- Presentation Skills
- Skills & Tools
Presentation skills can be defined as a set of abilities that enable an individual to: interact with the audience; transmit the messages with clarity; engage the audience in the presentation; and interpret and understand the mindsets of the listeners. These skills refine the way you put forward your messages and enhance your persuasive powers.
The present era places great emphasis on good presentation skills. This is because they play an important role in convincing the clients and customers. Internally, management with good presentation skills is better able to communicate the mission and vision of the organization to the employees.
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Importance of Presentation Skills
Interaction with others is a routine job of businesses in today’s world. The importance of good presentation skills is established on the basis of following points:
- They help an individual in enhancing his own growth opportunities. In addition, it also grooms the personality of the presenter and elevates his levels of confidence.
- In case of striking deals and gaining clients, it is essential for the business professionals to understand the audience. Good presentation skills enable an individual to mold his message according to the traits of the audience. This increases the probability of successful transmission of messages.
- Lastly, business professionals have to arrange seminars and give presentations almost every day. Having good presentation skills not only increases an individual’s chances of success, but also enable him to add greatly to the organization.
How to Improve Presentation Skills
Development of good presentation skills requires efforts and hard work. To improve your presentation skills, you must:
- Research the Audience before Presenting: This will enable you to better understand the traits of the audience. You can then develop messages that can be better understood by your target audience. For instance, in case of an analytical audience, you can add more facts and figures in your presentation.
- Structure your Presentation Effectively: The best way to do this is to start with telling the audience, in the introduction, what you are going to present. Follow this by presenting the idea, and finish off the presentation by repeating the main points.
- Do a lot of Practice: Rehearse but do not go for memorizing the presentation. Rehearsals reduce your anxiety and enable you to look confident on the presentation day. Make sure you practice out loud, as it enables you to identify and eliminate errors more efficiently. Do not memorize anything as it will make your presentation look mechanical. This can reduce the degree of audience engagement.
- Take a Workshop: Most medium and large businesses allow their employees to take employee development courses and workshops, as well-trained employees are essential to the success of any company. You can use that opportunity to take a workshop on professional presentation skills such as those offered by Langevin Learning Services , which are useful for all business professionals, from employees to business trainers and managers.
Job profiles that require this skill
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What It Takes to Give a Great Presentation
- Carmine Gallo
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Five tips to set yourself apart.
Never underestimate the power of great communication. It can help you land the job of your dreams, attract investors to back your idea, or elevate your stature within your organization. But while there are plenty of good speakers in the world, you can set yourself apart out by being the person who can deliver something great over and over. Here are a few tips for business professionals who want to move from being good speakers to great ones: be concise (the fewer words, the better); never use bullet points (photos and images paired together are more memorable); don’t underestimate the power of your voice (raise and lower it for emphasis); give your audience something extra (unexpected moments will grab their attention); rehearse (the best speakers are the best because they practice — a lot).
I was sitting across the table from a Silicon Valley CEO who had pioneered a technology that touches many of our lives — the flash memory that stores data on smartphones, digital cameras, and computers. He was a frequent guest on CNBC and had been delivering business presentations for at least 20 years before we met. And yet, the CEO wanted to sharpen his public speaking skills.
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- Carmine Gallo is a Harvard University instructor, keynote speaker, and author of 10 books translated into 40 languages. Gallo is the author of The Bezos Blueprint: Communication Secrets of the World’s Greatest Salesman (St. Martin’s Press).
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6 presentation skills and how to improve them
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What are presentation skills?
The importance of presentation skills, 6 presentation skills examples, how to improve presentation skills.
Tips for dealing with presentation anxiety
Learn how to captivate an audience with ease
Capturing an audience’s attention takes practice.
Over time, great presenters learn how to organize their speeches and captivate an audience from start to finish. They spark curiosity, know how to read a room , and understand what their audience needs to walk away feeling like they learned something valuable.
Regardless of your profession, you most likely use presentation skills on a monthly or even weekly basis. Maybe you lead brainstorming sessions or host client calls.
Developing effective presentation skills makes it easier to contribute ideas with confidence and show others you’re someone to trust. Although speaking in front of a crowd sometimes brings nerves and anxiety , it also sparks new opportunities.
Presentation skills are the qualities and abilities you need to communicate ideas effectively and deliver a compelling speech. They influence how you structure a presentation and how an audience receives it. Understanding body language , creating impactful visual aids, and projecting your voice all fall under this umbrella.
A great presentation depends on more than what you say. It’s about how you say it. Storytelling , stage presence, and voice projection all shape how well you express your ideas and connect with the audience. These skills do take practice, but they’re worth developing — especially if public speaking makes you nervous.
Engaging a crowd isn’t easy. You may feel anxious to step in front of an audience and have all eyes and ears on you.
But feeling that anxiety doesn’t mean your ideas aren’t worth sharing. Whether you’re giving an inspiring speech or delivering a monthly recap at work, your audience is there to listen to you. Harness that nervous energy and turn it into progress.
Strong presentation skills make it easier to convey your thoughts to audiences of all sizes. They can help you tell a compelling story, convince people of a pitch , or teach a group something entirely new to them. And when it comes to the workplace, the strength of your presentation skills could play a part in getting a promotion or contributing to a new initiative.
To fully understand the impact these skills have on creating a successful presentation, it’s helpful to look at each one individually. Here are six valuable skills you can develop:
1. Active listening
Active listening is an excellent communication skill for any professional to hone. When you have strong active listening skills, you can listen to others effectively and observe their nonverbal cues . This helps you assess whether or not your audience members are engaged in and understand what you’re sharing.
Great public speakers use active listening to assess the audience’s reactions and adjust their speech if they find it lacks impact. Signs like slouching, negative facial expressions, and roaming eye contact are all signs to watch out for when giving a presentation.
2. Body language
If you’re researching presentation skills, chances are you’ve already watched a few notable speeches like TED Talks or industry seminars. And one thing you probably noticed is that speakers can capture attention with their body language.
A mixture of eye contact, hand gestures , and purposeful pacing makes a presentation more interesting and engaging. If you stand in one spot and don’t move your body, the audience might zone out.
![what is individual presentation in communication two-women-talking-happily-on-radio-presentation-skills](https://www.betterup.com/hs-fs/hubfs/two-women-talking-happily-on-radio-presentation-skills.jpg?width=1280&height=853&name=two-women-talking-happily-on-radio-presentation-skills.jpg)
3. Stage presence
A great stage presence looks different for everyone. A comedian might aim for more movement and excitement, and a conference speaker might focus their energy on the content of their speech. Although neither is better than the other, both understand their strengths and their audience’s needs.
Developing a stage presence involves finding your own unique communication style . Lean into your strengths, whether that’s adding an injection of humor or asking questions to make it interactive . To give a great presentation, you might even incorporate relevant props or presentation slides.
4. Storytelling
According to Forbes, audiences typically pay attention for about 10 minutes before tuning out . But you can lengthen their attention span by offering a presentation that interests them for longer. Include a narrative they’ll want to listen to, and tell a story as you go along.
