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6 presentation skills and how to improve them

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What are presentation skills?

The importance of presentation skills, 6 presentation skills examples, how to improve presentation skills.

Tips for dealing with presentation anxiety

Learn how to captivate an audience with ease

Capturing an audience’s attention takes practice. 

Over time, great presenters learn how to organize their speeches and captivate an audience from start to finish. They spark curiosity, know how to read a room , and understand what their audience needs to walk away feeling like they learned something valuable.

Regardless of your profession, you most likely use presentation skills on a monthly or even weekly basis. Maybe you lead brainstorming sessions or host client calls. 

Developing effective presentation skills makes it easier to contribute ideas with confidence and show others you’re someone to trust. Although speaking in front of a crowd sometimes brings nerves and anxiety , it also sparks new opportunities.

Presentation skills are the qualities and abilities you need to communicate ideas effectively and deliver a compelling speech. They influence how you structure a presentation and how an audience receives it. Understanding body language , creating impactful visual aids, and projecting your voice all fall under this umbrella.

A great presentation depends on more than what you say. It’s about how you say it. Storytelling , stage presence, and voice projection all shape how well you express your ideas and connect with the audience. These skills do take practice, but they’re worth developing — especially if public speaking makes you nervous. 

Engaging a crowd isn’t easy. You may feel anxious to step in front of an audience and have all eyes and ears on you.

But feeling that anxiety doesn’t mean your ideas aren’t worth sharing. Whether you’re giving an inspiring speech or delivering a monthly recap at work, your audience is there to listen to you. Harness that nervous energy and turn it into progress.

Strong presentation skills make it easier to convey your thoughts to audiences of all sizes. They can help you tell a compelling story, convince people of a pitch , or teach a group something entirely new to them. And when it comes to the workplace, the strength of your presentation skills could play a part in getting a promotion or contributing to a new initiative.

To fully understand the impact these skills have on creating a successful presentation, it’s helpful to look at each one individually. Here are six valuable skills you can develop:

1. Active listening

Active listening is an excellent communication skill for any professional to hone. When you have strong active listening skills, you can listen to others effectively and observe their nonverbal cues . This helps you assess whether or not your audience members are engaged in and understand what you’re sharing. 

Great public speakers use active listening to assess the audience’s reactions and adjust their speech if they find it lacks impact. Signs like slouching, negative facial expressions, and roaming eye contact are all signs to watch out for when giving a presentation.

2. Body language

If you’re researching presentation skills, chances are you’ve already watched a few notable speeches like TED Talks or industry seminars. And one thing you probably noticed is that speakers can capture attention with their body language. 

A mixture of eye contact, hand gestures , and purposeful pacing makes a presentation more interesting and engaging. If you stand in one spot and don’t move your body, the audience might zone out.

3. Stage presence

A great stage presence looks different for everyone. A comedian might aim for more movement and excitement, and a conference speaker might focus their energy on the content of their speech. Although neither is better than the other, both understand their strengths and their audience’s needs. 

Developing a stage presence involves finding your own unique communication style . Lean into your strengths, whether that’s adding an injection of humor or asking questions to make it interactive . To give a great presentation, you might even incorporate relevant props or presentation slides.

4. Storytelling

According to Forbes, audiences typically pay attention for about 10 minutes before tuning out . But you can lengthen their attention span by offering a presentation that interests them for longer. Include a narrative they’ll want to listen to, and tell a story as you go along. 

Shaping your content to follow a clear narrative can spark your audience’s curiosity and entice them to pay careful attention. You can use anecdotes from your personal or professional life that take your audience along through relevant moments. If you’re pitching a product, you can start with a problem and lead your audience through the stages of how your product provides a solution.

5. Voice projection

Although this skill may be obvious, you need your audience to hear what you’re saying. This can be challenging if you’re naturally soft-spoken and struggle to project your voice.

Remember to straighten your posture and take deep breaths before speaking, which will help you speak louder and fill the room. If you’re talking into a microphone or participating in a virtual meeting, you can use your regular conversational voice, but you still want to sound confident and self-assured with a strong tone.

If you’re unsure whether everyone can hear you, you can always ask the audience at the beginning of your speech and wait for confirmation. That way, they won’t have to potentially interrupt you later.

Ensuring everyone can hear you also includes your speed and annunciation. It’s easy to speak quickly when nervous, but try to slow down and pronounce every word. Mumbling can make your presentation difficult to understand and pay attention to.

6. Verbal communication 

Although verbal communication involves your projection and tone, it also covers the language and pacing you use to get your point across. This includes where you choose to place pauses in your speech or the tone you use to emphasize important ideas.

If you’re giving a presentation on collaboration in the workplace , you might start your speech by saying, “There’s something every workplace needs to succeed: teamwork.” By placing emphasis on the word “ teamwork ,” you give your audience a hint on what ideas will follow.

To further connect with your audience through diction, pay careful attention to who you’re speaking to. The way you talk to your colleagues might be different from how you speak to a group of superiors, even if you’re discussing the same subject. You might use more humor and a conversational tone for the former and more serious, formal diction for the latter.

Everyone has strengths and weaknesses when it comes to presenting. Maybe you’re confident in your use of body language, but your voice projection needs work. Maybe you’re a great storyteller in small group settings, but need to work on your stage presence in front of larger crowds. 

The first step to improving presentation skills is pinpointing your gaps and determining which qualities to build upon first. Here are four tips for enhancing your presentation skills:

1. Build self-confidence

Confident people know how to speak with authority and share their ideas. Although feeling good about your presentation skills is easier said than done, building confidence is key to helping your audience believe in what you’re saying. Try practicing positive self-talk and continuously researching your topic's ins and outs.

If you don’t feel confident on the inside, fake it until you make it. Stand up straight, project your voice, and try your best to appear engaged and excited. Chances are, the audience doesn’t know you’re unsure of your skills — and they don’t need to.

Another tip is to lean into your slideshow, if you’re using one. Create something colorful and interesting so the audience’s eyes fall there instead of on you. And when you feel proud of your slideshow, you’ll be more eager to share it with others, bringing more energy to your presentation.

2. Watch other presentations

Developing the soft skills necessary for a good presentation can be challenging without seeing them in action. Watch as many as possible to become more familiar with public speaking skills and what makes a great presentation. You could attend events with keynote speakers or view past speeches on similar topics online.

Take a close look at how those presenters use verbal communication and body language to engage their audiences. Grab a notebook and jot down what you enjoyed and your main takeaways. Try to recall the techniques they used to emphasize their main points, whether they used pauses effectively, had interesting visual aids, or told a fascinating story.

3. Get in front of a crowd

You don’t need a large auditorium to practice public speaking. There are dozens of other ways to feel confident and develop good presentation skills.

If you’re a natural comedian, consider joining a small stand-up comedy club. If you’re an avid writer, participate in a public poetry reading. Even music and acting can help you feel more comfortable in front of a crowd.

If you’d rather keep it professional, you can still work on your presentation skills in the office. Challenge yourself to participate at least once in every team meeting, or plan and present a project to become more comfortable vocalizing your ideas. You could also speak to your manager about opportunities that flex your public speaking abilities.

4. Overcome fear

Many people experience feelings of fear before presenting in front of an audience, whether those feelings appear as a few butterflies or more severe anxiety. Try grounding yourself to shift your focus to the present moment. If you’re stuck dwelling on previous experiences that didn’t go well, use those mistakes as learning experiences and focus on what you can improve to do better in the future.

Tips for dealing with presentation anxiety 

It’s normal to feel nervous when sharing your ideas. In fact, according to a report from the Journal of Graduate Medical Education, public speaking anxiety is prevalent in 15–30% of the general population .

Even though having a fear of public speaking is common, it doesn’t make it easier. You might feel overwhelmed, become stiff, and forget what you were going to say. But although the moment might scare you, there are ways to overcome the fear and put mind over matter.

Use these tactics to reduce your stress when you have to make a presentation:

1. Practice breathing techniques

If you experience anxiety often, you’re probably familiar with breathing techniques for stress relief . Incorporating these exercises into your daily routine can help you stop worrying and regulate anxious feelings. 

Before a big presentation, take a moment alone to practice breathing techniques, ground yourself, and reduce tension. It’s also a good idea to take breaths throughout the presentation to speak slower and calm yourself down .

2. Get organized

The more organized you are, the more prepared you’ll feel. Carefully outline all of the critical information you want to use in your presentation, including your main talking points and visual aids, so you don’t forget anything. Use bullet points and visuals on each slide to remind you of what you want to talk about, and create handheld notes to help you stay on track.

3. Embrace moments of silence

It’s okay to lose your train of thought. It happens to even the most experienced public speakers once in a while. If your mind goes blank, don’t panic. Take a moment to breathe, gather your thoughts, and refer to your notes to see where you left off. You can drink some water or make a quick joke to ease the silence or regain your footing. And it’s okay to say, “Give me a moment while I find my notes.” Chances are, people understand the position you’re in.

4. Practice makes progress

Before presenting, rehearse in front of friends and family members you trust. This gives you the chance to work out any weak spots in your speech and become comfortable communicating out loud. If you want to go the extra mile, ask your makeshift audience to ask a surprise question. This tests your on-the-spot thinking and will prove that you can keep cool when things come up.

Whether you’re new to public speaking or are a seasoned presenter, you’re bound to make a few slip-ups. It happens to everyone. The most important thing is that you try your best, brush things off, and work on improving your skills to do better in your next presentation.

Although your job may require a different level of public speaking than your favorite TED Talk , developing presentation skills is handy in any profession. You can use presentation skills in a wide range of tasks in the workplace, whether you’re sharing your ideas with colleagues, expressing concerns to higher-ups, or pitching strategies to potential clients.

Remember to use active listening to read the room and engage your audience with an interesting narrative. Don’t forget to step outside your comfort zone once in a while and put your skills to practice in front of a crowd. After facing your fears, you’ll feel confident enough to put presentation skills on your resume.

If you’re trying to build your skills and become a better employee overall, try a communications coach with BetterUp. 

Elevate your communication skills

Unlock the power of clear and persuasive communication. Our coaches can guide you to build strong relationships and succeed in both personal and professional life.

Elizabeth Perry, ACC

Elizabeth Perry is a Coach Community Manager at BetterUp. She uses strategic engagement strategies to cultivate a learning community across a global network of Coaches through in-person and virtual experiences, technology-enabled platforms, and strategic coaching industry partnerships. With over 3 years of coaching experience and a certification in transformative leadership and life coaching from Sofia University, Elizabeth leverages transpersonal psychology expertise to help coaches and clients gain awareness of their behavioral and thought patterns, discover their purpose and passions, and elevate their potential. She is a lifelong student of psychology, personal growth, and human potential as well as an ICF-certified ACC transpersonal life and leadership Coach.

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Home Blog Education Presentation Skills 101: A Guide to Presentation Success

Presentation Skills 101: A Guide to Presentation Success

Getting the perfect presentation design is just a step toward a successful presentation. For the experienced user, building presentation skills is the answer to elevating the power of your message and showing expertise on any subject. Still, one can ask: is it the same set of skills, or are they dependable on the type of presentation?

In this article, we will introduce the different types of presentations accompanied by the skillset required to master them. The purpose, as always, is to retain the audience’s interest for a long-lasting and convincing message.

Table of Contents

The Importance of Presentation Skills

Persuasive presentations, instructional presentations, informative presentations, inspirational presentations, basic presentation skills, what are the main difficulties when giving a presentation, recommendations to improve your presentation skills, closing statement.

Effective communication is the answer to reaching business and academic goals. The scenarios in which we can be required to deliver a presentation are as diverse as one can imagine. Still, some core concepts apply to all presentations.

 We define presentation skills as a compendium of soft skills that directly affect your presentation performance and contribute to creating a great presentation. These are not qualities acquired by birth but skills you ought to train and master to delve into professional environments.

You may ask: is it really that evident when a presenter is not prepared? Here are some common signs people can experience during presentations:

• Evasive body language: Not making eye contact with the audience, arms closed tightly to the body, hands in pockets all the time.
• Lack of interest in the presenter’s voice: dull tone, not putting an effort to articulate the topics.
• Doubting when asked to answer a question
• Irksome mood

The list can go on about common presenter mistakes , and most certainly, it will affect the performance of any presented data if the lack of interest by the presenter is blatantly obvious.  Another element to consider is anxiety, and according to research by the National Institute of Mental Health, 73% of the population in the USA is affected by glossophobia , which is the fear of public speaking, judgment, or negative evaluation by other people.

Therefore, presentation skills training is essential for any business professional who wants to achieve effective communication . It will remove the anxiety from presentation performance and help users effectively deliver their message and connect with the audience.

Archetypes of presentations

Persuasive presentations aim to convince the audience – often in short periods – to acquire a product or service, adhere to a cause, or invest in a company. For business entrepreneurs or politicians, persuasive presentations are their tool for the trade.

Unless you aim to be perceived as an imposter, a proper persuasive presentation has the elements of facts, empathy, and logic, balanced under a well-crafted narrative. The central pillar of these presentations is to identify the single factor that gathered your audience: it could be a market need, a social cause, or a revolutionary concept for today’s society. It has to be something with enough power to gather critiques – both good and bad.

That single factor has to be backed up by facts. Research that builds your hypothesis on how to solve that problem. A deep understanding of the target audience’s needs , concerns, and social position regarding the solution your means can offer. When those elements are in place, building a pitch becomes an easy task. 

Graphics can help you introduce information in a compelling format, lowering the need for lengthy presentations. Good presentation skills for persuasive presentations go by the hand of filtering relevant data and creating the visual cues that resonate with what your audience demands.

One powerful example of a persuasive presentation is the technique known as the elevator pitch . You must introduce your idea or product convincingly to the audience in a timeframe between 30 seconds and less than 2 minutes. You have to expose:

• What do you do 
• What’s the problem to solve
• Why is your solution different from others 
• Why should the audience care about your expertise

For that very purpose, using engaging graphics with contrasting colors elevates the potential power of your message. It speaks professionalism, care for details, and out-of-the-box thinking. Knowing how to end a presentation is also critical, as your CTAs should be placed with care.

Therefore, let’s resume the requirements of persuasive presentations in terms of good presentation skills:

• Identifying problems and needs
• Elaborating “the hook” (the element that grabs the audience’s attention)
• Knowing how to “tie” your audience (introducing a piece of information related to the hook that causes an emotional impact)
• Broad knowledge of body language and hand gestures to quickly convey your message
• Being prepared to argue a defense of your point of view
• Handling rejection
• Having a proactive attitude to convert opportunities into new projects
• Using humor, surprise, or personal anecdotes as elements to sympathize with the audience
• Having confidence
• Be able to summarize facts and information in visually appealing ways

You can learn more about persuasive presentation techniques by clicking here .

In the case of instructional presentations, we ought to differentiate two distinctive types:

• Lecture Presentations : Presentations being held at universities or any other educative institution. Those presentations cover, topic by topic, and the contents of a syllabus and are created by the team of teachers in charge of the course.
• Training Presentations : These presentations take place during in-company training sessions and usually comprise a good amount of content that is resumed into easy-to-take solutions. They are aimed to coach employees over certain topics relevant to their work performance. The 70-20-10 Model is frequently used to address these training situations.

Lecture presentations appeal to the gradual introduction of complex concepts, following a structure set in the course’s syllabus. These presentations often have a similar aesthetic as a group of professors or researchers created to share their knowledge about a topic. Personal experience does tell that course presentations often rely on factual data, adequately documented, and on the theoretical side.

An example of a presentation that lies under this concept is a Syllabus Presentation, used by the teaching team to introduce the subject to new students, evaluation methods, concepts to be learned, and expectations to pass the course.

On the other hand, training presentations are slide decks designed to meet an organization’s specific needs in the formal education of their personnel. Commonly known as “continuous education,” plenty of companies invest resources in coaching their employees to achieve higher performance results. These presentations have the trademark of being concise since their idea is to introduce the concepts that shall be applied in practice sessions. 

Ideally, the training presentations are introduced with little text and easy-to-recognize visual cues. Since the idea is to summarize as much as possible, these are visually appealing for the audience. They must be dynamic enough to allow the presenter to convey the message.

Those key takeaways remind employees when they revisit their learning resources and allow them to ruminate on questions that fellow workers raise. 

To sum up this point, building presentation skills for instructional presentations requires:

• Ability to put complex concepts into simpler words
• Patience and a constant learning mindset
• Voice training to deliver lengthy speeches without being too dense
• Ability to summarize points and note the key takeaways
• Empathizing with the audience to understand their challenges in the learning process

The informative presentations take place in business situations, such as when to present project reports from different departments to the management. Another potential usage of these presentations is in SCRUM or other Agile methodologies, when a sprint is completed, to discuss the advance of the project with the Product Owner.

As they are presentations heavily dependent on data insights, it’s common to see the usage of infographics and charts to express usually dense data in simpler terms and easy to remember. 

Informative presentations don’t just fall into the business category. Ph.D. Dissertation and Thesis presentations are topics that belong to the informative presentations category as they condense countless research hours into manageable reports for the academic jury. 

