Presentation Techniques

Dos and Don'ts of presentation:

Do:

1. Check what is expected of you when invited to speak
2. Prepare in plenty of time
3. Establish a clear structure
4. Prepare good, summarised notes
5. Realise and accept that all good speakers experience nervous tension before speaking
6. Plan and rehearse the start with care
7. Put pace and enthusiasm into your delivery
8. Ensure you are clearly audible to everyone
9. Maintain good, evenly distributed eye contact with your audience
10. Plan and rehearse the conclusion with care

Don't:

1. Prepare too much material: check your timing
2. Try to do without speaker's notes
3. Read the script verbatim
4. Start with an apology
5. Risk weak or dodgy jokes
6. Split your audience's attention by misuse of aids or handouts
7. Rock, sway or use repetitive gestures
8. Clutter your visual aids
9. Gabble or rush
10. Assume hostility

Clarity of voice:

If your speech is mumbled or you stutter, your audience will find it hard to understand you therefore you wont get your point or information across to them. To improve on speech you can control your breathing and relax, you don't want to speak too fast, you need to talk slowly and clearly. 

Engagement:

Engagement in presentation is important because if the audience is not listening they will not understand and follow the presentation

• eye contact
• body language 
• Questions
• reinforcing
• reiterating points
• not reading from materials