One area of presenting that cannot be stressed enough is delivery. Most of us get obsessive about our PowerPoints. For some, this means agonizing over every single slide. For others, well, let’s just say some people have issues with font sizes…
However, no matter how hard we work on these details, the success – or failure – of a presentation will largely depend on delivery, and most of us aren’t even really sure what that means.
Generally speaking, delivery encompasses the actual, physical delivery of your PowerPoint presentation. Your posture, your pace, the volume of your voice, your hand gestures, your movement around the room, your eye contact, your facial expressions, all fall under the banner of delivery.
The tough part is that we each do these things all day long as part of just being ourselves. It’s easy to forgive someone who has never paid close attention to these details, but if you do, you will immediately become a better presenter just by becoming a little more conscious of what you are doing with your body from moment to moment. Just like an actor, your presentation is a performance, and your body is your instrument.
Why be hum-drum when you can be Hendrix?
Here are some delivery pointers that will bring poise to your pres in no time.
Share ’em with your posse!
Get Up! Stand Up!
Posture! Posture! Posture! Your mom was always admonishing you to stand up straight, but you never listened. Shame on you! No matter how prepared your PowerPoint presentation is, it’ll crash faster than a 401K if you’re still burdened with your junior high slouch. Hey, Cobain! Straighten up!
Pace and Time
If there is only one tip you take from this page, make it this one. We all get nervous when we are presenting, and the most obvious symptom is hurried speech. Just staying aware of your rate of speech will make your presenting grow by leaps and bounds. Fast talking sounds nervous and frantic, and its difficult to follow. Slow, calm speech brims with confidence and connects immediately with an audience.
Do the Locomotion
Moving around the room – or stage – brings a whole new level to your presentation. If you have the technical capability to move around the space and still be heard, use it! You moving is more interesting that you just standing still. It also allows you to connect with specific sections of the audience.
Look ’em in the Eye
Don’t be afraid to look audience members in the eye. Look right at folks in your audience, hold their gaze, and then move on. Connecting individually with specific attendees is crucial to connecting with your audience as a whole.
Fun, Fun, Fun
However you decide to deliver your next PowerPoint presentation – have fun! Approach your pres in a way that will find you having a blast. Your enthusiasm will be infectious!
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