For many, the word presentation means that their world has come to an end.Premonitions of yourself stuttering, crashing and burning in front of a thousand strong class suddenly whip up into your head. Your plams get clammy, your knees start knocking.
But it needn't be that way.
I'm a recent graduate and having gone through the academic machine myself, I've had to do all manner of presentations as part of my course, my part-time job even involved giving presentations to young people, the most challenging group to interest. And I'm going to pass these skills on to YOU!!
Note-Cards / Aide-memoirs.
First and foremost, many of you will want some sort of aid to hand during the presentation.
Whether it be out of an actual need or simply to bolster your confidence by having it there, that's fine. However, in either case, you must do this in the right way to help the credibility of your talk. Small flashcard-sized prompts work fine. Aim to put 3 or four concise points to a card and use as few as you can, this way, you don't alienate your audience as you squint at unwieldy A4 sheets. These also act as an inadvertant screen between you and those listening so it's important
to avoid this.
Know your oats
Perhaps not cereal grains but its important that you know your presentation intimately.
Know your material so you're confident you can speak well about it and handle questions with ease. If you're giving a powerpoint presentation be sure to only use the minimum of slides you can get away with (aim for 3/4/5 for a 5-10 minute presentation), whilst still communicating your points. Remember, YOU are giving the presentation so it's important that you only use the powerpoint as an aid, don't rely on it. Occasionally, look to the screen and your audience will follow, then look back to your audience. This is another technique to engage your audience and ensure that they're looking and listening.
Loud and Proud
A seemingly obvious point but it's often overlooked when you're in front of a group and it's showtime. Remember to stand up straight with shoulders back ( good posture is tantamount to a good presentation as it opens up the chest, allowing you to breathe easier) and speak loudly and clearly the back of the room. This way, everyone in the room will be able to hear you easily. This will aid relaxation allowing you to focus on the material you're talking about. Also, try to look the audience members in the eye and scan all around the room as you talk to ensure that 1) Your audience is paying attention and 2) To create a rapport with your audience. It helps to draw the audience in with eye contact because they are more likely to engage with your ideas if you're talking to them in a personal manner.
Summary
Rounding off, it's important that you only use the smallest of cards as a trigger
to help you kick of your thoughts on each of your important points. Know your material well
before the presentation and keep an order to your thoughts to aid the flow of your talk
from one point to the next. Speak loudly to ensure everyone can hear you and easily take in what you're saying. Good Luck!!