Shaping your content to follow a clear narrative can spark your audience’s curiosity and entice them to pay careful attention. You can use anecdotes from your personal or professional life that take your audience along through relevant moments. If you’re pitching a product, you can start with a problem and lead your audience through the stages of how your product provides a solution.
5. Voice projection
Although this skill may be obvious, you need your audience to hear what you’re saying. This can be challenging if you’re naturally soft-spoken and struggle to project your voice.
Remember to straighten your posture and take deep breaths before speaking, which will help you speak louder and fill the room. If you’re talking into a microphone or participating in a virtual meeting, you can use your regular conversational voice, but you still want to sound confident and self-assured with a strong tone.
If you’re unsure whether everyone can hear you, you can always ask the audience at the beginning of your speech and wait for confirmation. That way, they won’t have to potentially interrupt you later.
Ensuring everyone can hear you also includes your speed and annunciation. It’s easy to speak quickly when nervous, but try to slow down and pronounce every word. Mumbling can make your presentation difficult to understand and pay attention to.
![what is individual presentation in communication microphone-presentation-skills](https://www.betterup.com/hs-fs/hubfs/microphone-presentation-skills.jpg?width=1279&height=853&name=microphone-presentation-skills.jpg)
6. Verbal communication
Although verbal communication involves your projection and tone, it also covers the language and pacing you use to get your point across. This includes where you choose to place pauses in your speech or the tone you use to emphasize important ideas.
If you’re giving a presentation on collaboration in the workplace , you might start your speech by saying, “There’s something every workplace needs to succeed: teamwork.” By placing emphasis on the word “ teamwork ,” you give your audience a hint on what ideas will follow.
To further connect with your audience through diction, pay careful attention to who you’re speaking to. The way you talk to your colleagues might be different from how you speak to a group of superiors, even if you’re discussing the same subject. You might use more humor and a conversational tone for the former and more serious, formal diction for the latter.
Everyone has strengths and weaknesses when it comes to presenting. Maybe you’re confident in your use of body language, but your voice projection needs work. Maybe you’re a great storyteller in small group settings, but need to work on your stage presence in front of larger crowds.
The first step to improving presentation skills is pinpointing your gaps and determining which qualities to build upon first. Here are four tips for enhancing your presentation skills:
1. Build self-confidence
Confident people know how to speak with authority and share their ideas. Although feeling good about your presentation skills is easier said than done, building confidence is key to helping your audience believe in what you’re saying. Try practicing positive self-talk and continuously researching your topic's ins and outs.
If you don’t feel confident on the inside, fake it until you make it. Stand up straight, project your voice, and try your best to appear engaged and excited. Chances are, the audience doesn’t know you’re unsure of your skills — and they don’t need to.
Another tip is to lean into your slideshow, if you’re using one. Create something colorful and interesting so the audience’s eyes fall there instead of on you. And when you feel proud of your slideshow, you’ll be more eager to share it with others, bringing more energy to your presentation.
2. Watch other presentations
Developing the soft skills necessary for a good presentation can be challenging without seeing them in action. Watch as many as possible to become more familiar with public speaking skills and what makes a great presentation. You could attend events with keynote speakers or view past speeches on similar topics online.
Take a close look at how those presenters use verbal communication and body language to engage their audiences. Grab a notebook and jot down what you enjoyed and your main takeaways. Try to recall the techniques they used to emphasize their main points, whether they used pauses effectively, had interesting visual aids, or told a fascinating story.
![what is individual presentation in communication woman-looking-at-video-from-tablet-while-cooking-dinner-presentation-skills](https://www.betterup.com/hs-fs/hubfs/woman-looking-at-video-from-tablet-while-cooking-dinner-presentation-skills.jpg?width=1280&height=853&name=woman-looking-at-video-from-tablet-while-cooking-dinner-presentation-skills.jpg)
3. Get in front of a crowd
You don’t need a large auditorium to practice public speaking. There are dozens of other ways to feel confident and develop good presentation skills.
If you’re a natural comedian, consider joining a small stand-up comedy club. If you’re an avid writer, participate in a public poetry reading. Even music and acting can help you feel more comfortable in front of a crowd.
If you’d rather keep it professional, you can still work on your presentation skills in the office. Challenge yourself to participate at least once in every team meeting, or plan and present a project to become more comfortable vocalizing your ideas. You could also speak to your manager about opportunities that flex your public speaking abilities.
4. Overcome fear
Many people experience feelings of fear before presenting in front of an audience, whether those feelings appear as a few butterflies or more severe anxiety. Try grounding yourself to shift your focus to the present moment. If you’re stuck dwelling on previous experiences that didn’t go well, use those mistakes as learning experiences and focus on what you can improve to do better in the future.
Tips for dealing with presentation anxiety
It’s normal to feel nervous when sharing your ideas. In fact, according to a report from the Journal of Graduate Medical Education, public speaking anxiety is prevalent in 15–30% of the general population .
Even though having a fear of public speaking is common, it doesn’t make it easier. You might feel overwhelmed, become stiff, and forget what you were going to say. But although the moment might scare you, there are ways to overcome the fear and put mind over matter.
Use these tactics to reduce your stress when you have to make a presentation:
1. Practice breathing techniques
If you experience anxiety often, you’re probably familiar with breathing techniques for stress relief . Incorporating these exercises into your daily routine can help you stop worrying and regulate anxious feelings.
Before a big presentation, take a moment alone to practice breathing techniques, ground yourself, and reduce tension. It’s also a good idea to take breaths throughout the presentation to speak slower and calm yourself down .
2. Get organized
The more organized you are, the more prepared you’ll feel. Carefully outline all of the critical information you want to use in your presentation, including your main talking points and visual aids, so you don’t forget anything. Use bullet points and visuals on each slide to remind you of what you want to talk about, and create handheld notes to help you stay on track.
3. Embrace moments of silence
It’s okay to lose your train of thought. It happens to even the most experienced public speakers once in a while. If your mind goes blank, don’t panic. Take a moment to breathe, gather your thoughts, and refer to your notes to see where you left off. You can drink some water or make a quick joke to ease the silence or regain your footing. And it’s okay to say, “Give me a moment while I find my notes.” Chances are, people understand the position you’re in.
![what is individual presentation in communication men-giving-conference-sitting-on-a-chair-with-microphone-presentation-skills](https://www.betterup.com/hs-fs/hubfs/men-giving-conference-sitting-on-a-chair-with-microphone-presentation-skills.jpg?width=1279&height=853&name=men-giving-conference-sitting-on-a-chair-with-microphone-presentation-skills.jpg)
4. Practice makes progress
Before presenting, rehearse in front of friends and family members you trust. This gives you the chance to work out any weak spots in your speech and become comfortable communicating out loud. If you want to go the extra mile, ask your makeshift audience to ask a surprise question. This tests your on-the-spot thinking and will prove that you can keep cool when things come up.
Whether you’re new to public speaking or are a seasoned presenter, you’re bound to make a few slip-ups. It happens to everyone. The most important thing is that you try your best, brush things off, and work on improving your skills to do better in your next presentation.
