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1) Know Your audience!
Who are you speaking to and what do they care about?
Why are you speaking?
What can they gain from your presentation?
Speak to the needs of your audience and they will listen.
2) Use Notes!
By using notes, you can easily review, organize, and reorder your thoughts. They are your lifeline back to the ideas you are trying to present. Your notes should be used to keep you on track. Be careful not to over use your notes! A great speech can be rendered unbearable when the speaker reads their notes verbatum.
3) Dress Appropriately
Before you have a chance to speak, your audience will make several judgements about you based on their first impression. Smile if it is appropriate. Dressing to fit the croud will help you gain instant credibility. 4) Strong Introduction, Strong Conclusion
Introductions get their attention and conclusions reinforce your message. If you memorize these key parts, you can focus on your body language during delivery. 5) Establish Credibility
Regardless of what you say, if your audience doesn't believe you are credible then your message will have less impact. Try to establish yourself as being a credible source so that your audience is more inclined to really listen.
5) Establish Credibility
Regardless of what you say, if your audience doesn't believe you are credible then your message will have less impact.
Try to establish yourself as being a credible source so that your audience is more inclined to really listen. 6) Reinforce Your Exit Message
Even if you nail your presentation, your audience will only remember a few things you said one month later. Decide what you want them to remember when they "walk away". Reinforce the message repeatedly during your presentation. 7) Be Organized, Prepared,. and Smooth Transitions
Make sure that your information makes sense. If you start with a strong statement you need to support it. If you start with facts, make sure it leads the main point. Keep your presentation consistent; Does it correlate to time or location? Make the transitions between main points very obvious. It's called 'hand holding'; use it! 8) Be Funny Everyone says it is good to have a sense of humor, but be aware that people have different "senses" of humor. Use humor, but use it carefully!
9) Ah-Void Pauses, Uhms, or Double words Pauses can show uncertainty if not used deliberately.
Uhms, Ahs, and frequently used words can easily distract your audience and make them lose attention.
Double words can sound like stuttering. For example, "When we consider the, the way that.." 10) Perfect Your Timing Start on time and end on time. Your audience won't listen if you don't respect their time. A rushed conclusion will not convincingly reinforce your main message. Practice makes perfect!
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