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It's been said that fear of dying is almost as powerful as fear of speaking in public. In fact, the two are closely entwined. Haven't we heard the phase: "He's dying out there" in reference to someone appearing before an audience?

Death and bombing in public share similar attributes when it comes to fear. That's why I make it number one out of 12 challenges that I discuss in my book, The Fast Track Guide to Speaking in Public, and are now sharing with you in brief in this blog. (For a more extensive discussion, however, I refer you to my book, which is available in hardcover, paperback, and e-book formats.)
Challenge #1 You are deathly afraid to speak.
You can't do anything about death, it's inevitable, but you can face your fear of speaking and, through some concrete effort on your part, you might even find yourself enjoying it. When I say effort I mean prepare. Practice so you know what you're going to say, and remember this: the more you do it, the less fearful it becomes.
Challenge #2: Someone walks out.
It happens. Don't take this personally because chances are it has nothing to do with you. He or she may have to use the bathroom, or just received a text they need to react to. They may even leave because what you're talking about isn't something they want or need to hear. This still has nothing to do with you. So ignore them, let them go, and keep talking to those who have remained to hear your words of wisdom. Ignore it unless everyone walks out and then you should probably leave too; there may be a fire.
Challenge #3: You get booed.
Even the president and the first lady have been booed and it doesn't stop them from speaking again. Imagine yourself getting booed and surviving the experience. You'll be a stronger speaker because of seeing yourself as a survivor even if it never happens to you.

Also, like most "mishaps" or unpleasant situations related to speaking, if you do get booed, it's best to figure out why it's happening (or afterwards, when you reflect on your speech, and analyze what worked and didn't work about it, why it happened). That might help you to see if there's something you said that touched off that reaction that you might reconsider putting in your speech again or, if it's pivotal to your speech, just accept that you may get booed again.
Challenge #4: Someone keeps interrupting you.
This happens but you can deal with it in a non-confrontational manner, that still gets the point across that such behavior is unacceptable.
Challenge #5: Your computer (Power Point) won't work.
Make sure you have notes and a backup plan if your computer and/or Power Point presentation doesn't work. Don't just rely on technology because technology may fail.
Challenge #6: The audience doesn't want to hear the prepared topic.
If possible, adapt to what this particular audience does want to hear.

If not, try to make what you're speaking about more interactional so you find out just what's going on with your audience that's causing them to resist your topic. Within reason, be flexible about your content if you're getting such strong vibes from your audience that you're off base on what their expectations were.
Challenge #7: You forget what you were about to say or you can't remember a fact.
It happens to the best of us. Take a deep breath, regain your composure, and either change the subject, or if it's obvious, ask the audience for help without being too self-deprecating about what happened.
Challenge #8: The person that preceded you covered your topic.
That's why it's always a good idea to know who is going on before you and what he or she is likely to say, or at least his or her topic. Have a secondary speech available to give or at least make sure if you find yourself giving a similar speech that at least you include your own examples and "spin" on it so you don't bore the audience.
Challenge #9: You run out of things to say.
Turn to the audience for their input. After all, this doesn't have to be a one-way exchange just because you're giving a speech. Ask questions.

Divide the room up into small groups and have them do an exercise for five minutes, reporting back to the group when they're done. Or have everyone turn to the person next to them and interact for 5-10 minutes. Alternatively, if you're close to the end of your allotted time, consider ending early.
Challenge #10: You're out of time with more to say.
Finishing on time is considered the sign of a professional. (If there's a speaker after you, it's also courteous since going past your time will cut into that next speaker's time.) Pull your speech together quickly and finish up with a distinctive ending rather than just going on and on because you still have things to say. It's the quality of the speech you deliver that will impress your audience, not its length.
Challenge #11: You don't feel like speaking.
But you're a professional. Psyche yourself up. You made a commitment. People are coming to hear you. Remind yourself that it's just one more speech; you can get through it. Then give the speech you'd like to hear.
Challenge #12: How to stay fresh when you give the same speech again and again to different audiences.
Remember that just because you've given the same speech before, this audience hasn't heard it. So to them it's fresh. You can also add new anecdotes or revive the information so you and your speech are considered "cutting edge" or at least up to date.

By preparing what you are going to say, practicing it, preferably saying it out loud at least once, plus having the added confidence that you'll get by facing, and learning new coping strategies, for dealing with these twelve speaker challenges, you might even enjoy, rather than dread, the next speech that you have to deliver.

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How to Handle 12 Challenges Speakers Face

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It's been said that fear of dying is almost as powerful as fear of speaking in public. In fact, the two are closely entwined. Haven't we heard the phase: "He's dying out there" in reference to someone appearing before an audience?

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For both the seasoned and the occasional presenter, the Q&A session provokes anxiety and even fear. As Elon Musk recently found out, even the most well-prepared and organized presentation can go off the rails when the speaker is confronted by irrelevant information, non-questions, or even hostility.

Yet, the Q&A session is an essential tool. It's a way to truly make your work a subject of conversation and a way to connect with your audience. With a bit of creativity, you can use the Q&A session to transform and elevate your talk.

Here are some ideas for how:

1. Know why and what you're doing

Building Q&A into your talk fundamentally changes the dynamic between you, the speaker, and the audience - in a good way. We as speakers sometimes forget that the point of the presentation isn't to let us talk. It is to create an exchange of views and information. Q&A sessions transform the presentation from an empty exercise in lecturing to a real and fruitful learning experience.

When presentations are interactive, members of the audience are significantly more likely to pay attention, to stay engaged, and to stay tuned in.

Q & A shows how your work is being perceived by others

Q & A allows you to get more information out about your product or topic.

2. Timing, timing, timing

It is easy to think of the Q&A as an afterthought, although it is anything but!

At an absolute minimum, budget 25% of your total time to the Q&A session. Don't give in to the temptation to get caught up in the flow of your presentation and go over speaking time. You will get more information out, and in a more digestible format, during Q&A. Moreover, consider not bunching all your Q&A time to the end, but plan for some interactive Q&A sessions throughout your speaking time (see tips 6 & 7 below!)

3. Make a list of potential questions (and answers)

As you prepare the presentation, keep in mind the audience and what they're looking for. Try and see things from their perspective. What questions might they have? First, brainstorm at least 5-10 key questions (depending on the length of your presentation). Then, prepare answers to them. Keep the answers short and direct.

4. Keep some slides in reserve specifically for Q&A

Ever write a presentation and find that some slides go into too much detail and detract from the flow of the presentation? Don't throw them out. Keep them on hand for the Q&A session. When a question comes up that is more in-depth, pull out your prepared slide and look like an absolute ace for having the information ready!

5. Neutralize trouble with openness

When you receive a relevant, thoughtful question that allows you to talk about your product, answering it is easy. But what if you get an irrelevant question, a meandering one, or, even worse, a hostile one? Even these challenging situations can be turned to your advantage.

Thank the person asking the question regardless. This is especially effective for neutralizing hostile questions posed because the asker is showing off. By thanking them for the new perspective they're providing and promising to look into their perspective in the future. This shows your openness without giving up your authority.

