In the coldest month of India i.e. November, I felt the temperature have crossed 45 degrees c, my hands were sweating and it could be almost like a waterfall illusion if I fold a fist of my palm, everything in front was getting blurred, the audience in front of me who were my good friends seems to be the judges who are going to evaluate me and are going to fail me for sure. Yes, it was my first professional presentation when I was having my masters in management studies. Though I have encountered my presentations before during my undergraduates and schooling tenure but this presentation was all different. I did not present well. My voice which can be audible to the next home without mic was not audible to the one sitting just in the first row, the sentences I was speaking had no meaning as I was eating many words from that. I was just reading the Presentation slides which was making my presentation so boring that I even observed some of the people on the last bench was having their nap during my presentation and rest were yawning every now and then.
This was the day, I realised the importance of public speaking. If it is so difficult to face my own people then what will be the situation when I have to face a group of clients and my seniors. From that day to this moment I always try to polish my speaking skills more and more which actually works as a marketing tool for us.
The thin, tall man who made wonders and created a new wave in the field of technology, Mr Steve Jobs unveiled the history-making product, iPhone in the year 2007 with the most memorable and captivating product launch wherein he delivered the extraordinary speech. Indeed iPhone was a revolution but the launching of it created a history just because of the extraordinary speech given by Mr Steve Jobs. I take motivation often from his videos and the “Stevenotes”.
With the span of experience in the Marketing and Human resource field, both being Pro presentation profiles, I have treasured few hacks which can make oneself a presenter who can keep glued his/her audience throughout the presentation. Whether you are a seasoned speaker or having a debut as a presenter, the below-listed hacks will never let you fail in your presentation;
# Knowledge:
Audience present in front of you is there to know something new. When you are presenting on a particular topic it implies that you are expert in the field and you are going to share something which is not known. Thus it is inevitable for you to have at least a knowledge that your audience doesn’t have. You can take help of several statistical data to authenticate your knowledge. To intensify your knowledge the key is to Prepare and Practice! This can lead your knowledge into a content for your best presentation.
# Astute:
Astute in a simpler term is your sense to understand the situation and adopt your way of delivering the speech accordingly. The level of witty comments, language and the level of speaking by which your audience can understand, can relate and do not get distracted from your presentation. Your intelligence is not serving a unique dish which is not so much tasty or adaptable but to serve a common dish like Pav Bhaji in the most unique way.
# Animate:
Go! Animate your presentation. How? The answer to this is, add some pinch of sense of humour, Stories, surprising facts, statistical data videos and so on. Yes, this will give life to your presentation for sure. If you will present good content with no creativity then it will be like art movies which becomes boring for the majority of the audience. But if you will add indigestible action, thrill and drama to your presentation, it will be a blockbuster. It will help your audience to stay connected and fresh throughout the presentation. If you will skip doing this then there are chances that your audience get interrupted from your speech. Also making your presentation slide attractive, creative and with motions will make a great difference, but that doesn’t mean to make gaudy slides for presentation.
# Presence of Mind:
Practising before your presentation is inevitable but imagining the exact situation and mugging up the things may result into a disaster for you. Sometimes narrating a story or cracking a joke at a certain point makes it an awkward situation for you and your audience. Thus there is an unavoidable ingredient called "Presence of mind" which make your presentation toothsome. Commenting with an extempore statements or making jokes from the present situation is a part of your presence of mind. Sometimes we forget the lines or say we bluff because of nervousness then hiding it in such a way that it becomes the most catchy moment for your audience is the true skill of presentation.
# Confidence:
Like any other thing, to be a good speaker your confidence holds the first position. Being a speaker with no confidence is just like an actor reciting his dialogue reading from the script with no expression. The real confident speaker is one who can inspire the audience with his/her content and can motivate them. You may have nervousness inside but if you emit your confidence then it is the only thing which is visible. Wear a smile on your face, do not stand behind the podium, have a proper hand gesture, these are few things which will showcase your confidence.
# Organised:
Never go with a half preparation. Always jot down the points you are going to speak in a paper with the proper order and sub-content. Doing this will make your speech an organised one which will make the audience remember your presentation for a longer time. Also, it will reduce the ambiguity in your topic and thus ultimately your audience will praise your content.
# Relaxed:
Don’t haste in anything, it shows you are nervous. Be relaxed. Don’t panic even when you have gone blank or have missed out a very important point. Don’t eat or drink anything which can make you uncomfortable while you are delivering your speech. Have an attire which can make you feel relax and you don’t need to be conscious about your any of the gestures or movement while you are presenting.
So there you are! Just embrace and embody these seven points and be a speaker that everybody wants to listen.
See you soon with some more personnel hacks.