Presentations have become an everyday thing in our lives. With the ever-rising need to showcase our skills, performance, numbers or work experiences on a regular basis, presentations have undoubtedly become an integral part of our daily lives.
Any individual with basic technical knowledge can create a presentation. However, creating a presentation that will have a long-lasting impact on the listener is the key to making presentations powerful. Whatever the purpose of the presentation is, the key is to get your points across to the listeners without losing their attention. Not everybody is comfortable speaking in front of an audience. Some are good at creating a visually appealing presentation but nervous about presenting it to a group of people. Some are extremely confident speakers whereas their presentation slides are mediocre. Only a perfect combination of both can ensure a presentation that is impactful.
Here are a few ways by which presentations can be made more effective.
Do your research
Good research is the foundation of any presentation. The facts and the ideas to be presented need to be on point and there should not be any fingers pointed with regard to that. If the basic research is not complete, it causes a quick disconnect in terms of credibility. Well-researched content is the king even if your listeners are not familiar with the topic.
Be interested but do not get carried away
The speaker’s interest in the topic is easily gauged by the listeners. Nobody would ever want to sit through a lecture that the speaker is least interested in. At the same time, it is normal for the presenter to get over-enthusiastic with the topic and talk more about it without considering the audience. The listeners would not spare much of their attention to the numbers or the growth that somebody has managed to achieve. Hence it is always crucial to keep it crisp and catchy.
Whether it is a business pitch or an internal presentation, getting carried away while talking about good achievements is natural. The audience will lose interest when it gets too “braggy.” Understanding what your listeners already know and do not know and sharing information that is of value to them is sure to grab their attention.
Present using the LIONS approach!
The LIONS principle is the perfect approach to be taken in presentations. Text-rich presentations do not work well. The point of presentation slides is to have a brief of what the speaker is planning to talk about concisely. Language should simplify the concept. Illustrations clarify the concept and not distract from it. As a presenter, the ability to organise thoughts and form a connection in the initial stage is important without going into too much detail.
Further, the presentation should narrow down to critical pointers. A great example can be found when you look back at any of your teachers who made complex subjects simple for you. Finally, summarizing key points will help keep your presentations effective.
Adopt a natural style
Rather than talking to a whole bunch, make eye contact with each individual. It is important to spot a few friendly faces at the beginning who are paying attention and talk to them. Gradually move to others so that they also feel engaged. This is also a good technique to overcome nervousness as it gives the feeling of talking to people individually. Moreover, practice makes a person perfect. A great way is to observe how seasoned speakers interact and engage with the crowd. Speaking in front of others is a skill that needs to be polished in order to excel in it.
The art of storytelling
Stories are a great way of connecting with your audience. Even the most complex concepts can be simplified by linking them to a story whether it is from the presenter’s personal experience or not. Mastering the art of storytelling comes in handy in these situations. The story needs to be narrated in a smooth way and be relatable.
Use humor
This is a great way to connect with the audience especially if they are not familiar with you. The importance of forming a connection, in the beginning, is being reiterated even if the speaker is nervous. Using humor is a great way to break the ice and make your audience comfortable. In case of skepticism around whether the joke will land well, a better alternative would be to ask a question. This gives the speaker also some time to pause and breathe, along with forming a bond with the audience.
Making a presentation memorable goes a long way in building and maintaining credibility with the listeners. There needs to be something that the audience can take away even after the presentation has ended. It could be a valuable piece of information or a solution to any of the existing problems. However, presentations are sure to stand out in the minds of the audience when delivered effectively.