Category Archives: Presentation Skills

Presentation Skills

Public Speaking Tips: How to Engage Your Audience

How to Engage Your Audience?

What is the best way to engage an audience?  Check out the below article.

If you want to overcome stage fright and learn to speak with confidence, join a toastmasters club.
You are welcome to visit our Kampong Ubi Toastmasters Club if you are living in Singapore.

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Public Speaking Skills

By Praveen Suryachandra

Executive speech coach and award-winning speaker Patricia Fripp was recently asked, “What is the best way to engage an audience?” This is the advice she gave the attendee at her San Francisco Speaking school:

“The best way to engage an audience is to be prepared, personable, polished, practical, and profound.”

Prepared:

Know who you are speaking to: why are they there; what part of the agenda; what is the purpose of the meeting and expected outcomes of your contribution?

Is there a theme for the meeting?

What is the state of their industry?

What is the organization proud of?

What are their challenges?

What is a typical day in the life of the audience members?

Ahead of time, can you interview a few people who will be in the audience and find ‘sound bite’ quotes? Continue reading →

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90 Public Speaking Tips from Toastmasters International

Looking for some quick tips for public speaking? Here is the extract of 90 Public Speaking Tips from Toastmasters International:

1. Know your material.
2. Make it personal.
3. Practice makes permanent.
4. Time yourself.
5. Pace yourself.
6. Arrive early.
7. Relax.
8. Visualize your success.
9. Trust your audience.
10. Don’t apologize.
11. Use humor when things go wrong.
12. Gain experience.
13. Eliminate filler words.
14. Ditch distracting mannerisms.
15. Keep your notes in check.
16. Test your volume.
17. Enter contests.
18. Enjoy yourself.
19. Use visuals.
20. Embrace your unique style.
21. Fuel your mental engine.
22. Burn off anxiety.
23. Be prepared for the worst.
24. Pause.
25. Ask a thought-provoking question.
26. Share a startling fact.
27. Don’t overload your slides.
28. Repeat the audience’s questions.
29. Give your audience an immediate action item.
30. Push the envelope.
31. Seek opportunities everywhere.
32. Be specific.
33. Be the expert.
34. Speak to groups as individuals.
35. Learn about your personal leadership style.
36. Find your strengths.
37. Be passionate.
38. Have a positive attitude.
39. Practice impromptu speaking.
40. Encourage honest evaluation.
41. Use quotes, stories and anecdotes.
42. Use “you” and “we”.
43. Don’t take things personally.
44. Trust your instincts.
45. Distinguish your goals and targets.
46. Learn from your mistakes.
47. Know when to lose your script.
48. Know the dress code.
49. Use slang with caution.
50. Breathe out.

YMCA, Santa Ana, California, home of the first Toastmasters Club

YMCA, Santa Ana, California, home of the first Toastmasters Club

51. Be patient.
52. Treat your speech like fine dining.
53. Start your career off on the right note.
54. Own your worth.
55. When you disagree with someone, rebut their ideas, not them.
56. Stand. Settle. Smile.
57. Speak your needs.
58. Get rest.
59. Avoid negative topics.
60. Smile and introduce yourself.
61. Practice eye contact.
62. Limit caffeine.
63. Don’t hide from your audience.
64. Use color.
65. Don’t alienate your audience.
66. Know your audience.
67. Avoid speaking in monotone.
68. Free your hands.
69. Be succinct.
70. Be open to evaluation.
71. Give evaluations.
72. Use blue note cards.
73. Join the online conversation.
74. Share the wealth.
75. Start your journey.
76. Accept accolades.
77. Step up.
78. Chat with ease.
79. Manage your time.
80. Make them laugh.
81. Speak your case.
82. Keep the peace.
83. PREP (Point, Reason, Example, Point).
84. Give a top-notch toast.
85. Tap into the past.
86. Use common language.
87. Don’t get lost in translation.
88. Take jokes for a test drive.
89. Use people’s names.
90. Keep a journal.

Since 1924 Toastmasters International has helped more than four million people gain the confidence to communicate.  Join Toastmasters and find a club that you like to practise your speaking skills. You are welcome to visit our Kampong Ubi Toastmasters Club if you are living in Singapore.

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How To Make Good Eye Contact with Audience

Public Speaking Tips on Making Eye Contact

The eyes are the windows to the soul.  You can hardly build a relationship with your audience unless you make proper eye contact with them.

Great public speakers make eye contact in order to connect with the audience. But how to make eye contact properly when doing presentations?

Check out the below videos about how to make good eye contact in speeches.

Public Speaking: Giving a Great Speech: Public Speaking Tips: Eye Contact

How to Make Eye Contact with Audience | Public Speaking


Talk to your entire audience.  Not avoid them, not focus on one, but talk to everybody. Don’t forget to deliver your speech to the whole group, making eye contact with everyone. Use your face, smile and make great eye contact.

Effective Presentation Skills: Using Eye Contact to Connect with Your Audience


Practice is the key to helping you improve in public speaking.
Do you lack a platform for practice? Simply join a toastmaster club.

You are welcome to visit our Kampong Ubi Toastmasters Club if you are living in Singapore.

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Public Speaking Tips on Hand Gestures & Body Language

Public Speaking Tips on Hand Gestures

Wonder what to with your hands when you’re giving a presentation?

public speaking hand gesturesSteve Bavister, who is a trainer with communication skills company Speak First. Steve demonstrates the best (and worst!) options for holding your hands and gesturing so that you look confident and professional and get your message across clearly.

Youtube Video: What to do with your hands when you’re presenting!

If you want to overcome stage fright and learn to speak with confidence, join a toastmasters club.

You are welcome to visit our Kampong Ubi Toastmasters Club if you are living in Singapore.

