1. Be prepared for the unexpected. Time changes, equipment failure, anything that can arise last minute.
2. Practice. Even if you have extensive experience, you should always practice.
3. Pay close attention to the audience's non-verbal feedback. Don't be afraid to stop and review a point that you can tell didn't "hit home" with the audience.
4. It might sound silly, but your posture says so much about your level of confidence. I make it a point to always stand up very straight when in front of an audience and to, of course, use plenty of eye contact.
the number 1 thing to remember is know your topic well, if you try to wing you will fail.
number 2, remember humor or something interesting. It is the worst thing to be a listener to a presenter and it is dry and boring.
number 3, remember to engage the audience with either questions to them, visuals, or an activity. with out something other than talking the audience will get bored an leave.
Hello Dr. Meers and All: I believe there is a "tie" between the first and second important presentation factors... Knowing your audience and knowing your material. Knowing your audience is important because the group dynamics provides insight into how closely the listeners will pay attention to the material and the speaker's tone (i.e. Is humor appropriate?). Additionally, if the speaker is unsure of the topic details- knowing the purpose of the speech is meaningless. Over-learning in this area is key.
Great ideas, one in particular caught my attention. I highly recommend sharing the objectives & outcomes of the presentation. Tell people what you hope they walk away with & they will be more likely to do so.
Ryan
Great plan Henry. All of these are key components to an effective presentation.
Ryan
I want to make sure that I know what the presentation purpose is. Who the audience will be and what limitations there toi the pesentation.
Next I would line up the main points to discuss and present them in a manar that the audience would understand. Third I would get feedback on what I had just presented. Lastly I would welcome questions and further discussion depending on the time allowed.
Knowing your audience,the type of people they are, their background and education. Plan a multimedia presentation with visual written material.Demonstrate and discuss your objectives and outcomes. Allow times for questions and discussion so people walk away satisfied and educated.
Scott,
All great ideas & key for an effective presentation. Then tying all of this together with a compelling speaking style is very powerful.
Ryan
1. Planning and preparation: knowing the logistics is key to developing and delivering a quality presentation. Key information may have to be added or deleted based on type of audiance or time restraints.
2. Structure: Creating a proper outline for your presentation is needed to make smooth transitions from one topic to another. Remembering to "hook" your audiance to get interest and insert questions, stories, or visual aids to keep interest during the presentation. Summarizing at the end to ensure understanding has taken place and the audiance has learned or received value from the presentation.
3. Stay on track: Do not let yourself be swayed by questions or stories that either take up too much of your time or pull you off subject.
Great points all, but I especially like the reminder to enjoy yourself. You are so right in stating that if you are enjoying yourself your audience is much more likely to do the same. However if you are miserable it can almost be guaranteed that your audience will be miserable too.
Ryan
So true & sad that this was an education conference. I am definitely a fan of less is more, as long as you are prepared & know your subject & audience as obviously this man did.
Ryan
Earl,
That is great & so glad to hear that you have them do presentations in every class. No matter your career choice, you need to know how to construct an effective presentation & how to string your thoughts together.
Ryan
When preparing for a presentation I first need to know my audience. This will allow me to anticipate any issues or problems that may come up. Next I will need to create an effective presentation. Lastly, I should go through the presentation and anticipate any questions that people may ask.
I believe that three of the most important items to remember for a successful presentation are:
1. Use humor - but only when it can be effective at communicating a point
2. Engage your audience with questions - this encourages them to really think about what you have said
3. Enjoy yourself - your audience will likely do the same
Great suggestions. I especially want to emphasize knowing where you want to go & how you plan to get there. I have heard many speakers who did not seem to know where they wanted to go. And I have also heard many who seemed to know where they wanted to go, but really seemed to be clueless as to how to get there.
Ryan
Tipton,
Good suggestions...How do you go about knowing your audience?
Ryan
Earl,
All great suggestions. It is very important to practice some of your movement, especially if you need to be close to your notes or technology.
Ryan
I think pulic speaking is an essential skill (one of those 4 R's - recitation). I often solicit feedback from my student. I have students engage in oral presentations in evey class I teach.
I attended an education conference a few years ago and sat through many lengthy presentations, boring at times, where the presenters used to many busy slides, and at times read the slides to the audience. This is indication of a lack of knowledge of subject, inexperience or not being relaxed.
By far the best presentation of the day the presenter used one slide, animated with about five points and he talked for 90 minutes with complete interest by his audience. New his subject and audience.
Number one would be to define your message and the purpose of your presentation. Know where you want to go and how you plan to get there. Next, know your audience, who you are speaking to and what their current knowledge level is. Then research the topic, prepare your presentation and rehearse the presentation until you can deliver it comfortably.