Since these informational presentations can be perceived as lengthy and data-filled, it is important to learn the following professional presentation skills:

• Attention to detail
• Be able to explain complex information in simpler terms
• Creative thinking
• Powerful diction
• Working on pauses and transitions
• Pacing the presentation, so not too much information is divulged per slide

The leading inspirational platform, TEDx, comes to mind when talking about inspirational presentations. This presentation format has the peculiarity of maximizing the engagement with the audience to divulge a message, and due to that, it has specific requirements any presenter must meet.

This presentation format usually involves a speaker on a stage, either sitting or better standing, in which the presenter engages with the audience with a storytelling format about a life experience, a job done that provided a remarkable improvement for society, etc.

Empathizing with the audience is the key ingredient for these inspirational presentations. Still, creativity is what shapes the outcome of your performance as people are constantly looking for different experiences – not the same recipe rephrased with personal touches. The human factor is what matters here, way above data and research. What has your experience to offer to others? How can it motivate another human being to pursue a similar path or discover their true calling?

To achieve success in terms of communication skills presentation, these inspirational presentations have the following requirements:

• Focus on the audience (engage, consider their interests, and make them a part of your story)
• Putting ego aside
• Creative communication skills
• Storytelling skills
• Body language knowledge to apply the correct gestures to accompany your story
• Voice training
• Using powerful words

After discussing the different kinds of presentations we can come across at any stage of our lives, a group of presentation skills is standard in any type of presentation. See below what makes a good presentation and which skills you must count on to succeed as a presenter.

Punctuality

Punctuality is a crucial aspect of giving an effective presentation. Nothing says more about respect for your audience and the organization you represent than delivering the presentation on time . Arriving last minute puts pressure on the tech team behind audiovisuals, as they don’t have enough preparation to test microphones, stage lights, and projector settings, which can lead to a less powerful presentation Even when discussing presentations hosted in small rooms for a reduced audience, testing the equipment becomes essential for an effective presentation.

A solution for this is to arrive at least 30 minutes early. Ideally, one hour is a sweet spot since the AV crew has time to check the gear and requirements for your presentation. Another benefit of this, for example, in inspirational presentations, is measuring the previous presenter’s impact on the audience. This gives insights about how to resonate with the public, and their interest, and how to accommodate your presentation for maximum impact.

Body Language

Our bodies can make emotions transparent for others, even when we are unaware of such a fact. Proper training for body language skills reduces performance anxiety, giving the audience a sense of expertise about the presented topic. 

Give your presentation and the audience the respect they deserve by watching over these potential mistakes:

• Turning your back to the audience for extended periods : It’s okay to do so when introducing an important piece of information or explaining a graph, but it is considered rude to give your back to the audience constantly.
• Fidgeting : We are all nervous in the presence of strangers, even more, if we are the center of attention for that moment. Instead of playing with your hair or making weird hand gestures, take a deep breath to center yourself before the presentation and remember that everything you could do to prepare is already done. Trust your instincts and give your best.
• Intense eye contact : Have you watched a video where the presenter stared at the camera the entire time? That’s the feeling you transmit to spectators through intense eye contact. It’s a practice often used by politicians to persuade.
• Swearing : This is a no-brainer. Even when you see influencers swearing on camera or in podcasts or live presentations, it is considered an informal and lousy practice for business and academic situations. If you have a habit to break when it comes to this point, find the humor in these situations and replace your swear words with funny alternatives (if the presentation allows for it). 

Voice Tone plays a crucial role in delivering effective presentations and knowing how to give a good presentation. Your voice is a powerful tool for exposing your ideas and feelings . Your voice can articulate the message you are telling, briefing the audience if you feel excited about what you are sharing or, in contrast, if you feel the presentation is a burden you ought to complete.

Remember, passion is a primary ingredient in convincing people. Therefore, transmitting such passion with a vibrant voice may help gather potential business partners’ interest.  

But what if you feel sick prior to the presentation? If, by chance, your throat is sore minutes before setting foot on the stage, try this: when introducing yourself, mention that you are feeling a bit under the weather. This resonates with the audience to pay more attention to your efforts. In case you don’t feel comfortable about that, ask the organizers for a cup of tea, as it will settle your throat and relax your nerves.

Tech Skills

Believe it or not, people still feel challenged by technology these days. Maybe that’s the reason why presentation giants like Tony Robbins opt not to use PowerPoint presentations . The reality is that there are plenty of elements involved in a presentation that can go wrong from the tech side:

• A PDF not opening
• Saving your presentation in a too-recent PowerPoint version
• A computer not booting up
• Mac laptops and their never-ending compatibility nightmare
• Not knowing how to change between slides
• Not knowing how to use a laser pointer
• Internet not working
• Audio not working

We can come up with a pretty long list of potential tech pitfalls, and yet more than half of them fall in presenters not being knowledgeable about technology.

If computers aren’t your thing, let the organization know about this beforehand. There is always a crew member available to help presenters switch between slides or configure the presentation for streaming. This takes the pressure off your shoulders, allowing you to concentrate on the content to present. Remember, even Bill Gates can get a BSOD during a presentation .

Presentations, while valuable for conveying information and ideas, can be daunting for many individuals. Here are some common difficulties people encounter when giving presentations:

Public Speaking Anxiety

Glossophobia, the fear of public speaking, affects a significant portion of the population. This anxiety can lead to nervousness, trembling, and forgetfulness during a presentation.

Lack of Confidence

Many presenters struggle with self-doubt, fearing that they may not be knowledgeable or skilled enough to engage their audience effectively.

Content Organization

Organizing information in a coherent and engaging manner can be challenging. Presenters often grapple with how to structure their content to make it easily digestible for the audience. Artificial Intelligence can help us significantly reduce the content arrangement time when you work with tools like our AI Presentation Maker (made for presenters by experts in presentation design). 

Audience Engagement

Keeping the audience’s attention and interest throughout the presentation can be difficult. Distractions, disengaged attendees, or lack of interaction can pose challenges.

Technical Issues

Technology glitches, such as malfunctioning equipment, incompatible file formats, or poor internet connectivity, can disrupt presentations and increase stress.

Time Management

Striking the right balance between providing enough information and staying within time limits is a common challenge. Going over or under the allotted time can affect the effectiveness of the presentation.

Handling Questions and Challenges

Responding to unexpected questions, criticism, or challenges from the audience can be difficult, especially when presenters are unprepared or lack confidence in their subject matter.

Visual Aids and Technology

Creating and effectively using visual aids like slides or multimedia can be a struggle for some presenters. Technical competence is essential in this aspect.

Language and Articulation

Poor language skills or unclear articulation can hinder effective communication. Presenters may worry about stumbling over words or failing to convey their message clearly.

Maintaining appropriate and confident body language can be challenging. Avoiding nervous habits, maintaining eye contact, and using gestures effectively requires practice.

Overcoming Impersonal Delivery

In virtual presentations, maintaining a personal connection with the audience can be difficult. The absence of face-to-face interaction can make it challenging to engage and read the audience.

Cultural and Diversity Awareness

Presenting to diverse audiences requires sensitivity to cultural differences and varying levels of familiarity with the topic.

In this section, we gathered some tips on how to improve presentation skills that can certainly make an impact if applied to your presentation skills. We believe these skills can be cultivated to transform into habits for your work routine.

Tip #1: Build a narrative

One memorable way to guarantee presentation success is by writing a story of all the points you desire to cover. This statement is based on the logic behind storytelling and its power to connect with people .

Don’t waste time memorizing slides or reading your presentation to the audience. It feels unnatural, and any question that diverts from the topic in discussion certainly puts you in jeopardy or, worse, exposes you as a fraud in the eyes of the audience. And before you ask, it is really evident when a presenter has a memorized speech. 

Build and rehearse the presentation as if telling a story to a group of interested people. Lower the language barrier by avoiding complex terms that maybe even you aren’t fully aware of their meaning. Consider the ramifications of that story, what it could lead to, and which are the opportunities to explore. Then, visualize yourself giving the presentation in a natural way.

Applying this technique makes the presentation feel like second nature to you. It broadens the spectrum in which you can show expertise over a topic or even build the basis for new interesting points of view about the project.

Tip #2: Don’t talk for more than 3 minutes per slide

It is a common practice of presenters to bombard the audience with facts and information whilst retaining the same slide on the screen. Why can this happen? It could be because the presenter condensed the talk into very few slides and preferred to talk. The reality is that your spectators won’t retain the information you are giving unless you give visual cues to help that process. 

Opt to prepare more slides and pace your speech to match the topics shown on each slide. Don’t spend more than 3 minutes per slide unless you have to introduce a complex piece of data. Use visual cues to direct the spectators about what you talk about, and summarize the principal concepts discussed at the end of each section.

Tip #3: Practice meditation daily

Anxiety is the number one enemy of professional presenters. It slowly builds without you being aware of your doubts and can hinder your performance in multiple ways: making you feel paralyzed, fidgeting, making you forget language skills or concepts, affecting your health, etc.

Meditation is an ancient practice taken from Buddhist teachings that train your mind to be here in the present. We often see the concepts of meditation and mindfulness as synonyms, whereas you should be aware that meditation is a practice that sets the blocks to reach a state of mindfulness. For presenters, being in the here and now is essential to retain focus, but meditation techniques also teach us to control our breathing and be in touch with our body signals when stress builds up. 

The customary practice of meditation has an impact on imagination and creativity but also helps to build patience – a skill much needed for connecting with your audience in instructional presentations.

Having the proper set of presentation skills can be quite subjective. It goes beyond presentation tips and deepens into how flexible we can be in our ability to communicate ideas.

Different presentations and different audiences shape the outcome of our efforts. Therefore, having a basic understanding of how to connect, raise awareness, and empathize with people can be key ingredients for your career as a presenter. A word of advice: success doesn’t happen overnight. It takes dedication and patience to build communication skills . Don’t condition your work to believe you will be ready “someday”; it’s best to practice and experience failure as part of the learning process.

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What It Takes to Give a Great Presentation

• Carmine Gallo

Five tips to set yourself apart.

Never underestimate the power of great communication. It can help you land the job of your dreams, attract investors to back your idea, or elevate your stature within your organization. But while there are plenty of good speakers in the world, you can set yourself apart out by being the person who can deliver something great over and over. Here are a few tips for business professionals who want to move from being good speakers to great ones: be concise (the fewer words, the better); never use bullet points (photos and images paired together are more memorable); don’t underestimate the power of your voice (raise and lower it for emphasis); give your audience something extra (unexpected moments will grab their attention); rehearse (the best speakers are the best because they practice — a lot).

I was sitting across the table from a Silicon Valley CEO who had pioneered a technology that touches many of our lives — the flash memory that stores data on smartphones, digital cameras, and computers. He was a frequent guest on CNBC and had been delivering business presentations for at least 20 years before we met. And yet, the CEO wanted to sharpen his public speaking skills.

• Carmine Gallo is a Harvard University instructor, keynote speaker, and author of 10 books translated into 40 languages. Gallo is the author of The Bezos Blueprint: Communication Secrets of the World’s Greatest Salesman  (St. Martin’s Press).

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Presentation Skills: 50 Tips & Examples to Improve Yours

If you’re looking for practical strategies that you can use on your presentation today, then you’ll love this article.

Inside, you’ll get access to:

– A presentation skills “checklist” infographic – A complete guide breaking down proven strategies, word-for-word formulas, expert tips and examples to help you dramatically improve your presentation skills

But first, I’d like to start with a very quick, 3-point introduction.

(Hint: when you finish reading it, you’ll know why presentation skills are crucial to your success).

There are three tiny things you need to know about presentation skills before we jump into strategies and tactics:

1) What are presentation skills?

Presentation skills are your ability one to deliver presentations that educate, engage, or entertain your audience.

2) Why we give presentations

According to the california state university employee development center , we usually of give presentations to:, inform persuade educate, for instance:, inform -> “abc engineering: q4 sales results” persuade -> “xyz marketing: how we help you x3 your conversions” educate -> “10 advanced seo techniques from the pros”, 3) why bad presentation skills have hidden costs, it’s because they’re the difference between getting what you want (educating people, persuading them to do something, closing a deal, etc)…., …or nothing at all., let me give you an example: a prospective client, let’s call him joe, schedules a meeting with your company because he’s looking for an agency that will handle his yearly event activities., the current supplier isn’t up to par so joe wants to find a new company to make events that help him look good and bring more traffic to his store., joe has an annual budget of  $100,000 dollars (not bad, eh). you get in the meeting room. you make your presentation., “we are a professional team of event experts”., it’s about you, your history, services, clients you used to work with, and some case studies., joe is feeling a bit bored because you’re not actually showing him what you can do to help him design better events.  you’re not tying your services to specific benefits he’s looking for (like increasing his customer footfall by 20% within 3 months)., basically , your pitch is bad., wanna know what happens next, joe is going to meet with other event agencies that know how to sell themselves and communicate on the value they’re bringing to the table., he’ll chose the best one., the one that solves his problems., the one that is best positioned to help him get what he wants ., and it won’t be you., he’ll be thinking “if that guy can’t put a solid pitch together, he won’t be able to handle my events in a way that satisfies me”., you lost 100,000 bucks., the lesson here, good presentation skills are the difference between getting what you want, or nothing at all., 50 proven ways to dramatically improve your presentation skills, click here to enlarge, lay out the foundations, 1. anticipate. seriously., [tweet “if your presentation is important to you, then act like it is.”], when i asked ed from clear preso what was his #1 advice for improving presentation skills, here’s what he said:, “do not leave it till the last minute to craft your message. do not create the sides the night before the presentation or go out there without having rehearsed. if the presentation matters to you, then put in some serious time and effort, or don’t bother at all”., ed fidgeon-kavanagh, chief presentationist at  clear preso, 2. be audience-centered (hfd), “when people encounter you, they ask themselves four questions that determine your likeability or “l-factor”. first, they seek friendliness. then, they ask themselves if you are relevant to them. next, they ponder whether you have empathy for them. finally, they ask themselves if you are ‘real’ — that is, authentic and honest”., tim sanders ,  sales & leadership keynote speaker, author of the likeability factor, if you want your audience to like you, learn as much as you can about them, specifically:, where are they from what’s their age range what do you have in common have they had any bad news recently what do they fear what do they want (aka what are their key motivators), bottom line : be precise, not random. find out the h opes, f ears and d reams (hfd) of your audience and plan to communicate with that unique group only, no other., how to identify your audience’s hopes, fears and dreams, 3 proven strategies to identify what your customers want, additional ways to learn more about your audience:, quora (check out questions + best answers related to your topic) amazon (read reviews about products/services/topics related to yours) udemy (see what people are saying about courses related to your topic) google  (instant results and related searches to identify what people are looking for), 3. define your goal, [tweet “if you can’t explain in one sentence what the goal of your presentation is, you don’t have one.”], “if you want results, you need to start by setting goals. when your goals are set, you need to find out how to best achieve them”., michael aagaard,  via content verve, crucial, especially when trying to build effective presentations that convey a powerful message., here’s an example:, if you’re trying to build a relationship with a prospective client (to be able to sell your products), your goal isn’t to make a creative presentation. your goal is to show your client you + your products are perfectly positioned to solve their problems., answer this question:, why are you making this presentation (aka why do you wanna talk to them)., get an order of $10,000 today build a relationship with them (so two years from now they wanna purchase from you), bottom line :  have one goal.  set your smart goals before you write a single word., 4. identify your audience’s motivation level, the way we’re going to think about your audience today is rooted in this guy named b.j. fogg who famously came up with the behavior model :, let me simplify that for you:, for a person to perform a target behavior (aka help you reach your goal) he must be sufficiently motivated and have the ability to perform the behavior., which is why you really need to understand  what stage of the buying cycle your audience members are in ., answer these questions:, has your audience heard of your company/product before are they intending to make a purchase do they have all of the information they need to make an informed decision what fears / anxieties could be holding them back, bottom line : knowing the context helps you to determine your choice of words and level of information, but also to structure your delivery and motivate your audience., map out a crystal-clear message, 5. build your core message, [tweet “you can have the best product but if you can’t communicate well about it, you have nothing. “], your core message is the #1 thing you wanna your audience to remember., the most critical one. the one they can’t miss. if they remember one thing, they’ll remember you., use this formula to build your core message:, action verb + who + what, show these shanghai-based consultants how my company can help them get more leads . motivate my directory board to increase the marketing budget . convince the prospect to sign that contract today ., bottom line : you core message must be articulated around a) helping you reach your goal and b) giving your audience what they want., 6. craft your elevator speech, [tweet “your elevator speech answers this question: why should i listen to you “], effective elevator speeches include:, benefits the word you are geared toward solving your audience’s problems, use these elevator pitch builder formulas:, today, i am going to teach you about [ result they care about ], today, you will get / discover  [ outcome ], if you agree to meet with us, you will [ result they care about ], if you read that presentation, you will [ result they care about ], today, you will discover the 5 strategies we’re using to triple our conversions . today, i am going to teach you  the 3-step process i used to double my website traffic in 2 months . if you agree to meet with us, you will learn how to launch events that increase footfall and instantly separate you from the competition ., bottom line :  your elevator speech must be angled toward helping your audience do do/get/discover something that benefits to them., 7. break down your core message in small bits, answer these questions:, what are the top 5 big reasons that will motivate my audience members to do what i want what messages will drive them toward my goal, if you don’t know, ask your actual customers why they’ve decided to work with you (aka what they like about you)., 8. backup everything with data (supportive points), [tweet ““in god we trust, all others must bring data.””], if you want people to trust you, make sure to provide research, data-rich points that prove what you’re saying (aka case studies, statistics, testimonials, money-back guarantees…), don’t say: we’ve helped companies increase their sales. say: we’ve has helped bryan from abc marketing to increase their sales by 34% in two months., rule of thumb : opinions are bullshit. do research .  n o opinions unchecked. , build a powerful structure, 9. treat your presentation as if it were a movie, [tweet “treat your presentation as a movie: set up a conflict that needs to be resolved.”], when asked what she thinks a great presentation advice is, graphic designer  elly whiley  had this to say…, “treat your presentation as if it were a movie., have a solid introduction that will intrigue your audience, a climatic middle where you raise problems and/or questions and finally a powerful conclusion where you answer and resolve everything raised and leave the audience with something to think about.”, elly whiley ( via canva ), the most effective presenters use the same techniques as great storytellers again and again. they remind people of the status quo (i.e. your audience’s pain points)… and then reveal the path to a better way., let’s illustrate this with one of my favorite example:.

