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Energy:

A great way to add variety and change the mood of your presentation is to consider your energy level – what will be most effective and when? Changing the energy level changes your style vocally and physically.  Having high energy portrays enthusiasm and vitality, whereas low energy can give weight and gravitas to the message. Whatever you do don’t stay at the same energy level throughout – it’ll be boring!

Tell a Story:

Use examples, anecdotes and paint pictures. Even for the most difficult and driest of subjects, creating vivid compelling stories with detail (description) engages the audiences and keeps their interest. Most importantly the listener remembers the story and then the facts associated with it.

Use Humour:

If the audience laugh it relaxes them and you. Use your natural wit and spontaneity - don’t tell a joke unless you’re a stand up comic!

Words:

Ideally you should have 3 presentations! 1. The slides – keep them simple. 2. What you say – expand and colour the information. 3. The handouts - notes that make sense for the audience after the event.

The Pause:

Use the pause. It’s dramatic and powerful. It breaks up your speech patterns and makes you sound more interesting. It gives time for the audience to assimilate your message and it also gives you time to think about what on earth you’re going to say next!

Less is more:

You’re better off saying less and having more impact than droning on with every fact available; potentially losing the audience so they remember nothing. Keep your message clear and concise - it’ll have more impact!

Enthusiasm:

Enthusiasm is infectious. If you’re doing the same old presentation or the subject just doesn’t enthuse you, the audience will be bored senseless too! You need to find something to be enthusiastic about. It could be the subject itself or your audience and what you can do for them or what you are selling or the money you will get from the sale or anything at all, but be enthusiastic about something!

PowerPoint:

PowerPoint should be seen as the icing on the cake not the crutch propping you up! In general, using a few powerful slides is the aim. Don’t overload your slides with too much text or data. Let the picture or graphic tell the story - pictures are remembered for longer.

Answering Questions:

How do you answer an easy question? You lean forward, smile, keep eye contact – appear confident. How do you answer a challenging question or one you don’t know the answer to? You look away, physically pull back, grimace, cough – appear unconfident. No!  You physically and vocally do the same as if you knew the answer and are comfortable with the question, thereby giving the impression of not being fazed, being confidence and capable!