While some individuals possess innate characteristics that allow them to light a room up and engage them in their presentation - not all of us could be so lucky. Furthermore, if you’re reading this article, you’re probably not in that category. There’s nothing wrong with that either! Actually, creating and delivering an effective presentation is a skill that you can improve. Hence, we are presenting some basic presentation tips to start improving your presentation abilities today.
Craft a Strong Introduction
It is human nature to make assessments within seconds. Naturally, we are making judgments even subconsciously about appearance and importance almost immediately. Hence, starting your presentation off with a strong message helps to capture your audience and convey to them that you have something important to say.
Great presenters tell stories (truthful ones, hopefully). Hence, if you have personal experience in dealing with the topics or concepts that you’re presenting - it’s important to share a story that ties into your message. By starting with this, you’re piquing your audience’s interest and keeping them tuned in for more.
Keep it Short and Sweet
As humans, our attention spans are very limited - so it’s important to be mindful of this. Guy Kawasaki, a well-known product evangelist, and author created the 10-20-30 rule for PowerPoint templates as a basis for presentation tips back in 2005. Today, his guidelines are still being used by many presenters.
The 10-20-30 rule recommends:
- Using 10 slides for your PowerPoint presentation or Google Slides theme.
- Limiting your presentation to 20 minutes or less.
- At the least, utilize a 30-point font for your Google Slides theme.
Great presenters do not stick to the script, they speak from the heart. Hence, utilizing a 30-point font is one of the greatest presentation tips to remember. This discourages the presenter from packing massive amounts of text into the PowerPoint template. Honestly, your audience does not want to see you simply read from your Google Slides theme - have something more to offer them.
Employ Confident Body Language
Great presenters feel perfectly comfortable onstage. Their body language communicates confidence and a general sense that they are right at home. Actually, studies show that body language accounts for 55% of all communication. Hence, it’s important to be calm and confident while conveying your message. Ultimately, if you’re not believing in your own message - why would your audience do so?
Here are a few ways to convey confidence and strong body language onstage:
- Utilize a lot of space! Use up every inch of the space you have to pace back and forth.
- Stand up straight with your shoulders back. This signifies confidence and displays that you are open to the world.
- Smile - Not in a forced, cheesy way, but in a manner that communicates that you’re free of concerns and you’re happy to be there.
The Simplest of Presentation Tips - Use a Professional PPT Template
As previously mentioned, we are capable of making multiple judgments unconsciously within milliseconds. Hence, it’s important to choose a PowerPoint template that possesses elegance and a beautiful design. Downloading a professionally-created Google Slides theme or PowerPoint theme eliminates one more worry of creating an effective presentation.
Ultimately, you have plenty to work on by utilizing these presentation tips and improving several aspects of your presentation. Picking and choosing beautiful PPT templates helps to make your presentation much more effective - and with minimal effort!
Counting on possessing natural talents isn’t the most beneficial or realistic strategy for success. Alternatively, you can practice and utilize these presentation tips. With a little hard work, you can improve the quality of your presentations and start making moves. In the end, it’s up to you - get out there and make your mark.