10. Use PRD and PCR frames to tell stories

[tweet “”a story is a series of actions that overcome obstacles in order to achieve a goal””], let’s take a quick look at how the harvard business review editor bronwyn fryer describes what a story is :, “essentially, a story expresses how and why life changes., it begins with a situation in which life is relatively in balance : you come to work day after day, week after week, and everything’s fine. you expect it will go on that way., but then there’s an event —in screenwriting, we call it the “inciting incident”—that throws life out of balance . you get a new job, or the boss dies of a heart attack, or a big customer threatens to leave., the story goes on to describe how, in an effort to restore balance, the protagonist’s subjective expectations crash into an uncooperative objective reality”., story : balance + something happens (that throws life out of balance) + how to restore balance, the prd frame, p roblem : the current situation for your audience. do you suffer from/sick of being… r elief : it can change . it doesn’t have to be that way/there’s a solution… d ream : your solution. imagine if you could…how your life would be if you could…, the  pcr frame, p rotagonist : climate change / small farmers providing food to restaurants c onflict : how climate change affects the growing season” r esolution :  policies that are or should be in place or discussion about how people in other regions are mitigating the effects of climate change on local resources.  source ., tweet these story frame techniques –, 11. each slide has one message, idea, goal, one slide = one idea, one message, one core point, when asked what was his # 1 advice to build effective presentations skills, haiku deck co-founder adam tratt had this to say:, “the first is focus on one idea at a time. we do this by limiting the number of words you can put on a slide., less is more. remember, your audience can either listen to you, or ready your slide. avoid loading up your presentations with too many words”., adam tratt . co-founder at h aiku deck ., to help you be laser-focused on  your message,  use this formula every time you’re building a slide:, the purpose of this slide is to [ fill the blank ], for example: the purpose of this slide is to [ show that our sales grew by 16% this year ] the purpose of this slide is to [ demonstrate that our app features are the best in the market ], craft your irresistible content , here are 4 ways to craft attention-grabbing headlines that’ll motivate your audience to keep reading., [tweet “5 times as many people read advertising headlines than copy.”], if advertisers haven’t done some selling in their headlines, they’ve wasted 80% of their clients’ money. david ogilvy ., headlines have two purposes:  grab your audience’s attention + motivate them keep them reading., powerful headlines have four qualities:, 1) self-interest (focused on your audience) 2) news (teach them something) 3) curiosity (get them want to know more) 4) ultra-specific (aka use figures), 12. craft powerful headlines using the “brain dump” method, you’re gonna make a couple of subject lines and start filling them in.  for instance, your slide is about the weight-loss problem., let’s start writing:, subject 1: how to write lose weight  (sucky) subject 2: how to write lose weight effectively  (meh)  subject 3:  5 best-ever weight-loss secrets from thin people   (good) subject 4:  3 things experts won’t tell you about weight-loss   (catchy), bottom line : practice, practice, practice. write as many subject lines as needed. review them later, pick the best one (ask friends or colleagues if you’re unsure)., 13. steal your headlines from amazon, for example, let’s say i want to figure out some good headlines for copywriting services i have., the first step is to slap the term “copywriting” into amazon and see what comes up:, browse through the best ranked book titles., book title: “copywriting: a beginner’s blueprint. how to write amazing copy that compels readers to take action without selling your soul.”, headlines we can make out of this book title:, learn how to write amazing copy that compels readers to take action, right now., you don’t have to sell your soul to write amazing copy that sells, tweet this headline building tip –, 14.use these 7 attention-grabbing headline starters, new now here’s announcing presenting introducing look , source:  ca$hvertising, for example:, our powerful new seminar teaches marketers the power of persuasion to drive people into a buying frenzy now you can stop worrying about your traffic announcing the hottest new lobster roll from cali presenting the easiest way to engage your customers here’s why our digital marketing services are a great fit for you look it’s that easy, tweet these proven headline starters –, 15. use “lenses” to write headlines, copywriter neville medhora came up with the concept of lenses to write headlines that appeal to a specific audience.  lenses work especially well for sales presentations . there are three types of “lenses” you can instantly apply to your headlines:, “competitive” lens : “dominate the search results, and leave page 2 of google for your competitors”., “benefit driven” lens:  “80% faster than any other internet provider”., “inspirational” lens:  “what if you could learn the exact system to rank a website that generates traffic, sales & customers 24/7”, check out neville’s video to dig deeper into the lenses concept:.

Resources for your headlines:

Portent  (headline generator) title generator (headline generator) internet marketing course (headline generator) over 139 formulas, from +30 different online author  (aka joanna wiebe’s supreme guide to writing amazing headlines fast), 16. avoid the me-too syndrome (here’s how), [tweet “nobody cares about you, people care about what you can do for them.”], the problem with 80% of business presentations and sales pitches, let’s take a look at this really bad example:, can you spot what’s wrong with this spam email, well, i’ll tell you:, the me-too syndrome aka the number of time it’s about them vs. the number of time it’s about me., here’s the breakdown:, them (aka “i”; “us”, “our”): 15, me (aka “you”): 11, me-too score: 58% (15/26), to avoid the me-too syndrome, make sure me-too score is under 50%, but more importantly… don’t talk about you, talk about what you can do for them., how will you improve their business how will you educate them on a specific topic they’re interested in how will your skills/services/products will make their life better, don’t be like that dumb chris who says:, if you’re interested in hearing what we can do for you…, instead, say this:, we have closely analyzed your website and based on this, we believe there are two challenges you’re looking at:the first is x, the second is y. we’ve done a lot of work on x and y. in fact, we’ve already helped abc firm to grow their traffic by 200% the last 6 months. we’d love to help you do the same., 17. be ultra-specific, if i asked you right now, “what makes your company different”, what would you say 90% of us would something like this: “we provide premium services” or “we’re a great team of professional people”. yeah, i like to breathe oxygen too., be specific., don’t say:, how to improve your finance quickly and claim back your freedom., 18. apply the svo principle, sentences that have a subject-verb-object order are more readable than those that don’t. source ., the technique was recommended by the american concrete institute., the american concrete institute recommends the technique., 19. write to a friend, [tweet “write for the ear, not the eye. old adage.”], there’s nothing worse than getting junk content from another  me-too company that rambles on and on about how amazing they are., but on the other hand, when you read something that’s written to you – like a personal note – you’ll devour every word. because you’ll want to know what’s in it for you., bottom line : act as your audience members are your best friends (think, how would i write to name of friend)., 20. use questions, rhetorical — interesting, aren’t they, 21. hit specific emotions, you know which emotions you want them to feel at every paragraph (anger, curiosity, relief, happiness)., learn how to identify the emotions you want to evoke + find out the perfect matching words., 22. do not overwhelm them, keep it simple., [tweet “79% of people scan read, rather than read every single word.”], no, your audience doesn’t need to know everything. prioritize and focus truly brings value to them aka here’s what we really do that’s gonna make a meaningful impact on your life / business / sexuality / happiness., bottom line : every word must earn its place on the slide, seriously., 23. do the chimpanzee brain test, read out loud every single sentence in your deck and ask yourself:, is it easy to understand or not, if the answer is no, shorten the phrase or break it down in smaller pieces., bottom line : you don’t need complex words or perfect grammar. don’t make them think and express only one though in a sentence. use your next sentence to say the next thing., 24. apply the 6×7 rule, “remember, your audience can either listen to you, or read your slides. avoid loading up your presentations with too many words”., adam tratt. co-founder at haiku deck ., your audience should be listening to you, and not reading slides. plus, you should be looking at them while speaking (not reading slides)., no more than 6 lines per slide no more than 7 words per line source, design your stunning presentation, 25. customize your deck size, learn how (and why) to do that here ., 26. prepare your opening slides, here’s the deal, your opening slides have two targets:, assure your audience they’re in the right place (aka your core topic), remind them what they’re going to hear (which is gonna hook them because they want to get the answer), left side cover shows you the result you’ll get by reading the deck: learn 100 marketing growth hacks right side cover shows you the result you’ll get by reading the deck: learn facts about the spine you probably didn’t know, how to create a brilliant cover slide in 5 minutes, 27. each content slide has 3-4 elements, image source, headline to grab the attention, sub-headlines give you more information and further, illustration : to get your attention and to illustrate the point more fullyspee, copy : to convey the main selling message of the slide, download your free, professional-looking template here, 28. use visuals, many folks out there urge you to use visuals, few tell you why you should., so here’s why:, we process visuals 60,000 times faster than text., 40% of learners respond better to visual information than text alone., people who use visual aids are 43% more persuasive than those who don’t ., here’s my go-to-list of breathtaking, free-to-use photography resources:, gratisography  (crisp, fun, humorous visuals) death to the stock photo  (as the first one) startup stock photos  (genuine looking pics) pexels (lots of themes, beautiful photo) unsplash  (stunning nature related visuals) little visuals  (as unsplash) pic jumbo  (urban-related pictures), learn how to design  attention-grabbing cover slide  here., 29. build a powerful color theme, [tweet “color accounts for 85% of the reason why someone decides to purchase a product.”], so, what’s the bottom line, color sell products. make sure the colors you chose are:, strongly associated with your organization (color increases brand recognition by up to 80%), aligned with your audience’s characteristics. find out how to align your colors with your consumer’s backgrounds here , page 6 and 7., complementary: colors opposite each other on the color wheel., create your winning color themes:, colorcode colour lovers adobe kuler  ♥ the basics of color theory (fun, interactive article), 30. use icons, this post shows you how to integrate icons in your presentation slides. here are great icon resources:, flaticon freepik  ♥ icon finder the noun project, 31. steal like an artist, you don’t have to start building a presentation from scratch., instead, do what i’m doing:, create a folder on your desktop and title it “swipe file.” anytime you see a beautiful design or great copy, just add it to your swipe file.  set up individual folders or labels (e.g. “great cover slides”, “headlines”, etc). pretty soon, you’ll have a repository of inspiration that you can tap into when you are working on your own presentations., here’s how my personal swipe file looks like:, amazing sources of design inspiration:, dribbble graphic river note & point slideshare  ♥ the 3-step process to hack slide design, 32. choose the right typography, people are more likely to engage in a given behavior the less effort it requires ( source ), helvetica is apple’s office font. amazing, isn’t it,  for free and creative font options, check out:, the 10 most popular typefaces used by the top 100 u.s newspapers the top 10 fonts web designers love (free and paid) dafont font squirrel  ♥ fonts2u fonts fabric, 33. use the crap principle, there are not a hundred but one principle of design that i want you to get under your belt., the crap principle: contrast, repetition, alignment, proximity., contrast is all about making things stand out. it can be achieved using three major tactics:  manipulation of space (near / far, empty / filled), color choices (dark vs. light / cool vs. warm) and text (typography style / bold vs. narrow)., repetition , for instance making a headline and a sub-message the same color, makes scanning your deck much easier. repetition helps you create a cohesive look to your presentation., alignment . newspapers use this to great effect. aligning a whole bunch of elements with one another makes them scan faster. alignment makes things easier to read., proximity means that things are associated with one another. let me explain that for you: the closer things are, the more they are associated the farther they are away from one another, the less they are associated., 34. make closing slides, repeat your agenda aka your deck’s plan to remind the audience of what they just got. in the final slide confirms that the presentation is over., thank you contact information, “according to most studies, people’s number one fear is public speaking. number two is death. death is number two. does that sound right” jerry seinfeld, deliver like a boss, [tweet “you only have 7 seconds to make a great first impression”], it takes only seven seconds for us to judge another person when we first meet them , says linda blair, clinical psychologist. which leads us to the following question:, what is the best way to start a presentation and make a killer opener, well, to succeed, three things must happen:, 1) get them to pay attention to you 2) answer the why should i listen to you question 3) give them a hint about the direction of your speech, here are 4 ways to craft a killer opener that’ll grab your audience’s attention (and improve your presentation and public speaking skills), 35. begin with a story, [tweet “your audience recalls only 10 to 30% of what they hear.”], “two years ago, my life changed forever. my wife kalcy and i welcomed our daughter leila to the world.”, the first 20 hours — how to learn anything | josh kaufman | tedxcsu, 36. make a provocative statement, “hey are you excited to be here are you ready to learn some stuff are you ready to get humped up and get excited, motivated if that’s you…you came to the wrong place because we’re not doing any of that today. we’re gonna learn actual stuff, usable, in the real word. and you’re gonna come away from here with things you can use, make money with”. oren klaff, you might want another example, am i right, check out will stephen’s amazingly provocative tedx intro:, x how to sound smart in your tedx talk | will stephen | tedxnewyork, “hear that that’s nothing which is what i, as a speaker at today’s conference, have for you all: i have nothing nada zip nothing smart nothing inspirational i have absolutely nothing to say whatsoever.”, like this presentation opener tip click here  to tweet it –, 37. use statistics/quotes in your opener, one of the best ways to start a speech, numbers and quotes , “46% of us small businesses feel they are being “sold to” instead of “spoken to” by other businesses “. “you only have 7 seconds to make a great first impression”. “before we get started i wanna tell you about a quote from a guy named adam nash: growth is important and all good companies take it seriously”.   growth hacking – neil patel – pioneers festival 2014, to find reliable statistics or quotes, head over to google and try these search strings:, site:edu + “your keyword” + “data”, site:edu + “your keyword” + “percent”, inurl:research + “your keyword” + “statistics”, “your keyword” + quote, 38. make a huge promise (gts formula), get your audience’s excited about what they’ll be able to do or know by the end of your speech., use the gts (give them something) formula:, you will get you will learn today, i’m going to show you [ statement that benefits your audience ]. by the end of this presentation, you will [ result they’re interested in ]., by the end of today’s presentation, you will join an elite group of speakers who can changes lives of their audience members for the better. you will learn secret techniques that only a few of the world’s best speakers are using and that’ll make every speech an outstanding one., people will listen because they really want to get what you promise., bottom line : don’t over-promise, ever., tweet this gts technique –, 39. share a plan, if your speech is longer than 30 minutes, give em a plan. a plan makes it easy for your audience to follow through aka see where you are at any point in time., “5 steps for financial freedom and you’re taking about 3: they know you’re at the middle of the speech”., command with your body, 40. stand facing the people you’re taking too, 41. use high-power poses, according to harvard business school professor amy j.c. cuddy , high-power poses decrease cortisol (“the stress hormone”) by about 25% and increase testosterone by about 19% for both men and women., nonverbal expressions of power and dominance are about expanding:, stretch out open up make yourself taller, seriously, set aside 15 minutes to watch this amazing tedx talk:, body language, the power is in the palm of your hands | allan pease .

Bottom line : Don’t use defensive postures such as arms crossed, hands in pockets, hands clasped behind or in front of your body. These postures limit your gestural ability and will make your audience close off as well.

