How do you give an Effective Presentation? What makes the difference between an average presentation and an effective presentation? This is Part 2 of 5 focusing on The Speaker.
There are five main components of an effective business presentation. The acronym OSRAM should help you to remember them and help you to light up your audience. The five components are:
- The Objective
- The Speaker
- The Room
- The Audience
- The Message
You should consider each of these components in turn to maximise the effectiveness of your presentation. Neglecting any individual component can ruin an otherwise successful presentation. Put them together correctly and you will turn on a light in people’s heads; brighten up their lives; get your audience to see and understand things, about which they were previously in the dark.
This series of articles looks at each of these components in turn and discover what needs to be done to ensure the success of that component.
The Speaker
That’s you! Like it or not if you are giving a presentation you will be judged. Knowing that you are being judged is often a major factor in why people are nervous about giving a presentation. It is a perfectly normal reaction. My advice is to recognize that you are nervous, tell yourself that it is okay to be nervous and that it is perfectly normal to be nervous before a presentation and then try to put it to one side and get on with the presentation.
The biggest factor in your success as a speaker is your confidence. If you are confident you will come across far better than if you are timid and nervous. One technique to improve your self-confidence before a presentation, is to say aloud the following statements, preferably before anyone else arrives in the room:
‘I am poised, prepared, persuasive, positive and powerful.’
‘I feel composed, confident convincing, commanding and compelling.’
Write these two phrases on your first Cue Card. Say them aloud to convince yourself that they are true and you are more likely to give a confident, effective presentation.
Confidence is all a matter of self-belief. You need to believe in yourself and you will be more confident, and come across as confident. Do not over do it though. Do not talk down to your audience they will never forgive you!
Eleanor Roosevelt said, ‘No one can make you feel inferior unless you agree with it’.
As perception is far more important than reality, looking confident can mask an awful lot of nerves that are bubbling up under the surface. The aim is to look like a swan gracefully gliding across the top of the water, keeping the feet, which are paddling like mad, hidden from view. Like the majestic swan, how you look and how you dress are very important in instilling that confidence in yourself and in your audience.
Look out of place because of the way you are dressed and it will affect how well your message is taken. Although many businesses have a dress down policy these days, if you are presenting to a business audience it is usually advisably for a man to wear a suit and tie and a lady to wear a suit or similar business attire. Shoes should also be polished, as it is surprising what assumptions are still made about a person in business, based on the state of their footwear.
When you are addressing a group of factory workers who are all dressed in overalls and you want to influence their behavior, then a more casual appearance may be beneficial. You may want to appear less like one of the managers and more like one of the team. Every situation is different but there is never an excuse for not worrying about it.
By wearing clothes that make you feel good, it will help to boost your confidence. Looking good is just part of it you also need to sound good. This means three things:
- Speaking loudly enough so that people can hear what you are saying.
- Speaking clearly enough so people can understand the words that you are saying
- Omitting unnecessary words, grunts and groans.
When you are projecting your voice, you use your diaphragm. This is completely different from shouting, which is achieved through muscles in your neck. It should not hurt to project your voice unlike it does if you shout too much.
Finally, the most comforting thought to have before a presentation is that your audience want you to succeed. From the very outset, they are on your side. It is very rare to have an audience who does not want you to succeed, after all why would they be there. Why would they want you to waste their time listening to someone who is a poor presenter or who does not have anything worth listening to. So go give it, with enthusiasm, emotion and energy.