Presentation Secrets By Larry Dickman

There’s no one thing that can do more to further a career than public speaking and presentation skill. Folks who are good at it are recognized as talented individuals who motivate, inspire and lead. At the same time, for many people, nothing is more frightening than the prospect of delivering content to a group of strangers. After all the audience might attack and eat you alive…right?

Here are 7 ideas that will change your ability to speak in public and make presentations that work.

1. Get past the fear. It’s just not true that the audience wants you to fail. The audience wants you to be successful. They are listening because they want to be informed and / or entertained.  Convince yourself that the audience is with you by getting them to interact with you.  Ask a question, tell a joke, tell a story or use self-depreciation to get them laughing with you.  Humanize the audience, make them your friend.  Make eye contact with a couple of faces in the audience and keep going back to them.
2. Make your content conversational. Is your content appropriate for the audience?  Some presenters use jargon or language that is inappropriate for their audience.  It’s rarely a mistake to simplify content.  Make your language conversational as opposed to written or read dialog.  Do it by reading the content out loud.  You will very quickly discover language that is too complicated or convoluted to be spoken smoothly.
3. Rehearse out loud. Think about volume, tone, pace and using pauses. Reading dialog to yourself does not prepare you for a presentation. This is the number one secret that prepares professional public speakers.  The words sound and feel different when spoken aloud and after several passes there will be a comfortable familiarity with the material.  As in item 2, rehearsing out loud will force “conversational” language.  A mirror or iPhone recording will help you develop facial gestures, smiles and “a look” that will help deliver content the way you want it delivered.
4. Know and practice good stagecraft.
   1. Get comfortable with your venue. Know how you will be introduced and how you will enter the stage.  Plan your introduction with the sponsor or emcee.  Today some speakers have a professionally recorded introduction that plays to bring them onto the stage…  it’s a great idea!
   2. Audio: Don’t ask the audience if they can hear you. If you must ask, your audio is too soft.  Unamplified audio is only acceptable for small groups 20 or fewer.  Far better to have crisp, clear, audio than to have your audience struggle to understand.
   3. Lighting: An amateur mistake. I recently watched a presenter step onto the stage bathed in perfect light, only to walk out of it as soon as he began talking, giving his entire presentation in dim, semi-darkness. Good lighting focuses attention on you and your face and makes your content important.
   4. Background: No matter what your background is, it’s helping or hurting your message. Think about the message your background delivers without you in front of it.  Are you taking advantage of the additional communication capability?  A logo or a few carefully chosen words that emphasize your topic can be a great asset.
   5. PowerPoint: Do I even need to mention that it’s a terrible idea to write your presentation on the screen, so the audience can follow every word? Images, caricatures, pictures even single words for emphasis can all be used to enhance a message.
5. Use positive body language. Come out from behind the podium, move a little.  Let your hands and facial expressions help with the content.  For an audience larger than 20 you will need a portable microphone a wireless hand-held unit or a lavalier that can be pinned on your clothing.  Build in a smile.
6. Finish strong. Help the audience remember you.  Tell a story with a moral related to your content or leave them laughing…  anything is better than “Thank you!”
7. Make a commitment… say yes. Say yes to every opportunity to do a presentation.  Every time you avoid public speaking or making a presentation, you miss an opportunity.  Practice will make you comfortable presenting your ideas.  It may be a challenge at first, quickly becoming a valuable skill.

Larry Dickman is a TAB Facilitator and Business Coach.  He’s been a Writer/Producer for 38 years helping professionals and non-professionals look and sound their best on camera and on stage.