42. use eye contact, eye contact is crucial in keeping you and your audience connected. here are two things you should do to keep them engaged:, spend a few seconds with each person you look at, for bigger lecture halls, use an m or a w pattern to spread eye contact throughout ( source )., 43. keep moving, “human beings are drawn to movement. if you move when you speak, you’ll get people’s attention., it can be especially effective to move toward the audience before making a key point, and away when you want to signal a break or a change of subject. you can also use space to reinforce your ideas. for example, if you’re presenting three issues, talk about each of them from a different physical position”., carole kinsey goman (via forbes)., convince with your voice, 44. use pauses to add expression and feeling to  your speech, [tweet “pausing is to speaking as punctuation is to writing.”], look, pauses are super important because they:, reduce the overall rate of speaking, give the audience time to reflect + absorb what you’re saying, tell your listeners you are moving from one thought to the next, here are a few tips from the presentation coach diane windingland :, pause before you speak, look at your audience first, pause before and after important/difficult words or concepts, pause after changing visual, pause before and after a punch line ( e.g take my wife….please),  plus, when saying something important, speak slowly., slowness implies what you’re going to say is extremely important—so important that they need time for it to sink in. plus, a clear speech is easier to understand., 45. use a conversational tone, verbal presentation skills are crucial to your success and there are two things you should do to increase engagement with your audience:, first, use the words “you” and “i”  so your audience relates with what you’re telling them., do you reme mber the last time you….[client problem]. i understand that. you know that feeling when… [bad situation]. i think it’s crazy, don’t you you ’re stuck in [bad situation], you ’re dealing with… [problem]… i feel your pain. let me be honest with you, if you ’re serious about [benefit they want]…, second, you can also use rhetorical questions:, pretty sneaky, isn’t it you guys know what i’m talking about, right, 46. use sensory phrases, using sensory phrases while you’re presenting will help you get your audience to feel something:, does it feel like…. can you imagine… let me show you… let me tell you… you don’t need to…, if you’re like me you’ll love to get your brain juice going with concrete examples., check out these lists of emotion, trigger words and phrases:, 47. eliminate filler words (aka the dreaded “um”), since being kids, we’ve been conditioned to answer questions immediately.  and that’s why we’re using filler words such as “uh”, “um”, “well”, “like”… that make us look dumb and unprepared., here are a few ways eliminate these words from your vocabulary:, video or audio record yourself: find out just how bad it really is. if you’re aware of it, you can work on it, don’t speak while looking at your notes (look at your notes, look up and then speak), be silent while you are trying to come up with the right word, apply the pta formula : pause, think, answer, tweet this filler words elimination technique –, 48. apply the sdt principle.

Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass. Anton Chekhov

The SDT (aka Show Don’t Tell) principle has one purpose: enable your audience  to experience the story through action, words, senses, and feelings.

Here’s a kickass example from zendesk  customer service software:, bottom line : get your audience to picture what you’re telling them.,  great resources on body language techniques:, your hand gestures are speaking for you  (with pictures), the secrets of body language: why you should never cross your arms again, amy cuddy: your body language shapes who you are  (ted talk), 49. avoid the lecture (here’s why), “for the first 5-10 minutes of a typical 50 minute lecture a student remembers a high proportion of the information presented, after which the proportion of information preserved rapidly declines. students typically retain 70% from the first 10 minutes of lecture, and 20% from the last 10 minutes . source ., yup… our brains don’t pay attention during a lecture., “research has shown that the lecture, aka “a dump of information”, is quite literally the worst way to receive content. we cannot retain, interact, or engage with it. the research of james hartley and ivor davies revealed that in the first seven minutes of a lecture, all were engaged. shortly after that window of time, attention dropped and plateaued for the next forty minutes., don’t make the mistake of doing a brain dump. ponder how to create small moments between 7-10 minute chunks of content that allow the audience to stop, pause, and think for a while. avoid the lecture”, bryan kelly (via bryan paul kelly), 50. rehearse, when asked what he thinks the most costly presentation mistake is, scott schwertly  of ethos3  had this to say…, “rehearse. embrace the mindset that every presentation requires a number of rehearsals. if your boss wants you to present on a piece of subject matter you have never seen before, it requires a minimum of 7-8 rehearsals. back in 1981, jerry seinfeld practiced 200 times for his comedy bit on the tonight show with johnny carson., if you think practicing your presentation 2x the night before and 1x the morning of your talk will make you succeed, you are dead wrong.”, scott schwertly , ceo of ethos3, here are two effective ways to rehearse your speech:, audio record yourself: it will help you assess which phrases sound good and which just look weird. don’t forget to listen for filler words and heck out the time., get feedback. grab a friend or a colleague and ask him: what can i improve what’s your favorite element of the speech, it’s time to put your new presentation skills into action , it’s no secret that effective presentation skills can skyrocket your success – a new job, a boost for your business, or even fund raising for your startup., no wonder why 90% of american people are saying communicate skills are most important for their children to get ahead in the world today ., some years back, when i was just starting to get serious about building persuasive presentations and pitches, i scoured the web for checklists that would help me remember all these new things that i was learning., i found nothing, other than seamless list of tips like “arrive early” (duh), “be entertaining” or “tell stories”., i felt frustrated, and that’s why i decided to create this piece of content., i believe this infographic would be a great little addition to keep on your own computer desktop. whenever you build or deliver a presentation….just check out the list to make sure you’re on track., hope you’ve enjoyed and learnt., additional resources you’ll love, pptpop’s best resources : a hand-curated list of articles, templates, and life-changing books that will help you become a better you, faster than anyone else., make a killer sales presentation : my personal blueprint to designing high-converting sales decks form scratch., [tweet “how to hack your presentation skills [infographic] “], join pptpop, if you join pptpop, you’ll get one or two monthly emails where i share crazy-effective advice designed  to help you craft irresistible pitches and presentations that hook. and sell. a lot. no fluff. no b.s. click that fat blue button to subscribe., recommended for you.

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How to make a great presentation

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Powerful and Effective Presentation Skills: More in Demand Now Than Ever

When we talk with our L&D colleagues from around the globe, we often hear that presentation skills training is one of the top opportunities they’re looking to provide their learners. And this holds true whether their learners are individual contributors, people managers, or senior leaders. This is not surprising.

Effective communications skills are a powerful career activator, and most of us are called upon to communicate in some type of formal presentation mode at some point along the way.

For instance, you might be asked to brief management on market research results, walk your team through a new process, lay out the new budget, or explain a new product to a client or prospect. Or you may want to build support for a new idea, bring a new employee into the fold, or even just present your achievements to your manager during your performance review.

And now, with so many employees working from home or in hybrid mode, and business travel in decline, there’s a growing need to find new ways to make effective presentations when the audience may be fully virtual or a combination of in person and remote attendees.

Whether you’re making a standup presentation to a large live audience, or a sit-down one-on-one, whether you’re delivering your presentation face to face or virtually, solid presentation skills matter.

Even the most seasoned and accomplished presenters may need to fine-tune or update their skills. Expectations have changed over the last decade or so. Yesterday’s PowerPoint which primarily relied on bulleted points, broken up by the occasional clip-art image, won’t cut it with today’s audience.

The digital revolution has revolutionized the way people want to receive information. People expect presentations that are more visually interesting. They expect to see data, metrics that support assertions. And now, with so many previously in-person meetings occurring virtually, there’s an entirely new level of technical preparedness required.

The leadership development tools and the individual learning opportunities you’re providing should include presentation skills training that covers both the evergreen fundamentals and the up-to-date capabilities that can make or break a presentation.

So, just what should be included in solid presentation skills training? Here’s what I think.

The fundamentals will always apply When it comes to making a powerful and effective presentation, the fundamentals will always apply. You need to understand your objective. Is it strictly to convey information, so that your audience’s knowledge is increased? Is it to persuade your audience to take some action? Is it to convince people to support your idea? Once you understand what your objective is, you need to define your central message. There may be a lot of things you want to share with your audience during your presentation, but find – and stick with – the core, the most important point you want them to walk away with. And make sure that your message is clear and compelling.

You also need to tailor your presentation to your audience. Who are they and what might they be expecting? Say you’re giving a product pitch to a client. A technical team may be interested in a lot of nitty-gritty product detail. The business side will no doubt be more interested in what returns they can expect on their investment.

Another consideration is the setting: is this a formal presentation to a large audience with questions reserved for the end, or a presentation in a smaller setting where there’s the possibility for conversation throughout? Is your presentation virtual or in-person? To be delivered individually or as a group? What time of the day will you be speaking? Will there be others speaking before you and might that impact how your message will be received?

Once these fundamentals are established, you’re in building mode. What are the specific points you want to share that will help you best meet your objective and get across your core message? Now figure out how to convey those points in the clearest, most straightforward, and succinct way. This doesn’t mean that your presentation has to be a series of clipped bullet points. No one wants to sit through a presentation in which the presenter reads through what’s on the slide. You can get your points across using stories, fact, diagrams, videos, props, and other types of media.

Visual design matters While you don’t want to clutter up your presentation with too many visual elements that don’t serve your objective and can be distracting, using a variety of visual formats to convey your core message will make your presentation more memorable than slides filled with text. A couple of tips: avoid images that are cliched and overdone. Be careful not to mix up too many different types of images. If you’re using photos, stick with photos. If you’re using drawn images, keep the style consistent. When data are presented, stay consistent with colors and fonts from one type of chart to the next. Keep things clear and simple, using data to support key points without overwhelming your audience with too much information. And don’t assume that your audience is composed of statisticians (unless, of course, it is).

When presenting qualitative data, brief videos provide a way to engage your audience and create emotional connection and impact. Word clouds are another way to get qualitative data across.

Practice makes perfect You’ve pulled together a perfect presentation. But it likely won’t be perfect unless it’s well delivered. So don’t forget to practice your presentation ahead of time. Pro tip: record yourself as you practice out loud. This will force you to think through what you’re going to say for each element of your presentation. And watching your recording will help you identify your mistakes—such as fidgeting, using too many fillers (such as “umm,” or “like”), or speaking too fast.

A key element of your preparation should involve anticipating any technical difficulties. If you’ve embedded videos, make sure they work. If you’re presenting virtually, make sure that the lighting is good, and that your speaker and camera are working. Whether presenting in person or virtually, get there early enough to work out any technical glitches before your presentation is scheduled to begin. Few things are a bigger audience turn-off than sitting there watching the presenter struggle with the delivery mechanisms!

Finally, be kind to yourself. Despite thorough preparation and practice, sometimes, things go wrong, and you need to recover in the moment, adapt, and carry on. It’s unlikely that you’ll have caused any lasting damage and the important thing is to learn from your experience, so your next presentation is stronger.

How are you providing presentation skills training for your learners?

Manika Gandhi is Senior Learning Design Manager at Harvard Business Publishing Corporate Learning. Email her at [email protected] .

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• PRESENTATION SKILLS

Search SkillsYouNeed:

Presentation Skills:

• A - Z List of Presentation Skills
• Top Tips for Effective Presentations
• General Presentation Skills
• What is a Presentation?
• Preparing for a Presentation
• Organising the Material
• Writing Your Presentation
• Deciding the Presentation Method
• Managing your Presentation Notes
• Working with Visual Aids
• Presenting Data
• Managing the Event
• Coping with Presentation Nerves
• Dealing with Questions
• How to Build Presentations Like a Consultant
• Self-Presentation in Presentations
• Specific Presentation Events
• Remote Meetings and Presentations
• Giving a Speech
• Presentations in Interviews
• Presenting to Large Groups and Conferences
• Giving Lectures and Seminars
• Managing a Press Conference
• Attending Public Consultation Meetings
• Managing a Public Consultation Meeting
• Crisis Communications
• Elsewhere on Skills You Need:
• Communication Skills
• Facilitation Skills
• Teams, Groups and Meetings
• Effective Speaking
• Question Types

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Presentation Skills

Presenting information clearly and effectively is a key skill in getting your message across. Today, presentation skills are required in almost every field, and most of us are required to give presentations on occasions. While some people take this in their stride, others find it much more challenging.

It is, however, possible to improve your presentation skills with a bit of work. This section of SkillsYouNeed is designed to help.

Many people feel terrified when asked to talk in public, especially to bigger groups. However, these fears can be reduced by good preparation, which will also lay the groundwork for making an effective presentation.

There are Different Types of Presentations, but They’re All Presentations

There are any number of occasions when you may be asked to speak in public or to a group of people. They include:

• Presenting or making a speech at a conference or event.
• Objecting to a planning proposal at a council meeting.
• Making a speech at a wedding.
• Proposing a vote of thanks to someone at a club or society.
• On behalf of a team, saying goodbye and presenting a gift to a colleague who is leaving.
• Seeking investment or a loan to help you set up a new business.

These can all be considered presentations.

They do not, however, all require the same approach. You would not, for example, use PowerPoint to thank a colleague who was leaving. It would be unusual (though it has been done) to use it in a speech at a wedding. However, a conference audience would be somewhat surprised NOT to see slides projected onto a screen.

It follows, therefore, that there is no single set of rules that apply to all presentations. There are, however, some things that every presentation opportunity has in common. These include:

You will present better if you have prepared effectively . This does NOT necessarily mean that you have written out your speech verbatim and rehearsed it until you know it off by heart—although that might work for some people. It does, however, mean that you have to be confident that you are saying the right thing, in the right way, to the right people.

You need to be clear about your audience and your message . Every presentation will be better if you have clearly considered the message that you want or need to convey, and how best to convey it to your audience. These two pieces of information drive your style, structure, content, and use of visual aids.

You must never overrun your allocated time .  In other words, don’t outstay your welcome. Almost every speech or presentation is better if it is shorter. Nobody minds going for coffee early or finishing before they expected to do so. Everybody minds being held up.

Generally speaking, your audience starts on your side. As a rule, your audience is there (more or less) voluntarily. They have chosen to listen to you, and they want to enjoy your presentation. The occasion is yours to lose.

An Important Point

There is one very important point to remember: if what you’re doing or saying is not working, do something else.

One of the worst feelings as a presenter is that you have lost your audience. You know that’s happened, but you continue to stumble through your remaining PowerPoint slides for the next 15 minutes, as your audience checks their phones and wishes it was coffee time. You think you have no choice, but that’s not actually true.

When you present, you are in charge of the room . The audience has effectively handed you control and is sitting back waiting for you to do something. You may have prepared a specific talk, but if you see that isn’t working, you can always change it. You are, after all, the expert.

You can, for example:

• Skip through some slides to a section that they may find more interesting;
• Ask your audience whether there is particular information that they were expecting that you are not providing;
• Suggest that everyone looks a bit sleepy, and maybe it would be better to start questions early, or have a discussion; or
• Ask the audience at the start of the presentation what they are expecting and what they want you to cover. That way, you can tailor the presentation to fit their expectations.

Just as when you are facilitating, you want to help your audience get the most out of your presentation. The best way to do that is to accept feedback—which may include smiles, nods of interest, or people getting their phones out.

Quick Guide to Effective Presentations

If you need to improve your presentation skills quickly, then a really good place to start is with our Top Tips for Effective Presentations .

This will give you some ‘quick wins’ that will help you improve your presentations. If you’re already an experienced presenter, this page should be a useful refresher, or even take your skills from good to great.

Our tips include general ideas about connecting with your audience, information about the importance of voice and body language, and detailed tips about preparing slide-shows.

The most important tip of all, however, is to remember that it's all about your audience.

Keep that in mind, and your presentation skills will almost instantly improve.

If you have more time to develop your presentation skills…

…then the Presentation Skills section of SkillsYouNeed is designed to help.

Our Presentation Skills section is split into two parts.

• The first gives you a step-by-step guide to putting together and delivering a professional and effective presentation .
• The second provides more detailed information about presenting and communicating in particular circumstances .

You can either use our step-by-step guide to walk you through the presentation preparation and delivery process, or you can focus on particular areas that are an issue for you.

Preparing for Your Presentation

The guide starts by explaining What is a Presentation?

We define a presentation as a means of communication that can be adapted to various speaking situations, such as talking to a group, addressing a meeting or briefing a team. Effective presentations usually require careful thought and preparation—although this preparation need not take very long.

Preparation is the most important part of making a successful presentation.  Our page on Preparing For A Presentation explains what information you need before you can really start to plan your presentation and decide what you are going to say. The most important aspects include the objective of the presentation, the subject, and the audience.

Irrespective of whether the occasion is formal or informal, you should always aim to give a clear, well-structured delivery. To do so, you need to organise your presentation material . You can either do this in your head, or use a technique like mind-mapping to help you identify links and good flow.

By the time you come to write your presentation , you should know exactly what you want to say and the order in which you want to say it. You may want to use one of the standard presentation structures, such as ‘What, Why, How?’. You will also find it helpful to consider how to tell your story most effectively, and to use stories in your presentation to illustrate points. There is more about this in our page on writing your presentation .

You also need to decide on your presentation method . Presentations range from the formal to the informal. Your choice of presentation method will depend on many factors, including the audience, the venue, the facilities, and your own preferences.

Visual aids can add another dimension to your presentation, helping to hold your audience’s attention, and also act as a reminder of what you wanted to say. However, they need handling with care. Only use visual aids if they are necessary to maintain interest and assist comprehension . If visual aids are not used well, they can ruin a presentation.

See Working with Visual Aids to avoid falling into the trap of the dreaded ‘ Death by PowerPoint’ .

A particular case of visual aids is the use of data in a presentation.

There are times when using data in a presentation can really help you to tell the story better. It is, however, important not to blind your audience with statistics. You also need to remember that many people find numbers difficult to understand. Our page on Presenting Data gives some hints and tips about using data effectively in a presentation situation.

On the Day of the Presentation

There are a number of aspects to delivering your presentation on the day.

The practicalities of how you manage your presentation can make a significant difference to its success, and to your nerves! For example, turning up early means that you have will have a chance to see the room, and ensure that you can operate all the necessary equipment. There is more about how to cope, including managing sound systems, audio-visual equipment and lecterns in our page on Managing the Presentation Event .

