Presentations: The Secrets of Good Delivery

Anyone can do it - especially you!

“The thought of standing up in front of others used to turn me to jelly - now it’s a cinch” - Joe Riley, project engineer

Does that sound familiar? For so many people, there is nothing more terrifying than standing up in front of others (usually strangers) to give a talk, lecture or presentation. Their fears are very common-

“What if I dry up?”
“What if the audience hate me?”
“What if my equipment fails?”
“What if I get a really difficult question or aggressive member of the audience?”

Making a presentation is an art - but it’s one that can be learned. It all comes down to communication. Presenting an idea, product, service, a research paper....it doesn’t matter what the subject matter, the way you communicate is paramount. For those who have not prepared properly, it’s usually the case that they:

• can’t be heard
• can’t be understood
• can’t keep their audience interested or awake
• can’t be seen

To make a real impact there has to be BOTH a strong message and good delivery. You cannot rely on message alone, neither is it effective to have an all-singing, all-dancing delivery with no message.

Effective delivery is all about technique. True, some people are naturally more confident, have louder voices or are natural crowd pleasers. But as you will see, even the most shy individuals can learn how to deliver well.

Presentations: know thy own weaknesses

What, in your opinion, are your main shortcomings as a presenter? Choose from the following or add your own. In each case, there is a suggested “cure” to show that every problem has a solution.

My voice is too quiet:       
Learn the techniques of stronger presentations delivery
Use a microphone for all but the smallest presentation

I get too nervous giving a presentaton:       
Being a presenter is like acting - learn the role
Rehearse the part
Learn breathing techniques and follow the Five Use Nerve Busting Methods coming soon
See my notes on NLP
   
My voice is too boringly monotone:           
Learn about voice modulation -  coming soon
Use a lot of visuals to give variety

The audience don’t seem to like me:
See “Winning an audience” coming soon
I always get in a muddle – preparation is all

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