Delivering an exciting content filled presentation to an enthusiastic audience will fail in its purpose if the audience miss the important points of your delivery.
Delivery of your presentation requires you to address 5 important points before and during the presentation.
1.
The audience must be able to hear you.
If you are using a microphone check it before the audience arrive.
Many fail to work when required or suffer irritating feed back.
Your pre-address preparations includes checking equipment.
If you are speaking without amplification ensure that everyone in the room can hear you.
The easiest way is to ask them.
This will also help you with any anxiety you have as it breaks the ice and shows you care about them hearing you.
You have also made audience contact without starting your delivery.
2.
If you are using any equipment make sure it works.
Check everything at least twice and have some sort of back up plan if it fails while using it.
3.
Dress comfortably.
Your presentation will not be smooth if you do not feel comfortable.
This includes being smart or appropriately dressed for your audience.
If you like a table or lectern to speak from or by.
Make sure you get one.
You will be speaking for some time.
The room may be hot or stuffy.
Ensure you have water to hand to keep your throat from drying and the resultant loss of voice.
4.
Watch the audience.
By observing the responses of the audience you will get a feel for how your presentation is going.
Nodding heads of approval is very different from nodding heads of sleepiness.
Watch the audience and keep them interested by changing your delivery accordingly.
5.
This is the most important point.
The audience must be able to hear you.
If you do not stop talking your audience will not hear what you are saying.
If this article had no punctuation and was one continuous sentence your understanding of it would be poor.
If you do not stop talking in your presentation your audiences understanding will be poor.
Speak in phrases or sentences followed by a short break.
This does not mean speak in a stuttering way.
Your speech should be natural but allow time for the audience to hear your words or your address will be of no value to them at all.
Delivering a presentation is similar to any task you do.
With careful preparation and observation any tasks will be executed with few mishaps.
Delivering a presentation is no different to any other task.
Be in control of your presentation, prepare and claim your presentation as your own by following these 5 simple steps.