Many people also feel very nervous before and during a presentation. This is entirely normal, and can even be helpful if you can channel it in the right way. There are some tried and tested strategies and techniques to manage your nerves so that you can concentrate on delivering an effective and engaging presentation.

See Coping with Presentation Nerves for some ideas that will help.

How you present yourself can also affect how your audience responds to your presentation.

You need to fit with your audience's expectations if they are not going to spend quite a large chunk of your presentation dealing with the differences between expectations and reality.

For more about aspects of self-presentation, see our page on Self-Presentation in Presentations .

You also need to consider how to manage your presentation notes .

Few people are able to give a presentation without notes. You will need to know your own abilities and decide how best to make the presentation. You might manage your talk by using full text, notes on cue cards, keywords on cue cards, or mind maps. There is more about this in our page on Managing your Presentation Notes .

After the presentation, you may be faced with a question-and-answer session. For many people, this is the worst part of the event.

Decide in advance how and when you wish to handle questions. Some speakers prefer questions to be raised as they arise during the presentation whilst others prefer to deal with questions at the end. At the start of your presentation, you should make clear your preferences to the audience. See our page on Dealing with Questions for more ideas about how to make the question session pleasant and productive, rather than something to dread.

Presenting Under Particular Circumstances

You may find that you need to give a presentation under certain circumstances, where your previous experience is less helpful.

Circumstances that may be new to you include:

• Giving a Speech , for example, at a wedding.

One particular special case is attending public consultation meetings.

Our pages on Attending Public Consultation Meetings , and Managing Public Consultation Meetings provide information to help whether you are a concerned member of the public, or responsible for organising a public meeting.

You may also find yourself required to organise or manage a press conference.

Although this may not strictly be what you would describe as a ‘presentation’, it is nonetheless an event at which you are required to present your organisation in a particular light.

Our page on Managing a Press Conference gives some ideas about how best to do that.

Finally, should you be unlucky enough to be involved in a serious crisis or disaster that affects your organisation, our page on Crisis Communications gives some ideas about how to manage press and public relations on these occasions.

Start with: What is a Presentation? Top Tips for Effective Presentations

See also: Personal Appearance Interpersonal Communication Skills

• Career Blog

Presentation Skills for Career Success: Examples and Tips

As an expert in both writing and subject matter, I understand the importance of effective presentation skills. From delivering a sales pitch to making a dynamic presentation at a conference, presentation skills are an essential aspect of career success.

Definition of Presentation Skills

Presentation skills refer to the ability to effectively and persuasively communicate information to an audience. This involves several different components, including speaking clearly and confidently, engaging with the audience, and using visual aids to illustrate key points.

Importance of Presentation Skills for Career Success

Strong presentation skills can make all the difference in achieving success in your career. Whether you’re pitching an important idea to investors or delivering a report to your team, being able to communicate your message clearly and effectively is critical. Poor presentation skills can undermine a person’s credibility and ultimately hinder their ability to succeed.

Understanding Your Target Audience

When preparing a presentation, it is crucial to understand your target audience. Without knowing who will be sitting in the audience, it can be challenging to effectively communicate your message. To ensure a successful presentation, you need to:

A. Identifying Your Audience

The first step is to identify your audience. Who are you presenting to? Are they co-workers, executives or customers? What is their demographic? What is their level of knowledge about your topic? Understanding your audience’s characteristics will allow you to personalize the presentation and make it more relatable.

B. Knowing Your Audience’s Expectations

After identifying your audience, the next step is to understand their expectations. What are they hoping to learn from your presentation? Are they looking for specific information, or are they coming in with no prior knowledge? By understanding what your audience expects, you can tailor your message accordingly.

C. Tailoring Your Presentation to Your Audience

Now that you understand who your audience is and what they expect to gain from your presentation, the final step is to tailor your presentation to meet their needs. This means adjusting the way you present information, including visuals and language, to ensure that the message resonates with them.

For example, if you’re presenting to a group of executives, you’ll want to use language that speaks to their level of knowledge and experience. On the other hand, if you’re presenting to a group of new employees, you’ll want to simplify your language and provide more background information.

By customizing your presentation to your audience, you will increase their engagement and enhance their understanding of the topic. This will result in a more successful presentation overall.

Understanding your target audience is crucial to delivering a successful presentation. By identifying your audience, knowing their expectations, and tailoring your message to their needs, you can create a presentation that resonates with your audience and delivers the message effectively.

Creating an Effective Presentation

Creating an effective presentation can be a daunting task, but it is necessary for career success. An effective presentation can be the key to closing a business deal, securing new clients, or impressing your bosses.

To make sure your presentation is effective, there are five key steps you must take: defining your objectives, developing a strong message, structuring your presentation, using visual aids and emotional appeals, and rehearsing your presentation.

A. Defining Your Objectives

Before you start creating your presentation, it is important to define your objectives. Ask yourself: What am I trying to achieve with this presentation? Who is my audience? What message do I want to convey? Once you have answered these questions, you can start creating your presentation with a clear goal in mind.

B. Developing a Strong Message

To create a strong message, you need to think about what your audience needs to hear from you. Your message should be clear, concise, and relevant to your audience. Use language and visuals that are easy to understand and memorable.

C. Structuring Your Presentation

A well-structured presentation is key to keeping your audience engaged. Start with a strong opening that grabs their attention, then move into the main body of your presentation where you can delve deeper into your message using clear examples and evidence. Finally, end with a strong closing that leaves a lasting impression.

D. Using Visual Aids and Emotional Appeals

Using visual aids and emotional appeals can make your presentation more engaging and memorable. Visual aids can help illustrate your message and make it easier to understand. Emotional appeals can help you connect with your audience on a more personal level and make your presentation more memorable.

E. Rehearsing Your Presentation

The final step in creating an effective presentation is rehearsing. Practice your presentation multiple times. This will help you feel more confident and prepared when it is time to present. It will also help you identify areas that need improvement.

Creating an effective presentation is an important skill for career success. By defining your objectives, developing a strong message, structuring your presentation, using visual aids and emotional appeals, and rehearsing your presentation, you can deliver a presentation that is engaging, memorable, and effective.

Presentation Delivery Skills

Effective presentation delivery is a crucial aspect for professional success. The way you present yourself, the ideas, and the subject matter can significantly impact the audience’s perception of you and the content you provide. This section discusses some important presentation delivery skills that can help you in your career.

A. Opening and Closing Strategies

The opening and closing of your presentation should be attention-grabbing and leave a lasting impression. Use a powerful opening statement, a thought-provoking question, or an engaging story that relates to the topic. Similarly, end the presentation with a summarized version of the crucial points, a call to action, or an inspiring quote. These strategies can help the audience remember your presentation long after it’s over.

B. Voice and Body Language

Your voice and body language play an essential role in conveying your message effectively. Speak clearly and confidently, and avoid filler words such as “umm” and “ahh.” Use gestures and body movements that complement your words and help emphasize your message.

C. Eye Contact and Interpersonal Communication

Maintaining eye contact with your audience is a powerful way to build rapport and influence. It shows that you are confident and interested in engaging with them. Along with eye contact, focus on interpersonal communication skills, such as active listening, empathy, and adapting your communication style to resonate with the audience.

D. Managing Nervousness

It’s natural to feel nervous before a presentation, but it can negatively affect your performance. Be prepared by rehearsing beforehand, arriving early, and taking deep breaths. Use positive self-talk, affirmations, and visualization techniques to calm your nerves and build confidence.

E. Tips for Virtual and Remote Presentations

Virtual and remote presentations require additional considerations to ensure a successful delivery. Ensure that your technology works correctly, keep your slides simple and easy to read, and avoid multitasking during the presentation. Practice your presentation in front of a camera to get used to the virtual interface.

Mastering presentation delivery skills is an ongoing process of refinement and practice. Paying attention to your opening and closing strategies, voice and body language, eye contact and interpersonal communication, managing nervousness, and tips for virtual and remote presentations can make a significant difference in the impact of your presentation on the audience. By honing these skills, you can enhance your professional brand and take your career to greater heights.

Engaging Your Audience

Engaging your audience is crucial to delivering an effective presentation. The goal is to keep their attention and leave a lasting impression. In this section, we’ll cover four key techniques to engage your audience: storytelling, audience participation, Q&A sessions, and handling difficult audience members.

A. Using Storytelling Techniques

Stories have the power to captivate an audience and make your presentation memorable. Consider opening with a personal anecdote or sharing a relevant story that connects with your topic. Use descriptive language and vivid details to make your story come alive.

Throughout your presentation, sprinkle in relevant stories and examples to help illustrate your points. If you have data or statistics to share, try presenting them in the form of a story. This will make them more interesting and easier to remember.

B. Encouraging Audience Participation

Encouraging audience participation can help to create an interactive and engaging presentation. There are many ways to do this, such as posing thought-provoking questions or inviting volunteers for a demonstration.

Another way to encourage participation is to use interactive tools, such as live polling or Q&A features. These tools allow the audience to engage with you in real-time and can provide valuable insights into their thoughts and opinions.

C. Asking Questions and Managing Q&A Sessions

Asking questions can be an effective way to keep your audience engaged and test their understanding of the material. Be sure to pause at key points in your presentation and ask relevant questions to keep the audience on their toes.

During the Q&A session, it’s important to manage the flow of questions and keep things organized. Encourage people to raise their hands and wait until they are called upon before speaking. If you’re receiving multiple questions at once, try repeating them back to ensure everyone can hear and understand.

D. Tips for Handling Difficult Audience Members

Dealing with difficult audience members can be a challenge, but it’s important to remain professional and respectful. Here are a few tips for handling different types of difficult audience members:

• The interrupter:  Politely ask them to wait until you’ve finished speaking before asking their question.
• The skeptic:  Acknowledge their concerns and be prepared with evidence or examples to support your position.
• The distractor:  Politely redirect their attention back to the topic at hand and keep the presentation moving forward.

Engaging your audience is crucial to delivering an effective presentation. By using storytelling techniques, encouraging audience participation, asking questions, and handling difficult audience members, you can create a memorable and impactful presentation that resonates with your audience.

Presentation Software and Tools

In today’s professional environment, creating and delivering powerful presentations is a requirement for success. Fortunately, there are many tools and technologies available to help presenters bring their ideas to life. This section explores some of the most popular software and techniques for creating and delivering engaging presentations.

A. Overview of Popular Presentation Software

There are many presentation software tools available, but some are more widely used than others. The most popular presentation software tools include:

• Microsoft PowerPoint  – A versatile software tool that allows users to create dynamic presentations with a range of text, graphics, and multimedia features.
• Apple Keynote  – An alternative to PowerPoint that includes many of the same features and is optimized for use on Apple devices.
• Google Slides  – A cloud-based alternative to PowerPoint that allows users to create and share presentations online.
• Prezi  – A non-linear presentation tool that uses a canvas rather than slides to tell a story.

B. Techniques for Using PowerPoint Effectively

PowerPoint is a widely used presentation software tool, but there are some key techniques that can be used to present more effectively. Some of these techniques include:

• Simplicity  – Avoid cluttering slides with too much content. Keep text to a minimum and use images and graphics to emphasize key points.
• Consistency  – Use a consistent font, color scheme, and style throughout the presentation to create a professional-looking deck.
• Storytelling  – Use a clear narrative to guide the audience through the presentation and keep them engaged.
• Animation  – Use animations and other visual effects sparingly to emphasize key points and keep the audience’s attention.

C. Tips for Creating Engaging Multimedia

Engaging multimedia elements can help bring a presentation to life and make it more memorable. Some tips for creating engaging multimedia include:

• Images  – Use high-quality images that are relevant to the topic and can help illustrate key points.
• Graphs and charts  – Use graphs and charts to display data in a clear and concise way.
• Video  – Include relevant video clips to emphasize key points and break up the presentation.
• Interactive elements  – Use interactive elements such as quizzes or polls to engage the audience and encourage participation.

D. Other Presentation Tools and Technologies

In addition to the software tools and techniques mentioned above, there are many other presentation tools and technologies that can be used to make a presentation more engaging. Some of these include:

• Virtual and augmented reality  – Virtual and augmented reality can be used to create immersive experiences for the audience and help them better understand complex concepts.
• Audience response systems  – Audience response systems allow the audience to participate in the presentation by responding to questions or providing feedback.
• Live streaming  – Live streaming allows the presentation to be broadcast online in real-time, allowing a wider audience to view the presentation.

Presentation Skills in Professional Settings

Delivering effective presentations is a crucial skill for career success. In professional settings, presentations are an opportunity to showcase expertise, make persuasive arguments, and establish credibility. Below are some common types of presentations and tips for delivering them successfully.

A. Interview Presentations

Job interviews often include a presentation component, where candidates are asked to deliver a pitch about themselves and their qualifications. To make a strong impression in an interview presentation, consider the following tips:

• Research the company and its values to tailor your message accordingly.
• Practice your presentation in advance and anticipate potential questions or points of discussion.
• Use storytelling techniques to make your presentation engaging and memorable.
• Be confident, enthusiastic, and energetic to convey your passion for the job and demonstrate your communication skills.

B. Business Proposals

In business settings, proposals are often used to pitch new ideas, products, or services to potential clients or stakeholders. To create a persuasive proposal presentation, consider the following tips:

• Understand the needs and interests of your audience to tailor your proposal accordingly.
• Use a clear and concise format that highlights the key benefits and value of your proposal.
• Anticipate potential objections or concerns and address them proactively in your presentation.
• Use visual aids or demonstrations to support your proposal and make it more engaging.

C. Sales Presentations

Sales presentations are a common way to promote products, services, or solutions to potential customers. To make an effective sales presentation, consider the following tips:

• Focus on the needs and pain points of your target audience, and position your product as a solution.
• Use storytelling techniques or case studies to illustrate the benefits and value of your product.
• Be confident and assertive, but also empathetic and responsive to your audience’s feedback and questions.
• Use visual aids or demos to showcase your product in action and make it more tangible.

D. Conference Presentations

Conference presentations are a chance to share research, insights, or expertise with a broader audience. To make a compelling conference presentation, consider the following tips:

• Identify the main message or takeaway of your presentation and structure your content accordingly.
• Use a clear and engaging narrative or story arc to make your presentation more cohesive and memorable.
• Use visual aids or multimedia to support your main points and make your presentation more engaging.
• Rehearse your delivery and timing to ensure that you stay within the allotted time and maintain a good pace.

E. Other Professional Settings

There are many other professional settings where presentation skills can be valuable, such as meetings, training sessions, or public speaking events. To deliver effective presentations in these settings, consider the following tips:

• Understand the purpose and scope of your presentation, and tailor your content and delivery accordingly.
• Use visual aids or other interactive elements to support your presentation and make it more engaging.
• Anticipate potential objections or questions and prepare to respond effectively.

Excellence in Public Speaking and Presentation Skills

Public speaking and presentation skills play a significant role in career success. To achieve excellence in these skills, one needs to develop strategies for growth, continuously work on improving them, and stay current with future trends.

A. Strategies for Growth

Developing strategies for growth involves setting goals and working towards achieving them. Here are some tips for building a strong foundation:

• Identify your audience – Know who you are presenting to and what their goals and interests are.
• Craft a compelling message – Create a clear message that resonates with your audience.
• Practice regularly – Practice speaking and presenting regularly, either in front of a mirror or in front of others.
• Seek feedback – Seek feedback from colleagues or mentors to identify areas for improvement.

B. Tips for Continuous Improvement

Once you have established good strategies, the next step to excellence is to continually work on improving your skills. Here are some tips for continuous improvement:

• Attend workshops or training sessions – Attend workshops or training sessions on public speaking and presentation skills to learn new techniques and best practices.
• Take advantage of technology – Utilize technology to enhance your presentations, such as incorporating multimedia or using presentation software.
• Analyze successful presentations – Analyze successful presentations from others and learn from their techniques.
• Embrace constructive criticism – Listen to feedback from audience members or colleagues and use it to make improvements.

C. Future Trends in Presentation Skills

As technology continues to advance, there are several future trends in presentation skills that professionals should stay current with, such as:

• Interactive presentations – Interactive presentations engage the audience through the use of technology, such as live polling or virtual reality.
• Storytelling – Storytelling is becoming increasingly popular in presentations, as it allows the presenter to connect with the audience on a more personal level.
• Personalization – Personalization involves tailoring the presentation to the individual needs of the audience, such as incorporating their names or organization’s branding.
• Artificial Intelligence – Artificial intelligence is being used to analyze and provide feedback on presentation skills, allowing presenters to make more data-driven improvements.

To achieve excellence in public speaking and presentation skills, individuals need to invest in building a strong foundation, continuously work on improving their skills, and stay current with future trends. By doing so, professionals can enhance their career success and influence their audience to take meaningful action.

Examples of Effective Presentations

A. sample presentation outlines.

Sample presentation outlines are included to give readers an idea of how presentations can be structured. These outlines may include the following sections:

• Introduction
• Main Points
• Supporting Details
• Call to Action

By following these outlines, presenters can organize their ideas and deliver a clear and concise message to their audience.

