Stage glory will not be for those who are afraid of the light. Are you confident in your presentation skills in front of colleagues, superiors, and clients?
Many people say that they are afraid of standing in front of crowds. Anyone wants to be a master of the situation in their presentation. So how to be calm and confident in the presentation? The information below is what you are looking for. Let's check it out!
1. Prepare carefully
Presentation skills are crucial ones that everyone needs to practice. For the presentation to be effective, you must carefully prepare the slides and outline the presentation. Creating presentation slides not only stops at creating effects and inserting text, but you also apply many ways to make the presentation highly effective. You should insert music and integrate related videos to make your presentation more attractive.
You can refer to some suggestions below to improve your presentation skills and prepare well for your presentation:
- Choose a sans serif font (a sans serif font helps viewers read faster and more focused)
- Apply font size from 24 - 28
- Do not insert too many words on a slide
- Choose the same design theme
- Choose a dominant color, a contrasting color
Prepare carefully for the presentation
2. Rehearse your presentation
Rehearsing is always essential to creating a successful presentation. You can practice on your own in front of a mirror, record your voice, or record a video of your presentation. Then, self-assess and edit according to the presentation requirements.
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3. Start with an impressive greeting
" A polite greeting is better than a good meal", so don't forget to say hello to the listeners. Sending an opening salutation also helps focus your audience's attention, and a closing salutation will give you the round of applause that stirs up the presentation. A polite greeting before the start and a thank you at the end of the presentation will make a better impression on the people who spend the time following your presentation.
4. Speak naturally, don't depend on the script too much
We often prepare the presentation content and memorize it while practicing. This method seems to be effective, but it is easy to make you fall into a learning by rote situation and you will back into a corner if you miss an idea or a piece of certain information.
Preparing the content in advance is essential, but take note of the main ideas and practice speaking according to them. When you understand what you need to say and the order of that content in the presentation, it will be easier for you to remember.
Bring a keynote note instead of holding the script. From the main idea in each section, analyze the specific idea in it. It is not necessary to say each word exactly as in the script, but present it as if you are sharing an interesting issue.
Speak naturally based on the main ideas
5. Add a little humor or interesting story to your presentation
Getting to the point plus smart humor will be a big plus in your presentation. You can integrate some stories related to the presentation content to make it more lively.
People are often attracted and easily empathetic by vivid, meaningful, and interesting stories. And if you arouse the curiosity of your listeners through your story, they will want to continue listening to you.
6. Use your body languages
Body language, also known as nonverbal communication, will make your presentation skills more natural and attractive. Flexible hand gestures or a nod when speaking also help you feel more confident and control your body state during the presentation. Or using eye contact with the listener will help you create an effective connection with the people who are listening to you.
However, you should also not overuse body language as it can "distract" your words, even annoy the listener.
7. Understand listeners
If the crowd is your big obsession, make them familiar to reduce feelings of alienation and overwhelming. This is not meeting and getting to know each other one by one, but getting to know them before the presentation so that you can get to know each other better.
You always need to know who is listening to you. They may be your superiors, colleagues, customers, or partners. Find out who they are, what they want to hear, and what problem they are trying to solve. Even if you don't meet the audience until the day of the presentation, you should find out in advance to get a sense of belonging to interact with them easily.
Understanding your audience is essential
8. Interact with your audience
Don't look at the wall, the floor or the ceiling because there's nothing more noticeable than the eyes on you. When giving a presentation, you should look directly at the audience to show your respect to them and demonstrate your professionalism and confidence.
Very few listeners pay attention and listen to the entire presentation. If the presentation is not interactive or does not create a sense of attention for the audience, it is a major failure of the presenter.
A famous speaker like Le Tham Duong has his way of interacting with the audience while giving speeches. Le Tham Duong is known as a "million-view doctor" because his programs always attract a large number of views. With his wit and humor, he not only created a lively lecture but also inspired many young people. In his presentation, he asked entertaining and tough questions. That is one of the differentiating factors creating a "million-view" Dr. Le Tham Duong.
9. Be confident
To be more confident when giving a presentation, you need to strike a balance between content and attitude to get the most out of it. Back to presentation preparation, you must make sure you've thoroughly researched the topic and have all the information you need to deliver a professional presentation. Confidence and flexibility during presentations are powerful weapons for your success.
10. Become an 'artist' on your own 'stage'
A successful presentation is when the audience acquires the knowledge you present. To do that and to stand on your own stage, there is no other way but to try to practice every day.
Mai Nguyen Hoang Nam - CEO of VTALK Academy commented that "Reading 100 good books can make you an expert in the industry, but giving presentations requires practice".
Be confident to control your own stage
When you practice your presentation skills, the stage is yours, it's waiting for you to shine. And it's never too late for you to study hard to better yourself. Hopefully, the above article by Navigos Search - Vietnam's leading headhunter company has brought handy information about presentation skills!
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