Effective Presentation Skills

I’m not going to try to pretend in this article that giving a presentation is anything other than a stressful experience. Even the most experienced and accomplished presenter may be in a total state of panic in the lead up to his or her presentation.

However, there are certain fears that can block us from even preparing our presentation – and these can be dealt with by good preparation. Let’s look at them.

1.You get so nervous that your mouth goes completely dry.

Well the obvious solution is to make sure that you have a glass of water near you. Even better, have a couple of glasses of water shortly before you start – but not enough to make you want to have a bathroom break during the presentation

2.You cannot think of a word to say. Your mind is completely blank.

Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse. If you can rehearse in the place where you are to give your presentation, then so much the better. Have a written copy of your speech close by, just in case. And  have a photo of somebody you love with you so that you can glance at it if you need reassurance.

3.The audience looks bored and people start conversations between themselves.

You need to be enthusiastic as a speaker. Your enthusiasm will convey itself to the audience. Good eye contact with the audience also helps. However, sometimes the audience is just not interested in too much detail on a particular point. Be prepared to cut your presentation if necessary.

4.Your visual aids don’t work properly.

This can be a nightmare for any speaker – and sometimes things happen which are outside of your control. However, make sure that you have mastered everything within your control. Make sure you know exactly how all the visual aids work well in advance of the presentation.

5.Members of the audience heckle during your presentation or are very aggressive during the questions

Well at least you’re getting a reaction    The one key rule is to be polite and courteous at all times. Ask the hecklers to raise their points in the questions after the presentation. Then deal with them courteously. Where possible, try to anticipate these objections before the presentation and prepare answers to them. If you are stuck for an answer, throw the question back at the rest of the audience. This will give you more time to formulate your response.

I think many presenters fear that one of these situations will arrive during their presentation. However, think back through the hundreds of presentations you have been to. How often have you seen one of these occur? Rarely, I imagine. Don’t let fear of these cloud your mind too much. But do take the preventative steps I have suggested.

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