B. Video Examples of Effective Presentations

Video examples of effective presentations allow readers to see real-life examples of presenters who excel at delivering engaging and informative presentations. These videos may feature live presentations, TED talks, or business pitches. By watching these videos, readers can learn from the delivery techniques, body language, and visual aids used by the presenters.

C. Analysis of What Makes Effective Presentations

In this section, the article delves deeper into what makes a presentation effective. The analysis may cover topics such as:

• Audience Engagement: An effective presentation should keep the audience engaged and interested by using interactive tools, storytelling techniques, and humor.
• Relevance: The presentation should be relevant and deliver useful information that can benefit the audience.
• Structure: Presentations should follow a logical structure and should be easy to follow, with clear transitions between topics.
• Delivery: An effective presentation requires good vocal and nonverbal communication skills, such as eye contact, posture, and tone of voice.
• Visual Aids: The use of visual aids, such as slides, videos, and infographics, can enhance the message and increase engagement.

By understanding these key elements, individuals can improve their presentation skills and build their confidence when presenting in front of an audience.

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• Event Coordinator Resume: Examples and Tips for 2023
• 22 Best Reasons for Job Exit: A Pro’s Guide for 2023
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Blog Beginner Guides 9 Tips for Improving Your Presentation Skills For Your Next Meeting

9 Tips for Improving Your Presentation Skills For Your Next Meeting

Written by: Hannah Tow Feb 03, 2020

Presenting to an audience is one thing, but presenting ideas in a persuasive manner to the key stakeholders of your business is a whole other ball game.

The fact of the matter is that successfully presenting to a room full of people is a skill that’s mastered by very few. It takes practice, practice, and even more practice to start feeling comfortable with everyone’s eyes focused on you so you can effectively get your point across. 

The reality of presenting is that you can’t escape it. Especially as you start to move up in your career. If you’re yearning to improve, this article will walk you through the top nine tips to use to enhance your presentation skills for your next big meeting as well as throughout your life. Let’s get started.

9 top tips for improving your presentation skills:

• Practice speaking in front of others
• Use less text and more visuals in your presentation
• Leverage your personality
• Welcome questions and comments during
• Be passionate and engaging
• Maintain eye contact with your audience
• Obsess over your listeners
• Focus on confident body language
• Keep it as short as possible

Constantly practicing, refining and improving upon your presentation skills will not only make you a more confident individual, but you will find that you rise quicker to success in your career. However, having great presentation skills does not just affect your work-life. Great presentation skills are truly life skills that you should integrate into more areas than just the conference room.

1. Practice speaking in front of others 

Practice always makes perfect. 

It doesn’t matter how well you know what you’re talking about, the moment you have to persuade, engage, or teach in front of an audience, you will probably stumble a bit. This is a natural reaction that affects pretty much everyone when all eyes are pointed in one direction and the anxiety sets in. 

It’s important to remember that the overwhelming feeling of stress you probably feel is the result of your unfamiliarity with the situation, not from your lack of preparedness. The more comfortable you are with taking the stage and having everyone’s attention on you, the less nervous you’ll get. 

The greater confidence you have in your presentation skills will allow you to focus on what actually matters–which is the material that you’re presenting. 

The best way to implement this practice is by starting off small. Prepare a presentation to give to your friends, family, or closest co-workers. This sounds easy, but you will learn that it’s not necessarily who is listening to you that causes nerves, but it’s the fact that all of the attention is on you. 

You’ll become more comfortable with the attention when you begin practicing in front of others more often, which will allow you to effectively present your ideas next time it’s your turn to speak in the conference room.

RELATED: Learn the top ten public speaking tips to better prepare you for your practice sessions. 

2. Use less text and more visuals in your presentation

We’ve all been there before: sitting at the conference table trying our very best to stay interested and engaged with the presentation before us. The presentation lacks color, images, and all sense of creativity while containing an over-abundance of text and long-form paragraphs. 

These types of presentations are horrible for two reasons: 

The first reason being that the minute you have words on the screen, your audience will direct their attention away from you to begin reading and completely tune you out. 

The second reason is if your presentation skills are poor, not only will your presentation be dull to listen to, but it will be unbelievably boring to look at as well. You’ll quickly find out how easy it is to lose most of the room’s attention when you create a lackluster presentation. 

If you feel lost attempting to design your slides into an exciting work of art, try using creative presentation templates . PowerPoint templates make it simple to produce something beautiful, and they can also make you feel like an accomplished designer after seeing the outcome, such as this business presentation example . 

In addition to nicely designed slides, you should always try to use infographics and charts to help you better summarize the complex information you’re relaying to your audience. It will be much easier for your listeners to understand what you’re explaining when they have something to visualize it with. Plus, there are plenty of resources out there to help you craft these visuals.

Learn how to make an infographic in five easy steps or produce an impressive graph .

If you feel worried that your presentation doesn’t hold enough content, you must remember the main reason for visual aids: 

They are to enhance what you’re speaking about, not lead it! 

If you’ve done enough practicing, you should feel confident in your presentation skills to thoroughly explain your main ideas and you won’t need to rely on the screen anyhow.

TIP: If you’re looking for even more ways to engage your audience with your visuals, check out 120+ presentation ideas that are sure to wow and delight! 

3. Leverage your personality

As cliche as it sounds, you should always be true to who you are, especially if when you’re presenting. 

It’s incredibly easy to tell if someone is faking it for the sake of their audience, so you should never pretend to act in a way that you don’t typically do. Not only will you feel unnatural and uncomfortable doing it, but you can also risk embarrassment when you try to tell a forced joke and no one laughs or your new-found trait of sarcasm doesn’t sit well with your boss. 

It should bring you comfort knowing that most everyone in your meeting knows who you are. Use this to your advantage and start the presentation by playing up your best personality traits. Use your humor if you’re known to crack jokes or throw in your typical mannerisms.

These little additions will make your presentation feel much more relaxed for everyone involved. In addition to your own unique quirks, you should also bring a level of personability to your meeting.

Be empathetic, smile more, and look around the room.  Doing so will improve your presentation skills, make you more likable, and allow your audience to be more receptive to you. 

In many cases, you may be presenting virtually, rather than in person. You can still allow your personality to shine through and energize your virtual presentation. Lisa Schneider, Chief Growth Officer at Merriam-Webster, wrote for Venngage on how to adapt an in-person presentation into a virtual presentation . Check it out.

4. Welcome questions and comments during your presentation

Be flexible throughout your presentation. Answer questions and respond to any comments your audience may have either through hand raising or an audience response tool . Don’t worry if it veers you off your script. Chances are if one person has a question or comment, the others in the room are thinking it too. 

Use this as an opportunity to prove how well you understand the material you’re presenting–your audience will take notice.

Also, take some time out at the start or your presentation to ask your audience some icebreaker questions and slowly transition into the more important stuff. 

Taking this minute to talk through anything that your audience is thinking of is a good thing because it means they are engaged with you and really paying attention to the words coming out of your mouth. Doing so will also relax the format of your presentation, allowing you to feel more confident and relaxed as well.

5. Be passionate and engaging 

When creating your presentation, craft it in such a way that makes your audience curious and makes them have questions for you. A persuasive presentation is the best way to get the positive reactions you are looking for, so be as passionate as you can be about your subject matter to seal the deal. 

Remember that questions and comments during your presentation are a good thing, especially if you’re the one prompting them! 

The more excited you are to present your ideas and show off your expertise, the more excited and engaged your audience will be. Own your subject matter and know what you’re talking about, it’s one of the most important presentation skills to have.

6. Maintain eye contact with your audience

This is a very obvious tip that will go a long way with your audience. 

When the people you’re speaking to feel like you’re taking notice of them, they are much more likely to take notice of you and pay better attention to everything that you’re saying. 

It’s important to remember that losing eye contact and looking everywhere but at the people that you’re presenting to is a common nervous behavior. Pay extra close attention to whether or not you’re guilty of that, and work to ensure you have your eyes on at least one person.

7. Obsess over your listeners 

Be receptive to your listeners. You can’t forget that what you’re presenting is for the audience, and it has nothing to do about you! 

Focus on the value you can provide to the people in the room. The more serving you are to them, the greater chance you have at driving your point home and nailing your presentation. 

It’s also important not to forget about those listening to you remotely over video conferencing . Make sure they know you’re aware of them and engage them as well! 

8. Focus on confident body language 

Smiling, hand gestures, eye contact, and a powerful stance all exude confidence. 

If you don’t have strong body language and are showing physical signs of nervousness (ie. tapping, bouncing, shaking, darting eyes, and more) your audience will have a hard time focusing on the material you’re presenting and hone in on the fact that you’re nervous and probably don’t know what you’re talking about as much as you say you do.

No matter how nervous you are, take a deep breath and pretend otherwise. You might actually start to believe it!

9. Keep it as short as possible

Every single person’s time is valuable ( especially at work), so don’t waste precious meeting time. If you can say everything you need to in half of the time that is allotted, you should do so. 

Ensure that you’re only sharing the most important information. All of the extra fluff will bore your audience and you will lose their attention very quickly.

It’s a great idea to wrap up your presentation with key takeaways and action items. Doing so will ensure that no matter how quickly your meeting ended, your team understands their next steps. You can send out a quick, summarizing slide deck or an easy to read one-pager for their reference later. These visuals will make sure all of your bases are covered and that everyone is on the same page upon leaving the meeting.

A good presentation makes all the difference. Check out the top qualities of awesome presentations and learn all about how to make a good presentation to help you nail that captivating delivery.

Never stop refining your presentation skills 

Possessing great presentation skills doesn’t come naturally to most people–it’s something that’s learned and practiced over time. As with most things in life, you must continuously work on refining your skills to get better and better. 

Use these nine proven presentation tips that we covered in this article to improve your presentation skills and ace different presentation styles . By doing so, you will find that presenting at your key meetings becomes easier and easier and you’ll begin to nail it every single time.

More presentation guides:

How to Make a Persuasive Presentation

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8+ Presentation Skills Every Marketer Needs

Published: August 29, 2023

Marketers play a crucial role in attracting customers and driving success for their brands. And today, presentation skills are a key tool in your marketing toolbox.

Strong presentations help you better communicate and make an impression on your audience.

Whether you‘re a seasoned professional or a budding marketer eager to make a lasting impact, there’s always room to improve.

We’ll explore eight essential presentation skills that allow you to stand out, tips for leveling up, and examples of some of our favorite presentations. Let’s dive in.

What are presentation skills?

8 effective presentation skills, how to improve your presentation skills, top-notch presentation examples.

Presentation skills enable marketers to effectively convey information, ideas, and messages to their audience. That may be a group of potential clients, colleagues, stakeholders, or the public.

These skills encompass techniques that help marketers engage, inspire, and influence their listeners, leaving a lasting impact.

A well-developed set of presentation skills empowers you to communicate your thoughts with clarity and conviction. It goes beyond just conveying data or facts.

Presentation skills involve artfully crafting a narrative and using various tools to captivate the audience. This keeps listeners engaged and persuades them to take the desired action.

Keep reading to see some of the most effective presentation skills you can develop.

You may not know Elizabeth Gilbert by name, but you’ve likely heard of her book Eat, Pray, Love . In this presentation, Gilbert discusses how anyone can be a genius. All you have to do is get out of your way and unlock your own creativity.

What we like: Gilbert weaves humor, lightness, and focus throughout her presentation. Viewers will enjoy her take on creativity, be able to follow her pace, and have actionable takeaways. At the end, listeners leave inspired.

2. Manoush Zomorodi: How Boredom Can Lead to Your Most Brilliant Ideas

As the host of “Ted Radio Hour,” Manoush Zomorodi is a professional presenter. During this presentation, she discusses how boredom can help you discover creativity.

Only during moments of stillness do we become restless and unlock brilliance.

What we like: The hook of the topic brings us in — everyone wants to understand how to make great ideas. However, the presenter and her dynamic energy keep us engaged. Zomorodi uses audio clips to break up the monotony.

She knows where to pause and brings in appropriate visual aids.

3. James Cameron: Before Avatar ... A Curious Boy

James Cameron, the esteemed director, knows a thing or two about storytelling. But before he created Avatar and directed Titanic , he was just a kid like everyone else.

During this presentation, Cameron discusses how his curiosity at a young age has propelled him forward.

What we like: This talk is personal, personable, and targeted for his audience to walk away with actionable steps and inspiration. Cameron also has a grasp of his body language. He moves fluidly on stage, even without visual aids.

4. Luvvie Ajayi Jones: Get Comfortable With Being Uncomfortable

Unsure of whether you should speak your mind? In this presentation, activist Luvvie Ajayi Jones shares three questions to ask yourself if you’re considering making waves.

She encourages us to get used to discomfort in order to move the needle and make a change.

What we like: The hook “I’m a Professional Troublemaker” brings us right into the action. The audience is left with questions and an interest in what she’s going to say next.

This talk is memorable, inspirational, and funny at times, striking the important balance we discussed earlier in this article. Audiences will hold onto “In a world that wants us to whisper, I choose to yell” for years to come.

Practice Makes Perfect

Mastering presentation skills is an essential asset for professionals in every field. Effective delivery and engagement are key factors that determine if your words make an impact.

By utilizing techniques such as clear messaging, compelling visuals, and dynamic delivery, you can captivate your audience and leave a lasting impression.

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12 Ways to Improve Your Presentation Skills [for Work & Life]

According to research by the National Institute of Mental Health, around 75% of people list public speaking as their number one fear , even higher than their fear of death! 

At the same time, though, presentation skills are among the most in-demand skills for just about any job out there . 

Want to get over your fear of public speaking, improve your presentation skills, and give your career a huge boost?

You’re in the right place! This article is here to tell you everything you need to know about presentation skills from A to Z: 

• 9 Types of Presentations and Delivery Methods
• 12 Steps to Giving Better Presentations
• 5 Ways to Improve Your Presentation Skills

How to Add Your Presentation Skills to Your Resume

And more! Let’s dive in. 

What Are Presentation Skills?

Presentation skills are soft skills that allow you to present information clearly in front of an audience.

As such, these skills come in handy in all kinds of situations, including:

• Work. For example, giving a presentation in front of your team, pitching a new idea, etc.
• School or university. E.g., giving an oral presentation about a subject or presenting a master's thesis.
• Personal life. E.g. giving a speech at your best friend’s wedding or a toast at a restaurant.

No matter the situation, people with strong presentation skills typically possess the following skills:

• Body language
• Public speaking
• Communication skills
• Emotional intelligence

Why Are Presentation Skills Important?

But, what exactly makes presentation skills so important in basically every life area? 

Here are their most noteworthy benefits: 

• Increased employability. Presentation skills come in handy for many positions across all industries. 70% of respondents in a Prezi study said that presentation skills are critical for career success. As such, presentation skills are transferable skills that can instantly make you more employable.
• Higher academic performance. In the US, most university classes involve a presentation assignment or two. As such, being good at presenting is essential if you want to succeed academically.
• Effective networking. Having great presentation skills translates into great communication skills, which, in turn, helps you get better at professional networking .
• Improved confidence. Being able to speak in front of an audience can be a serious confidence booster, easily translating to other areas in life.

9 Types of Presentation and Delivery Methods

There are several types of presentations out there. 

Some presentations are meant to inspire the audience (such as motivational talks), while others are simply meant to instruct or inform (HR giving a presentation about company policies to new employees). 

Here are the five most common types of presentations, explained: 

• Persuasive presentations are meant to persuade the audience to make a decision, support a cause, side with a particular argument, and so on. A salesman pitching a product to a potential customer is an example of a persuasive presentation.
• Informative presentations aim to inform the audience about a topic, procedure, product, benefit, etc. An example of an informative presentation is a weatherman reading the weather report on TV.
• Inspirational presentations are meant to inspire the audience and potentially boost their confidence or morale. In a business setting, inspirational presentations are meant to motivate employees to perform better or get through tough times. In day-to-day life, on the other hand, an inspirational presentation could be trying to motivate a friend to do better at school.
• Educational presentations , just like the name implies, aim to educate the audience. Professors giving a lecture or tour guides speaking to museum visitors are examples of educational presentations.
• Instructional presentations are about instructing or guiding the audience on a set of guidelines, a new policy, a certain law, etc. An example of an instructional presentation is a flight attendant instructing passengers on what to do in case of an emergency.

On the same note, there are also 4 common ways presentations are delivered: 

• Extemporaneous presentations. These presentations are planned, but you deliver them without preparation.
• Manuscript presentations are presentations you deliver based on a script or notes.
• Impromptu presentations aren’t planned but rather delivered on the spot.
• Memorized presentations are those you learn by heart from start to finish.

11 Tips on How to Give Better Presentations

Looking to improve your presentation skills?

There’s good news and bad news.

The good news is that, with enough practice, you can get really good at delivering presentations.

The bad news, though, is that just like any other soft skill, in order to get good at delivering presentations, you’ll have to practice a lot.

To help get you started, below, we’re going to cover 12 of our best tips on how to improve your presentation skills, starting with:

#1. Prepare your presentation in advance

Impromptu presentations don’t happen that often in real life. Most times, you’ll have enough time to prepare for your presentation. 

