Presentation Skills Techniques: Advice for Students & Professionals

Presentation skills; Whether you’re a student, professional, or public speaker, everyone needs to have some level of presentation skills. However, most people make the mistake of not setting proper goals for their presentations, which can lead to a disorganized and ineffective presentation.

The importance of Presentation skills

Yes, presentation skills are important in many aspects of life. They can be crucial in your academic, personal, and professional development. Here are some reasons why presentation skills are important:

1. Communication: Good presentation skills allow you to communicate your ideas effectively, which can be useful in both personal and professional settings.
2. Persuasion: The ability to persuade and influence others is a critical skill in many professions, and strong presentation skills can help you achieve this.
3. Professional growth: Presentation skills are important for career advancement. The ability to communicate effectively can help you stand out in a crowded job market.
4. Confidence: Developing strong presentation skills can help boost your confidence when speaking in public or presenting in front of others.
5. Leadership: Good presentation skills are a key component of effective leadership. Being able to communicate your vision and motivate others is essential in leading teams and organizations.
6. Networking: Strong presentation skills can help you network and build relationships with others in your industry, which can be valuable for career advancement.

Overall, presentation skills are an important part of personal and professional development, and can help you achieve success in many areas of your life.

1. Setting Presentation Goals

When preparing for a presentation, it’s important to start by defining the purpose of your presentation. The purpose will guide you in setting clear and achievable goals that align with your overall objective.

For instance, if your purpose is to persuade your audience to take a particular course of action, your goal could be to present compelling evidence that supports your argument and convince your audience to act accordingly.

It’s also important to consider your audience when setting goals. Who is your audience, and what do they expect to learn from your presentation?

For example, if you’re presenting to a group of executives, your goal could be to provide a concise overview of the project, highlighting its impact on the company’s bottom line.

Another crucial factor to consider when setting goals is the length of your presentation. A longer presentation may require more goals than a shorter one. If you’re presenting for an hour, your goals could be to provide an introduction to the topic, present the main points, and conclude with a call to action.

In summary, setting clear and achievable goals is an essential step in preparing for a presentation. The goals you set should align with your purpose, consider your audience, and reflect the length of your presentation. By doing so, you can deliver a presentation that is focused, engaging, and meets the needs of your audience.

2. Effective Storytelling Techniques

Storytelling is a powerful tool that has been used for centuries to convey information and ideas.

The reason why stories are so effective is because they activate various parts of the brain, including the areas responsible for language processing, sensory perception, and emotion.

When we hear a story, we can easily relate to the characters and their experiences, which makes it easier for us to understand and remember the message being conveyed.

Creating conflict is an important aspect of storytelling because it adds tension and drama to the narrative. Conflict can arise in many forms, such as a personal struggle, a disagreement between two characters, or an external obstacle that must be overcome.

For example, if you’re giving a presentation about a new product, you could tell a story about how a team of engineers worked tirelessly to overcome technical difficulties in order to bring the product to market. This creates a sense of anticipation and excitement, and keeps the audience engaged.

“Also read: The Power of Adaptability: Why It Matters in Today’s World“

Sustaining audience’s interest

Maintaining the audience’s interest during the middle part of your presentation can be challenging, but there are several strategies you can use.

One approach is to use visual aids, such as graphs, images, or videos, to break up the monotony of the presentation and provide visual stimulation.

Another approach is to use anecdotes or personal stories that relate to the topic at hand. This helps to humanize the presentation and create a connection with the audience.

Finally, you can ask the audience questions or involve them in interactive activities to keep their attention focused on the presentation. By using these techniques, you can sustain your audience’s interest throughout the entire presentation and ensure that your message is effectively conveyed.

3. Backing up your problem and solution with strong evidence

Using stories to connect with your audience emotionally when delivering a convincing argument can be an effective technique. Yet it’s also critical to strike a balance between rational arguments and statistical proof, as well as emotional appeals. Even though great stories might be effective at persuasion, they are not always enough.