If possible, pivot irrelevant questions toward something else that you do want to address in your Q&A, but have not had a chance to. One technique for doing that is to rephrase the question: If I understand right, the question is¦ and then pivot toward the question you want to answer. Also, works for situations when you can't quite hear the question, the asker has a strong accent, or you're just not really sure what they're asking!

Prep an answer for odd and inappropriate questions that allows both you and the asker to save face. For example, you might say, ˜That's a great question and although I don't feel it's appropriate to answer at this time, I'd be happy to address it one-on-one after the session.'

All of these strategies reinforce your authority in the room. Others in the audience will be able to tell that the question is irrelevant or hostile. And they will appreciate your poise in handling such questions effectively.

6. Use software to revolutionize Q&A

Although the above tips will already get you an effective Q&A session, tech can help you knock it out of the park.

Use software that makes interacting with your audience, collecting and fielding questions, a cinch. Instead of a mic, invest in tools that allow everyone to submit a question via their mobile devices. This used to be done via a system called clickers. Clickers were clunky, expensive, and required maintenance.

Currently, you can invest in a software package that will allow your audience to submit questions or answer a poll on their mobile devices. The cost (to you or your company) is minimal; the benefits to engagement are huge. Because these systems allow your audience to answer a question in real time, you can poll your audience and show them the results, sparking true conversation and idea-building.

7. Democratizing discussion

Using live Q&A software for your software means that you are no longer locked into using Q&A at the end of your talk.

Instead, you can deploy questions before, during, and after your talk to create a feedback system that will deliver maximum insight and exchange for you and your audience. You can:

Ask your audience to submit their questions ahead of time. Although you'll get some unrelated questions, this is a great way to go outside your own head and really figure out what your audience wants to know.

Allow your audience to vote on the submitted questions. By letting people upvote their favorites, you will end up with a list of priority questions ahead of time.

Rewrite two or three of the submitted questions as a multiple-choice poll; administer the polls in the beginning and middle of your talk.

After each such mini-poll, ask audience members to discuss results in small (5-7 persons) groups before bringing the room back together.

Put your closing remarks AFTER the Q&A. Whether you have one Q&A session at the end or intersperse questions, polling, and discussion, delivering your closing remarks after the Q&A reasserts your control of the information and allows you to underline the conclusions of the discussion. Just make sure to keep it short and direct!

The result will be a more democratic, open discussion that will keep your audience fully engaged through the entire presentation period. Most experts agree that the average human will start tuning out after a maximum of 20 minutes; even the most talented speakers will lose their audience for chunks of time. On the other hand, reorganizing your presentation so that it is punctuated by shorter Q&A sessions and group discussions following strategic polling will keep your audience on their toes the entire time!

8. Gain control

The great thing about using audience response software is that it can help you collect and sift through questions ahead of time. Or conduct real-time polling, putting you in control of the room. By previewing at least some questions ahead of time, you not only give yourself a chance to prep, you can also weed out hostile and irrelevant questions ahead of time.

9. Leverage anonymity

Another positive aspect to using software with your Q&A session is that you can enable people to either ask questions anonymously (when they submit them before the talk) or provide their opinion anonymously (when they vote in a real-time poll). Because the input is anonymous, there's no risk or judgment from peers or bosses, and people feel liberated to pose great questions.

10. Practice, practice, practice

As with anything else, practice makes perfect. Or, if not perfect, at least better.

Even with the best structure and preparation, Q & A sessions come with some uncertainty and will require thinking on your feet. When you practice your presentation, practice the Q & A as well: ask a few friends or colleagues to sit in your audience and to throw questions at you.

As you can see, the Q & A session is not something to fear, but a key tool for making sure your presentation really gets its point across. The more well-developed, active, and engaged your Q & A session, the more successful your overall presentation. Active engagement has been shown to boost attentiveness, understanding, and retention of the presented information.

Whether you group your Q&A session at the end, in the traditional format, or experiment with other styles, an effective Q & A session will improve your audience's understanding of your material. It will create a more democratic and collaborative atmosphere, allowing people to see how their thoughts compare with others. At the same time, members of your audience will feel that their individual questions and concerns are being addressed. Even individuals who are reluctant to speak up feel empowered and everyone feels more committed and involved in your project.
Don't take it from us: tell us what you do to maximize a Q&A session. Give us a shout on or .

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10 Simple Ways to Get The Most Out of Your Q&A Session

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For both the seasoned and the occasional presenter, the Q&A session provokes anxiety and even fear. As Elon Musk recently found out, even the most well-prepared and organized presentation can go off the rails when the speaker is confronted by irrelevant information, non-questions, or even hostility. Yet, the Q&A session is an essential tool.

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3 Ways to Handle Presentation Interruptions

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Strategies and techniques for gracefully and successfully handling hecklers, technical problems and disasters during a talk or presentation.

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1) What was the difference in impact between the versions with and without body language?
2) How well were you able to align body language with words?
3) What can you do to improve your visual delivery?
4) People who practised visual delivery with and without gestures, was there a difference?
5) Which vocal feature do you find the most challenging?

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1) Which feedback did you find most useful; yours or your observers?
2) What are the benefits of recording and watching yourself doing presentations?
3) How will you work on the areas for improvement?

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Picture the difference: Would you rather listen to a keynote speaker who shuffles onto the stage, clutches the sides of a podium, looks down, and then reads a speech in a monotone voice? Or would you rather listen to a speaker who springs onto the stage, looks you in the eyes, and presents a natural, welcoming smile? As a keynote speaker, your body language communicates volumes, and it is the first way your audience will experience the type of speaker you are - even before you say a thing.
Body Language Conveys More than Words
So much of what we communicate in business comes not from our words but from our bodies. Gestures, expressions, eye contact, and other movements can - and do - say far more than scripted content.

First impressions are often formed unconsciously and almost instantaneously. Malcolm Gladwell, in his bestseller, Blink, noted that it takes as little as two seconds for opinions to be formed. Think about it. The body language of the presenter gripping the podium screams to the audience that he or she is nervous, isn't prepared, or doesn't want to be there. In contrast, a presenter who comes out with a smile and approaches you appears to be passionate and enthusiastic. In fact, you're more likely to forgive and forget any minor mistakes made by the more-passionate presenter.

The impact of body language goes beyond first impressions. Jonathan Mahler of The New York Times was asked by his editor to watch the first presidential debate - with the sound muted. He wrote a very interesting article in which he was asked to determine which candidate won based on body language alone: "[I]t was clear that the debate had produced a winner, at least to those of us who actually hadn't heard a word of what the candidates had said: Mrs. Clinton. He had vibrated with anxiety; she had radiated cool confidence. He had seemed to be crawling out of his own skin; she had looked uncharacteristically comfortable in hers." (NYT 9/27/16)

Body language is a critical aspect of business communication, too; it is crucial to understand how body language either complements or detracts from your message. Whether you're networking, attending a conference with clients, or presenting to a board of directors, your body language matters. Without body language to back up your words and your passion, your speech or presentation will be less than memorable.
Body Language Is an Essential Business Communication Tool
The biggest challenge during a presentation, relating to your body language, is having awareness and full control over your nonverbal communication. During our presentation coaching sessions, executives are surprised when they watch their presentations on video. Too often they are shocked to discover their mouths and bodies are delivering different messages.

