Write down the main points
Write down the main points of your speech, but try not to read from it. If you have written it down - if you dry up, you will beable to pick it back up again
Passion is the key
When you speak -try to speak with passion and enthusiasm. If you speak passionately it will make up for many other shortcomings. Your enthusiasm should be contagious.
Use pauses
Pause - the power of pausing in a presentation can be very profound. It will also give you a chance to catch your breath. Audience will eagerly wait for your next point. Their anticipation can be leveraged for maximum impact.
Don't leave it to the last minute
Don't leave it to the very last minute to work on your presentation. When you know you have to give a presentation - make sure that you leave yourself real time to present - and this is more than half a day the night before. You will be standing up in front of a lot of people - you want to to go well. Plan at least 8 hours over the week before.
Prepare the room in advance
Make sure that you have spent time in the presentation room before your presentation. get to know the room and run through your slides beforehand to ensure that everything is working smoothly. Always doubte check and triple check the equipments like computer, projector, audio system etc. It is wise to remember the Murphy's law "If anything can go wrong, it will". I have personal experience of this. I never leave anything to chance.
Always leave handouts.
You have gone to a lot of effort to produce your presentation. Leaving handouts will reinforce your messages, and will help them to remember your presentation when they look at them again. Always include your contact details so that the audience can contact you. It will also ensure that the audience has something tangible with them which is very important as the presentation is essentially intangible in nature.
Be natural
Be natural. Do not try to be what you are not. If humour doesnt come to you naturally, do not even try. Let your personality come out during the speech. You will be more comfortable.
If you fail to prepare, you prepare to fail.
This is one of the biggest mistakes I see. People think that they can just walk in and start speaking. But in reality those who appear to be speaking extempore are often very well prepared.
It takes more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech.
Off the cuff should mean well planned. Professional speakers plan meticulously. So should you.
Grab any opportunity that you get to make a presentation or speech
Giving a presentation or making a speech requires special skills. These skills have to be developed like any other soft skills. The best way to do is to make as many presentations and speeches as possible. Skills have to be honed to perfection. Remember! It takes hard work over a period of 3-4 years to become a good speaker.
- Adapted from web