Although your job may require a different level of public speaking than your favorite TED Talk , developing presentation skills is handy in any profession. You can use presentation skills in a wide range of tasks in the workplace, whether you’re sharing your ideas with colleagues, expressing concerns to higher-ups, or pitching strategies to potential clients.
Remember to use active listening to read the room and engage your audience with an interesting narrative. Don’t forget to step outside your comfort zone once in a while and put your skills to practice in front of a crowd. After facing your fears, you’ll feel confident enough to put presentation skills on your resume.
If you’re trying to build your skills and become a better employee overall, try a communications coach with BetterUp.
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Elizabeth Perry is a Coach Community Manager at BetterUp. She uses strategic engagement strategies to cultivate a learning community across a global network of Coaches through in-person and virtual experiences, technology-enabled platforms, and strategic coaching industry partnerships. With over 3 years of coaching experience and a certification in transformative leadership and life coaching from Sofia University, Elizabeth leverages transpersonal psychology expertise to help coaches and clients gain awareness of their behavioral and thought patterns, discover their purpose and passions, and elevate their potential. She is a lifelong student of psychology, personal growth, and human potential as well as an ICF-certified ACC transpersonal life and leadership Coach.
8 tips to improve your public speaking skills
The significance of written communication in the workplace, what is an entrepreneur understanding the different types and examples of entrepreneurship, the 11 tips that will improve your public speaking skills, get smart about your goals at work and start seeing results, 9 signs that you’re being pushed out of your job, goal-setting theory: why it’s important, and how to use it at work, the importance of good speech: 5 tips to be more articulate, empathic listening: what it is and how to use it, how to write a speech that your audience remembers, impression management: developing your self-presentation skills, 30 presentation feedback examples, your guide to what storytelling is and how to be a good storyteller, how to give a good presentation that captivates any audience, 8 clever hooks for presentations (with tips), how to make a presentation interactive and exciting, stay connected with betterup, get our newsletter, event invites, plus product insights and research..
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How to Structure your Presentation, with Examples
August 3, 2018 - Dom Barnard
For many people the thought of delivering a presentation is a daunting task and brings about a great deal of nerves . However, if you take some time to understand how effective presentations are structured and then apply this structure to your own presentation, you’ll appear much more confident and relaxed.
Here is our complete guide for structuring your presentation, with examples at the end of the article to demonstrate these points.
Why is structuring a presentation so important?
If you’ve ever sat through a great presentation, you’ll have left feeling either inspired or informed on a given topic. This isn’t because the speaker was the most knowledgeable or motivating person in the world. Instead, it’s because they know how to structure presentations – they have crafted their message in a logical and simple way that has allowed the audience can keep up with them and take away key messages.
Research has supported this, with studies showing that audiences retain structured information 40% more accurately than unstructured information.
In fact, not only is structuring a presentation important for the benefit of the audience’s understanding, it’s also important for you as the speaker. A good structure helps you remain calm, stay on topic, and avoid any awkward silences.
What will affect your presentation structure?
Generally speaking, there is a natural flow that any decent presentation will follow which we will go into shortly. However, you should be aware that all presentation structures will be different in their own unique way and this will be due to a number of factors, including:
- Whether you need to deliver any demonstrations
- How knowledgeable the audience already is on the given subject
- How much interaction you want from the audience
- Any time constraints there are for your talk
- What setting you are in
- Your ability to use any kinds of visual assistance
Before choosing the presentation’s structure answer these questions first:
- What is your presentation’s aim?
- Who are the audience?
- What are the main points your audience should remember afterwards?
When reading the points below, think critically about what things may cause your presentation structure to be slightly different. You can add in certain elements and add more focus to certain moments if that works better for your speech.
![what is individual presentation in communication Good presentation structure is important for a presentation](https://vs-static.virtualspeech.com/img/blog/presentation_skills_large_audience.jpg)
What is the typical presentation structure?
This is the usual flow of a presentation, which covers all the vital sections and is a good starting point for yours. It allows your audience to easily follow along and sets out a solid structure you can add your content to.
1. Greet the audience and introduce yourself
Before you start delivering your talk, introduce yourself to the audience and clarify who you are and your relevant expertise. This does not need to be long or incredibly detailed, but will help build an immediate relationship between you and the audience. It gives you the chance to briefly clarify your expertise and why you are worth listening to. This will help establish your ethos so the audience will trust you more and think you’re credible.
Read our tips on How to Start a Presentation Effectively
2. Introduction
In the introduction you need to explain the subject and purpose of your presentation whilst gaining the audience’s interest and confidence. It’s sometimes helpful to think of your introduction as funnel-shaped to help filter down your topic:
- Introduce your general topic
- Explain your topic area
- State the issues/challenges in this area you will be exploring
- State your presentation’s purpose – this is the basis of your presentation so ensure that you provide a statement explaining how the topic will be treated, for example, “I will argue that…” or maybe you will “compare”, “analyse”, “evaluate”, “describe” etc.
- Provide a statement of what you’re hoping the outcome of the presentation will be, for example, “I’m hoping this will be provide you with…”
- Show a preview of the organisation of your presentation
In this section also explain:
- The length of the talk.
- Signal whether you want audience interaction – some presenters prefer the audience to ask questions throughout whereas others allocate a specific section for this.
- If it applies, inform the audience whether to take notes or whether you will be providing handouts.
The way you structure your introduction can depend on the amount of time you have been given to present: a sales pitch may consist of a quick presentation so you may begin with your conclusion and then provide the evidence. Conversely, a speaker presenting their idea for change in the world would be better suited to start with the evidence and then conclude what this means for the audience.
Keep in mind that the main aim of the introduction is to grab the audience’s attention and connect with them.
3. The main body of your talk
The main body of your talk needs to meet the promises you made in the introduction. Depending on the nature of your presentation, clearly segment the different topics you will be discussing, and then work your way through them one at a time – it’s important for everything to be organised logically for the audience to fully understand. There are many different ways to organise your main points, such as, by priority, theme, chronologically etc.
- Main points should be addressed one by one with supporting evidence and examples.
- Before moving on to the next point you should provide a mini-summary.
- Links should be clearly stated between ideas and you must make it clear when you’re moving onto the next point.
- Allow time for people to take relevant notes and stick to the topics you have prepared beforehand rather than straying too far off topic.
When planning your presentation write a list of main points you want to make and ask yourself “What I am telling the audience? What should they understand from this?” refining your answers this way will help you produce clear messages.
4. Conclusion
In presentations the conclusion is frequently underdeveloped and lacks purpose which is a shame as it’s the best place to reinforce your messages. Typically, your presentation has a specific goal – that could be to convert a number of the audience members into customers, lead to a certain number of enquiries to make people knowledgeable on specific key points, or to motivate them towards a shared goal.
Regardless of what that goal is, be sure to summarise your main points and their implications. This clarifies the overall purpose of your talk and reinforces your reason for being there.
