Tips To Improve Your Presentation Skills

Doing a presentation is one of the most daunting prospects for a lot of people. Whether it is in high
school, university or a job, the feeling of nerves never really goes away. Public speaking tends to be
one of the biggest fears that people have. But there are ways that you can tackle the nerves you feel
before that big presentation. While presenting and public speaking come naturally to some, it needs
to be worked on for others. Here are some presentation skills that will help you improve.

1. Be Passionate

If you aren’t passionate about what your topic is then it is more than likely won’t connect with your
audience. Make sure that your passion is reflected in your tone and body language and you will see
the presentation becoming much more natural. The audience will be attentive if you are engaging.
The more passionate you are on the subject, the less you will worry.

2. Consider The Audience’s Needs

One thing that some people tend to forget when they are planning a presentation is the audience’s
needs. It is important that you consider what your audience is expecting, whether they have any
special requirements etc. when planning. If it shows through that you have considered them when
presenting then you will get a better response.

3. Keep It Simple

A great way to become nervous about a presentation is to overcomplicate it. Focus on getting your
key messages across before adding extra information. This will not only help you present but will
also improve your audiences experience. By keeping things simple you will be able to spend more
time on the factors of the presentation that matter.

4. Body Language Is Important

A lot of people will go in to a presentation, get their head down and get the information out as
quickly as possible. But making eye contact and smiling at your audience will make the experience
much more enjoyable for everyone. It helps to build a rapport with the crowd, which improves the
chances that they will connect with you and your presentation.

5. Have a Strong Start

First impressions count when it comes to presenting. Starting off strong will grab the audience’s
attention and keep them engaged for the rest of the presentation. Focus on getting your personality
out straight away.

6. The 10-20- 30 Rule

Guy Kawasaki at Apple came up with this rule. If you are doing a presentation that has slideshows
then there are certain rules that will optimise the experience. It should contain no more than 10
slides, last no longer than 20 minutes and the font shouldn’t be larger than 30 point. If you stick to
all these rules then the presentation will go much smoother.

7. Add Stories

Humans are wired in a way that means we connect and respond when someone tells stories. If you
add in personal anecdotes throughout the presentation then the audience will become more
engaged. Don’t add in too much however, keeping the balance between personal and professional is
important.