Practice is essential to align your nonverbal body language with your spoken message. Focus on:
Posture
Your mother was right when she told you to stand up straight and stop slouching. Standing straight is a sign of confidence. We recommend practicing the art of standing straight with shoulders squared.
Eye Contact
Establishing eye contact with your audience has enormous impact. It strengthens your message and enhances your credibility. It also helps your audience remember more of your content.

Very few people can give a speech and establish eye contact without practice. Until you can master this, consider working with a presentation coach prior to your big events.
Hand Gestures
Nothing screams dichotomy louder than hand gestures that don't match the message. If your hands are gripped on the sides of the podium or are hanging at your sides, your message is diluted. If, on the other hand, you use hand gestures to help convey your message, it increases your perceived authenticity. Your hand gestures need to appear natural, so you may need to practice until they feel comfortable to you.
Facial Expressions
Smile. It's as simple as that. Of course, you want your facial expression to match the tone of your presentation. But if you simply begin with a smile, it sends the message that you are comfortable and pleased to be there.
Movement
The human eye is drawn to movement. Don't let a podium confine you. Walk about the stage. Stop in front of different sections of the audience. Thoughtful movement empowers you and enhances your credibility.

Using body language effectively takes time and practice. Don't worry if it feels stilted at first. Just keep practicing (and watching your rehearsals and presentations on video). You'll learn to integrate how you move with what you say in a way that makes you a more effective public speaker.
Originally published on LinkedIn.
Franchetti Communications delivers accelerated results by designing power-packed media interview and presentation training sessions around your unique goals, in person and via teleconference. Franchetti Communications works with corporations and business leaders to develop communication strategy, messaging, and PR strategy. Follow Franchetti Communications on LinkedIn, and be sure to download our special report: 6 Ways to Guarantee Your Message Cuts Through the Clutter.

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suzanne franchetti - president + lead trainer

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Body Language: The Art of Non-Verbal Communication * Franchetti Communications

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Picture the difference: Would you rather listen to a keynote speaker who shuffles onto the stage, clutches the sides of a podium, looks down, and then reads a speech in a monotone voice? Or would you rather listen to a speaker who springs onto the stage, looks you in the eyes, and presents a natural, welcoming smile?

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Creating the perfect elevator pitch can help you clarify your brand and build confidence in your purpose. Win over you audience in under one minute.

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Beyond Power Posing - Presentation Skills Training with Presence | Moxie Institute

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“Becoming present is not just about knowing and affirming your story—it’s also about how you narrate your story. Telling yourself what matters to you is one thing,… Continue reading Beyond Power Posing – Presentation Skills Training with Presence

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Executive Summary

How you look and sound during a speech or presentation are going to make a big impression on your audience. Within seconds, listeners will decide whether you are trustworthy, and they will do it based on your body language and vocal attributes. The good news is that there is plenty of hard evidence that explains how you can give the appearance of confidence and competence - even if you're nervous or timid on the inside. To look confident, make eye contact, keep an open posture, and use gestures to emphasize your message. To sound confident, eliminate filler words, take time to pause before important messages, and vary your pace.

Windsor & Wiehahn/Getty Images

You've crafted the message and created the slides for your next presentation. Now it's time to wow the audience. How you look and sound are going to make a big impression - and your audience will form opinions quickly.

Research shows that people form impressions about a leader's competence in as little as half a minute. This means, within seconds, listeners will decide whether you are trustworthy, and they will do it based on your body language and vocal attributes. What you say and how you say it are equally important.

The good news is that there is plenty of hard evidence that explains how you can give the appearance of confidence and competence - even if you're nervous or timid on the inside.

How to Look Confident

Make eye contact. Making eye contact is the first step to building trust with your listeners. "Eyes play a key role in human social encounters," according to one research report. "When humans observe others' faces, eyes are typically the first features that are scanned for information."

There's a simple way to get better at this, but it takes a little work: Record yourself practicing your presentation in front of a small audience. Watch the recording, noting all of the times you look at your slides instead of at your audience. Practice, and record again. Every time you do, try to spend less time talking to the slides and more time making eye contact with your listeners. Rehearse until you have the presentation down cold.

Keep an open posture. Open posture means that there's no barrier between you and the audience. This includes your arms. An uncomfortable speaker might unconsciously cross their arms, forming a defensive pose without being aware that they're doing it. Confident speakers, by contrast, keep their arms uncrossed with their palms turned up.

But your hands and arms are just one barrier. There are others to eliminate.

A lectern is a barrier. Stand away from it. A laptop between you and your listener is a barrier. Set it to the side. If you keep your hands in your pockets, take them out. An open posture takes up more space and makes you feel more confident. If you feel confident, you'll look confident.

Use gestures. Confident speakers use gestures to reinforce their key points. One study found that entrepreneurs pitching investors were more persuasive when they used a combination of figurative language (stories, metaphors) and gestures to emphasize their message.

Find areas of your presentation where gestures will come across as natural, and use them to highlight key points or emphasize a concept. If you're listing a number of items, use your fingers to count them off. If you're talking about something that's wide or expansive, stretch your arms and hands apart. One of popular TED speakers, like Brené Brown and Tony Robbins, found that they tend to bring their hands to their heart when sharing personal stories. Your gestures will reflect your feeling toward the topic you're discussing and invite the audience to engage with you on a deeper, emotional level.

How to Sound Confident

Eliminate filler words. Avoid words that serve no purpose except to fill the space between sentences. These are words like ? Excessive filler words can be irritating to listeners, and make speakers sound unsure of themselves. Eliminating them is also one of the simplest habits to fix.

Start by studying the verbal delivery of sports commentators. The ones who are at the top of their game rarely use filler words. Instead, before speaking, they think about what they want to communicate next, and deliver their comments precisely and concisely. Listen to Jim Nantz calling a golf event, Bob Costas calling the Olympics, or Al Michaels calling a football game for great examples. After years of practice, these announcers have become skilled at delivering just the words they want you to hear.

How did they get there? By spending hours in front of the television, reviewing videos of their performances.

Use this same strategy. Turn on the video or microphone of your smartphone and record yourself presenting. Play it back. Your goal is to gain awareness around the filler words you use most. Write them down, and practice again. When you catch yourself about to use one, err on silence instead to develop a smoother, polished delivery.

Take time to pause. Most people use filler words because they're afraid of silence. It takes confidence to use dramatic pauses. A pause is like the period in a written sentence. It gives your audience a break between thoughts.

A recent story in the New York Times, for example, calls attention to the silence in between notes of a classical music piece, explaining why short pauses draw so much attention. As social beings, we are hard-wired to pay attention to breaks in the flow of communication. "We recognize the pregnant pause, the stunned silence, the expectant hush," the author writes. "A one-beat delay on an answer can reveal hesitation or hurt, or play us for laughs."