Follow these steps:
- Signal that it’s nearly the end of your presentation, for example, “As we wrap up/as we wind down the talk…”
- Restate the topic and purpose of your presentation – “In this speech I wanted to compare…”
- Summarise the main points, including their implications and conclusions
- Indicate what is next/a call to action/a thought-provoking takeaway
- Move on to the last section
5. Thank the audience and invite questions
Conclude your talk by thanking the audience for their time and invite them to ask any questions they may have. As mentioned earlier, personal circumstances will affect the structure of your presentation.
Many presenters prefer to make the Q&A session the key part of their talk and try to speed through the main body of the presentation. This is totally fine, but it is still best to focus on delivering some sort of initial presentation to set the tone and topics for discussion in the Q&A.
![what is individual presentation in communication Questions being asked after a presentation](https://vs-static.virtualspeech.com/img/blog/answering_questions_hands_raised.jpg)
Other common presentation structures
The above was a description of a basic presentation, here are some more specific presentation layouts:
Demonstration
Use the demonstration structure when you have something useful to show. This is usually used when you want to show how a product works. Steve Jobs frequently used this technique in his presentations.
- Explain why the product is valuable.
- Describe why the product is necessary.
- Explain what problems it can solve for the audience.
- Demonstrate the product to support what you’ve been saying.
- Make suggestions of other things it can do to make the audience curious.
Problem-solution
This structure is particularly useful in persuading the audience.
- Briefly frame the issue.
- Go into the issue in detail showing why it ‘s such a problem. Use logos and pathos for this – the logical and emotional appeals.
- Provide the solution and explain why this would also help the audience.
- Call to action – something you want the audience to do which is straightforward and pertinent to the solution.
Storytelling
As well as incorporating stories in your presentation , you can organise your whole presentation as a story. There are lots of different type of story structures you can use – a popular choice is the monomyth – the hero’s journey. In a monomyth, a hero goes on a difficult journey or takes on a challenge – they move from the familiar into the unknown. After facing obstacles and ultimately succeeding the hero returns home, transformed and with newfound wisdom.
Storytelling for Business Success webinar , where well-know storyteller Javier Bernad shares strategies for crafting compelling narratives.
Another popular choice for using a story to structure your presentation is in media ras (in the middle of thing). In this type of story you launch right into the action by providing a snippet/teaser of what’s happening and then you start explaining the events that led to that event. This is engaging because you’re starting your story at the most exciting part which will make the audience curious – they’ll want to know how you got there.
- Great storytelling: Examples from Alibaba Founder, Jack Ma
Remaining method
The remaining method structure is good for situations where you’re presenting your perspective on a controversial topic which has split people’s opinions.
- Go into the issue in detail showing why it’s such a problem – use logos and pathos.
- Rebut your opponents’ solutions – explain why their solutions could be useful because the audience will see this as fair and will therefore think you’re trustworthy, and then explain why you think these solutions are not valid.
- After you’ve presented all the alternatives provide your solution, the remaining solution. This is very persuasive because it looks like the winning idea, especially with the audience believing that you’re fair and trustworthy.
Transitions
When delivering presentations it’s important for your words and ideas to flow so your audience can understand how everything links together and why it’s all relevant. This can be done using speech transitions which are words and phrases that allow you to smoothly move from one point to another so that your speech flows and your presentation is unified.
Transitions can be one word, a phrase or a full sentence – there are many different forms, here are some examples:
Moving from the introduction to the first point
Signify to the audience that you will now begin discussing the first main point:
- Now that you’re aware of the overview, let’s begin with…
- First, let’s begin with…
- I will first cover…
- My first point covers…
- To get started, let’s look at…
Shifting between similar points
Move from one point to a similar one:
- In the same way…
- Likewise…
- Equally…
- This is similar to…
- Similarly…
Internal summaries
Internal summarising consists of summarising before moving on to the next point. You must inform the audience:
- What part of the presentation you covered – “In the first part of this speech we’ve covered…”
- What the key points were – “Precisely how…”
- How this links in with the overall presentation – “So that’s the context…”
- What you’re moving on to – “Now I’d like to move on to the second part of presentation which looks at…”
Physical movement
You can move your body and your standing location when you transition to another point. The audience find it easier to follow your presentation and movement will increase their interest.
A common technique for incorporating movement into your presentation is to:
- Start your introduction by standing in the centre of the stage.
- For your first point you stand on the left side of the stage.
- You discuss your second point from the centre again.
- You stand on the right side of the stage for your third point.
- The conclusion occurs in the centre.
Key slides for your presentation
Slides are a useful tool for most presentations: they can greatly assist in the delivery of your message and help the audience follow along with what you are saying. Key slides include:
- An intro slide outlining your ideas
- A summary slide with core points to remember
- High quality image slides to supplement what you are saying
There are some presenters who choose not to use slides at all, though this is more of a rarity. Slides can be a powerful tool if used properly, but the problem is that many fail to do just that. Here are some golden rules to follow when using slides in a presentation:
- Don’t over fill them – your slides are there to assist your speech, rather than be the focal point. They should have as little information as possible, to avoid distracting people from your talk.
- A picture says a thousand words – instead of filling a slide with text, instead, focus on one or two images or diagrams to help support and explain the point you are discussing at that time.
- Make them readable – depending on the size of your audience, some may not be able to see small text or images, so make everything large enough to fill the space.
- Don’t rush through slides – give the audience enough time to digest each slide.
Guy Kawasaki, an entrepreneur and author, suggests that slideshows should follow a 10-20-30 rule :
- There should be a maximum of 10 slides – people rarely remember more than one concept afterwards so there’s no point overwhelming them with unnecessary information.
- The presentation should last no longer than 20 minutes as this will leave time for questions and discussion.
- The font size should be a minimum of 30pt because the audience reads faster than you talk so less information on the slides means that there is less chance of the audience being distracted.
Here are some additional resources for slide design:
- 7 design tips for effective, beautiful PowerPoint presentations
- 11 design tips for beautiful presentations
- 10 tips on how to make slides that communicate your idea
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Group Presentations
Group presentations are structured in the same way as presentations with one speaker but usually require more rehearsal and practices. Clean transitioning between speakers is very important in producing a presentation that flows well. One way of doing this consists of:
- Briefly recap on what you covered in your section: “So that was a brief introduction on what health anxiety is and how it can affect somebody”
- Introduce the next speaker in the team and explain what they will discuss: “Now Elnaz will talk about the prevalence of health anxiety.”
- Then end by looking at the next speaker, gesturing towards them and saying their name: “Elnaz”.
- The next speaker should acknowledge this with a quick: “Thank you Joe.”
From this example you can see how the different sections of the presentations link which makes it easier for the audience to follow and remain engaged.
Example of great presentation structure and delivery
Having examples of great presentations will help inspire your own structures, here are a few such examples, each unique and inspiring in their own way.
How Google Works – by Eric Schmidt
This presentation by ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt demonstrates some of the most important lessons he and his team have learnt with regards to working with some of the most talented individuals they hired. The simplistic yet cohesive style of all of the slides is something to be appreciated. They are relatively straightforward, yet add power and clarity to the narrative of the presentation.
