Top Ten Tips: Presentation Skills
By Anna from the Student Team
Jerry Seinfeld once said that most people would rather be the subject of an eulogy than to deliver one. It is a common saying that most people are not very fond of presenting, but it does not have to be the case when it comes to you! Besides being one of the key skills one develops as a university student, being able to present and communicate effectively with an audience is invaluable for both your future career and personal life. In this blog post, we will go through some tips that you can use to become a better presenter.
We also record our top ten tips in a podcast. If you’d like to listen to it, you can click below:
Top Tip 1
Always tailor the presentation to your audience! Think about how much they know about the topic you are speaking about.
Besides thinking about what you will do and how you will do it during a presentation, it is also very important to think outward, about how your presentation will be received by your audience. Think about how you can make your topic interesting and engaging to your audience in order to maximise the potential of your presentation.
Top Tip 2
Establish your aims and think about what you want the audience to learn and what information you need to cover to achieve your objectives.
Writing down concrete aims and objectives that you want to achieve by your presentation complements your content plan. You should be aware of how you would like your content to be received, and what would you like for your audience to take away from your presentation.
Top Tip 3
Structure your presentation well! It should have an introduction, main body and a conclusion. Try including less than four main points for a 10-minute presentation, to ensure your argument is easy to follow.
Just like your essays, your presentation should have a clear, logical structure. It should be easy to follow, so avoid covering too many points if the maximum presenting time is on the shorter side. Instead, choose fewer main points and develop them in more depth.
Top Tip 4
Check out he venue ahead of time. Don’t forget to check the equipment available, in order to decide how to prepare and what to bring.
If you familiarize yourself with the surroundings ahead of time, it will make you more reassured on the big day and it will ease feelings of stress. Knowing how to use the equipment can also help you avoid distractions before and during your presentation.
Top Tip 5
Ever heard of ‘Death by PowerPoint’? Too much visual stimulation can be distracting. Plan the design carefully and use visual aids explicitly to enhance your argument.
Your PowerPoint should not contain a word-for-word copy of what you are saying. Your textual content should encapsulate your main argument in a clear, concise manner. Choose a simple and accessible visual design to avoid distracting the audience. Make good use of relevant and appropriate images to support your content.
Top Tip 6
Practise with a friend! Consult with them on the volume, speed, tone and content of your presentation.
By practising with a friend, you will be able to have a go at your presentation in a stress-free and friendly environment. It will also give you an opportunity to receive some really valuable feedback, and further work on some areas where you might feel a bit less confident.
Top Tip 7
Don’t be afraid to use pauses! They seem much longer to you than your audience, and it helps them to catch up and process the information.
The timing of your presentation is really important. By using pauses, you will give your audience a bit more time to reflect upon what is being said. It will also give you a brief opportunity to take a deep breath and to refocus if necessary.
Top Tip 8
Record yourself and note down the parts that need improvement. Bear in mind that it can take about 20% longer to deliver a presentation ‘live’.
Recording yourself will give you some distance from your own performance. It will enable you to reflect critically and objectively upon areas which potentially need improvement. Focus on the timing, pauses and make sure you use your PowerPoint during practice as well.
Top Tip 9
Involve and engage your audience. You can start off asking them to introduce themselves, or guess some facts. Use rhetorical questions, humour, or introduce a quiz at the end.
Make the presentation relatable for your audience! You may include things such as anecdotes, short stories, or small activities where you interact with the crowd. Making the audience involved helps get your point across better, and it prompts them to empathise with you.
Top Tip 10
Don’t be afraid to use gestures to add emphasis on certain points, but make sure they are controlled to not distract the audience. Don’t forget to smile and make eye contact.
Neuroscience tells us that we process body language as fast as we process facial expressions. Positive and confident body language is crucial to delivering a good presentation. Don’t be afraid of using hand gestures, walking around or approaching your audience where appropriate. Make sure to keep eye contact to show your audience that you are fully engaged with them.