Using relevant statistics and facts can help reinforce your argument and add credibility to your claims. For instance, if you’re trying to convince a company to implement a new policy, you might present data on how similar policies have led to increased employee satisfaction and productivity.

When using statistics, it’s crucial to ensure that they are accurate and valid. Using outdated or inaccurate data can weaken your argument and make you appear less credible.

Additionally, you should also be careful not to cherry-pick data that supports your argument while ignoring evidence that contradicts it. This can undermine your credibility and weaken your case.

Overall, making a persuasive argument requires a balance of emotional appeals, logical reasoning, and relevant evidence. By using stories, statistics, and valid evidence, you can make a more compelling case and increase your chances of success.

4. Organize Middle Section

When it comes to organizing the middle section of your presentation, the LATCH method can be an effective tool. LATCH stands for Location, Alphabet, Time, Category, and Hierarchy. Using one or more of these organizing principles can help you structure your data in a logical and memorable way.

For example, if you were giving a presentation on the history of jazz music, you could use the Time principle to organize your information chronologically, starting with the early roots of jazz in New Orleans and moving forward through the swing era, bebop, and beyond.

Another way to make your presentation more engaging and memorable is to use metaphors and analogies. These can help your audience understand complex concepts by comparing them to something more familiar.

For example, if you were giving a presentation on the importance of teamwork in the workplace, you could use the metaphor of a sports team to illustrate how individual strengths and weaknesses can be balanced to achieve a common goal.

When it comes to the number of sub-parts in your presentation, there is no one-size-fits-all answer. It will depend on the complexity of your topic and the amount of information you need to convey.

However, a good rule of thumb is to aim for no more than five or six sub-parts, as this can help your audience stay focused and retain the information more easily. Remember that it’s also important to use transitions between sub-parts to help your audience follow your train of thought and stay engaged.

“Also read: Leadership Strategies for Success: Proven Techniques“

5. Language of Presentations

When it comes to giving a presentation, the language you use can greatly affect how your audience perceives your message. One aspect to consider is whether to use concrete or abstract words.

Concrete words refer to specific things that can be seen, heard, touched, tasted, or smelled, while abstract words refer to ideas, concepts, or feelings.

Using concrete words can make your message more tangible and easier to understand, while abstract words can make it more vague and confusing.

Regularly occurring terms

Another issue to think about is whether to utilize jargon or plain language. Jargon describes technical language that is unique to a certain subject or sector.

While utilizing jargon can make you look smart, if your audience is unfamiliar with the phrases, it may turn them off. A larger audience may be able to understand your message better if you use normal language.

Active voice

Making your message clear and compelling also requires using an active voice. When a statement is written in the active voice, the subject is the one who does the action, whereas when it is written in the passive voice, the subject is the one who is given the action.

While passive speech might make your message sound monotonous and indirect, active voice can make it more direct and compelling.

Lastly, using short sentences and avoiding vague and unclear messages can help you get your point across more effectively.

Short sentences are easier to follow and can help avoid confusion, while vague and unclear messages can leave your audience unsure of what you are trying to convey.

For example, instead of saying “The project was completed by the team,” you could say “The team completed the project.” The latter uses active voice and is more direct, making the message clearer and more engaging.

“Also read: Problem-solving Made Easy: Proven Strategies for Better Results“

6. Presentation Start & End

Starting your presentation effectively is crucial to grab your audience’s attention and establish trust. You can begin with a compelling story, a thought-provoking question, or an intriguing statement that relates to your topic.

By doing so, you create a hook that piques your audience’s curiosity and motivates them to listen further. For instance, suppose you are giving a presentation on the importance of financial planning.

In that case, you could start by telling a story about a person who failed to plan their finances, faced financial hardships, and then turned their financial situation around by implementing a sound financial plan. This story will create an emotional connection with your audience and make them interested in knowing more about your topic.

After setting the stage with an engaging opening, you can then move on to the body of your presentation, where you share your ideas, insights, and recommendations. To make sure that your audience does not get confused or overwhelmed, it’s important to break down your content into small, digestible chunks.