Start with why – by Simon Sinek
Since being released in 2009, this presentation has been viewed almost four million times all around the world. The message itself is very powerful, however, it’s not an idea that hasn’t been heard before. What makes this presentation so powerful is the simple message he is getting across, and the straightforward and understandable manner in which he delivers it. Also note that he doesn’t use any slides, just a whiteboard where he creates a simple diagram of his opinion.
The Wisdom of a Third Grade Dropout – by Rick Rigsby
Here’s an example of a presentation given by a relatively unknown individual looking to inspire the next generation of graduates. Rick’s presentation is unique in many ways compared to the two above. Notably, he uses no visual prompts and includes a great deal of humour.
However, what is similar is the structure he uses. He first introduces his message that the wisest man he knew was a third-grade dropout. He then proceeds to deliver his main body of argument, and in the end, concludes with his message. This powerful speech keeps the viewer engaged throughout, through a mixture of heart-warming sentiment, powerful life advice and engaging humour.
As you can see from the examples above, and as it has been expressed throughout, a great presentation structure means analysing the core message of your presentation. Decide on a key message you want to impart the audience with, and then craft an engaging way of delivering it.
By preparing a solid structure, and practising your talk beforehand, you can walk into the presentation with confidence and deliver a meaningful message to an interested audience.
It’s important for a presentation to be well-structured so it can have the most impact on your audience. An unstructured presentation can be difficult to follow and even frustrating to listen to. The heart of your speech are your main points supported by evidence and your transitions should assist the movement between points and clarify how everything is linked.
Research suggests that the audience remember the first and last things you say so your introduction and conclusion are vital for reinforcing your points. Essentially, ensure you spend the time structuring your presentation and addressing all of the sections.
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Understanding What is Presentation Skills: Definition and Explanation
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- Presentation Skills
- April 11, 2024
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“A widescreen iPod, a revolutionary mobile phone, and an internet communications device” is how Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone to the world.
Impressive, isn’t it?
In one line, he conveyed the purpose of the presentation, introduced the product, and grabbed the audience’s attention.
In simple words, presentation skills mean delivering captivating and informative talks or speeches.
They involve all aspects of presenting, from preparing and organising content to delivering it effectively and analysing afterwards.
This blog will serve as a guide to help you understand presentation skills.
Here, we will cover the 5 Ps of presentation and the key skills required for effective presentation.
We will further dive into some ways to improve presentation skills.
What Are Presentation Skills?
Presentation skills refer to the abilities needed to deliver captivating and informative talks or speeches.
The importance of presentation skills in a professional setting lies in the fact that you might need to present reports to colleagues or managers, conduct training sessions, or update clients on project progress.
To give a compelling presentation, it’s crucial to understand who your audience is and tailor your message accordingly. Whether in front of a small team or a large audience, effective presentation skills can enhance your communication and credibility.
A successful presentation should be well-structured, engaging, and relevant.
In several aspects of your life, you might find yourself presenting, such as:
Giving speeches at weddings, conferences, or other events
Explaining projects to team members
Teaching others specific methods or information
Suggesting ideas or motions at community meetings
Presenting new business concepts to potential partners or investors
Developing strong presentation skills can greatly enhance your ability to communicate effectively, and the 5Ps of presentation skills can assist you in that.
Ready to check out the 5Ps?
What Are The 5Ps Of Presentation?
If you can comprehend and use the 5Ps of presentation skills – Purpose, Plan, Preparation, Practice and Present – it can make every presentation impactful.
![what is individual presentation in communication presentation skills draft 1 google docs](https://kapable.club/blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/presentation-skills-draft-1-google-docs-1024x576.png)
Let’s dive deeper into the meaning and implementation process of these.
To begin, it is important to define the purpose or goal of your presentation. Clarifying the purpose is key to whether you aim to persuade the audience, secure a scholarship, or defend a thesis. Understanding the overall objective is crucial; every part of the presentation should align with this purpose.
Next, organise your presentation by reflecting on how to achieve the previously determined goal. Adhere to any guidelines provided, such as time limits or formats. Context matters, too. Think about the presentation setting – room size, setup, or virtual. Adapt your approach to keep the audience engaged.
3. Preparation
Once the goal and planning are done, prepare the details. Follow your plan, create an outline or script, research, and gather materials. Rather than a strict word-for-word script, opt for a detailed outline, which allows you to deviate from the script.
4. Practice
If you ask an expert how to master presentation skills, they’ll say – practise, practise and practise. So, after preparation, it’s essential to practise your presentation. During practice, remember that you should use a real audience to hear your presentation, one that can identify your areas of improvement and provide feedback on them.
Finally, deliver your presentation. Embrace flexibility if things deviate from the plan. Remember, your knowledge and confidence will automatically reflect if your research is good and you have enough practice before the final presentation.
During the presentation, the focus should be on having an open body posture and understanding the audience’s body language. Remember to use slides (PowerPoint) as your aid, not your substitute.
Giving an impactful and effective presentation requires a variety of skills, which must be used accurately and in the right synchronisation.
In the next part, we will explore these skills and how to improve presentation skills.
What Are The Key Presentation Skills?
Have you watched a TED talk recently? Ever noticed the speaker, especially those who use a PowerPoint presentation to assist their talk?
The speakers do so much more than just talk – they engage the audience, use the slides, and use their hands and body effectively.
Presentation skills comprise several skills to be used comprehensively and in sync with each other to make the presentation impactful and effective.
![what is individual presentation in communication presentation skills draft 1 google docs 1](https://kapable.club/blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/presentation-skills-draft-1-google-docs-1-1024x576.png)
1. Verbal Communication
How you speak and deliver your message greatly influences how your audience perceives your presentation skills. Speak clearly and confidently, pausing when necessary, and adapt your language to resonate with your audience.
Use the P-A-M framework – Purpose, Audience and Message – to convey the message effectively to your audience and enhance your presentation skills.
![what is individual presentation in communication presentation skills draft 1 google docs 2](https://kapable.club/blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/presentation-skills-draft-1-google-docs-2-1024x576.png)
The Purpose is the reason behind the communication. It answers the question, “What do I want to achieve through my message?” Do I want to inspire, inform, entertain, or persuade the audience?
The Audience refers to the group or an individual for whom the message is intended. It answers the question, “Who am I communicating with?” Consider your audience’s interests, attitudes, expectations and knowledge to ensure that your message is relatable and relevant.
The Message is the content or information being communicated. It answers the question, “What am I trying to convey?” Clearly articulate the main idea of your speech and keep your content clear, compelling and tailored to the audience’s requirements.
2. Non-verbal Communication
Another important part of presentation skills is non-verbal communication. Non-verbal language includes body language such as posture, gestures, eye contact, and facial expressions. Your body language can instantly transform a dull presentation into a good presentation. Pay attention to how you present yourself and remain open, upright, and adaptable.
You can improve your presentation skills by employing the triangle technique and correcting body posture.
![what is individual presentation in communication presentation skills draft 1 google docs 3](https://kapable.club/blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/presentation-skills-draft-1-google-docs-3-1024x576.png)
Triangle Technique
Rather than maintaining constant eye contact, adopt the triangle technique. When presenting before 2-3 people, briefly shift your gaze between the listener’s left eye, right eye, and forehead. This conveys attentiveness without making the interaction feel overly intense. Additionally, when presenting before a large group of people, form an imaginary triangle to shift your gaze from one corner of the room to another.
