INTRODUCTION
In a previous post, we explained how to avoid being annoying during your presentation. Many of the points we mentioned were similar to those lampooned in an Onion article titled, “Hotshot Commencement Speaker Jumps Straight Into Speech Without Even Defining ‘Courage’.”
Following are tips for improving your presentation skills.
KNOW YOUR MATERIALS
You shouldn’t need to read your slides to know what to talk about. Instead, you should memorize key points and how they connect to one another. You also should rehearse how you explain those key points.
AVOID CITING DATA INCESSANTLY
One or two slides that cite market research, cite studies, show graphs/charts or provide other statistics to support your initial assertion is acceptable. However, do not fill your entire presentation with data, or otherwise it becomes a rhetorical lecture.
I was just at a healthcare tech conference in which a speaker showed slide after of data, all of which connected to his original point. Several other attendees said they got the point in the first five minutes, but all the other data slides became a blur, and basically, we stopped caring.
STOP PACING
Walking from one side of the stage to another is acceptable but don’t pace continuously. Believe me, it’s annoying to watch. When standing still, use a power stance in which your legs are about shoulder-width apart, your back is straight, your shoulders are back and your hands are in front of you. If you’re behind a podium, don’t lean on it.
PREPARE FOR TECHNICAL ISSUES
How many times have you sat through a presentation in which a video wouldn’t load, or the laptop has trouble connecting to the speaker system or some other technical issue occurred? Did the presenter brush it off, or did he/she get flustered, stumble, lose their train of thought and/or lose the audience? Here are some tips:
- Learn how to connect a PC and a Mac to a projector and do a screen share.
- Get to the room early and test your presentation.
- Do not depend on Internet access.
- Have a contingency plan.