But you can help to make the spoken word better by using your voice effectively.

Varying the speed at which you talk, and emphasizing changes in pitch and tone all help to make your voice more interesting and hold your audience’s attention.

Use your Body Too

That means that as well as your tone of voice, your body language is crucial to getting your message across. Make sure that you are giving the right messages: body language to avoid includes crossed arms, hands held behind your back or in your pockets, and pacing the stage.

Make your gestures open and confident, and move naturally around the stage, and among the audience too, if possible.

Relax, Breathe and Enjoy

If you can bring yourself to relax, you will almost certainly present better. If you can actually start to enjoy yourself, your audience will respond to that, and engage better. Your presentations will improve exponentially, and so will your confidence. It’s well worth a try.

So, here were the simple guidelines to follow. What are your thoughts about it? Don’t forget to reopin. Cheers!!