December 8, 2017, by Shweta

Presentation Paranoia? How To Ace Your Next Presentation

Around this time last year, I gave my first oral presentation at university. Now, almost a year later, I’m planning – or at least, planning to start planning – my next presentation as part of my course. Over the last year, I’ve learnt so much about delivering a solid presentation and how it so beautifully integrates into public speaking. While some people are well-versed in “performing” (because, let’s be honest, theatrics is what it’s all about), to others it can be quite daunting. Keep reading for some helpful tips on how to ace your next presentation.

 

• Start and finish strong. The first line of any speech is what draws the audience in. And the last line? That’s what everyone’s going to remember. So always ensure that you begin and end your presentations in a manner that is captivating, unique, and informative. It might even be helpful to end with a question to give the audience something to think about long after you’re gone.
• Become the audience. While you’re still in the preparatory phases, take a moment to step back and become one with the audience. Always be aware of who you’re talking to; this will help you tailor and organize information effectively and deliver a more interactive presentation.
• Pauses bring audible structure to your delivery. Whether it’s to emphasize information, make an obvious transition or give your audience time to digest new information, pauses are integral in a good presentation. And don’t worry if it feels forced; pauses often feel longer to the speaker than they actually are.
• Fake confidence until you become confident. This is a debatable one and often, people will say that with practice comes confidence. However, I cannot tell you the number of times I have stepped off a stage with my heart beating 100 miles a minute only to be told that I spoke incredibly confident. Often feigning confidence for a couple minutes at the start will allow you to get comfortable in front of your audience and before you realize it, your real confidence will shine through.

 

Finally, there are so many ways in which your presentation can be the best you’ve ever delivered and that is exactly what your goal should be before stepping out in front of everybody. Aim to be the best! Hopefully, my tips will help you ace any presentations you have coming up.

Good luck!

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