Needless to say, you should use that time to your advantage. Don’t just make mental notes of what you’ll say during your presentation and call it a day, but actually plan it out from start to finish. 

When preparing your presentation in advance, make sure to consider the following points:

• What type of presentation are you making?
• What is your speech delivery method?
• How are you going to grab the audience’s attention from the get-go?
• What are the main points you need to cover?
• What is the best way to make the conclusion memorable?
• How much time do you have at your disposal?
• What visual aids and multimedia can you use?
• What does the audience expect to see/hear?

#2. Practice as much as possible

Just like with any other soft skill, the best way to hone your presentation skills is to practice as much as possible.

Some ways you can practice your presentation skills are:

• In front of a mirror or in front of your friends and family.
• Watch TED talks to get inspired and learn what good presentation skills look like.
• Read books on communication, presentation, and public speaking.
• Take extensive notes of what you need to improve. 
• Record and time yourself when doing presentations.
• Hire a public speaking coach on Fiverr or another platform.
• Take a public speaking course at your local community college.

The more you practice, the better your presentation skills are going to get.

Also, when practicing, make sure to pay attention to your tonality, body language, and whether you’re using a lot of crutch words .

#3. Exercise

Yes, really.

Exercise can help improve your presentation skills!

Some ways it does so are:

• It boosts the levels of neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, and noradrenaline, all of which are known to improve your mood and regulate your anxiety. 
• It improves your ability to focus and pay attention, benefits which can last for up to two hours after your workout .
• It strengthens and protects your memory, making it easy to recall words. 

Now, when it comes to how much you should exercise, that can differ from one person to the next.

We say - find a golden mean that works best for you. If you’re not big on exercising, you can always start small with something casual like biking to work or playing a sport once or twice a week. 

#4. Arrive early

By arriving early for your presentation, you can deal with any possible setbacks (e.g. mic not working, USB failure, wardrobe malfunction, etc). 

This will give you plenty of time to start your presentation on your terms, instead of running around trying to fix things at the last minute. 

Not to mention, in certain situations arriving early can also help you to prepare mentally and emotionally for the upcoming presentation. 

Obviously, a casual presentation in front of coworkers won’t require much emotional preparation. But if you have to, say, pitch a marketing idea to your clients or address a room full of strangers, getting to exchange some words with them before the presentation could break the ice and make it easier to engage with them later on. 

#5. Know your audience

You should always keep your audience in mind when making (and delivering) a presentation. 

At the end of the day, if your message is not tailored to its audience, chances are, it’s going to fall flat.

If your audience is a group of 50-somethings, high-level executives, chances are they won’t get your Rick and Morty references or appreciate any attempts to keep the presentation light, casual, and humorous. 

Instead, stick to talking about facts and figures without any joking around, use straightforward language, and avoid over-the-top body language while delivering the presentation. 

If on the other hand, you’re delivering a presentation to your class of 20-somethings, then you’re a lot more likely to make an impact if you joke around, make references, and make the presentation more casual.

In short, if you want your presentation to carry as much impact as possible, make sure to think about who you’re presenting to. 

#6. Use Relaxation Techniques

Even the most seasoned public speakers experience some level of anxiety before giving a presentation.

To make sure nerves and anxiety don’t throw you off your A-game, you can take advantage of relaxation techniques. 

One of the simplest (and most effective) ways to relax before a presentation is to breathe.  

When we say breathing, though, we don’t mean the automatic in-and-out we do to stay alive. We mean taking deep, relaxing breaths from your stomach while being mindful of what you’re doing. 

Here’s how breathing mindfully before your presentation can help you give a better presentation: 

• Calms your nerves
• Reduces stress 
• Helps with anxiety 

To practice mindful breathing, focus on breathing from your stomach and push your stomach out each time you inhale. When you’re inhaling and exhaling, count to at least three for each breath. 

Keep doing this and you’ll soon start feeling more relaxed. 

#7. Acknowledge That You’re Nervous

People appreciate honesty. 

If you go on stage feeling extremely nervous, use this neat little trick:

Instead of trying to play it cool, simply acknowledge that you’re feeling nervous by straight-up saying it.

Chances are, a very large chunk of your audience feels exactly the same way about public speaking, and you’ll build up some rapport just like that!

This same exact tip even applies to job interviews. You can simply tell the recruiters that you’re feeling nervous and need a minute - that’s totally acceptable!

Unless you’re applying for a job in sales, the job interviewer is not going to be evaluating you on how good you are at passing interviews.

#8. Tell stories

Storytelling is a powerful presentation tool. According to the Guardian, 63% of presentation attendees remember stories , while only 5% remember statistics.

That’s because a good story can take the audience on a journey, intrigue them, inspire them, and motivate them. In turn, they’re much more likely to remember your presentation.

There are several ways you can go about incorporating stories into your presentation. 

One is to tie your own stories, along with what you experienced, learned, or observed, to make your argument more impactful and relatable. Alternatively, you can also create a story for the sake of the presentation that can be just as impactful in driving your point across. 

Keep in mind, though, that not every presentation requires storytelling. If your presentation is packed with data and stats showing how you managed to improve profits by 20% in the last quarter, for example, then you don’t really need to include a story in there to make it impactful. 

#9. Be humorous

This one’s quite self-explanatory; as much as you can, be humorous during your presentation. It helps ease tension, get the attention of everyone in the room, and connect with them more effectively. 

Now, some people are born with humor. If you’re one of them, cracking a joke here and there should come very naturally to you. 

Otherwise, you can practice your presentation in front of your friends and family and prepare your jokes in advance. If your mock audience laughs at your jokes, chances are, so will your real audience!

#10. Use visual aids and media

Using visuals and other media forms (e.g. music, videos, infographics, etc.), can make your presentation significantly more engaging, memorable, and striking. 

Say, for example, that your presentation consists entirely of numbers and data. You can use data visualization (e.g. charts, graphs, and maps), to make the data stick with your audience better. 

Or, if you’re a lecturer at a university, you’ll want to use as many pictures, videos, and even music to help your students remember the information you’re transmitting. 

Some of the most popular ways to make your presentations as visual as possible involve using:

• Whiteboards
• Presentation applications 

#11. Engage the audience

To give a truly memorable presentation, engage your audience as much as possible. 

Instead of speaking to your audience, try to speak with your audience.

What we mean by this is that you should be very proactive in getting your audience involved in your presentation. Ask questions, get them to share stories, and so on. 

Some examples of how you can effectively engage an audience are: 

• Asking a random audience member to share their experience on a topic.
• Doing a count of hands (e.g. “Has anyone done X? Can I see a count of hands?” or “Which one of you guys likes Y? Raise your hands.” )
• Do an on-the-spot poll (e.g. “How many of you guys do X?” or “how many of you guys think Y?” )
• Making time for a Q&A at the end of your presentation. 

6 Ways to Improve Your Presentation Skills

Just like any other skill, presentation skills can be learned and improved. So, if you’re looking to improve your presentation skills, follow the tips below: 

• Take every public speaking opportunity you get. The best way to learn presentation skills is by doing it. So, take every opportunity you get. E.g. volunteer to present a project, say a toast at your friend's wedding, etc.
• Check these TED talks. Is there anything TED talks haven’t covered? Check out these talks that can teach you how to give awesome presentations: “ Giving Presentations Worth Listening To ”, “ the secret structure of great talks ,” and “ the science of stage fright (and how to overcome it) ”. 
• Take public speaking classes. Udemy, Coursera, and LinkedIn all have great public speaking courses. Or, even better, take a class at your local college. This way, you’ll get a lot more practice than by taking an online class. 
• Attend other presentations. This one’s pretty self-explanatory. The more presentations you attend, the more you can learn from others’ successes or failures. 
• Grow your confidence. Speak in front of friends and family, film yourself, and accept constructive criticism. Soon enough, you’ll be confident enough to give excellent presentations!
• Ask for feedback. How can you improve your presentation skills if you don’t know where you’re lacking? After your presentation, ask one or two members of your audience for personal, one-on-one feedback on how you did. 

If you want to show a potential employer that you’ve got presentation skills, you’ll need to highlight them on your resume.

And in this section, we’ll teach you just how to do that!

Before you do that, though, make sure to grab one of our free resume templates!

#1. List Your Presentation Skills Under Your Soft Skills 

The first and most obvious place to list your presentation skills is under your skills section . 

This part is pretty straightforward. Your skills section should be divided into “soft skills” and “hard skills” and look something like this: 

Simply add “Presentation Skills” under the “Soft Skills” section, and you’re good to go.

#2. Mention Your Presentation Skills in Your Resume Summary 

If presentation skills are super important for the role you’re applying for, you can also include them in your resume summary : 

In a nutshell, the resume summary is a short paragraph on top of your resume that typically mentions: 

• Your title and years of experience 
• Your most noteworthy achievements
• Your top skills and qualifications

Done right, this section should highlight all your strong points right from the get-go and get the hiring manager to go through the rest of your resume in more detail. 

Here’s an example of a resume summary that effectively mentions the candidate’s presentation skills: 

• Sales professional with 7 years of experience in sales presentations and lead generation. Excellent public speaking skills. Track record of converting prospects into loyal customers.

#3. Prove Presentation Skills Through Your Work Experience 

Lastly (and most importantly), you should use your work experience section to prove that you’ve got the presentation skills you mentioned in your skills section.

Here’s exactly how you can do that: 

• Keep your work experience section relevant. List recent and relevant positions. Omit outdated and irrelevant ones. For example, if you’re applying for a customer service position, you can mention the time you worked, say, as a receptionist. Your teen job mowing lawns, on the other hand? Not as important. 
• Focus on achievements instead of responsibilities. Instead of telling the hiring manager what they already know (your responsibilities), focus on showing them how you made an impact with your achievements. A way to do that is to write down a couple of achievements for every presentation skill that you include under your soft skills. 
• Make your achievements quantifiable . Adding numbers to your achievements makes them significantly more impressive. “Delivered a presentation that closed a 6-figure client” is a lot more powerful than “Delivered client presentations,” right?
• Use action verbs and power words. Presentation skills are also about how you present yourself in your resume. Avoid dry and unimaginative language and go for these action verbs and power words instead.

Key Takeaways 

And that’s about all you need to know to improve your presentation skills!

Before you go, though, here’s a quick recap of everything we covered in this article:

• Presentation skills are soft skills that allow you to present information clearly and convey your message effectively. 
• Some important presentation skills include public speaking, communication, persuasion, creativity, humor, and emotional intelligence. 
• Presentation skills can increase your employability, improve your academic performance, make it easier to network, and help you grow professionally. 
• Some steps you can take to give better presentations are to prepare in advance, practice as much as possible, exercise regularly, be humorous, use visual aids and multimedia, engage the audience, and accept that you’re nervous. 
• To improve your presentation skills, watch videos that teach you how to give great presentations, attend public speaking classes and other presentations, and grow your confidence. 
• List your presentation skills under your skills section, mention them in your resume summary, and prove them with your achievements in the work experience section.

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7 Essential Presentation Skills Examples, Techniques & Tips for Freelance Trainers

With some very simple and basic but essential tips, you can quite quickly learn effective presentation skills and become a more effective trainer or teacher. So in this post, here are 7 tips for you that you can use, whether you are a freelance or corporate trainer, teacher, someone doing a presentation at work, or a student learning to do presentations. These tips should help you all!

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Taken from our >> ‘ Online Train the Trainer Course ‘.

Page Contents

Tip 1: Body Language (Face and Hands)

One of the first things to consider when presenting is to think about how you use your face and hands.

Always make eye contact and look at all of your participants . Do not stare at them but do make an effort to appear to speak to each and every person present.

If the venue is big and the number of attendees numerous (let’s say more than 20) then at least look or glance at each section of people from time to time.

A word of warning though! In some cultures, it is considered rude or aggressive to look someone in the eye . So do factor in the culture and audience to whom you are speaking or teaching, and adapt accordingly.

KEY TIP : Make a point to sometimes speak and do gestures (positive ones of course) to those sitting the furthest from you to make them feel included.

Do also remember to use facial expressions that are congruent with your words. In other words, what you say should match your facial expression so as to avoid confusion. If you are saying something exciting try and look excited by it, for example.

Avoid : No playing with markers, touching your head, or crossing your arms; no hands in pockets unless it is to show informality and relaxation! A great way to avoid these things is to record yourself at home with any camera (a cellphone will do) and practice presenting. You will soon see the habits you have!

Tip 2: Posture and Body Language When Presenting

If you want to make the right impression with your students or whoever you are presenting to, it is important to maintain good posture .

Good posture also helps to project the voice better , in addition to making you look more confident.

If you wish to, you can also highlight a new section in the presentation by changing your posture or position. Opening up your shoulders and arms, for example, could be used to express the idea of something starting.

KEY TIP: The key from our experience is that it often simply comes down to practice! The more times you run through your speech or lesson, the smoother and more fluent you will become. The TRUTH is that most great speakers are only the best because they practice and practice. It is that simple. With this in mind, avoid continuously reading off a piece of paper or script.

Tip 3: Positioning Your Body When Presenting

Body language is also important and given that most eyes will be on you, as the trainer at the front of the room, any unusual actions you do will of course easily be noticed and can distract your audience from focusing on the content that you are delivering.

So, when standing at the front of the room, plant your feet and do not shift your weight, and avoid pacing back and forth on the same spot.

Also, be aware that sitting changes the tone and makes the atmosphere informal. If teaching or presenting to a small group of people (i.e. everyone can easily see you if you are sitting down), you might want to use sitting down as a strategy for mixing the formal with informal.

Never have your back to the group (or as little as possible if you are writing on a board).

Tip 4: Voice – Volume, Pitch, and Pauses

I was at a conference recently and a well-renowned academic was presenting in front of 100+ people and, despite being in the front row, it was impossible to make out what he was saying.

Make sure when presenting to project your voice ! Also, change the volume and pitch of your voice to add emphasis! If you need to, just ask the people at the back of the venue if they can hear you okay?

KEY TIP : Also learn to use pauses to emphasize something important. Furthermore, pauses are also useful to give time to reflect and for you to observe participants. Do not be afraid of silence!

Tip 5: Fillers and Elocution

One of the things that most of us do when first learning how to give effective presentations, is to use fillers!

Fillers are the words we unconsciously use to try and fill in between the things we are meant to say. Common fillers include ‘ah’, ‘err’, ‘ok’, ‘like’, ‘er’, ‘um’, and ‘right then’.

We all use fillers and trying to avoid using them is not easy at first.

To learn to stop using fillers the best way is the tip I gave earlier and which is to record yourself speaking and play it back. Just grab your iPhone and use the camera on the phone, for example, and record a 3-minute speech (it doesn’t matter what you speak about or how you look). Then play the video back and see what fillers you used when speaking. Keep practicing and you will begin to avoid fillers very quickly.

Finally, do not rush the end of sentences, and do not be afraid to use an informal voice. You want to sound professional of course, but you also want to speak in a way that is friendly and warm.

Tip 6: Making Use of Space in the Training Room or Classroom

Think carefully also about the space that you have available to you in the training room or classroom.

It can be a great idea to move around among participants . Move around the room looking first at a group, then another group. Do not neglect any section of the room.

Also, never sit behind a desk (unless used temporarily and as part of an intentional informal act). You might, for example, want to sit down whilst your participants are doing an activity or task that you have set them.

Or you might sit to emphasize something. Generally speaking though, for the most part, you should be standing when presenting. Also, stand close to the class unless you are using the board a lot.

Tip 7: Extra Presentation Skills Ideas

Let’s finish with four final tips.

It can be difficult when teaching or providing training to find the balance between providing enough explanation and information and giving too much.

Do not though, go on and on about something and be too repetitive. You can lose the attention of your audience if you do this too much.

Be Careful with Jargon

You will also want to be careful with the jargon you use (or what is known as ‘discourse’ in academia). In different social and cultural circles, we have different ways of speaking in terms of terminology. Even between the UK and the United States, for example, our ways of speaking are different. Differences can include:

• soccer (USA) = football (UK)
• pants (USA) = trousers (UK)
• gasoline (USA = petrol (UK)

The key is to make sure you are speaking with your audience in mind . Know who your audience is and tailor your speech, if necessary, for them.

The best presenters are the best really because of one key reason. They practice and they learn to be great presenters.

That really is the secret! Having interviewed hundreds of presenters, the idea of practicing to improve and become a good presenter was always mentioned as the key tip to presenting well.

Certainly, a few people (the lucky ones) are born with a natural ability just to be brilliant presenters.

The majority though become proficient through practice.

Watching Great Presenters

It can also be worth watching some TED talks to get a feel for what great presenting looks like.

When watching these presentations, observe the pauses at key moments, the way they move or do not move around the stage, the change of intonation for emphasis, the way they use their hands or not, and their facial expressions. And what do they do wrong that you don’t like? Try these two videos:

• Tyler DeWitt : Hey science teachers. Make it fun!
• Nadia Lopez : Open a school to close a prison!

Show Enthusiasm!

If you are not actually that interested in the topic you are teaching or presenting, TRY TO FIND something about it interesting and show enthusiasm.