![what is individual presentation in communication presentation skills draft 1 google docs 4](https://kapable.club/blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/presentation-skills-draft-1-google-docs-4-1024x576.png)
Correcting Posture
Posture is a fundamental aspect of nonverbal communication, influencing how you are perceived and how you perceive yourself. Correct posture includes open palms, standing tall, power poses, and so on. Correcting posture not only conveys confidence and openness but also positively impacts overall well-being.
3. Voice Modulation
In oral presentation skills, projecting your voice efficiently is really important and requires some voice modulation. Appropriate tone modulation ensures everyone can hear your message and boosts your confidence. Stand comfortably, take deep breaths, and enunciate every syllable clearly.
Use the four Ps of voice modulation – power, pace, pause, and pitch to bring changes to the pitch of your voice.
![what is individual presentation in communication presentation skills draft 1 google docs 5](https://kapable.club/blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/presentation-skills-draft-1-google-docs-5-1024x576.png)
Power relates to the strength and assertiveness in your voice that can help you captivate the audience. Thorough research contributes to assertive and confident speech. Pace, or speaking speed, conveys urgency and adds weight to the words.
Strategic pauses allow for reflection and emphasise key points. Pitch, or voice modulation, influences the rhythm of your speech – raising it for excitement and lowering it for emotional connection with listeners.
4. Storytelling
Incorporating storytelling in your presentation skills brings your subject to life and engages your audience. Use personal anecdotes, build suspense, and end with a positive takeaway to drive your point home.
You can follow Monroe’s Motivated Sequence for effective storytelling, which suggests an amazing framework.
![what is individual presentation in communication presentation skills draft 1 google docs 6](https://kapable.club/blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/presentation-skills-draft-1-google-docs-6-1024x576.png)
Monroe’s Motivated Sequence is a five-step process that requires you to:
(i) Capture the audience’s attention with a compelling opening.
(ii) Establish the need for change.
(iii) Introduce a solution to satisfy the need.
(iv) Paint a vivid picture or visualisation of the positive outcomes.
(v) Clearly state the specific actions you want the audience to take.
This technique will give your story a compelling beginning and engage readers from the outset, prompting them to want to explore the rest of the story.
5. Structured Thinking
Presentation skills are incomplete if there is no specific structure to your presentation.
Structured thinking ensures a logical flow of information, making your presentation more understandable and impactful.
You can structure your thoughts using the CARE framework (Context, Answer, Reason, Examples).
![what is individual presentation in communication presentation skills draft 1 google docs 7](https://kapable.club/blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/presentation-skills-draft-1-google-docs-7-1024x576.png)
By establishing context, you create a foundation for your message. This allows your audience to grasp the significance of what you’re saying and helps them connect the information to the broader picture.
Clearly presenting the answer early in your communication helps your audience understand the primary takeaway. It provides clarity and sets the direction for the subsequent elements of the communication.
Including the reason for your answer adds depth to your communication. We further add reason to help you build credibility and persuade your audience by demonstrating the logic behind your response.
Examples make your communication more vivid and tangible. They help your audience visualise and connect with your message on a practical level. Including real-life scenarios or tangible instances strengthens the impact of your communication.
6. Emotional Intelligence
One of the most important presentation skills is emotional intelligence.
In the modern-day scenario, emotional quotient (EQ) is more important than intelligence quotient (IQ).
Understanding and considering the other party’s emotions, needs, and perspectives can help you customise the information you are willing to present.
It is important to develop emotional intelligence as a skill to build trust, demonstrate genuine interest, and find solutions that address the concerns of all involved.
To work on your EQ, you will need to be able to incorporate “I” statements in your conversations to convey your understanding and support. Use empathetic language to validate the person’s emotions and experiences.
For example, say phrases like “I understand how you must be feeling” or “I hear you, and I’m here for you.”
7. Writing Skills
Lastly, for those presentations that require a slideshow or PowerPoint, presentation skills also include writing.
Strong writing skills are crucial for crafting clear messages and compelling visual aids. Mastering your presentation’s outline and creating engaging slides contribute to effective communication from start to finish.
![what is individual presentation in communication presentation skills draft 1 google docs 8](https://kapable.club/blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/presentation-skills-draft-1-google-docs-8-1024x576.png)
The SCQA method provides a structured approach to enhance your writing skills for an effective presentation.
Clearly define the current situation or context. Provide the necessary background information to set the stage for your communication.
Complication
Highlight any challenges, issues, or complications related to the situation. This creates a sense of urgency or importance, emphasising the need for your audience’s attention.
Pose a relevant question that prompts critical thinking or consideration. The question acts as a bridge, guiding your audience toward the solution or desired outcome.
Present your answer or proposed solution. This section should address the complication outlined earlier, offering a clear resolution or course of action.
These seven skills can help you turn any presentation into a creative masterpiece by grabbing the audience’s attention for a long time.
Improving presentation skills is an ongoing process, and there are numerous benefits of nurturing presentation skills at personal and professional levels.
Let’s check them out.
What Are The Benefits Of Effective Presentation Skills?
Do you remember your first presentation ever? Mine was in 7th standard in school for a class project, and the last one was a few days back about some blog ideas. Once it starts, presentations become part of us – from once in six months to once in six days – the frequency just increases.
The best part is these presentations urge you to keep working on yourself so that the next one is better. Here, we will observe a few significant benefits of honing presentation skills.
![what is individual presentation in communication presentation skills draft 1 google docs 9](https://kapable.club/blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/presentation-skills-draft-1-google-docs-9-1024x576.png)
1. Increased Confidence
Developing presentation skills boosts self-confidence in various settings. Crafting and delivering presentations before a large audience contributes to a heightened sense of confidence. As you become more comfortable presenting information to others, whether in a formal setting or a casual discussion, your confidence naturally increases. This newfound assurance can extend beyond presentations and positively impact various aspects of your personal and professional life.
2. Quick Thinking
Presentation skills cultivate quick thinking and adaptability. When faced with unexpected questions or situations during a presentation, you learn to respond thoughtfully and articulate ideas on the spot. This skill is invaluable in dynamic environments where spontaneity and the ability to handle unforeseen challenges are crucial. It enhances your capacity to stay composed under pressure and think critically, contributing to your overall problem-solving abilities.
3. Improved Speaking
Presentation skills inherently involve public speaking, and honing this skill translates to more effective conversation with diverse audiences. Through practising and refining your public speaking abilities, you become adept at capturing and maintaining audience attention, articulating ideas clearly, and conveying information persuasively. Improved speaking skills empower you to communicate with impact in various professional and social contexts.
4. Improved Writing
Crafting a compelling presentation requires clear and concise written content, infographics, and audio-visual content. Creating well-structured slides, crafting coherent narratives, and selecting impactful visuals all contribute to honing your written communication skills. This improvement extends to emails, reports, and other written forms of communication, making your messages more compelling and easily understood.
