First mistake: not taking the time to connect with the audience
In general, presentations about data, institutions and organizations bored us immediately because they are totally impersonal and there is no connection with the presenter. On the other hand, when it becomes personal, when there is a connection, we feel hooked from the beginning and want to know more about the subject, waiting to see where the journey that begins in the introduction will end.
The best presenters are the ones who do a great job from the start with 3 things:
- They introduce us to your topic quickly, bluntly. They give us your personal point of view on the subject. They give us compelling reasons why we should care about your topic.
Personal connections can be made with examples, narratives, and stories that the audience can relate to. Even if it is a financial or business presentation, there is always a human angle that refers to the consumer. People always find it inspiring to hear the important facts before they get to the problem or product solution. And of course, always considering that when telling a story "if it is short and good, doubly good."
Second mistake: not working to make the design and content relevant
The best feeling that can be generated in an audience is that they are learning something new or expanding a perspective, so another important point is to look for a fresh angle, something that has never been said or touched on the subject: “There is always a new way of telling an old story ”.
You have to remember that the people in the audience are 'smart' for that reason part of making it relevant to them is knowing how much you have to delve into ideas and allow them to draw their own conclusions. A principle of acting that can be used when presenting is: stay one step ahead of the audience; never two steps forward because you lose them and never one step back because you are predictable and boring.
Another fundamental part is defining how the content will be revealed, that is to say: what is going to be exposed verbally and what messages will be presented by other multimedia resources. You have to be careful not to be repetitive, as people only find an idea interesting the first time they see it.
Mistake 3: Not paying attention to body language
The best presenters know that their body language is part of their message and determines its impact, so they take care of the following points:
- Posture: It should be upright but natural, denoting dignity without arrogance, rather with authenticity. A good tip is to balance the weight of the body on both feet, and these open them at the height of the shoulders. Tone of voice: The most recommended is to keep it at a conversational volume and with a leisurely pace; A good tip when rehearsing is to do it at a quarter of the normal speed, because if the presenter speaks too fast it can affect his diction and lose the audience Body Movement: The movement of the body should never distract the attention of the audience, and it must convey control. Some presenters dominate the stage and walk while speaking; However, if that's not your style,the ideal is to stay in one place with the body still from the waist down and concentrate the movement in the hands and torso, reinforcing the stage presence. Visual Contact: Eye contact is essential, one suggestion is to look for a few “friendly faces ”In the audience and make frequent contact with them during the presentation.
Never forget that to achieve success when speaking in public it is important to rehearse until you achieve mastery of the presentation, because preparation is always noticeable and also helps reduce nerves. It is also important to learn to ask another person for feedback before presenting, if you know how to be open to criticism, having a second opinion will always enrich your final result.
Source: How to Give a Killer Presentation-Harvard Business Review by Chris Anderson.
