5 Essential Tips for Presentations
Presentations are serious business. Even presentations that cover fun or lighthearted content are still a big deal. Your professional credibility as well as the success of your company will be impacted by your presentations. There are many tips and tricks that will help you succeed on your big day. The never-ending stream of advice can be overwhelming, so here are a few of my favorite presentation tricks to help you succeed on your big day.
1. Chunk Your Message
Instead of building your presentation around a long list of multiple points, ensure your audience remembers your message by chunking your presentation into 3 main takeaways.
Chunking is a technique that is proven to simplify the process of committing information to memory.
To chunk your message, group similar ideas together under a clearly articulated concept, for a total of 3 main concepts that all support your main idea.
Additional Resources:
The Rule of Three for Presentations
2. Clear Your Mind
Presentations are a lot of work, and require a lot of time. To prepare you for the marathon-esque experience of creating an excellent professional presentation, improve your focus and clear your mind by incorporating deep breathing techniques into your daily routine.
Deep breathing and other calming techniques might not be the best way to pump yourself up immediately before your presentation, however meditative and restorative practices will be beneficial in the weeks before your presentation while you are preparing for the big day.
There are a lot of different techniques to try, but I recommend lying on the floor and using a Diaphragmatic Breathing Technique. After you lie down, mindfully breathe in through the nose and down through the stomach. Release this breath up into your chest, past the back of the throat, and out through the mouth. Repeat this technique for three deep inhales and exhales. Another technique to try is the 4×4 breathing pattern. It’s a simple formula: breathe in for 4 seconds, hold the breath for 4 seconds, and then breathe out for 4 seconds until you feel relaxed.
Additional Resources:
Meditate To Improve Your Presentations…And Your Life
3. Pose for Power
For your presentation to be a success, you need to project confidence. Social psychologist Amy Cuddy’s famous TED Talk, “Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are,” reveals the secret to lowering the stress hormone cortisol and raising testosterone, the confidence hormone.
What’s the secret to controlling these influential hormones?
Holding power poses for a few minutes before your presentation.
Learn more by watching the video of Amy Cuddy’s TED talk below.
Additional Resources:
33 Nonverbal Communication Tips, in 140 characters or less
4. Think: Do-Re-Mi
Just like you need to clear the cobwebs from your mind, as well as refine your physical presence before your presentation, you also need to be intentional with your voice and tone.
According to an analysis of media appearances by 120 top financial communicators, the sound of a speaker’s voice matters twice as much as the content of the message.
Reign in any unwanted vocal tones through a quick warm up before your presentation. This can include reading a piece aloud in different tones for a few minutes, stretching jaw muscles, or attempting some vocal scales.
Additional Resources:
How Your Voice Impacts Your Public Speaking Success
5. Prioritize Pacing
During everyday conversations, most people speak at a rate of about 120 words per minute. However many people tend to increase their speaking rate during anxiety inducing situations like presentations.
If you speak too quickly, you will appear nervous and your audience will also struggle to follow along with your material.
Before your presentation, work on your pacing by rehearsing your content in slow motion, taking time to pause between each main point. Also try to avoid reading off lists or memorizing large portions of text: the goal is to sound conversational, not like an auctioneer.
Additional Resources:
Your Guide to Developing a Stronger Speaking Voice
Conclusion
Since presentations have such an enormous impact on credibility and overall success in business, take the time to refine your presentation skills. If you’re overwhelmed by all of the presentation tips and tricks, focus on the 5 tips above to start improving your presentation skills today.
