Presentations, in one way or another, are a vital aspect of being a business owner, be it large or small. For example, you may be pitching your products during a sales meeting, delivering a pitch at a networking conference, or speaking at a seminar. Although these are different types of presentations and cover various topics, one thing is for sure. These are all critical to ensuring your staff and audience stay well-informed about your business.
Simply put, presentations are the perfect way to speak with an audience of people who want to come together and know more about you and your business venture. While there are numerous methods of giving a presentation, a few tried and tested tips will help you provide the most engaging presentation possible, no matter your preferred style.
After all, it will be helpful if you choose a few presentation delivery tips and master them over time. So, be patient and don’t worry about making mistakes, as you’ll surely get better with practice and hard work. That said, let us take a look at a few methods of presentation delivery down below. Keep reading till the end of this article if you want to become a master in the art of presentation.
Choose the proper presentation venue.
Though there are various components of giving an excellent presentation, there is nothing more important than choosing the proper venue for your presentation. The right platform and location will ensure that you deliver your presentation according to your specifications. Furthermore, the attendees will enjoy their experience, resulting in a favorable view of your business.
But simply renting out a venue isn’t enough; you need to think about other stuff as well. For example, you can go online and search for a venue near you or check out the Executive Centre that offers a premium venue with lots of space and all the technical assistance you’d need for a presentation that leaves a lasting impression on your attendees. Best of all, the rates are affordable.
It might sound simple, but a venue will either make or break your presentation. If you don’t have a proper venue, it would be a good idea to consider renting one that fulfills your anticipated attendee target, is convenient for your guests, and is equipped with all the bells and whistles needed to aid your presentation.
Know your audience well.
Knowing your audience is the first and most critical aspect of delivering an excellent presentation. It will put you in your audience’s shoes and help you determine what they want to hear. So, keep your audience in mind when you are standing on the podium and delivering your presentation.
By identifying your audience’s ability to understand, you will provide an accurate level of explanation for the presentation subject. In addition, it will help you decide whether it would be better to use specific terms and jargon or avoid them altogether.
For instance, if you’re a medical facility owner and give a presentation to a room full of medical professionals, terms such as NOESY(Nuclear Overhauser Effect) and NMR(Nuclear magnetic resonance) will be acceptable to use without a definition. Again, it is because these words are common in the healthcare field.
That said, if you’re interacting with a general audience, it is wise to provide an explanation or avoid such terms altogether to keep your presentations fun and immersive.
Avoid talking in ‘written English’ style and talk in ‘spoken English’ style.
Written English is quite different from spoken English. So, if you’re using accompanying studies or other published material to prove your point, you will have to change every written phrase and sentence into spoken ones.
Plus, the English found in research papers is often formal and utilizes complex grammatical structures and vocabulary. Such a high level of complexity is okay if individuals read a research paper or study online, as they can always look up complex terminology on the internet.
However, doing so is not possible when they are sitting and listening to a presentation. Listeners don’t have the time or the luxury to look up complex words and phrases. Plus, spoken English uses a more casual speech and more time-centric sentences and contractions such as ‘couldn’t’ or ‘in the experiment mentioned earlier instead of ‘was not able to’ and ‘in the experiment mentioned above.’
Such a thing is far better if you want to engage your listeners and never lose their attention. Not to mention, presentations have to follow a time limit, and you would not want your listeners to constantly look at their mobile phones instead of hearing you speak because of boredom.
Utilize visuals in your presentation.
If you can easily explain or support a concept with visual aids, utilize them in your presentation. Visual aids such as PowerPoint slides are a vital part of any presentation, no matter its nature. That said, you must treat these slides as a way to engage your audience instead of a set of notes for yourself.
It is a general rule of presentation to avoid using slides as reading material. However, Suppose you lack confidence in speaking. In that case, you can utilize fuller sentences. Try not to write your speech or additional notes on the presentation itself as everyone will see it, giving an impression that you weren’t prepared.
As far as the material on your PowerPoint slides goes, use visual content such as tables, diagrams, images, and structures. An exemplary, self-explanatory diagram will help your audience understand your point. Also, ensure that you use a laser pointer to point to the slides that you’re explaining.
Furthermore, go with a clear font type such as Calibri, Times New Roman, or Arial and ensure that the fonts are correctly spaced and large enough to be viewed from afar. Lastly, don’t forget that you aren’t writing a manuscript. So, you can avoid verbs such as ‘be’ in your slides.
Practice your presentation as much as possible.
After putting together an excellent presentation, it would be wise to take out some time to practice your presentation delivery. Practicing allows you to familiarize yourself with your presentations’ content and become more comfortable. If possible, practice with a friend or colleague and get feedback to improve your delivery style and presentation’s content.
However, instead of practicing your whole presentation, practice the introduction and other essential talking points if you don’t have time. After all, your audience will decide whether your presentation is worth listening to before pulling out their mobile phones and checking their Instagram feed in the first four to five minutes.
Conclusion.
Giving presentations is a nerve-wracking task that most business owners avoid, especially if you don’t give them that often. However, please don’t feel intimidated by them. So, Follow the methods mentioned in this article if you want to hold an engaging conference, meeting, or deliver a winning pitch to attract potential investors.