Interested to hear some of my ideas on presentations? Just listen to the interview…
Use conversational language
This is a presentation tip from presentation coach Olivia Mitchell. Her advice is to use conversational language and as I completely agree with her I will explain what it means.
Language you use daily in conversations is what we’re most used to listening to. We find it much easier to stay focused on somebody who’s talking in a conversational tone. Listening to somebody using a lecture tone is very tiring. Though how can you be conversational in a presentation?
If you write a script, say what you want to say out loud and then write it down. That way what you write will be conversational in tone. However, it’s better not to write a script at all. Write keywords and phrases which will remind you of what you want to say.
When you’re delivering your presentation, look at someone and talk as if you were talking just to them. Talk to them for a few seconds (not so long that they’ll be intimidated) and then ‘pingpong’ to someone else. Olivia calls this call this eye connection. Use eye connection rather than eye contact and you’ll be more conversational.
Just talk to them!
It is the strangest thing but when people come in front of an audience, they change their speech style. It is as if they have an internal switch that says ‘change to presentation mode’. The main problem is that it oftens looks unnatural with a kind of formal speech style. Recently in a coaching session I witnessed that same change. I asked that person to begin the presentation again but this time talking as if you are not in front of an audience . Imagine you are just in front of some friends and you just talk to them . The change in style was huge. It was much more natural, in speech and look. So my advise is when you come in front of an audience: ‘just talk to them!’
Posted in Body Language
Tagged Body Language, lichaamstaal, presentatie technieken, Presentation skills
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Award winning elevator pitch
Bert Verdonck, a friend of mine recently won an elevator pitch. The idea was to present your business in a interesting way. The interesting thing is that the audience were all professional speakers. The feedback he received was that his pitch was very natural. Lots of reasons to share his pitch with you:
“Most professional speakers are always looking for an audience, right? How fast can you be on stage before your target audience? We all want a shortcut! As the newest PSA Holland member, I did it in less than 3 days to be here in front of you! That is exactly what I do. Shortcuts! With Genius Shortcuts I teach you practical tools and tips to save you 2 hours/day or hack away other frustrations. I am a lifehacker and I help people through keynote speaking, trainings and workshops. So, think about how you would feel if one of your biggest frustrations disappeared forever? Come and see me afterwards and I will share free Genius Shortcuts so you can feel happier!”
Event Stilte, ik Spreek!
Compilation of the event for my book presentation ‘stilte, ik Spreek’ for which I have interviewed 30 women in top positions in Belgium. The book will be translated in French and English by the end of this year.
The girl who silenced the world
Before watching this movie I was convinced that it was impossible to present standing behind a lectern, let alone reading your notes. This girl made me change that point of vue. A presentation is very much about you getting your message across showing your passion. And this movie (even in poor youtube quality) shows exactly how you can do that standing behind a lectern…
Storytelling in presentations
I have always believed that a presentation is pretty much like a story though I never looked into the techniques of storytelling. I just foud this nice manual written by Barry McWilliams on story telling and was pleased to see that many of the techniques and advice is exactly the same as my tips for a business presentation. This is what I found:
- The audience has a very important role in storytelling – for their minds are the canvas on which the teller paints his tale. Oral storytelling involves much interaction between teller and hearer. I have observed that our audiences have lost some of the skills to follow a narrated story and see things in their minds. Storytelling has become more difficult. Attention spans are shorter and more demanding, more sophisticated, yet less able to independently imagine or visualize. People seem to need more visual stimulation. So take the story as close to them as you can and keep it brief and simple.
- Learn the story as a whole rather than in fragments. Master and then simplify its structure to a simple outline. Don’t try to memorize it, though you should always know your first and last lines by heart!
- Practice the story often – to the mirror, your cat, driving in the car, with friends, or anyone who will listen. Even when telling an old and familiar story, you must use imagination and all the storyteller’s skills to make it come alive. Use your imagination to make the story come alive as you prepare.
- Stories are more interesting when there is animation and variety in the voice of the teller. Show enthusiams but this does not mean artificial or noisy excitement. Be earnest! Gestures and facial expressions add much to the vizualization of the story. Be sure they are appropriate and natural. Practise them!
- Pacing involves both the volume and rate at which you speak, and the progression of the action in the story. Dialog slows a story’s pace down, while narrating action speeds it up.
Experience will hone these skills, and when – and how – to use them most effectively.
