“If you are just going to read me the slides, why do I need to be here?" *yawns*
Did you know that it is really very easy to ruin a perfectly good presentation with PowerPoint? Powerpoint and other popular presentation software can be a powerful communication tool if used properly but they could also put even the best audience to sleep.
No speaker wants to be boring—not even a tiny bit. Nevertheless, boring speeches, business presentations and classroom lectures happen. All too often, they happen. Maybe you can’t avoid listening to them but fortunately, you can avoid giving boring presentations. These tips by Chris King can help you to be a better presenter!
Work on vocal variety! I realize that “nerves” can cause dry mouth and the tendency to talk in a monotone, but this can be deadly. If we take time to look different audience members in the eye and speak to them as if in a one-to-one conversation, we will sound more natural.
Lighten up! Add a bit of humor. I am not suggesting starting the presentation with a joke. I am suggesting that in the field of computers, technology, and every type of business there are lots of true and humorous anecdotes that would elicit laughter and get audience members on your side. Laughter will also ease a presenter’s tension.
Don’t tell us everything you know! Content is incredibly important, however, as presenters we must not feel that we have to pack everything we know into one presentation. Usually covering three main points/topics is sufficient for a dynamic presentation. An effective speaker leaves an audience wanting to find out more -- not overwhelmed by the amount of material covered.
Use props with care! It is fine to use props, including digitally generated slides and visuals. However, when we rely on these for our presentation -- for example, reading what audience members can see already -- we lose their attention quickly. Also, boring visuals with lots of words and no graphics are a complete turnoff.
Involve the audience! Besides getting the audience to laugh and feel that we are talking directly to them, we can ask them questions and also encourage them to ask us questions or make comments on our statements. Having everyone write down what they want to learn and then asking a few participants to share what they have written is one way to elicit involvement from the start.
Prepare, prepare, prepare and practice, practice, practice! The more prepared we are, the more comfortable and enthusiastic we will be when presenting. I am not advocating memorizing, but I am suggesting that we have mapped out our direction, tested our stories, and practiced a strong opening and closing.
Work on all of these, and I guarantee, you’ll never, never, never be boring!
Remember, however, that there is a difference between spoken words appropriate for the ear and formally written words intended for reading. Terminate your presentation with an interesting remark or an appropriate punch line. Leave your listeners with a positive impression and a sense of completion.
All the best!
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