Pauses are interpreted as eloquence - in music and in public speech. A simple way to learn the power of the pause is to choose one or two phrases in your next presentation that express the key message you want to leave your audience with. Pause before you deliver those lines. For example, "The most important thing I'd like you to remember is this..." Pause for two beats before you complete the sentence. Whatever you say next will be instantly memorable.

Vary your pace. Confident speakers vary the pace of their verbal delivery. They slow down and speed up to accentuate their most important points.

Audiobooks are recorded at a moderate pace of 150 to 160 words per minute. It's slow enough to be understood, but not so fast that the listener has a hard time keeping up. TED speakers, similarly, speak around 163 words per minute, right in the sweet spot.

But here's the trick. The best speakers speed up to around 220 words a minute when they want to embellish a certain story detail and keep listeners engaged. When they want to accentuate a certain message, they pause, then deliver their words at a slower pace.

Take TED speaker and human rights attorney, Bryan Stevenson. He delivered a presentation that earned the longest standing ovation in TED history. Stevenson is a masterful public speaker. He constantly varies his pace to keep the audience riveted. In one anecdote about meeting civil rights hero, Rosa Parks, Stevenson sped up when he rattled off a long list of what his non-profit intended to accomplish.

I began giving her my rap. I said, "Well, we're trying to challenge injustice. We're trying to help people who have been wrongly convicted. We're trying to confront bias and discrimination in the administration of criminal justice. We're trying to end life without parole sentences for children. We're trying to do something about the death penalty. We're trying to reduce the prison population. We're trying to end mass incarceration."

Stevenson then dramatically slowed down the pace of his speech to deliver Park's response: "She looked at me and she said, Mmm mmm mmm. That's going to make you tired, tired, tired."

The audience laughed, touched by the story. Stevenson's varied and controlled delivery made a story that could have been dry and predictable, poignant and humorous. He never leaves his delivery to chance.

How can you master this skill? Let the story you are trying to tell guide you. Don't force it, but if there's a part in your presentation or speech where it makes sense to rattle off a series of words or sentences - perhaps a section in which you need to run through a list of details - try speeding it up. Then, slow it down as you approach your main point.

It's the rare presenter who's mastered all six principles of confident speaking. In fact, many speakers are unaware of them. Now that you know the secrets to looking confident in front of a crowd - practice, practice, practice. Don't be hard on yourself if it takes more time than you expect. Some of these tactics will take a couple of run-throughs to get right, while others - like pacing - require hours of work and advanced delivery skills to nail down. Keep at it. There is nothing more influential than the power of your presence matching the power of your ideas.

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How to Look and Sound Confident During a Presentation

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Executive Summary How you look and sound during a speech or presentation are going to make a big impression on your audience. Within seconds, listeners will decide whether you are trustworthy, and they will do it based on your body language and vocal attributes.

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15 Ways to Boost Your Confidence Before a Big Presentation

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Here’s how to stop those butterflies for good.

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Making your presentation memorable_Task book

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1) When in your presentation should you use hooks?
2) What are some of the other ways that presenters can get an audience to engage emotionally and cognitively?

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Emotional Intelligence in an Artificial World | Larisa Halilović | TEDxFerhadija

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What to Include in the Conclusion of Your Presentation in English

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As you finalize the preparation of your presentation in English, be sure to include these 5 key details + get three ways to conclude your presentation powerfully.

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Learning how to start a presentation is just as important as knowing how to finish it. It is the beginning of the conversation that can make or break it in capturing your audience's attention. We forget that there are many ways to start a presentation that will engage the hearts and minds of the people you want to convey your message to.

At , we value the importance of design and slide management, and we also understand that the delivery can be just as important as the slides you may use. We wanted to list 22 power tips and tricks that anyone from marketers and sales people to the common man can use to nail the CustomShow beginning of their next presentation. We have a list of 22 strategies to consider, but we want to share a video that provides some more great insights on how to start powerful presentations:

Start Your Presentation By Getting People's Attention

Getting your audience's attention from the beginning is the most important thing one can do in starting a presentation. Yes, you want to introduce yourself and complete the formalities as quickly as possible, but without grabbing their attention, you've already lost them. Remembering the importance of capturing the attention of who you're speaking to will set you up for the many other strategies we convey.

Welcome Them With A Thank You

Another important formality is welcoming your audience with a thank you. It shows both sincerity and appreciation and additionally establishes the sense of community with your audience. A great example of this is welcoming them coupled with a thank you for the opportunity to speak, pitch or share.

Memorize Your First Opening Line

In general it is not a good idea to memorize your entire speech. It is however a good idea to memorize the beginning 4 - 10 sentences. This is critical because it allows you to feel confident and ride the wave of confidence as you continue your presentation. Even marketers and sales people can benefit from this approach with slides they use to further buttress their messaging. Most people think the best presenters wing it. While this is true, they typically practice and memorize the beginning and ending of their talks. This is a professional practice you should always leverage to your advantage.

State The Purpose Of Your Presentation

Generally your audience will know your purpose or why you're there but you want to be sure make it clear to them. For example, as a sales person you may be pitching to win a marketing and leasing assignment of a building in New York. As you begin to pitch the owner's management team, they'll know you're there to talk about how you can help market and lease their building. But another approach can be changing the purpose to "I'm here discuss our team's capabilities but more importantly discuss strategies you can implement and why they would be effective." Thinking about the purpose gives you that northern star to point throughout your presentation and they'll constantly revert back to it.

State how you want to deal with questions

Always remember to let the audience know how you will handle questions. If you are in a marketing or sales presentation, I would not bring this up. Simply give them the free will to ask questions when they best see fit.

Silence...Nothing More

We are all uncomfortable when there is silence. Yet incorporating silence into your presentation can be a valuable tool causing the audience to be attentive to what you are going to say next. We got this one from Scott who wrote a great post on 5 ways to open a presentation.

Tell A Joke

As a followup to silence or as a standalone, tell a joke to elicit laughter form the audience. Even for marketing and sales representatives, this can be a way to lighten the room and become more connected with the audience. Don't overdo this as it can steer people away from your purpose, but proper usage of this technique can be effective in starting any presentation.

Start Your Presentation In Future Or Past

Many directors use this approach in their storytelling. They will start a scene in the far past or in the future and then always connect it back to the main story. This is a power tool to arouse the attention of the viewer, or in the presentation's case, your audience. There are many great examples of this. One approach that marketers can use is displaying market activity from the past yet showing how your strategies can impact that performance.

Quote Someone

Quoting someone is a great way to start any presentation. Just be sure to make it relevant to the purpose of your speech and presentation. If you are using slides, adding a picture of the person you are quoting to add more texture and breadth to your presentation.

Open Up With Being Vulnerable

We know that great speakers can be tough as nails, but those who upon up about their lives or their story builds a deeper relationship with their audience. When you start your presentation showcasing your ability to be vulnerable,you are giving yourself more chances to maintain the attention and interest of your audience.

Tell Your Audience A Story

This is as basic is it gets, but story telling is the best way to connect with an audience. You can start a start at the beginning of your presentation and then connect it to the purpose of why you're there. Many great presenters use this technique and it remains one of the most critical pieces to becoming an effective presenter. Nick Morgan wrote an interesting post on this in Forbes.

