1. Prepare
No amount of talent or ability is of use until it goes through thorough preparation. The more you try to dig into a subject the more it becomes part of you. This process requires time, effort and patience. But its reward is confidence.
When you prepare for a twenty minute presentation have ready with you stuff for a one hour presentation. Even though you’ll not use the extra it shows on your face and the way you walk. It inspires confidence about you in the audience. And even before you open your mouth they feel an electric atmosphere in the air. They are ready to drink in every ounce of information that you give. What a moment!
But if you walk up there with barely 20 minutes of prepared material, it will be like trying to fly a hot air balloon which has got a huge tear in it. It will not lift at all.
2. Involve your audience
The audience is always on your side. So why not make best use of them. At the beginning of your presentation ask them one or two friendly questions. Motivate them to answer positively.
Or seek the cooperation of one or two members in the audience to do something for you. Perhaps help with the arrangements on stage or with materials that you’ll use. Or have a show of hands or make all of them say something out loud. If you can get to know a few person’s names, use them. The audience will be delighted.
Thus involving the audience at the beginning of your presentation will get them interested in you and in what you have got to say. Then your presentation will have already succeeded even before it ever began.
3. Have a few surprises
There is nothing boring than the predictable presentation. It is like a low-scoring cricket game. No fun. So plan your presentation differently. Make it interesting. Think from the shoes of the audience. What would they delight in? What information will be new to them? How can I package it so that they’ll grab it?
Remember kids reach out for the best packaged chocolates and soft drinks. The colourful and the attractive immediately catches attention. The art of packaging your content is crucial to have a wonderful presentation. It needs much thought, creativity and imagination.
Above all, a willingness to experiment and fail at times. And learn from it. Be sure that you’ve excellent content to back it up. Otherwise you’ll disappoint your audience after beginning well.
4. Manage your time wisely
Be there before scheduled time. See that all equipment is in place and ready to function once the presentation starts. Talk to a few in the audience. Get to know what programmes happened before your event. Get a feel of how the mood of the audience is at that point in time.
Start on time. Give a rough idea to the audience as to how much time each segment of your presentation will take. And towards the end (especially if you note that the attention element is going down in the audience), tell them that you’ll be finishing in another 7 or 10 minutes as the case may be.
Give them a clue as to what important thing you are going to tell during that time. Then they’ll eagerly listen forgetting their tiredness. As for you remember to stop on time as promised.
5. Be sure to add the icing
End your presentation on a high, positive, lively note. Then it is audience-time. Most often speakers fail to utilize the after-moments. They just leave.
But this is the time that you can utilize to mingle with the audience. Answer a few questions. Listen to feedback. And criticism too.
The value of these moments will not be visible. But you’ll surely know the difference it makes when you give the next presentation.
Would You Be Free from the Burden of Sin
