Are you preparing to present a business offer to a client, a proposal for cooperation to a business partner, team results to your company’s management, or perhaps demonstrate a new process to subordinates? Here are five tips to help elevate your presentation to the next level.
Confident body language
Primarily, as The Muse advises, you need to project confidence. The good news is that you don't actually need to feel confident, merely to appear that way. Make calm movements, avoid nervous motions, maintain an upright and open posture, and reinforce your message with deliberate gestures.
Short and simple
The shorter and simpler your presentation is, the better. Focus it around one or two key ideas and avoid overwhelming the audience with too much information.
Pauses
Use pauses in your speech: they will emphasise the important points of the presentation and allow the audience time to process what you are saying. Your speech should not be one continuous, uninterrupted monologue.
Speech dynamics
Listening to a monotonous delivery is unpleasant and, over time, makes it nearly impossible to stay focused. Your speech should be dynamic: emphasise key words; vary your volume, speed and pitch. These techniques will make your presentation more engaging.
Story structure
People love stories, and they understand their structure. That's why it's useful to shape your presentation like a story. It should have a premise, a conflict, a problem, tension, and a resolution. You will see how your audience understands and absorbs the content of your presentation much more easily and intuitively.
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