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Free Presentation Skills Tip

Do your body and voice make or break your presentation?

 

Next Public Workshop - Presentation Skills for Speaking to Groups is September 14, 2010
Click Here to Register and for More Information - http://presentationskillstaylor.eventbrite.com/
 
 
Five Physical Behaviors that Make or Break a Presentation
 
1) Make Eye Contact
 
Make eye contact with your audience to control your nerves and help you connect. It helps establish trust with your audience and enables you to build rapport.
 
Eye contact is different from eye darting. Eye contact means remaining focused on an individual for 3-5 seconds while talking. Eye darting is the bad habit some presenters have of scanning the room with their eyes and never really making contact. Your audience feels separated from you when you “eye dart” and they connect with you and support you when you use “eye contact”.
 
Eye contact is probably one of the most powerful tools you have when speaking to groups. Eye contact creates a more natural, conversational style and most people are comfortable speaking to one individual. Eye contact helps a speaker get rid of the “annoying sea of faces”.
 
2) Deliver Positive Messages with Your Voice and Body Language
 
When you are speaking to a group, you are continually giving messages both verbally and non-verbally. Your success in delivering your message is based on how well you use key vocal and physical delivery skills.
 
For the first few minutes of your speech or presentation, 93% of your communication is conveyed through your voice and body. After the initial few minutes then the content begins to have more impact. 
 
What is important about your voice? Volume, pace and clarity 
What is important aboutyour physical delivery skills? Straight stance, feet lined up with shoulders, relaxed arms and shoulders
 
Ensure a successful speech or presentation by combining your powerful message with excellent voice and body language, especially in the first two minute. 
 
3) Polish Your Appearance
 
Your appearance is part of how you communicate with your physical delivery. Your appearance should be professional or neat and should not distract from you or your message. If your audience is preoccupied looking at your mismatched outfit, your wrinkled shirt or the excessive jewelry, they won’t hear your message and won’t be able to connect.
 
4) Smile
 
During our presentation skills workshop, the most common feedback we give is telling our participants to smile! Smiling has many benefits. It releases nervous energy and helps you connect with your audience. If you look happy while you speak then your audience will be more likely to be happy to listen. Smiling also helps you vocally deliver a strong message. 
 
5) Strong Hand Gestures
 
Hand gestures can be appropriate as long as they are not distracting. Don’t let your audience be caught up in counting how many times you put your arm up! At the same time, don’t hesitate to use hand gestures because this can look and feel very stiff. When you are not making gestures, try to keep your hands and arms relaxed at your side. 
 
If you want to improve how you present, give us a call at (631) 465-2024 or email us at solutions@taylorperformance.com.
 
I hope this tip helps you deliver strong and confident presentations!
 
Linda
 

            www.taylorperformance.com
 

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