I recall an incident from my school days - every few weeks, we would have House meetings, and our seniors would deliver presentations. While most of them never seemed to be amusing, there was this one presentation that instantly captivated me, and I still remember it. It was a meeting to get student volunteers for a cause. Nobody seemed interested initially; however, the House head’s presentation convinced us otherwise. She started with a bold question, made us laugh with her anecdotes, and got more than 50% volunteers from the session.
Well, this is the power of a good presentation!
In this blog post, I have provided some tips for students to master their next presentation. Let’s take a look!
1. Start Strong
Your first impression can determine how many people will pay attention to your presentation. Hence, starting on a stronger note is extremely vital. You can do so by using an affirmative quote, sharing an eye-opening incident, or asking a question. Doing so will help you connect with the audience right from the first slide.
2. Be Prepared
One of the most important parts of delivering presentations is being prepared for mishaps and unforeseen problems. This can be anything – from technical glitches to random difficulties from the audience. You should swiftly brush them under the carpet and continue your performance.
For example, in Steve Jobs' Apple presentation in 2007, there was a technical error in the system, and Jobs couldn't proceed with his slides. He quickly covered it up with a narrative until the issue was resolved.
3. Practice, Practice, Practice
Practice can help you go from 'good' to 'great.’ All great presenters and speakers, such as Winston Churchill, Mahatma Gandhi, and Abraham Lincoln, practiced until they could deliver flawlessly.
Practice helps to reduce anxieties and makes you more confident. The more you rehearse, the better your performance gets, enabling you to seek control over your fears. Thus, it is always recommended to cater your content to perfection.
4. Focus on Your Body Language
Body language is the most important part of your presentation - it reflects your knowledge, personality, and character. Try to maintain a good body posture - ensure your shoulders do not droop, use hand gestures, walk smartly to cover the stage, and stand without leaning on the sides.
Another crucial aspect of body language is eye contact. Making eye contact displays confidence and courage during the presentation. Even though this can be a burdensome task, it can help immensely in increasing your stature on the stage. You can practice this by having a few friends in the audience and maintaining eye contact with them throughout your session.
5. Harness the Power of Humor
What better way to capture your audience's attention than humor, right?
Human psychology makes you like somebody when they use comical satire to convey their message. It makes you like them more, and eventually, you end up listening to what they have to share. Thus, using humor appropriately can help you win the stage with your presentation.
You can do so by sharing a funny incident or asking a humorous question, putting a joke on your slide, or using some punch lines. However, make sure to use appropriate humor and not use too much of it.
6. Stick to the Time Limit
School and college audiences usually have a very short attention span. Hence, it is crucial to stick to the allotted time limit to make the most of your presentation. This will help keep your audience hooked on you and add extra points to your professionalism.
7. Use Anecdotes
Incorporating stories in your presentation can help you convey your message much better. Not only do stories hook the audience's attention onto you, but they also captivate them.
Let us consider Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple, a company loved and aspired by many students! If we look back at the time, Steve Jobs used his presentations to convey stories about the famous Apple launches. These anecdotes about his struggle, innovations, and aspirations inspired people, converted them into his customers, and made him win the hearts of one and all.
8. Use Placards and Speaker Notes
Don't force yourself to remember every detail of your speech. Rather, prepare placards and speaker notes to carry on the stage. These can include parts of your presentation that are difficult to remember, facts or numbers, rhetoric questions, fillers, and even your introductory speech. Doing so will make you more confident, boost your self-esteem, and help cover up any glitches or errors that might occur on the stage.
9. Use the Rule of Three
As per Dale Carnegie, the rule of three suggests you divide the presentation into three parts. These are divided into portions where you tell people what you will mean, then tell them about it, and conclude by telling them what you just told them. This can help foster faster learning and will enable your peers and teachers to remember your content completely.
Conclusion
The first few presentations can be full of stammers, flutters, and knots in the stomach, but each experience will help you become a better presenter and, eventually, help you raise your bar. If you are struggling with designing presentations, you can use Free PowerPoint slides in your presentations and make them stand apart!
I hope these tips will help you in your next presentations!
Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post by Sketchbubble
