Presentation Tips

posted in: Presentation 0

 

In my first ever job interview I was asked; “Are you a presenter? Or a producer?”

Over the last 15 years I’ve had plenty of opportunities to be both. Here are some of my top tips, of which an edited version can be found on the PR Moment site. 

Preparation: Occasionally, we all have to “wing it” this should be the exception rather than the norm. Write it, time it, rehearse it and critique it. Repeat. Think of any likely questions and enlist a friend to pick holes in your responses. Film yourself and watch for verbal or physical tics that could distract the audience.

Confidence: Preparation gets you as close to bulletproof as you can before your performance; then it’s all about style. It’s important to portray confidence without appearing to be arrogant. Showing passion and conviction and, as a result, an absolute mastery of the subject matter, can help convince your audience.

Relatability: Only masochists like listening to lectures. Keep your tone conversational, don’t be too self-serving and, where appropriate, inject some humour and personality.
If I could go back in time to that first interview, I’d say that to present well, you also have to produce. Presentation skills are a muscle so only through continual practice will you stay in peak condition.