Point To Their Problem

If you are pitching for business, this is a great strategy. You don't want to come across as negative but thinking about problems that the company may not have thought of can be even more effective than simply stating what they already know. Some of the best marketers and salespeople (including Steve Jobs) employs this philosophy regularly.

Point To Their Opportunity

The flipside is showcasing what opportunities they face. Show them the many benefit they could achieve by following your lead or the action you want them to take. This sense of optimism can perk up the audience and get them engaged pretty quickly.

Ask Questions (Direct or Rhetorical)

To start a presentation you can begin with direct questions to the audience. It's a great way to wake up their senses, get them engaged and get you more connected with them. Jon Marshal did a good job with this point in this post.

Start With Video

Video remains a powerful mechanism to begin a presentation. In an industry roundup we did at CustomShow, we asked presentation experts for their thoughts on video. They all agreed that it is an important prop but should be used sparingly. Keep in mind you want to use video to further your message, not overtake your message.

Shock The Audience

There can be a plethora of ways to shock the audience. You can show a funny video that showcases or furthers your purpose, state something that is contradictory to most people, make fun of something....the sky is the limit. Remember to be smart about how you choose to shock your audience as it could backfire if what you do is offensive to the majority.

Statistics & Data

Showcasing data and statistics to prove a point remains a a critical strategy not just at the beginning but also throughout. Use research and data only to further your points. Statistics can be boring but if there is some compelling information that can help further the conversation, statistics and data can be a powerful tool, whether used at the very beginning or end of any presentation.

Use These Words: "Imagine, Think of, Close Your Eyes"

Another powerful mechanism used by many speakers is getting the audience to imagine or think of something. This technique can be useful in starting off a presentation.

Use The Power Of "What If"

What if you knew how start any presentation and capture your audience? What if your audience could really be connected to your message and the words you say? The power of "what if" gives people the sense of how things can be if they follow your lead or your message. Again, that is why understanding your purpose and stating it gives people something to point to.

Show of Hands - Poll The Room

Just as if we're asking the audience a question, we also want to get them engaged with a "show of hands" question. This is another technique many presenters use to create context and commonality.

Project And Speak From The Gut

Now we're back to formalities that can help maintain and capture the audience. If the audience cannot hear you, you will lost them. Speaking from the gut (not in a low pitched voice/from your throat) will add more volume and breadth to your speaking from the very beginning. While this is oftentimes overlooked, it's one of the most important techniques speakers can use.

Eye To Eye Contact With Audience Members

For those who tend to get nervous in larger audiences, picking different people in the audience to speak to can ease those nerves. Start this at the beginning of your presentation speaking to them directly. Pick different people to speak to in the room and everyone will think you are talking directly to them.

We would love to hear from you - what other techniques have you employed over the years? There are many tips and tricks presenters can use, but these some of the most powerful ones that the very best presenters have used over the years.

If you are interested in presentation software that can help with your presentations, view CustomShow's product video below:

If you're looking for more design tips and tricks check out our partner SalesGraphics.

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How To Start A Presentation Tips And Tricks - 22 Powerful Strategies

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Learning how to start a presentation is just as important as knowing how to finish it. It is the beginning of the conversation that can make or break it in capturing your audience's attention. We forget that there are many ways to start a presentation that will engage the hearts and minds of the people you want to convey your message to.

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You've worked hard at creating your presentation with compelling key messages and images. Let's face it, though. Even the most interested listener will wander off mentally at least once during your presentation.

Many won't be able to resist the temptation to take a peek at their smart phones. So how do you keep your audience involved and following the discussion?

Transition Phrases

Savvy speakers use Transition/Linking Phrases as the glue that holds their thoughts together so they can move seamlessly from one point to another.

It's important to organize your presentation so that everything supports one main idea. Develop two to three key headlines to support that idea and then further elaborate with facts, anecdotes, case studies, visuals and other evidence.

Also including transitions to connect sentences and key messages will help the audience move from idea to idea. Transitions can make or break your presentation. Linking phrases can turn your presentation into a unified whole.

Transitions can also be tricky. You need to use words other than "but," "however," and "in addition." The words you use will serve as punctuation marks and entice the audience to listen to your next points. Keep giving them the road map to follow throughout your presentation.

After you've introduced your main theme, consider the following transition phrases to get started:

I'd like to support____from three main aspects...

I'd like to discuss____from these three fundamental points of view...

Let's cover____with three essential elements in mind...

Getting From Here to There

Launch your first key message with a phrase that says it's your first point:

First, lets start with...

My first point covers...

I will talk first about...

Stick to that "chunk" of content and don't jump to your other key messages until you conclude with a phrase like:

Moving on to our next area of interest...

Now, I'd like to discuss...

Our next important element is...

In between each key message, as you begin the transition to your next chunk look at your audience. Do they seem engaged? Are their eyes on you or are they reading their email messages? If you feel you're losing your audience, pause and ask if anybody needs clarification of a point you've made. Maybe something really is confusing that requires further explanation.

Or, it could just be that it's getting close to lunch and people are restless. Whatever the reason, you've got to regain their attention. So pause, and give them a chance to get back in sync with you.

When finished with presenting your key messages, repeat them, beginning with a phrase such as, "I've just covered the three most important points about..."

The Closer

Now the audience is ready for your closing remarks. Please don't use, "In conclusion..." because that's the signal you've come to the end of your presentation and it's OK to mentally tune out.

Instead, keep them listening with a more compelling phrase such as:

What I want you to take away from...

The thought I'd like to leave you with...

I strongly recommend that...

Call to Action

Don't just say, "Thanks for listening" when you're finished. Preface that with what you want the audience to do after the presentation. Include a call to action:

What I'd like to ask you to do now...

Can I ask for your support in...

My intention today is to convince you to take the next step and...

Transition phrases are the audience's lifeline to your presentation. Choose them carefully so that your audience knows exactly where you are at any point in time. They will also help to keep you on track, so that you don't begin wandering off topic and lose your own sense of direction.

Are there transition phrases that you use in your presentations that you find particularly effective? Please leave us a comment. We'd love to know what they are.

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Using Transition Phrases to Keep Your Audience Engrossed in Your Presentation

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You've worked hard at creating your presentation with compelling key messages and images. Let's face it, though. Even the most interested listener will wander off mentally at least once during your presentation. Many won't be able to resist the temptation to take a peek at their smart phones.

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Updated August 03, 2018 - Dom Barnard

For many people the thought of delivering a presentation is a daunting task and brings about a great deal of nerves. However, if you take some time to understand how effective presentations are structured and then apply this structure to your own presentation, you'll appear much more confident and relaxed.

Here is our complete guide for structuring your presentation, with examples at the end of the article to demonstrate these points.

Why is structuring a presentation so important?

If you've ever sat through a great presentation, you'll have left feeling either inspired or informed on a given topic. This isn't because the speaker was the most knowledgeable or motivating person in the world. Instead, it's because they know how to structure presentations - they have crafted their message in a logical and simple way that has allowed the audience can keep up with them and take away key messages.

