Powerful presenting: upping your game
Over the past few years, I’ve been invited to speak at many events. Beyond just presenting, I’ve also shared the podium with different speakers and their various presentation styles.
If you’re looking to up your game, here are a few guidelines to make your presentation stand out from the rest:
• Limit the technology
I see speakers with laptops, PowerPoint, cued DVDs and a host of other props that can augment the point they are making. But if you don’t need it, don’t use it.
• No inside baseball
Don’t talk about your technical challenges. Don’t talk about the bad audio. Focus on two things: your audience and the content of your presentation.
• No reading
Know your content. That means having your key messages on call. There is nothing more alienating that a speaker reading from his notes. It creates an immediate disconnect. Remember: Speaking is not reading.
• Clip-on microphone
Holding a microphone is something akin to an art form – I kid you not. It’s tough to master. Having your hands free means that you can make use your unique brand of body language to drive your message home.
