Presentations Pointers

Posted on 26 June 2012 by Sean Andrade

All of us have experienced stage chills while giving crucial presentations in college. Even the most practiced speakers experience stage fright so it is not unnatural for a college student to experience discomfort and anxiety when presenting. Stage fright or nervousness before an important presentation is nothing to be ashamed of and you mustn’t allow it to come in the way of your presentation.

Your presentations skills are just as important as the information you are presenting. If you cannot grab the attention of your audience and hold it, then all the useful and relevant information you have accumulated won’t register with them. The audience doesn’t bother listening to a boring speaker, hence one must have the requisite presentation skills to keep the audience engaged. People are easily distracted with anything and everything so it is up to you to get them to listen to you if you so wish.

Remember these steps to keep your audience from dozing off:

Prepare well: It is important to prepare well for a presentation. Make sure you know your content and know what you are going to be talking about. The presentation should contain only useful and relevant information; don’t over-stuff your presentation with information. This will irritate your audience and they will not remember all you said.

Know your strength: You should analyse yourself and identify your strengths. Some people are able to keep the audience engaged by adding a touch of humour to their presentation. You have to evolve your personal style of presentation skills. Being unique and informative is always applauded by the audience.

Ignoring presentation anxiety: There are quite a few ways you can effectively suppress anxiety during your presentations. Drink sufficient water and wipe away the sweat. Don’t let anyone intimidate you and believe in yourself. Don’t disregard the stress, acknowledge its presence and use it as a tool to perform well.

Practise: You have to get a hang of what you are going to be talking about. Therefore, practise and continue to do so till you master your skill.

A few extra pointers: Always make eye contact with the audience. Remember to pause and change your tone and volume level depending on what information you are sharing with them. Ensure your presentation is interactive and build a conversation with the audience.

Sign In Sign In
Sign Up Sign Up
         

  



Advertise Here