Public speaking can be very traumatic for some. I know that whenever I get up in front of a very large crowd, I go through a brief panic moment. It takes a lot of discipline, practice and preparation to get through those moments of uncertainty and provide a good presentation. In business, ineffective presentations can result in customers who don’t get the point, risking the ability for them to retain what you’ve said. When you are giving a presentation, there are many things that are in your control that can make your presentation go well or go terribly wrong. Here is a quick checklist of items to help ensure you maximize your ability to get it right!- I know a lot about the audience and their needs and I have tailored my presentation to those needs.
- My material is organized into 3-5 main points.
- I will start and finish my presentation with a point that grabs attention.
- I am highlighting a major point every 5 minutes.
- I have a simple one line message of the presentation I am repeating over and over every 10-15 minutes.
- My message has a tie in to the job or real world.
- My summary contains a phrase such as “to wrap it up, or in conclusion.”
- My video is large enough to be seen throughout the room.
- I have tested the equipment and have a back-up plan.
- My talking points are large and simple.
- I am enthusiastic about the topic. I will convey energy.
- I will use great eye contact.
- I plan to arrive early to make necessary adjustments to the room.
- I know how to shrink/expand my presentation if needed.
- I am filling my head with positive thoughts.
- I am practicing deep breathing, to rid nervousness.
- I have rehearsed several times, using notes and visuals.
- I am thinking about my audience more than myself
- I have thought about the 20 questions I am most likely to be asked.
- I am looking forward to the presentation.
Here are some of the mistakes that presenters should avoid:
Monotone Voice: Monotonous voice challenges the audience to listen and all that effort usually results in them falling asleep.
Reading and Being Boring: Unfortunately, presentations already have a reputation as being boring, so you have work to do. If you plan to read from the slides, or read from the notes, you can be sure your presentation will be rated at “boring.”
“Uh” and “Um” syndrome: These two words are described as “fillers” or “vocal garbage” when used while speaking to a group. Using these two words constantly throughout your presentation will drive your audience to insanity.
Nervous Habits: Few things strike more fear in people’s hearts than standing in front of a large crowd and making a presentation. When we’re nervous, some of our worst habits rise to the surface. Playing with your pen, dancing your fingers, quick speaking, all of which are no-no’s.
Speaking Too Long: Rambling on with point after point makes it that much harder for the audience to focus what are the important ones are, and which are supporting material. Give your audience a moment to think rather than providing a constant stream or flow of material.
Make a list of your nervous symptoms. For most of them, there is a way to lessen the problem. Attack your symptoms rather than letting them attack you.
4 Comments
Solid article, although I’m surprised you didn’t mention the one mistake that I see nervous presentators make all the time… speaking too quickly and flying through the presentation. I find intentionally inserting gaps in a presentation to give the audience time to catch up and process information is an effective tool.
Another way to ensure success is to subject yourself to a “murder-board” with some folks you trust to give you honest feedback. This helps pinpoints gaps in the presentation that can be filled prior to going prime-time as it where.
Thanks for your comment. I am glad you brought up the “murder board” point. I was just involved in an Offsite where they did a murder board on a presentation. It was very effective. I think this is a valid and very important process that many have never considered.
You are right about people rushing through presentations because they are nervous and often forget some of their major points within the presentation, which causes a quick delivery. This has a domino effect, because if you forget some of the important details, your audience often misses the point. Listeners will tune out a speaker if they dont make the listening comfortable. It is the speakers job to make it easy to be comfortable. So inserting gaps is one way of slowing down, and I think it also comes from practice and your own awareness of this mistake helps you not make it again. Like you mentioned, the pauses will give your listeners a chance to digest the info.
Looking people in the eye when speaking slows you down too because you can get feedback from your listener. You can judge whether or not they are understanding what you are saying. The key is to keep eye contact with the listener for 3 -5 seconds before transferring your eye contact to another member. This allows you to have mini conversations with each member…This definate helps in the speed factor.
Thanks again for your comments, you made great points.
Plan for time. 5 minutes per slide with questions.
Thanks for the comment. It is very important to plan ahead. Remember that the actual presentation usually will take a little longer than your practice rounds or estimation. Allowing that time for audience participation and questions is essential as you mentioned. You can also write down some approximate time guidelines in the margins of your notes. Always plan out what you will do if you need to fill up some additional time, but dont worry about ending early. Alot of people put a watch near their notes pages. This allows you to stay on track without folks seeing you constantly glancing at your watch.
Thanks again for your comment. Planning 5 minutes per slide is great advice!
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