Research has supported this, with studies showing that audiences retain structured information 40% more accurately than unstructured information.

In fact, not only is structuring a presentation important for the benefit of the audience's understanding, it's also important for you as the speaker. A good structure helps you remain calm, stay on topic, and avoid any awkward silences.

What will affect your presentation structure?

Generally speaking, there is a natural flow that any decent presentation will follow which we will go into shortly. However, you should be aware that all presentation structures will be different in their own unique way and this will be due to a number of factors, including:

Whether you need to deliver any demonstrations

How knowledgeable the audience already is on the given subject

How much interaction you want from the audience

Any time constraints there are for your talk

What setting you are in

Your ability to use any kinds of visual assistance

Before choosing the presentation's structure answer these questions first:

What is your presentation's aim?

Who are the audience?

What are the main points your audience should remember afterwards?

When reading the points below, think critically about what things may cause your presentation structure to be slightly different. You can add in certain elements and add more focus to certain moments if that works better for your speech.

What is the typical presentation structure?

This is the usual flow of a presentation, which covers all the vital sections and is a good starting point for yours. It allows your audience to easily follow along and sets out a solid structure you can add your content to.

1. Greet the audience and introduce yourself

Before you start delivering your talk, introduce yourself to the audience and clarify who you are and your relevant expertise. This does not need to be long or incredibly detailed, but will help build an immediate relationship between you and the audience. It gives you the chance to briefly clarify your expertise and why you are worth listening to. This will help establish your ethos so the audience will trust you more and think you're credible.

Read our tips on How to Start a Presentation Effectively

Start Practicing Now

2. Introduction

In the introduction you need to explain the subject and purpose of your presentation whilst gaining the audience's interest and confidence. It's sometimes helpful to think of your introduction as funnel-shaped to help filter down your topic:

Introduce your general topic

Explain your topic area

State the issues/challenges in this area you will be exploring

State your presentation's purpose - this is the basis of your presentation so ensure that you provide a statement explaining how the topic will be treated, for example, "I will argue that..." or maybe you will "compare", "analyse", "evaluate", "describe" etc.

Provide a statement of what you're hoping the outcome of the presentation will be, for example, "I'm hoping this will be provide you with..."

Show a preview of the organisation of your presentation

In this section also explain:

The length of the talk.

Signal whether you want audience interaction - some presenters prefer the audience to ask questions throughout whereas others allocate a specific section for this.

If it applies, inform the audience whether to take notes or whether you will be providing handouts.

The way you structure your introduction can depend on the amount of time you have been given to present: a sales pitch may consist of a quick presentation so you may begin with your conclusion and then provide the evidence. Conversely, a speaker presenting their idea for change in the world would be better suited to start with the evidence and then conclude what this means for the audience.

Keep in mind that the main aim of the introduction is to grab the audience's attention and connect with them.

3. The main body of your talk

The main body of your talk needs to meet the promises you made in the introduction. Depending on the nature of your presentation, clearly segment the different topics you will be discussing, and then work your way through them one at a time - it's important for everything to be organised logically for the audience to fully understand. There are many different ways to organise your main points, such as, by priority, theme, chronologically etc.

Main points should be addressed one by one with supporting evidence and examples.

Before moving on to the next point you should provide a mini-summary.

Links should be clearly stated between ideas and you must make it clear when you're moving onto the next point.

Allow time for people to take relevant notes and stick to the topics you have prepared beforehand rather than straying too far off topic.

When planning your presentation write a list of main points you want to make and ask yourself "What I am telling the audience? What should they understand from this?" refining your answers this way will help you produce clear messages.

4. Conclusion

In presentations the conclusion is frequently underdeveloped and lacks purpose which is a shame as it's the best place to reinforce your messages. Typically, your presentation has a specific goal - that could be to convert a number of the audience members into customers, lead to a certain number of enquiries to make people knowledgeable on specific key points, or to motivate them towards a shared goal.

Regardless of what that goal is, be sure to summarise your main points and their implications. This clarifies the overall purpose of your talk and reinforces your reason for being there.

Follow these steps:

5. Thank the audience and invite questions

Conclude your talk by thanking the audience for their time and invite them to ask any questions they may have. As mentioned earlier, personal circumstances will affect the structure of your presentation.

Many presenters prefer to make the Q&A session the key part of their talk and try to speed through the main body of the presentation. This is totally fine, but it is still best to focus on delivering some sort of initial presentation to set the tone and topics for discussion in the Q&A.

Other common presentation structures

The above was a description of a basic presentation, here are some more specific presentation layouts:

Demonstration

Use the demonstration structure when you have something useful to show. This is usually used when you want to show how a product works. Steve Jobs frequently used this technique in his presentations.

Explain why the product is valuable.

Describe why the product is necessary.

Explain what problems it can solve for the audience.

Demonstrate the product to support what you've been saying.

Make suggestions of other things it can do to make the audience curious.

Problem-solution

This structure is particularly useful in persuading the audience.

Briefly frame the issue.

Go into the issue in detail showing why it 's such a problem. Use logos and pathos for this - the logical and emotional appeals.

Provide the solution and explain why this would also help the audience.

Call to action - something you want the audience to do which is straightforward and pertinent to the solution.

Storytelling

As well as incorporating stories in your presentation, you can organise your whole presentation as a story. There are lots of different type of story structures you can use - a popular choice is the monomyth - the hero's journey. In a monomyth, a hero goes on a difficult journey or takes on a challenge - they move from the familiar into the unknown. After facing obstacles and ultimately succeeding the hero returns home, transformed and with newfound wisdom.
Storytelling for Business Success webinar, where well-know storyteller Javier Bernad shares strategies for crafting compelling narratives.
Another popular choice for using a story to structure your presentation is in media ras (in the middle of thing). In this type of story you launch right into the action by providing a snippet/teaser of what's happening and then you start explaining the events that led to that event. This is engaging because you're starting your story at the most exciting part which will make the audience curious - they'll want to know how you got there.

Remaining method

The remaining method structure is good for situations where you're presenting your perspective on a controversial topic which has split people's opinions.

Briefly frame the issue.

Go into the issue in detail showing why it's such a problem - use logos and pathos.

Rebut your opponents' solutions - explain why their solutions could be useful because the audience will see this as fair and will therefore think you're trustworthy, and then explain why you think these solutions are not valid.

After you've presented all the alternatives provide your solution, the remaining solution. This is very persuasive because it looks like the winning idea, especially with the audience believing that you're fair and trustworthy.

Transitions

When delivering presentations it's important for your words and ideas to flow so your audience can understand how everything links together and why it's all relevant. This can be done using speech transitions which are words and phrases that allow you to smoothly move from one point to another so that your speech flows and your presentation is unified.

Transitions can be one word, a phrase or a full sentence - there are many different forms, here are some examples:

Moving from the introduction to the first point

Signify to the audience that you will now begin discussing the first main point:

Shifting between similar points

Move from one point to a similar one:

Internal summaries

Internal summarising consists of summarising before moving on to the next point. You must inform the audience:

What part of the presentation you covered - "In the first part of this speech we've covered..."