If you really can find nothing to be enthusiastic about in terms of what you are teaching, then looking for a new job might be the best option here. Otherwise, be cheerful and you will find that this alone can help you win over those sitting in front of you as you speak. Smiling and being happy can be infectious!

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Explanation is simple and clear. Very useful tips.

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Most Important Presentation Skills (With Examples)

• Most Common Skills
• What Are Soft Skills?
• What Are Leadership Skills?
• What Are What Are Hybrid Skills?
• What Are Teamwork Skills?
• What Are Communication Skills?
• What Are Organizational Skills?
• What Are Personal Skills?
• What Are Interpersonal Skills?
• What Are Decision Making Skills?
• What Are Negotiation Skills?
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• What Is Professional Networking?
• What Is Nonverbal Communication?
• What Are Critical Thinking Skills?
• Presentation Skills
• What Is Accountability?
• What Is Emotional Intelligence?
• Verbal Communication Skills

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Presentation skills are important to your professional and personal life. Effective presentation skills can help you get ahead in your career. With the proper presentation skills, you’ll open up new doors for professional growth and be a more confident individual overall.

Whether you want to know the different types of presentation skills or improve your presentation skills, we’ll cover what presentation skills are, how to improve your ability to present, and showcase your new skills.

Key Takeaways:

Presentation skills are important in the workplace because they can be used for meetings, interviews, and conferences.

Some presentation skills examples include research, organization, and adaptability

Practice as much as possible before a presentation so that it becomes muscle memory, however, to engage the audience, be flexible with your presentation’s performance.

Good presentations are informative, engaging, and precise.

Different types of presentation skills

How to improve your presentation skills, examples of using presentation skills, presentation skills faq, final thoughts.

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Being a skilled presenter requires a constellation of hard and soft skills . Some different types of presentation skills include research, planning, and organization.

Below are more common types of presentation skills. As you read through this list, think about where you’re naturally strong and where you could do with some improvement:

Research. The first step of any successful presentation is the research and preparation phase. First and foremost, you have to become an expert on the content you hope to deliver. It’s also essential to research your audience to know which information is most pertinent for them.

Planning. Once you’ve completed your research, it’s time to develop a plan. During this phase, you’ll prioritize which information gets put front-and-center, and which is less vital for your ultimate goal.

Before you start drafting your presentation, it’s crucial to keep your goal at the forefront: what do you want the audience to do after listening to your presentation?

Organization . Audiences prefer presentations that are well-thought-out and delivered in a logical order. Before you even step foot in the room, you should know what you need to do to set up, have all your notes in order, and be aware of your allotted time.

Verbal communication. No surprises here, verbal communication skills are downright essential for an effective presentation. Even if you have very rigid notes to follow, being quick on your feet to answer questions or alter your content for the audience’s benefit will serve you well during presentations.

Nonverbal communication . Good body language means standing up straight, not fidgeting too much, and maintaining eye contact with your audience members.

Public speaking . Some people get nervous just thinking about speaking publicly. There’s nothing wrong with that, but it is crucial to keep your nerves under wraps for delivering the most effective presentation possible. Audiences are less likely to trust presenters who don’t appear confident.

Memorization. We’ve all seen presentations where the presenter is just reading directly off his Powerpoint slides – we don’t need to tell you that those presentations are unequivocally bad. It’s fine to have notes as a reference, but the more time you can spend looking at your audience rather than the sheet in front of you, the better.

Writing. Being a good writer will help keep your presentation organized and give a boost to your credibility. Before you can commit your content to memory, you need to develop that content.

Story-telling. Not all presentations require story-telling, but it can be a very effective method of grabbing your listeners’ attention. It can be a hypothetical story that presents a question or problem, a real story that leads into your main argument, or a story that continues throughout to illustrate the duller facts your presentation covers.

Rhetorical skills . Rhetoric is all about persuasion: how are your words going to induce action from the listener(s)? Rhetorical appeals are classified under three headings: ethos, logos, and pathos.

Ethos establishes credibility in the speaker and trust in the listeners through confident delivery and expert testimony. Logos covers your presentation’s logical thrust through statistics, models, comparisons, analogies, etc. Pathos is your presentation’s emotional appeal, supported by vivid language and stories that promote certain values.

Active listening . Pay attention to which parts of your presentation are grabbing listeners and which are falling flat. If your audience’s eyes start glazing over or phones start coming out, you know you’re losing them.

Adaptability . Like the above point, being able to adapt on the fly sets top-tier presenters apart from merely good ones. For instance, if you can tell your presentation isn’t working, you can open up the floor and ask questions as a way of determining your audience’s priorities.

Delivery. We bet you’ve heard some of the same Dad jokes multiple times in your life. Sometimes they’re hilarious, and sometimes they induce an eye-roll. The difference? Delivery. Pace, timing, tone, and enunciation/inflection are all important elements of good delivery.

Technical skills . All right, you’re all set with the perfect presentation, you walk into the room, and the A/V setup isn’t what you were expecting. Well, if you followed our advice above, you showed up a bit early and had time to fix it.

Analysis . Phew, your presentation is done. Time to forget about presenting until the next one comes up, right? No siree – now is the time for you to take a step back and evaluate your performance.

To improve your presentation skills, you should watch and learn what works and doesn’t work from others and practice with an audience of friends. Here are more ways to improve your presentation skills:

Watch and learn. You’ve seen presentations before, but to prepare for your own, try watching presentations to learn what works and what doesn’t. If you’re presenting at a conference, attend other presentations and pay attention to how the audience responds. Your audience probably won’t be much different.

Practice. Practice makes perfect, as the saying goes. Rehearse what you want to say, either on your own or with an audience of friends. You can even record yourself speaking and pinpoint weak areas and strengths . The more you perform your presentation, the more comfortable you’ll be delivering the real thing.

Visualize success. What speakers often forget is that audiences want you to do well. They’re there (more or less) of their own volition, and they want to hear what you have to say. Take that nervousness you’re feeling and transform it into excitement.

Exercise/drink water beforehand. The human body responds to stressful situations with a whole host of unwelcome physical side effects. If you stay hydrated and get some light exercise in beforehand, you’ll flush the adrenaline and cortisol (stress hormones) right out of your body.

Adopt a power stance and smile. Just as exercise and hydration help keep your body regulated, so does powerful body language . Standing straight with shoulders squared and a smile on your face, and your body will be tricked into thinking you’re in a confident and commanding position.

Engage your audience. The best presenters are also first-class entertainers. Don’t go overboard and start practicing your comedy routine, but lightening the mood with a joke or two can go a long way. Be sure to greet your audience enthusiastically.

Don’t get defensive if you’re stumped. There might be moments when an audience member asks a question, and you don’t have an answer . Don’t try to equivocate or dodge the question because people will see what you’re doing. It’s okay not to know everything, but pretending you do will only deteriorate your listeners’ faith in you.

Keep it concise. People won’t be upset if you wrap up earlier than expected, but they might be a little peeved if you start running over your allotted time. Cut irrelevant information, and your audience will thank you .

Take your time. All right, so we just suggested keeping things short, and now we’re telling you to take your time. What gives? Well, you should always include a bit of padding in your presentation. For example, if your presentation is meant to be a half-hour, try to get it down to 25 minutes, so you have some wiggle room.

Presentation skills cover a range of abilities that allow one to effectively engage their audience and get information across in a clear way. In today’s world, the persuasive power of presentations is more important than ever.

There are many different example scenarios in which you might give a presentation:

Delivering a presentation to colleagues, employees, or subordinates about new technology, processes, goals, etc.

Drumming up investor interest, either for a new business or for your current business’s expansion.

Teaching your team a new skill.

Deciding between two or more alternative options or solving a problem with a current system.

Progress reports.

Selling a product or service to a client.

Motivational speech

Interviewing for a new job or promotion

Saying goodbye to a colleague (or introducing a new one )

Giving a speech at a family function, like a wedding.

What are the four types of presentation?

The four types of presentation are: informative, instructional, arousing, and persuasive. Informative presentations briefly educate your audience on a specific topic. Instructional presentations teach your audience more thoroughly and generally come with more details and/or directions.

Arousing presentations are meant to evoke some kind of emotion in the audience. Persuasive presentations are designed to convince the audience of a particular viewpoint.

What are the four P’s of presentation?

The four P’s of presentation are planning, preparation, practice, and performance. As the four P’s imply, you need to plan and prepare your presentation, as well as practice. Finally, you need to be aware of your performance during your presentation to make sure you use your skills in an engaging manner.

What is the 10-20-30 rule of presentation?

The 10-20-30 rule is for a slide presentation and means you should use no more than 10 slides, present no longer than 20 minutes, and use no less than 30-point font. Considering these factors helps make a presentation efficient with its time. Remember you want to take your time and be direct with your information. Using the 10-20-30 rule helps you find a balance between these needs.

What is the most important part of using presentation skills?

An important part of using presentation skills would be speaking the language of the audience. Knowing your audience helps you get your point across. To help speak the language of the audience, you can use appropriate analogies and anecdotes and avoid any foreign words.

For example, if you are presenting a topic to a group of college freshmen about a topic you’re an expert in, try to use language that they would understand. Using language the audience will understand helps you get your point across better.

Whether you’re a natural showman or a super-shy introvert , keep the above tips in mind to improve your presentation skills. Because the chances are, you’ll have to give a presentation at some point in your life. With a little practice, you’ll have audiences clamoring for more.

Johns Hopkins Carey Business School – Presentation Skills

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Matthew Zane is the lead editor of Zippia's How To Get A Job Guides. He is a teacher, writer, and world-traveler that wants to help people at every stage of the career life cycle. He completed his masters in American Literature from Trinity College Dublin and BA in English from the University of Connecticut.

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10 Tips for a Persuasive Presentation

Powerful presentation is persuasion. here's how to elevate your impact..

Posted May 11, 2024 | Reviewed by Ray Parker

• Presentations aim to effect change. It's essential to be clear about what change you want to see.
• Powerful presenters embrace and extend empathy to seek first to understand their audience.
• Substance and style both matter to create an audience-informed communication experience.
• Persuasive presentations are relevant, reasoned, real, and resonant.

How many of us realize that giving a presentation or making a speech is all about persuasion , influence, and emotional intelligence ? Impactful presenters understand the power of empathy to understand and engage their audience, the efficiency and kindness of having a clear objective and message, and the importance of substance and style—all as a way to connect in a way that engages and inspires.

Much has been written on the power and behavioral science of persuasion, not least by expert Robert Cialdini. His bestselling book Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion explains seven research-based universal principles of influence .

From my experience as a leadership coach working with thousands of people worldwide, I have compiled a list of ten essentials to elevate our presentation.

1. Maintain an "other" focus. What do you know about your audience and how can you find out more? Ask yourself what kind of a speaker will appeal to your audience, what arguments are likely to resonate with them, and what feelings you want to inspire so the audience will positively respond to your ask.

If your audience is predominantly data-driven, you may want to use more evidence-based arguments. If the audience is mixed, a combination of data, authority, and storytelling may be more appropriate. Extend Daniel Goleman’s three types of empathy to gather intelligence , understand your audience, and tailor your intervention to connect more profoundly.

2. Determine a specific objective. Presentations aim to effect change in some way. What change do you want to see in your audience?

For instance, gaining their approval for a certain investment, soliciting their buy-in for a change, or creating a sense of enthusiasm for an idea or initiative. The purpose of a presentation is to bring about change so make sure you are clear on what kind of change you want to bring about.

3. Design a grabber. Our attention spans have shrunk as we have more and more competing demands on our attention . If you want to get someone’s attention, you need to grab it at the outset and try and hold on.

You can do this in several different ways. Throw out a question that demands a response from the audience. Give a surprising fact or statistic, or quote from a well-known figure. Tell a story or an anecdote. A good grabber captures the attention of everyone there and makes them focus on what you have to say.

4. Crystalize your message and construct your arguments. Your message is the heart of your speech. Craft a brief phrase that clearly defines your proposal in 10-12 words—for example, “This post is about crafting presentations that inspire and engage others to elevate their presentations.”

Make it memorable by choosing inspiring words, symbols, catchy expressions, something that will remain in the audience's mind. As Brené Brown says: “Clear is kind,” and a clear message provides a path to develop your ideas.

When you have a clear and concise message, it helps you formulate your arguments. Think of developing your arguments using the rule of three —three compelling arguments to convince but not overwhelm your audience.

5. Prepare a call to action. Remember, we want to change our audience in some way, so we need to make our ask clearly and concretely. Consider your call to action in terms of what you want your audience to think/feel/do:

• Think: “I want you to think about how you can improve your presentations.”
• Feel: “I want you to feel enthusiastic and motivated so that you can elevate your power to persuade.”
• Do: “I want you to try out some of these tips and tools for yourself.”

6. Craft a memorable closing. Close the speech in an elegant and memorable way. We need people to remember what we've told them, so prepare it well.

This is not the time to improvise. Try to connect your closing to your opening grabber, which makes the presentation more memorable. Good preparation means preparing everything to the very end—finish well.

7. Plan your delivery. A dynamic speaker draws listeners in by using vocal variety (tone, intonation, speed, volume, pace, pauses, silence) and body language (posture, gestures, expression, and movement) to highlight important points and hold the audience’s attention. Be intentional: How will you use your voice and your body to emphasize a thought or idea? Think about it: If you increased the time you spent on style or delivery by 20 percent, what would it mean for the impact you make?

8. Think about how you will engage your audience. You want the audience to feel considered throughout. Include pauses so they can process what’s being said; connect with individuals throughout the room and make deliberate eye contact while speaking, especially when delivering key points. Read and respond to the audience by changing how you deliver as you go based on the audience’s nonverbal communication .

9. Rehearse and practice. Practice is one of the most crucial elements of presenting—and probably the most neglected one. If this is new to you, start by reading your presentation in front of a mirror to get comfortable speaking your presentation.

Next, video yourself and watch out for nervous or distracting habits to eliminate them and identify any areas where you can improve your delivery. If you are feeling brave, practice in front of an audience and ask for feedback.

10. Prepare your success rituals and mantra. Public speaking and/or stage fright can feel debilitating for some. Have your calm-down ritual prepared and ready to go before you start your presentation. This might be a certain gesture, a power pose, breathwork, or a mantra.

Try this tip: Identify three adjectives to describe how you would like to show up during this presentation. This sets an intention and helps focus our cognitive and emotional resources on success.

Powerful presenters embrace and extend empathy to seek first to understand their audience. They use this intelligence to carefully make choices about substance and style to create an audience-informed communication experience that feels relevant, reasoned, real, and resonant and creates a pathway for change.

Palena Neale, Ph.D. , is a women’s leadership coach, lecturer, and founder of unabridged, a boutique leadership development practice.

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Anna Delvey is using her next court appearance as a ‘fashion presentation’ for her brand 

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Budding fashion publicist Anna Delvey is putting on the first-ever “court-appearance-as-fashion-presentation” later this week, Page Six has learned.

As we first reported, the beloved scam artiste launched a fashion PR consultancy, the OutLaw Agency, with biz legend Kelly Cutrone last year.

Its first event was a buzzed-about Fashion Week show for suiting atelier SHAO New York that the agency staged on the roof of “Fake Heiress” Delvey’s East Village apartment (where she was under house arrest at the time).

Now we’re told that OutLaw’s second event will be an upcoming immigration hearing at a New York courtroom, which will double (whether it likes it or not) as a press preview for new pieces from SHAO New York.

Outlaw announced to Page Six on Wednesday that Delvey — who will be appearing at a hearing about her $10,000 bail bond, whether or not a court-ordered ban on her social media will be lifted, and the terms of her house arrest — will be “wearing a custom SHAO New York black oversized twill suit with a high-waisted pencil skirt and a high slit paired with a white cotton button-down shirt with built-in shoulder pads and a silk velvet pussy bow tie” for the court date. Sketches for the look even include her now-trademark ankle monitor.

With designers facing ever-more difficulty getting attention for their wares, it seems that the OutLaw team figured they may as well harness the attention from her court appearance to get press for their client (which is, after all, the job of a fashion PR consultant).

During her 2019 trial for screwing hotels, banks, other businesses and individuals out of tens of thousands of dollars by posing as a German artistocrat, Delvey’s courtroom fashion made almost as many headlines as her crimes. Delvey — whose real name is Anna Sorokin — used a stylist for her court appearances and even refused to attend her own hearing on one occasion after designer duds failed to arrive at her cell in time for her to appear in appropriately chic attire.

We’re told Delvey and designer Shao Yang put together this week’s bold look as a comment on the expectation that defendants should wear demure outfits in front of judges.

“Why are we as women being asked to dress a certain way when we enter a courtroom, or a boardroom, or a dinner party? Why are others trying to control our level of innocence based on what we wear?,” OutLaw Agency co-founder Cutrone told us, “This is discrimination in its most subtle and intriguing form and we’re here to change it up. We have respect for the legal system and they should have respect for the fashion system.”

Delvey was convicted on attempted grand larceny, larceny in the second degree, and theft of services, and was sentenced to 4 to 12 years in prison .

She served two years and was remanded into the custody of ICE in 2022. She’s since been fighting to stay in the US rather than face deportation to Germany.

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