Mastering the Presentation

An effective presentation is one where the audience is engaged the whole time and is interested in learning the topic.

Whether you are a student, an employee, or the CEO/president of your own empire, presentation skills are vital to your career’s success. Below are the three elements of a charismatic presentation:

VISUAL . A pure text-based presentation is an abomination. An effective visual aid is one that is visually captivating and lives up to its name as an “aid”, meaning, it is there not to report itself but rather aid you in your report.

• Clarity. Visual aids must be clear and easily seen from a distance. This follows that the color scheme must be easy on the eyes, and that font size and projection are enough to be readable by the last person at the back.

• Organization and design. Visual aids must be organized in such a manner that your audience can easily discern which of the objects you cluttered in a slide is the one you are trying to talk about. Along with proper organization of different elements in your slides, they must also be designed well enough to capture your audience’s attention when you need them to.

AUDITORY. Auditory pertains to everything sound-related in your presentation, be it your own voice or your video’s sound. Make sure that your voice is loud, clear and in rhythm.

• Loudness is how strong the sound is. The entire audience must be able to hear your voice, even those seated in the farthest corners of the room. Practice speaking loudly without shouting. If you think your voice is not enough to fill the room, use a microphone.

• Clarity is how well people understand your words. Clarity is what separates speakers from PUV barkers. Make sure that despite the level of volume you maintain in delivery, your words are understandable by human beings.

• Rhythm is how you say your sentences. This includes how and when your tone should go up and down, when you should pause, and when you should talk fast or slow. Rhythm is very important in stressing details, delivering jokes and telling stories.

KINESTHETIC. Kinesthetic pertains to hand gestures and body movements. Just like how dancers interpret their emotions through music and rhythm, you must learn how to move to complement your presentation.

• Eye contact. Eye contact is not about staring at the soul of one of your audience, alluring them like some demon spawn. It is how and when to make eye contact in a group among the audience, switching to the other group on your next point, to connect with all of them.

•Hand gestures and body movements. Hand gestures can tell a lot of things about you as a presenter. A stiff body suggests you are unsure of what you are saying. Wild body movements make you seem out of context and out of your mind. Learn gestures that will complement your words, and, at the same time, make you comfortable.

To know more about this topic, BusinessCoach, Inc., a leading business seminar provider, conducts an excellent seminar entitled “Effective Presentation Skills Training.” Contact (02) 727-5628, (02) 727-8860, (0915) 205-0133, or visit www.businesscoachphil.com for details.

Click here to view details of the seminar: Effective Presentation Skills »

*Originally published by the Manila Bulletin. C-6, Sunday, August 3, 2014. Written by Ruben Anlacan, Jr. (President, BusinessCoach, Inc.) All rights reserved. May not be reproduced or copied without express written permission of the copyright holders.