Presenting at work is a lot like giving a speech. You want to do well, so you put in the time and effort to ensure everything goes according to plan. But what happens when things go off track? We’ve got some tips on how to get back on focus and give your best presentation yet!
Practice, Practice, Practice
Practicing in front of a mirror or with a friend or colleague is the best way to get comfortable with a presentation. Record yourself to identify and fix any issues, then move on to presenting in front of video cameras to ensure you are well-rehearsed and confident for real presentations.
Don’t Keep Your Audience Waiting
People are used to instant gratification, so if you make them wait more than 30 seconds, they will get bored and start checking their phones or laptops. If you have slides or other visuals, they should be ready as soon as the presentation begins. Speak clearly and confidently so people don’t have time to think about anything else.
Give Them a Clear Goal and Purpose for Your Presentation
It is important to know the purpose of your presentation to create an engaging and effective one. Include examples or case studies to show how others have used this method.
Use Visuals
The best way to keep your audience engaged is by using visuals. Visuals help your audience understand what you’re saying and can also be used to illustrate a point or prove something. Graphs and charts show data in an easy-to-read format, slide shows provide real-life examples, and videos give viewers something concrete to relate to.
Use Plenty of Bullet Points and Images
It’s best to have a mix of text and images on each slide rather than just one or the other. If you have plenty of text but no images, people won’t be able to follow along easily if they’re unfamiliar with the topic. If you have plenty of images but no text, then people who are more visual learners might not understand what’s going on without you first (which can slow down your presentation).
Keep It Short and Sweet
The average attention span is now 8 seconds. That means if you don’t grab their attention within 8seconds, they will lose interest and start thinking about something else! So, keep your presentations short(no more than 15 minutes) and interesting by using stories and examples to illustrate key points.
Include Humor to Take the Edge Off
Humor can be a great way to defuse tension in a tense situation or ease people into something they may not be comfortable with. For example, when discussing a new policy, talk about how much fun it will be and how much time they’ll have left over for hobbies. This will make them feel more comfortable and more likely to listen without interruption or argument.
Conclusion
There you have seven tips to help you give a great presentation. We hope they’ll help you deliver information that’s easy for your audience to understand and engage them in what they’re learning about. Remember: practice makes perfect.
