Take your presentation techniques to the next level

If you’ve ever been to a really good conference, or attended an engaging sales demo or watched a TED talk, then you’d know what it’s like when the audience is truly wowed. These kinds of speakers turn a boring topic of conversation into something people are still talking about after they’ve left the hall.

If you’re looking around for new ways to spruce up your presentation techniques you’ve come to the right place. Here are a couple of ideas to consider.

1. Tell a story

Instead of going off on a tangent, work on developing a genuine connection with your audience. Tell meaningful stories throughout your presentation to add more depth and value to your message. Keeping things personal will make you appear more trustworthy, likable, and interesting.

2. Jazz up your template

If it looks basic it probably is. Altering a standard template doesn’t take a whole lot of time, yet it indicates that you have a good idea of how to present things from a visual perspective. Don’t shy away from colours, add logos if you’d like, and alter particular elements to make your template look unique without too much effort.

3. Consider your audience

All audiences are generally made up of both introverts and extroverts, and it’s important for you never to focus your presentation in one particular direction. For example, if your presentation relies heavily on activities or workshops, your extroverts are going to love this part whereas your introverts are going to shy back.

Making an extra effort to keep your message varied and balanced is key to delivering a compelling presentation that delivers a little bit for everyone.

4. Three is the magic number

The human brain works in sequence… one… two…three… you’ve lost me. No one is ever going to remember the twelfth point, despite many presenters aspiring to showcase their entire knowledgebase within a limited amount of time. Focus on what’s more important and distill that down to three take away points from your presentation.

5. Sell the idea

People aren’t always interested in buying into particular services or products anymore, but they’re always up for hearing about a new idea. Your presentation should be less about closing a deal and more about germinating an idea that resonates within your audience. Relate with your audience and present an idea that they can relate to whilst offering solutions.

Besides providing coaching and mentoring services, ThinkTalent offers regular courses on presentation techniques as part of its HR consultancy services. Contact us to find out more.