A Soft Skill You Must Have (Part 2 of 2)

In our last article we introduced the importance of presentation skills – here’s the continuation.

“Build your credibility fast with your audience by showing confidence and that you are in control of your subject presentation”, says Mr. Sadaqat, a local manager of a screening company.

The following presentation techniques gathered from various training seminars could help:

- Understand the audience’s background and their motivation to attend.
- Use the most effective audio and visual aids – but don’t overdo it!
- Define the objectives of your presentation.
- Organize the data to be presented in a clear sequence that is persuasive.
- Show confidence while presenting to the audience.
- Control your body language in its movements, gestures and other non-verbal
elements of communication.
- Handle questions and its responses in a professional manner.
- Grab the attention of the audience by delivering a unique presentation “opener”
such as a joke, interesting examples and anecdotes, etc.


The Presentation Design

Your design, and method will help you deliver an excellent presentation with great confidence.

Have a look at these step by step presentation suggestions:

Make a Creative Opening to your Presentation

You can always make your presentation opening unique and memorable. A good example sits with the presenter who was addressing the CEO of major airlines in the US. He was called upon by the organizer to take the floor. He did not. For 10 minutes or so all these CEOs and executives awaited his appearance. When they started to leave their seats, he suddenly shows up and made his opening speech: “Ladies and Gentlemen, sorry for being late – but this is how your airline passengers feel when your planes are late in departure”.

Begin with making sure that your audience is ready to receive the message. This is a milestone in your presentation design.

Then communicate the message. Make sure that the audience listens, receives and understand the message.

- Analogies related to the subject.
- A strong quote.
- Get the audience to do something – interactivity.
- Ask a Question – interactivity again.
- Use an imaginary situation.
- Use humor.
- Use a controversial opening and quickly qualify it.

Introductory Opening Remarks about the Subject

Your introductory opening is very important in the presentation design phase. Here are few advices from some experts we talked with:

- Welcome the people attending and introduce them if it’s a meeting.
- Indicate the time schedule and planned breaks.
- Go through any health and safety routines, such as fire alarm procedures.
- Check that everyone can see the visual aids.
- Acknowledge the start of presentation.
- Mention your name and preferred name.

Presentation skills are all about entertaining your audience and avoid boring them.

Its all about conveying your key message. You need to grab the attention of your audience

Written by Mr. Daniyal Hussain for TonySurridge.co.uk