Improve Your Presentations in 60 Seconds or Less

Improve Your Presentations in 60 Seconds or LessImprove Your Presentations in 60 Seconds or LessInstantly improve your public speaking skills with these simple tips.Blum suggests making five small changes that will greatly improve your public speaking skillsShow your passionLike any good story, a presentation is only as interesting as the person who is presenting it. Even if youre just giving your weekly status report, find something to speak about thats meaningful to you. Your audience will only be as engaged in a topic as you are. If youre bored theyll be bored too, says Blum. Let them landsee your energy and passion Having trouble getting your energy levels up? Check out Tony Robbins pre-speaking ritual which includes incantations, affirmations, and a ton of energized movement.Fake it till you make itWhether youre negotiating your salary or presenting to an audience, experts agree that confidence is essential to communicating persuasively.Speak confidently, loudly, and clearly. Le t your audience see and hear that you believe what youre saying, says Blum. Public speaking, like any other valuable skill, requires practice. The more you present, the more confident youll become.Take a deep breath and slow downThe average person speaks 125 words per minute. If you find yourself racing through your presentation at a much faster pace, pause, take a breath, and slow down. When you speak too quickly, the audience will assume youre nervous and wont receive your message. Speaking more slowly will also help you establish credibility with the audience. According to Blum, a young professional who slows down a fast-paced speaking style can instantly sound more authoritative. Need more help slowing down your motor mouth? Check out these presentation tips by Diane DiResta, author of Knockout Presentations .Use your hands effectivelyMost people use their hands when they speak, but very few use them in a way that supports their words, says Blum. He suggests looking for opportu nities to gesture while youre thinking through and rehearsing your presentation. For instance, are you describing something big or small, expanding or contracting, over here or over there? Use your gestures to help drive home your points. Check out these hand gesture tips by Matt Abrahams, author of Speaking Up without Freaking Out .Have mini conversationsDo you have a fear of speaking with people one-on-one? For fruchtwein people, the fear of public speaking only creeps up when your audience involves a group of people. To combat this anxiety, Blum suggests having mini-conversations during your presentation. Instead of speaking to the room, direct your presentation to specific individuals in the room.Having these few-second mini-conversations will calm your nerves, improve your eye contact, and engage your audience, says Blum. Still having trouble making eye contact? Try staring at the foreheads of individuals in your audience. It will still look like youre making eye contact witho ut causing you to feel more nervous.