What the key points were - "Precisely how..."

How this links in with the overall presentation - "So that's the context..."

What you're moving on to - "Now I'd like to move on to the second part of presentation which looks at..."

Physical movement

You can move your body and your standing location when you transition to another point. The audience find it easier to follow your presentation and movement will increase their interest.

A common technique for incorporating movement into your presentation is to:

Start Practicing Now

Key slides for your presentation

Slides are a useful tool for most presentations: they can greatly assist in the delivery of your message and help the audience follow along with what you are saying. Key slides include:

An intro slide outlining your ideas

A summary slide with core points to remember

High quality image slides to supplement what you are saying

There are some presenters who choose not to use slides at all, though this is more of a rarity. Slides can be a powerful tool if used properly, but the problem is that many fail to do just that. Here are some golden rules to follow when using slides in a presentation:

Don't over fill them - your slides are there to assist your speech, rather than be the focal point. They should have as little information as possible, to avoid distracting people from your talk.

A picture says a thousand words - instead of filling a slide with text, instead, focus on one or two images or diagrams to help support and explain the point you are discussing at that time.

Make them readable - depending on the size of your audience, some may not be able to see small text or images, so make everything large enough to fill the space.

Don't rush through slides - give the audience enough time to digest each slide.

Guy Kawasaki, an entrepreneur and author, suggests that slideshows should follow a 10-20-30 rule:

There should be a maximum of 10 slides - people rarely remember more than one concept afterwards so there's no point overwhelming them with unnecessary information.

The presentation should last no longer than 20 minutes as this will leave time for questions and discussion.

The font size should be a minimum of 30pt because the audience reads faster than you talk so less information on the slides means that there is less chance of the audience being distracted.

Here are some additional resources for slide design:

Group Presentations

Group presentations are structured in the same way as presentations with one speaker but usually require more rehearsal and practices. Clean transitioning between speakers is very important in producing a presentation that flows well. One way of doing this consists of:

Briefly recap on what you covered in your section: "So that was a brief introduction on what health anxiety is and how it can affect somebody"

Introduce the next speaker in the team and explain what they will discuss: "Now Elnaz will talk about the prevalence of health anxiety."

Then end by looking at the next speaker, gesturing towards them and saying their name: "Elnaz".

The next speaker should acknowledge this with a quick: "Thank you Joe."

From this example you can see how the different sections of the presentations link which makes it easier for the audience to follow and remain engaged.

Example of great presentation structure and delivery

Having examples of great presentations will help inspire your own structures, here are a few such examples, each unique and inspiring in their own way.

How Google Works - by Eric Schmidt

This presentation by ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt demonstrates some of the most important lessons he and his team have learnt with regards to working with some of the most talented individuals they hired. The simplistic yet cohesive style of all of the slides is something to be appreciated. They are relatively straightforward, yet add power and clarity to the narrative of the presentation.

Start with why - by Simon Sinek

Since being released in 2009, this presentation has been viewed almost four million times all around the world. The message itself is very powerful, however, it's not an idea that hasn't been heard before. What makes this presentation so powerful is the simple message he is getting across, and the straightforward and understandable manner in which he delivers it. Also note that he doesn't use any slides, just a whiteboard where he creates a simple diagram of his opinion.

The Wisdom of a Third Grade Dropout - by Rick Rigsby

Here's an example of a presentation given by a relatively unknown individual looking to inspire the next generation of graduates. Rick's presentation is unique in many ways compared to the two above. Notably, he uses no visual prompts and includes a great deal of humour.

However, what is similar is the structure he uses. He first introduces his message that the wisest man he knew was a third-grade dropout. He then proceeds to deliver his main body of argument, and in the end, concludes with his message. This powerful speech keeps the viewer engaged throughout, through a mixture of heart-warming sentiment, powerful life advice and engaging humour.

As you can see from the examples above, and as it has been expressed throughout, a great presentation structure means analysing the core message of your presentation. Decide on a key message you want to impart the audience with, and then craft an engaging way of delivering it.

By preparing a solid structure, and practising your talk beforehand, you can walk into the presentation with confidence and deliver a meaningful message to an interested audience.

In summary

It's important for a presentation to be well-structured so it can have the most impact on your audience. An unstructured presentation can be difficult to follow and even frustrating to listen to. The heart of your speech are your main points supported by evidence and your transitions should assist the movement between points and clarify how everything is linked.

Research suggests that the audience remember the first and last things you say so your introduction and conclusion are vital for reinforcing your points. Essentially, ensure you spend the time structuring your presentation and addressing all of the sections.

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How to Structure your Presentation, with Examples

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The structure of your presentation plays a crucial role in whether your audience understands your message. We cover why structure is important, provide a template for your presentation and highlight good examples.

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Assignment 1 Writing an Email Model Answer

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The importance of presentation skills
It is very sad that so many influential, bright-minded presenters with a deep expertise in their fields lose their audiences due to inadequate presentation skills. It is also about respect for the people in the audience, their time should not be wasted. Both event organizers and presenters need to do everything they can to add value to the audience. So here are some useful tips that I have accumulated over the years.

Think carefully before the event: what does this audience want to hear? Hint: they are not interested in hearing how great you or your company are, they want to learn new things that can make them more successful.

Use story-telling and your passion. Find a story about people (yourself and others) that illustrates your message and tell it with your passion. Storytelling always beats lectures!

Tell the audience not to take notes, say that you will email or post your presentation summary online immediately afterwards.

Keep an eye contact with the audience and move around the stage, don't hold on to the speaker stand. Use a clicker to control your presentation. Remember that 70% of your communication is in your body language!

Engage the audience during your talk, at least every 10 minutes. For example by letting them vote on a question with their hands or green/red cards or mentometers.

Slow down, speak slower than usual and add pauses for emphasis. This enables the audience to take in what you are saying and increases their understanding. It also gives you more respect. Never try to cram a 30-minute speech into a 20-minute time slot, that is a big no-no!

It is important that you have a monitor with your slides in front of you, so you don't have to turn around to see what is on the big screen. Also valuable is to have your laptop in front of you in presenter mode so that you see both the current slide and the next slide in front of you, it makes it much easier to make good transitions in your talk.

Be visual, use pictures and videos that illustrate your points. Read my lips: less text, more visuals! You can do great presentations without any visuals, but then you have to be a master storyteller.

Design the slides so that they are easy to see from the back of the room. This means very big text sizes and images that fill the whole screen. The classic mistake is to sit in front of your laptop screen and design the slides for that arms-length distance, so step back 2-3 meters and see if you still can see everything. Also, avoid using borders, they are just wasted space. Remember: there are never any borders around the movie at the cinema!

Make your slides in the 16:9 format. The old standard 4:3 is totally outdated, just look at your TV at home.

Use a dark background on your slides, as it is easier to read for the audience and much better for the video cameras. (Yes, black text on white is considered easier to read, but that applies to large amounts of texts and we are not using that here, are we?) Also, a large projection of a white slide next to yourself in a dimly lit room will make you look darker and remove the focus from you.