For example, you could divide your presentation into three main sections: the importance of financial planning, different types of financial planning, and how to create a financial plan. Within each section, you can further break down your content into sub-sections and use clear transitions to guide your audience from one point to the next.

Presentation End

In the end, it’s essential to summarize the key takeaways from your presentation to reinforce your message and ensure that your audience remembers your main points. You can do this by restating your main points, highlighting the most important insights, and providing a call to action that encourages your audience to take action based on your recommendations.

In conclusion, starting your presentation with an engaging opening, breaking down your content into small, digestible chunks, and summarizing your key takeaways are essential steps to create an effective presentation that grabs your audience’s attention, builds trust, and delivers your message clearly and memorably.

Presentation Skills Improvement

Improving your presentation skills can take time and practice, but there are several ways you can work on enhancing them:

• Practice: Practice makes perfect. Rehearse your presentation several times to help you feel more confident and comfortable when presenting.
• Know your material: Make sure you understand the subject matter you are presenting. This will make it easier for you to explain it to others and answer any questions that may arise.
• Use visual aids: Using visual aids such as slides or props can help illustrate your points and keep your audience engaged.
• Speak clearly and concisely: Speak clearly and slowly so your audience can understand you. Be concise and avoid rambling or going off on tangents.
• Engage your audience: Keep your audience engaged by asking questions, telling stories, or using humor.
• Maintain eye contact: Make eye contact with your audience to build a connection and show that you are confident and interested in what you are presenting.
• Get feedback: Ask for feedback from colleagues or friends after your presentation. This will help you identify areas where you can improve and build on your strengths.
• Attend workshops or classes: Attend workshops or classes to learn presentation skills from experts and get feedback on your performance.

Remember, practice and persistence are key to improving your presentation skills. Keep working on them, and you’ll see improvement over time.

“Also read: Mastering Communication Skills: A Comprehensive Guide“

How to describe presentation skills on resume?

Describing your presentation skills on a resume can help showcase your abilities to potential employers. Here are some tips on how to describe your presentation skills on a resume:

Use strong action verbs: Begin your bullet points with strong action verbs that describe your presentation skills, such as “created,” “delivered,” “facilitated,” or “conducted.”

Highlight specific achievements: Describe specific achievements or accomplishments related to your presentation skills, such as delivering a successful sales pitch or receiving positive feedback from a client or supervisor.

Use numbers and data: Use numbers and data to quantify your accomplishments, such as the number of people in your audience or the percentage of sales increase after your presentation.

Highlight relevant experience: Highlight any relevant experience, such as leading presentations, training sessions, or workshops.

Mention software or technology: If you have experience using presentation software or technology, such as PowerPoint or Prezi, mention it on your resume.

Here’s an example bullet point for a resume

Delivered engaging presentations to clients, resulting in a 20% increase in sales revenue and a 95% satisfaction rating from clients.

Remember, when describing your presentation skills on a resume, focus on specific achievements and highlight the skills that are most relevant to the position you are applying for.

Presentation skills examples resume

Here are some examples of how you can include presentation skills on your resume:

Developed and delivered engaging presentations to clients, resulting in a 25% increase in customer satisfaction ratings and a 15% increase in sales revenue.

Led training sessions for new employees on effective presentation skills and communication strategies, resulting in a 90% improvement in employee performance.

Conducted market research and created a comprehensive presentation on industry trends, presenting to a team of executives and receiving positive feedback for clear and concise delivery.

Created and delivered presentations to diverse audiences, including internal team members, clients, and stakeholders, utilizing multimedia tools such as PowerPoint and Prezi.

Facilitated group discussions and interactive workshops, demonstrating strong facilitation and engagement skills.

Remember to customize your resume and use specific examples that are relevant to the job you are applying for. Also, consider using quantifiable data or metrics to highlight the impact and effectiveness of your presentation skills.

In conclusion, by following these six parts, you can become an excellent presenter and give effective and engaging presentations. So, set your goals, tell a story, provide evidence, organize your middle part, use the right language, and start and end with confidence. Thank you, and we hope these tips will help you in your future presentations.