Presentation Skills that Kill

Let’s face it: no one wants to listen to someone who looks like they don’t know what they’re doing. Hearing “Ums” and “Aaahhs” every three seconds just gets annoying. People who seem bored with their own presentations shouldn’t be allowed to talk in front of people in the first place. If all of these things are hitting painfully close to home, then what you need, my friend, are some presentation skills.

Presentation Skills that Kill

What a lot of people don’t realize is that giving a presentation is actually pretty easy; you just need to know the three basic essentials of a successful presentation: visuals, rehearsals, and threes.

Here are the three main essentials:

1. Visuals – it is scientifically proven that people remember the things that they see the most. Did you ever wonder why you can be bad with names but can never forget a face? That’s because 55% of everything we take in each day is visual, as opposed to a measly 7% that is from text. As a matter of fact, when mastering presentation skills, you will find that the best visual aids are those that are mostly pictures – the oral part should just complement it well.
2. Rehearsals – look, very few people are born charming. Not everyone can captivate a room in a short amount of time; some people actually have to work for it. There’s no shame in admitting this, and that is why you need to rehearse. Rehearsing is just the same as polishing your presentation skills, so you not only prepare for your report, but you also improve on your skills as a public speaker. Say your presentation out loud at least twice, time yourself, even videotape yourself! There’s no such thing as being too prepared, because knowing your presentation inside and out can only mean good things for you.
3. Threes – this is as old as the art of public speaking itself. In fact, Aristotle even spoke of this in his book Rhetoric. The audience, or people in general, only remember three things after they hear a presentation, so you must plan in advance what these things you want to be. Determining what are the most important part of your report will help you hone your presentation skills in zeroing in only on the important things, and not to dilly-dally too much on the lesser important ones.

If you still feel your palms getting all sweaty and your feet getting cold at the mere thought of speaking in public, then you need an expert in the person of Chris Davidson, and his book Successful Speaking Secrets.  Let Chris Davidson walk you through the process of sharpening your presentation skills, and watch your fears melt away.