Presentation skills are game changers for all professionals, regardless of the job field at the moment. Applying these skills effectively can help anyone from landing their dream jobs to winning business deals. However, not every professional can present well to their future employers or possible clients because of many factors.
Moreover, presentation skills can be a bit daunting for some. Individuals with confidence issues will find this activity such a headache. This is because they can sometimes struggle with eye contact or anxiety even before they speak. This simple article will help you all deal with these issues along with how to practise the tips.
What are presentation skills?
Presentation skills are the ways we convey messages or ideas creatively so that other people will understand them at once. The skills involve convincing others to accept the ideas or perform something as we expect. What's more is that technology has been the tool that majority uses today, to present concepts and ideas in a way that is easy to understand.
Gone are the days when we relied on writing forms only. But now, you can take advantage of the innovations or applications to support the presentations. For example, you can use visual, video, or even 3D format depending on the goal. You can simply adjust the tools to fit the purpose or business field.
Seven presentation skills to practise
However, presentation skills are not just about the tools and the message that you are about to convey in front of the audience. There are at least seven competencies that require constant practise. Each of the skills is helpful for every business setting, so you can apply them whenever you want.
It is a combination of intrapersonal and interpersonal abilities to ensure effectiveness. Intrapersonal can mean emotional intelligence, while interpersonal deals with social interaction. Take a look at the capabilities details below and see what is the perfect strategy that you can use in your profession.
1. Understand the listeners
First of all, you have to know who you are going to speak to. This serves as the fundamental aspect of formulating your ideas. Also, understanding this determines your tone of language, even vocabulary. For example, if your audience is a manager, you may wish to speak formally.
Next, you must choose words that effectively convey your message. If you want to apply presentation skills to “sell” a business idea, certain words can matter so much. In this regard, you can use words such as “advantage”, “market,” and “customer relationship.” If properly used, these statements can help to go straight to the core of the objective of the presentation and increase the chances of getting good results.
2. How to tell
Second, the way we speak is as important as the first aspect. A storytelling format can get the audience's attention shortly. If this succeeds in the first place, then you will find it easier to direct their focus according to your presentation structure. This means they are ready to follow your explanations. Sometimes storytelling doesn't work out as expected. As a solution, you can directly jump into the data then explain clearly.
3. Supporting tools
This has been hinted at briefly above. Your presentation skills will get a huge boost from visual tools, such as videos and images. The visuals will help convey ideas clearer than mentioning them all through words. The tools will help “kill” the boredom that may happen to some listeners.
4. Connection of presentation skills with body language
Keep your posture straight while explaining your ideas, for this indicates your high confidence. Also, maintain good eye contact with the audience to ensure they understand your ideas. These are small yet important body signals that bring so much difference to the perceptions of the audience as the presentation is over.
5. Pay attention to your voice and tone
It’s better to speak slowly and at a steady pace to guarantee that the audience digests your ideas well. In addition, this is one of the presentation skills that adds a “convincing aspect” to your presentation. Speaking slowly but with precise words will add to your overall score and performance. This may lead you to get the goal of your presentation.
6. Interact with the listeners
This point reflects that sharing information through this activity is not just about yourself. It’s a two-way interaction. Once in a while, ask them if they get your messages or if they have some questions. Don’t forget to smile properly and add a few jokes here and there to lighten the serious tone of the presentation. This tip should adjust to audience type and the agenda you bring to the table. Hence, use the trick properly.
7. Learn how to answer questions effectively
As your presentation ends, you will have to invite the audience to give feedback or questions. For excelling one of these presentation skills, knowing when and how to respond may help. Answer straight-forwardly for questions that you know the answers well. But for questions that you have no clue, avoid saying, “I don’t know.”
Doing so will lower your reputation in front of the listeners. Instead, respond with statements such as “I don’t have the exact number or data about that. Probably I need to look it up later and inform you about that.” This response sounds more professional but doesn’t lower the chances of achieving the goal. Plus, your audience will be aware that you are willing to excert effort to cater their needs.
Tips to overcome anxiety
Do you often feel anxious before doing public speaking? Even if your presentation skills are good, anxiety can get in the way before and during the presentation. This problem can happen to anyone, including those with long hours of public speaking experience. Amateur and pro presenters may face the same struggle.
Anxiety levels can vary depending on the goal of the presentation. Usually, the tension is greater if the presentation aims to win big projects. One of the project examples is competing with the rivals for huge contract deals. Regardless, below are the tips that you can apply to overcome it.
Identify the source
Anxiety is normal before and during public speaking. You should identify why you feel anxious in the first place. Is it a normal one that happens every time you are about to speak? Or is it due to the lack of information on the content of the presentation? Specify the sources.
After you know where the problem lies, you should find it easier to solve one of these problems that can hinder in improving your presentation skills. You will go straight to the tips below instead of trying them one by one. The following tips will work effectively for one person but not for the others. So, choose which helps you the most.
Equip with complete knowledge
Nervousness may come from unpreparedness or inadequate knowledge about the presentation itself. So, you need to have enough information to support your idea through thorough research. After that, practise the presentation. The more, the better. After each rehearsal, evaluate which requires more improvement. Anxiety should cease or at least lessen through this method.
Breathe
When anxiety attacks, take a deep breath for a few seconds. This may seem trivial, but it keeps your focus on track. Regular inhaling and exhaling practice before the presentation serves as a fortress against worry. If you master this, anxiety will then come and go like the wind. This allows you to showcase your presentation skills and avoid mental blocks during the discussion.
Think positively
This feeling can be overwhelming, so you can’t lose focus and then forget what you have already prepared. When it is about to occur, it’s time to confront the anxiety. Think positively about good outcomes that await when the presentation is over, such as winning the business deal and job promotion. Focusing on the pros allows you to be motivated to finish the task more.
Move your body
Stretching your hands and walking can reduce your anxiety level. You can walk around the room where you will apply presentation skills, such as gestures. In addition to kicking the nervousness away, this gives you a fuller sense of the room atmosphere. As a result, you will feel more comfortable as you speak in front of the audience.
Get better at your presentation skills with us
Advanced presentation skills can benefit you in many ways. Your self-confidence will become higher which lead to better career prospects. If your job deals with sales and marketing, the abilities can add the chance to win the hearts of the clients. To master at the capabilities, you can study with us at the comforts of your homes.
At the College of Contract Management, we have special courses dedicated to this topic because of its importance for any field. You can find a lot of subjects under Business Management, Leadership, and Human Resources that can be your training ground in improving your presentation skills. It’s better you select one that fits into your field at the moment or the sector you want to pursue.
Under the guidance of our experts, your presentation skills will undergo significant growth in all elements. Your practice will be effective because our experts will sort out your specific problems and how to solve them. Connect with us so that you can hone your public speaking skills today!
