Tips to shine during your presentations in public

The success of a public presentation not only depends on the quality of the content presented, but also on the capacity and skills of the speaker to convey this information to the audience. Here are some tips that will help you make successful public presentations.

1. Tongue twisters can help express yourself clearly

For effective speaking, it is important to master your diction and pronounciation. To improve your diction there is no secret: practice, practice and practice! Your language and your voice are instruments that you will be able to master through regular training. In order to do so, simple diction exercises will be your best allies. A 5 minutes daily practice is very effective and of course, it is recommended to repeat them on the day, a few minutes before your presentation.

For a playful articulation challenge, tongue twisters are a surprising, yet effective exercise used by actors and speakers. These are simple sentences whose pronunciation difficulty lies in the repetition of very similar sounds. The best way to practice this exercise is to begin slowly repeating these phrases, taking care to pronounce all sounds correctly and then speed up the pace:

• She sells seashells by the seashore. The shells she sells are surely seashells. …
• Red lorry, yellow lorry.
• Which wristwatches are Swiss wristwatches?
• How much wood would a woodchuck chuck.

2. The 4-7-8 (or Relaxing Breath) Exercise

Accelerated breathing, shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, dry mouth, sweaty palms, hot flushes, muscle tension … many symptoms generated by stress can affect your voice is about your ability to deliver a powerful, clear and enthusiastic. The good news is that you can learn to control anxiety to get the full potential of your voice capacity.

Before you enter the stage, take a few minutes to work on your breathing which will calm the nerves, soothe and focus the mind. Here are the 4 steps to succeed in your breathing exercise:

• Take a deep diaphragmatic breath counting for 4 seconds. (You should feel your stomach swell.)
• Hold your breath for 7 seconds.
• Exhale gently through your mouth, counting for 8 seconds.
• Repeat this exercise several times until you feel nervous again.

3. Practice circumflex eyebrows

Body language can make all the difference between a dull and static presentation and a dynamic and engaging presentation. When your body language works with other aspects of your presentation, such as content and tone of voice, you are sure to win your audience.

The way you stand is extremely important and sets the tone for the entire presentation before it even begins. Your posture should be straight and open. This will help you feel more confident and this attitude will capture the attention of your audience rather than push them away.

Doing a presentation with an empty face, without a particular facial expression, is like talking monotonously, no matter how good your content is, your audience will not be involved. A simple tip is to repeat your speech in front of your mirror:

• Open bigger eyes
• Raise your eyebrows slightly
• Smile gently
• Repeat your speech several times

Visual contact is crucial in communication. Looking at the same place throughout a speech is visually dull and uncomfortable for the audience. Make sure that at the end of your presentation, you have made eye contact with everyone at least once, this can mean each individual if you have a small audience, or every part of a crowd if you have a larger audience.

4. Rehearse your opening until you know it by heart

The introduction is the most important part of your presentation. This is the first impression you will make on your audience and this is an opportunity not to be missed to get their full attention. However, this first moment when you start talking is often the most difficult. Being prepared and knowing what to say will help you feel confident before your speech.

Here are our tips for a good start:

• We recommend starting with a warm welcome and introducing yourself.
• Consider preparing an introduction that includes your name and position or why you are an expert on your subject.
• Prepare the first sentences of your presentation that you will learn by heart.

5. Do not write everything in your slides

It is important not to fall into the trap of reading slide word for word. A good powerpoint presentation should contain the key elements that will need to be developed in your speech. The trick is to prepare notes and here is the best way to do it:

• Print your notes by choosing a large, legible font such as: Arial, 18 pts, bold.
• Highlight the elements of your speech that you want to focus on
• Change the page for each slide.
• Do not overdo it so you do not get lost.

And we will never say that too much: have proper sleep and drink enough water! If you rush towards your presentation deadline and need some support for your slides, contact Pokeslide, the Powerpoint, Keynote and Google Slides agency!