Avoid monotony by using variation and surprises in your slide styles during your presentation.

Engage the audience. Ask questions and have them put their hands up, in order to raise the energy level in the room.

Focus on 2 or maybe 3 things that you want to talk about, never more than 3 things. Explain the challenge you are working with and then tell the story and visualize the solution.

Build your presentation based on the classic drama formula: Start with a Set-up, then Present the problem(s), then proceed to the Confrontation and finally the Resolution. This has worked for all of us humans for thousands of years!

Hire a speaker coach that helps you improve your body language and voice.

Use a spell checker on all your slides. Takes only a minute, saves your face.

If you present in another language than your native, consult a language tutor to improve your pronunciation as much as possible. Getting your message out is about being understood and respected.

Test your presentation on other people beforehand and videotape yourself. Listen to their feedback and watch yourself: would you understand and appreciate your presentation?

If you have a Q&A session after your talk, announce that it will be short, maximum 5 minutes and that you will show a wrap-up or case story illustrating your message after the Q&A session. That way you avoid draining the enthusiasm of the audience by long-winded Q&A sessions and you keep the audience in the room

End your presentation by showing a slide with a key question, or action point aimed at the audience, to encourage discussions afterwards. Also, show you contact details and the link to your presentation summary on your blog, or on an internet service like Slideshare.

Create a presentation summary that can be emailed or put on your home page or blog. The summary should not be all your slides, nstead, put together 3-4 slides that explain your key messages with pictures and very short texts. Add text notes to the slides with key messages and URLs to web sites.

Don't read word by word from your script. You will sound like a robot and miss the all-important eye contact with the audience. Use stiff cue cards with key words and starter sentences instead.

Don't read out loud from text bullets in your slides. If you have to use text bullets, keep them very short and very few per slide, then first let the audience read it and then expand on the subject using your own words.

Don't use complete sentences in your slides. Your voice shall tell the story, and the slides shall only support it.

Don't speak with a too low or monotonous voice. If people can't hear you well at the back of the room, or if you don't have any energy in your voice, you will lose the attention of the audience in a minute. Hire a voice coach!

Don't talk too fast and try to cram a 45-minute presentation into a 30-minute time slot by speaking at a machine-gun pace.

Don't start talking immediately on top of your slides. Let the audience interpret the slide for a while, then add your insights.

Don't use hard-to-read fonts or garish backgrounds.

Don't use cute or unusual photos that are not illustrating exactly what you are talking about. It distracts the audience; nobody will hear what you are saying.

Don't use effects, such as texts that tumble into the slide or any other disturbing transitions. The interesting stuff should be in your content, not in the effects.

Don't use any acronyms without spelling them out and explaining what they mean.

Don't waste your audience's time by presenting the history and organization of your organisation. Unless it is essential to understand your presentation, which is very, very seldom.

Don't use a corporate slide template that displays the logo on each and every slide. Such templates should be banned everywhere, and they add no value to the audience. Remember, the audience is not there to learn about your company. The only place you can put your company logo is at the end, together with your name and contact details.

Don't mention tips verbally like "be sure to check out the website www.fancynewstuff.com, it has great features" without displaying a slide with both a picture of the web site and the URL in big letters + a note stating that the URL will be in your posted presentation.

Don't hide behind the computer or speaker stand. Make sure the audience see you and maintain eye contact with them. But beware of pacing around the stage.

Don't stand in the projector beam, ever. It is totally distracting for the audience to see garbled text projected all over your head.

Don't end by simply summarizing what you have talked about. Instead, show your passion for your message and that you want the audience to succeed as a result of the message of your talk.

I also recommend these tips:
Death by Powerpoint
This Presentation Trick Makes You Sound Brilliant

Published by

Henrik Ahlén

I am an eHealth Strategist in Stockholm, Sweden I drive eHealth development projects from needs analysis and idea generation to service design and implementation. See my LinkedIn profile: http://www.linkedin.com/in/mrhenrikahlen View all posts by Henrik Ahlén

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The importance of presentation skills It is very sad that so many influential, bright-minded presenters with a deep expertise in their fields lose their audiences due to inadequate presentation skills. It is also about respect for the people in the audience, their time should not be wasted.

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1) Don't dress too casually
2) Don't read from the script
3) Don't speak too quickly or slowly
4) Don't just look at one part of the audience

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1) logical, clear structure
2) eye contact
3) confident and calm
4) clear purpose

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1) Don't read from scripts or slides

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1) Maintain eye contact with the audience
2) Use visual aids to support your presentation

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Reflect on the feedback you received and make notes on how you can improve your presentation skills

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Plan and give a very short 2-minute presentation on 'What makes an effective presentation?'

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1) What makes presentations effective?
2) How do face-to-face and online presentations differ?
3) Which tips are relevant to you and that you could apply immediately?

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Emotional Intelligence in an Artificial World | Larisa Halilović | TEDxFerhadija

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1) What are the benefits to the presenter/audience of following the 4-step process?
2) Which step do you feel you could improve in your context?
3) Are there any tasks you feel are very important or unnecessary in your context?

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The number of all the investigated people increased by 564,000 between 2007 and 2017, with employees increasing by 522,400 and the self-employed by 41,600, but the distribution of employment remained largely unchanged, with employees accounting for over 80 per cent of all people and the self-employed accounting for only a small proportion of the rest.

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By the end of June 2017, the total number of jobs had increased by 564,000, a 40% increase from a decade ago. The policy encourages innovation and entrepreneurship, and the number of registered self-employed households has reached 242,400, including 99,500 employers, an increase of 50% over a decade ago, supporting and stabilizing the basic level of employment.

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The number of people employed increased by 564,000 between June 2007 and June 2017. Among them, the proportion of employees increased by 2 percentage points to 86.8%, and the proportion of self-employed persons decreased by 2 percentage points to 13.2%. Among the self-employed, the number of employers increased slightly, while both own account workers and contributing family workers decreased.

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The distribution of employment status is generally the same in 2007 and 2017. Employees dominate over 80% of the population in both years while contributing family workers dominate the least proportion of the population. In both years, the self-employed is the second largest status of employed people.

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How to conclude a report (like a rock star) | Emphasis

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These techniques really will help you conclude your report with style. You’ll also feel just a little more rock and roll while you do it.

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1)-what are the key findings?-what is the potential impact of the findings?-what are the next steps; 2)-quantitative: current size and scale; 3)-show any limitations in the findings -minimise ambiguity 

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1)-what are the key findings?-what is the potential impact of the findings?-what are the next steps; 2)-quantitative: current size and scale; 3)-show any limitations in the findings -minimise ambiguity 

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Debrief questions

How can thinking about what your reader needs help you select content for the findings section?

What kind of facts and data would you select to answer your readers’ questions and answer the report’s purpose?

How would you show your facts and data are credible?

How can you ensure your facts and data make sense and are easy to understand?

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Due: March 22

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Writing the background and introduction_Resources no answers

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Analysing sample reports - suggested answers

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Report writing fundamentals_Resources (TO PRINT, OPEN WITH GOOGLE CHROME)