When it’s time to give a presentation, no matter what setting you are in, it’s important to be well prepared, and to be mentally ready to get up in front of everyone and speak. For some people this is a thing of nightmares, while others are excellent at being at the center of attention.
Not only do you have to get in front of people and tell them what you need to say, you also need to make sure they are listening. There are ways to do that, which start with have good notes for your presentation, and making sure that what you have to share is well written and interesting, as well as on point.
Get Good At Writing Presentations
If you want to give a great presentation it’s going to be important to do a lot of research on the subject you are speaking about. Not only that, but you want to make sure you’re not ready from your notes the whole time, which you’ll learn more about in the next section.
If this is your first time presenting, or you’ve had failed presentations in the past, take some time to get online and read up on presentations, you may even be able to find a guide to being a success.
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Make It Show And Tell
One way to ease you off your notes a little bit, and keep people’s attention, is to have props for your presentation. You can use a slide projector, sample items or products, and even a chalk or whiteboard. Depending on your setting and what you are talking about, you may also want to have some items to pass around to your listeners.
Confidence is very important when it comes to giving a presentation. You’ll stand taller, you’ll look people in the eyes, you’ll speak clear, and your hands won’t be shaking when you’re trying to point out things on the whiteboard.
People can tell when someone is not used to be in front speaking, and it can make their minds drift off to other things, like their grocery list. Practice in front of family and friends if you need to, in order to be a more confident speaker.
Interact With The Crowd
If you interact with the crowd they’ll have to pay more attention, and they will be on the edge of their seats wondering what’s coming next. Have a cute little opener joke, appropriate for what your presentation is on? Use it, and get them laughing and interested from the start.
Obviously handing things out will get their attention, but ask them questions, or pause to answer theirs at times throughout your speech. They’ll feel mart like you’re talking with them, rather than talking to them.