5. Effective Leadership
Effective presentation skills often involve leadership qualities, inspiring and motivating others to embrace ideas, goals, or initiatives. Through the practice of delivering persuasive presentations, you develop the ability to articulate a vision, engage your audience emotionally, and influence their perspectives. These leadership skills extend beyond formal presentations, making you a more influential and motivating presence in various professional scenarios.
6. Stronger Time Management
Planning and delivering a presentation require effective time management to ensure a seamless and well-organised delivery. From planning the content to allocating time for practice and Q&A sessions, presentation skills inherently involve time management. This experience translates into improved overall time management skills, helping you prioritise tasks, meet deadlines, and efficiently allocate resources in both personal and professional contexts.
In the next section, we will observe 3 simple, actionable steps other than the detailed frameworks highlighted above that can help you improve your presentation skills.
How To Improve Presentation Skills?
Think about things that may go wrong in a presentation – you may forget the content, use incorrect data due to nervousness, face difficulty using the slides, or maybe start shivering out of fear.
![what is individual presentation in communication presentation skills draft 1 google docs 10](https://kapable.club/blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/presentation-skills-draft-1-google-docs-10-1024x576.png)
Honestly, a lot of things can go wrong in a presentation unless you do these three things:
1. Prepare A Brief Script
An important aspect of presentation skills is being prepared with a reference document. Clearly outline the key points, reference data and structure of your presentation on note cards. Define the introduction, main content, and conclusion and include anecdotes, examples, or stories to make your content more engaging.
Rehearse your presentation multiple times to familiarise yourself with the script’s content and improve fluency and confidence. Avoid memorising the script word-for-word, as it may lead to a robotic and monotonous delivery. Instead, use bullet points or keywords on cue cards to prompt your memory.
2. Learn Using Presentation Tools
First, learn how to use Microsoft PowerPoint, Google Slides, Canva, and other slide-creation tools to brush up on your presentation skills. Familiarise yourself with the basic features of these presentation tools, such as slide creation, text formatting, adding visuals, and managing slideshow and animations.
When creating slides, use consistent themes, fonts, and colours for a polished and professional look. Practice beforehand how to navigate through slides smoothly during the actual presentation.
3. Practice Breathing Techniques
Nervousness and fear are the biggest problems during presentations. To combat these instincts, practise deep breathing exercises and always stay calm.
Inhale deeply through your nose, hold for a few seconds, and exhale slowly through your mouth.
Integrate intentional pauses in your presentation to take deep breaths and compose yourself. Use controlled breathing to maintain a calm demeanour, even during challenging moments and regularly practice these techniques to build a habit of managing stress.
You understand now that presentation skills are not just about making PowerPoint slides and reading them out.
To improve your presentation , you need to focus on engaging with your audience, conveying your message effectively, and delivering your content with confidence and clarity.
They’re about confidently sharing ideas, captivating stories, and embracing styles that resonate with your audience.
In this blog, we have explored several skills and techniques to improve presentation skills and styles commonly used by most presenters.
All that is left to do is for you to embark on your journey of growth and development.
Begin with the small tips and actionable steps suggested in this article, implement them in your regular presentations and observe the impact they bring.
If you feel a sense of growth and confidence in yourself, opt for professional training to master the skill.
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Ashish Agarwal
Ashish is a content writer at Kapable. A dynamic lawyer, experienced educator and content writer, he blends his legal expertise with a flair for storytelling. He has a passion for writing compelling articles and strives to simplify complex concepts, making them accessible to diverse audiences. He is dedicated to writing on contemporary topics and topics related to soft skills development. His articles showcase a deep understanding of the topic and reflect his commitment to fostering intellectual curiosity.
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Presentation Skills
Presenting information clearly and effectively is a key skill in getting your message across. Today, presentation skills are required in almost every field, and most of us are required to give presentations on occasions. While some people take this in their stride, others find it much more challenging.
It is, however, possible to improve your presentation skills with a bit of work. This section of SkillsYouNeed is designed to help.
Many people feel terrified when asked to talk in public, especially to bigger groups. However, these fears can be reduced by good preparation, which will also lay the groundwork for making an effective presentation.
There are Different Types of Presentations, but They’re All Presentations
There are any number of occasions when you may be asked to speak in public or to a group of people. They include:
- Presenting or making a speech at a conference or event.
- Objecting to a planning proposal at a council meeting.
- Making a speech at a wedding.
- Proposing a vote of thanks to someone at a club or society.
- On behalf of a team, saying goodbye and presenting a gift to a colleague who is leaving.
- Seeking investment or a loan to help you set up a new business.
These can all be considered presentations.
They do not, however, all require the same approach. You would not, for example, use PowerPoint to thank a colleague who was leaving. It would be unusual (though it has been done) to use it in a speech at a wedding. However, a conference audience would be somewhat surprised NOT to see slides projected onto a screen.
It follows, therefore, that there is no single set of rules that apply to all presentations. There are, however, some things that every presentation opportunity has in common. These include:
You will present better if you have prepared effectively . This does NOT necessarily mean that you have written out your speech verbatim and rehearsed it until you know it off by heart—although that might work for some people. It does, however, mean that you have to be confident that you are saying the right thing, in the right way, to the right people.
You need to be clear about your audience and your message . Every presentation will be better if you have clearly considered the message that you want or need to convey, and how best to convey it to your audience. These two pieces of information drive your style, structure, content, and use of visual aids.
You must never overrun your allocated time . In other words, don’t outstay your welcome. Almost every speech or presentation is better if it is shorter. Nobody minds going for coffee early or finishing before they expected to do so. Everybody minds being held up.
Generally speaking, your audience starts on your side. As a rule, your audience is there (more or less) voluntarily. They have chosen to listen to you, and they want to enjoy your presentation. The occasion is yours to lose.
An Important Point
There is one very important point to remember: if what you’re doing or saying is not working, do something else.
One of the worst feelings as a presenter is that you have lost your audience. You know that’s happened, but you continue to stumble through your remaining PowerPoint slides for the next 15 minutes, as your audience checks their phones and wishes it was coffee time. You think you have no choice, but that’s not actually true.
When you present, you are in charge of the room . The audience has effectively handed you control and is sitting back waiting for you to do something. You may have prepared a specific talk, but if you see that isn’t working, you can always change it. You are, after all, the expert.
You can, for example:
- Skip through some slides to a section that they may find more interesting;
- Ask your audience whether there is particular information that they were expecting that you are not providing;
- Suggest that everyone looks a bit sleepy, and maybe it would be better to start questions early, or have a discussion; or
- Ask the audience at the start of the presentation what they are expecting and what they want you to cover. That way, you can tailor the presentation to fit their expectations.
Just as when you are facilitating, you want to help your audience get the most out of your presentation. The best way to do that is to accept feedback—which may include smiles, nods of interest, or people getting their phones out.
Quick Guide to Effective Presentations
If you need to improve your presentation skills quickly, then a really good place to start is with our Top Tips for Effective Presentations .
