Preparation:
Delivery:
- Understand the purpose of your presentation – what are the most important points to convey and why
- Acquire maximum familiarity with the material you are presenting
- Produce notes that condense the information into bullet points on cue cards
- Rehearse your delivery with a friend / relative / mirror
Delivery:
- Grab the audience attention with an interesting, informative opening statement.
- Control your audience and be clear how they should be responding at different moments – reading, listening, laughing applauding etc
- Be enthusiastic and convey confidence in what you are offering
- Speak reasonably loudly and enunciate clearly
- Make eye contact with your whole audience as much as possible
- Be dramatic – vary the tone, pace and emphasis
- Pace your talk at a speed that can be understood easily
- Position yourself in a central way and adopt a confident posture
- Use movement and gesture to add emphasis and interest
- Avoid being distracted from the main thrust of your talk
- Pause when appropriate
- Ensure your speech ends with a summary of your main points.
You can also download a copy of the Self-Assessment Skills diagram here.