Would you like to improve your confidence and reduce anxiety during presentations? Do a better job of maintaining your audience's attention? More effectively influence them to respond as you desire?

Everyone in business benefits from strong presentation skills, whether for one-on-one situations or for staff meetings, sales pitches, community events, project updates, board meetings, or church events.

Following are some tips to help you improve the efficiency and effectiveness of your presentations.

 

I. Analyze the requirements.  Do some homework in advance. This will help you focus on the task at hand and pull your attention away from your piled-high in-box. Write the answer to these questions: Who or what group requested the presentation? Why was it requested?

 

Who is the audience? How many people? What are their positions, duties? What is important to them? What are their needs? What might keep them from responding as you wish? What is their knowledge of your topic? You will need to do a little research to get this information, and don't worry if you can't get it all, just learn as much as you can. The answers will help you prepare more thoroughly and effectively.

For example, wouldn't you like to know if your audience just experienced pay cuts or layoffs? This would tell you where to step lightly, perhaps not to ask for donations that day, and express empathy.

What is the date? What else is going on then? How long is your presentation? Will others be presenting too? Where in the agenda does your presentation fall? What resources are available to help you prepare - the Internet, an assistant, the library, company files? Where will your presentation be, and what resources will be needed in terms of equipment, refreshments, and room set-up?

II. Determine your objectives.  What is the end result you want to achieve? The more specific you can be with this objective, the better. Complete this sentence: Because of my presentation, my audience will....

Some examples include: sell (or buy) more product, buy my service, approve my budget request, join the local industry association, communicate more effectively with the opposite sex, understand our company finances, etc. Remember, with any presentation, you are ALWAYS selling and performing!

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