This will give you some ‘quick wins’ that will help you improve your presentations. If you’re already an experienced presenter, this page should be a useful refresher, or even take your skills from good to great.
Our tips include general ideas about connecting with your audience, information about the importance of voice and body language, and detailed tips about preparing slide-shows.
The most important tip of all, however, is to remember that it's all about your audience.
Keep that in mind, and your presentation skills will almost instantly improve.
If you have more time to develop your presentation skills…
…then the Presentation Skills section of SkillsYouNeed is designed to help.
Our Presentation Skills section is split into two parts.
- The first gives you a step-by-step guide to putting together and delivering a professional and effective presentation .
- The second provides more detailed information about presenting and communicating in particular circumstances .
You can either use our step-by-step guide to walk you through the presentation preparation and delivery process, or you can focus on particular areas that are an issue for you.
Preparing for Your Presentation
The guide starts by explaining What is a Presentation?
We define a presentation as a means of communication that can be adapted to various speaking situations, such as talking to a group, addressing a meeting or briefing a team. Effective presentations usually require careful thought and preparation—although this preparation need not take very long.
Preparation is the most important part of making a successful presentation. Our page on Preparing For A Presentation explains what information you need before you can really start to plan your presentation and decide what you are going to say. The most important aspects include the objective of the presentation, the subject, and the audience.
Irrespective of whether the occasion is formal or informal, you should always aim to give a clear, well-structured delivery. To do so, you need to organise your presentation material . You can either do this in your head, or use a technique like mind-mapping to help you identify links and good flow.
By the time you come to write your presentation , you should know exactly what you want to say and the order in which you want to say it. You may want to use one of the standard presentation structures, such as ‘What, Why, How?’. You will also find it helpful to consider how to tell your story most effectively, and to use stories in your presentation to illustrate points. There is more about this in our page on writing your presentation .
You also need to decide on your presentation method . Presentations range from the formal to the informal. Your choice of presentation method will depend on many factors, including the audience, the venue, the facilities, and your own preferences.
Visual aids can add another dimension to your presentation, helping to hold your audience’s attention, and also act as a reminder of what you wanted to say. However, they need handling with care. Only use visual aids if they are necessary to maintain interest and assist comprehension . If visual aids are not used well, they can ruin a presentation.
See Working with Visual Aids to avoid falling into the trap of the dreaded ‘ Death by PowerPoint’ .
A particular case of visual aids is the use of data in a presentation.
There are times when using data in a presentation can really help you to tell the story better. It is, however, important not to blind your audience with statistics. You also need to remember that many people find numbers difficult to understand. Our page on Presenting Data gives some hints and tips about using data effectively in a presentation situation.
On the Day of the Presentation
There are a number of aspects to delivering your presentation on the day.
The practicalities of how you manage your presentation can make a significant difference to its success, and to your nerves! For example, turning up early means that you have will have a chance to see the room, and ensure that you can operate all the necessary equipment. There is more about how to cope, including managing sound systems, audio-visual equipment and lecterns in our page on Managing the Presentation Event .
Many people also feel very nervous before and during a presentation. This is entirely normal, and can even be helpful if you can channel it in the right way. There are some tried and tested strategies and techniques to manage your nerves so that you can concentrate on delivering an effective and engaging presentation.
See Coping with Presentation Nerves for some ideas that will help.
How you present yourself can also affect how your audience responds to your presentation.
You need to fit with your audience's expectations if they are not going to spend quite a large chunk of your presentation dealing with the differences between expectations and reality.
For more about aspects of self-presentation, see our page on Self-Presentation in Presentations .
You also need to consider how to manage your presentation notes .
Few people are able to give a presentation without notes. You will need to know your own abilities and decide how best to make the presentation. You might manage your talk by using full text, notes on cue cards, keywords on cue cards, or mind maps. There is more about this in our page on Managing your Presentation Notes .
After the presentation, you may be faced with a question-and-answer session. For many people, this is the worst part of the event.
Decide in advance how and when you wish to handle questions. Some speakers prefer questions to be raised as they arise during the presentation whilst others prefer to deal with questions at the end. At the start of your presentation, you should make clear your preferences to the audience. See our page on Dealing with Questions for more ideas about how to make the question session pleasant and productive, rather than something to dread.
Presenting Under Particular Circumstances
You may find that you need to give a presentation under certain circumstances, where your previous experience is less helpful.
Circumstances that may be new to you include:
- Giving a Speech , for example, at a wedding.
One particular special case is attending public consultation meetings.
Our pages on Attending Public Consultation Meetings , and Managing Public Consultation Meetings provide information to help whether you are a concerned member of the public, or responsible for organising a public meeting.
You may also find yourself required to organise or manage a press conference.
Although this may not strictly be what you would describe as a ‘presentation’, it is nonetheless an event at which you are required to present your organisation in a particular light.
Our page on Managing a Press Conference gives some ideas about how best to do that.
Finally, should you be unlucky enough to be involved in a serious crisis or disaster that affects your organisation, our page on Crisis Communications gives some ideas about how to manage press and public relations on these occasions.
Start with: What is a Presentation? Top Tips for Effective Presentations
See also: Personal Appearance Interpersonal Communication Skills
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IMAGES
COMMENTS
Personal presentation is how you portray and present yourself to other people. It includes how you look, what you say, and what you do, and is all about marketing YOU, the brand that is you. What others see and hear from you will influence their opinion of you.
Presentation skills are the abilities and qualities necessary for creating and delivering a compelling presentation that effectively communicates information and ideas. They encompass what you say, how you structure it, and the materials you include to support what you say, such as slides, videos, or images.
Personal presentation is a communication skill that involves how individuals portray themselves in daily situations. This may include how they act, dress and communicate. These elements help others to form an opinion about you based on their experience and understanding.
Presentation skills can be defined as a set of abilities that enable an individual to: interact with the audience; transmit the messages with clarity; engage the audience in the presentation; and interpret and understand the mindsets of the listeners.
A presentation is a means of communication that can be adapted to various speaking situations, such as talking to a group, addressing a meeting or briefing a team. A presentation can also be used as a broad term that encompasses other ‘speaking engagements’ such as making a speech at a wedding, or getting a point across in a video conference.
Here are a few tips for business professionals who want to move from being good speakers to great ones: be concise (the fewer words, the better); never use bullet points (photos and images paired...
Presentation skills are the qualities and abilities you need to communicate ideas effectively and deliver a compelling speech. They influence how you structure a presentation and how an audience receives it.
What is the typical presentation structure? This is the usual flow of a presentation, which covers all the vital sections and is a good starting point for yours. It allows your audience to easily follow along and sets out a solid structure you can add your content to. 1. Greet the audience and introduce yourself.
Presentation skills refer to the abilities needed to deliver captivating and informative talks or speeches. The importance of presentation skills in a professional setting lies in the fact that you might need to present reports to colleagues or managers, conduct training sessions, or update clients on project progress.
We define a presentation as a means of communication that can be adapted to various speaking situations, such as talking to a group, addressing a meeting or briefing a team. Effective presentations usually require careful thought and preparation—although this preparation need not take very long.