4 Essential Body Language Tips from a World Champion Public Speaker

A great presentation takes more than smart preparation and execution of verbal skills. Body language is just as important, and the 2014 Toastmasters International world champion of public speaking Dananjaya Hettiarachchi reveals his four best tips.

Gestures and Body Language

If not used properly, gestures and body language can be distracting and detract from the message of your speech. Learn to hone your speaking skills by channeling nervous energy into purposeful movement.

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Effective Technical Presentations

“Effective Technical Presentations”

How to do effective technical presentations?

“Most presenters are very knowledgeable in their field of expertise and can converse well within the framework of the company or industry.

Fear of public speaking

However, they may be reluctant to and/or are uncomfortable with giving presentations in front of an audience.  Others may be comfortable in giving presentations, but they want to refine and improve their presentation skills so they can be more effective and/or persuasive.

The following article “Effective Presentations For Technical Professionals” written by Frank S. Adamo is for technical (and non technical) professionals who would like to understand how to become effective presenters.”

Enjoy!

Practice is the key to helping you improve on your communication and presentation skills. Join Toastmasters and find a club that you like to practise your speeches in a friendly environments.  You are welcome to visit our Kampong Ubi Toastmasters Club if you are living in Singapore.

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Effective Presentations For Technical Professionals
By Frank S. Adamo

Though visual aids have changed tremendously since the late ’60s when I gave my first presentation, the presentation style, in my opinion, has not significantly changed – especially for professional techies. As a chemist and as a business/computer consultant for many years, I have given and have seen many technical presentations at conferences, at work, and elsewhere. The presentations were generally quite informative, technically enriching, and the presenters were very knowledgeable on the subject matter. However, many of them (and I include my own), were rather unexciting and ineffective. I have also seen many exciting, motivational, and inspirational presentations for the general public and also for the technical audience. You don’t need to be a professional speaker to spice up your presentation but by both knowing and understanding some of the same principles professional speakers use, you can enhance your presentations.

WRITING YOUR SPEECH

If you are doing a presentation, most likely you’ve written a report or submitted an article for publication. Perhaps you have used the text for your speech and created PowerPoint slides to help outline the structure. However, I would suggest you write your speech from scratch with emphasis on simplicity and conciseness. Continue reading →

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17 Effective Public Speaking Tips to Improve Your Speaking Skills

17 Effective Public Speaking Tips and Tricks
public speaking

When you think of impressive public speakers, they have their passion for their topic.

So the most important thing you can do is to get fired up about your topic. Find an angle that excites you, and the rest will come.

Here are the 17 Effective Public Speaking Tips that can help you get much better for your next presentation:

  1. Define Your End Goal
    The first thing to do when preparing a speech is to define your end goal. What do you want the audience to do after they leave the room? What information should they walk away with?
  2. Be a Giver, Not a Taker
    Once you’ve defined your end goal, build a presentation that offers real value to your audience, regardless of whether they pursue your product or service. Make any business pitches subtle and at the end of your presentation.
  3. Make Slides an Aid, Not a Crutch
    The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association recommends using keywords, instead of sentences or paragraphs on your slides. This helps your audience focus on your message.
    PowerPoint Do’s and Don’ts
    Do’s
    Use legible type size.
    Be brief.
    Use key words to help audience focus on your message.
    Enhance readability.
    Make every word and image count.
    Limit the number of slides.
    Don’ts
    Don’t overuse special effects.
    Don’t use more than eight words per line or eight lines per slide.
    Don’t use too many words or include non-essential information.
    Avoid hard-to-read color combinations.
  4. Practice (But Really, Practice)
    Maybe you’ve rehearsed your presentation by yourself, but haven’t run it by anyone else.
    Make sure you’re practicing your presentation in front of several groups of people.
    Ask for honest, critical feedback on the good, the bad, and the ugly of your presentation.
  5. Eat Well & Burn Cortisol
    Eating a protein-packed snack before a public speaking engagement boosts your energy, focus, and mood. Exercise one to three hours before you speak. You’ll feel less stressed and your audience will benefit from your focus.
  6. Meet Audience Members First
    It’s always a good idea to meet a few of your audience members before taking the stage.
    This is a great way to calm pre-presentation jitters.
  7. Give Yourself Time to Acclimate
    Many speakers begin talking immediately after being introduced or walking onstage. Instead, try approaching the stage in silence. This gives you time to gather your thoughts, take a deep breath, and get used to being in front of the audience.
  8. Don’t Open with an Excuse
    Don’t begin your presentation with an excuse. That makes the time about you, when it should be about your audience and how you can provide value to them.
  9. Be Conversational
    How do you make the most of that first few seconds of your presentation? First, be conversational. Use inflection in your voice and engage in natural, friendly body language.
  10. Rejoice in the First Mistake
    I wouldn’t recommend calling out the first mistake you make in front of your audience. Simply acknowledge your first mistake and view it as permission to relax and move on with your presentation.
  11. Tell Stories & Make It Personal
    Your audience is more likely to remember and share the stories you tell than the stats and figures you pack your slides with. Make your presentation personal, and remind them that you’re human.
  12. Channel Nervous Energy into Positive Energy
    If you’re not excited about your presentation, why would your audience be? One way to channel excitement into your public speaking is to transform nervous energy into positive energy.
  13. Speak Slowly & Pause Often
    Speaking slowly make it easier for your audience to understand. Routinely pause during your presentation can allow you to refocus and get attention from the audience.
  14. Repeat Audience Questions
    Try to repeat audience questions. It gives everyone a chance to hear what was asked. Repeating audience questions unsure that you’ve understood what the question is and give you an extra few moments to gather your thoughts.
  15. Reinforce Key Points
    Repeating key points at multiple times throughout your presentation helps your audience retain what’s most important.
  16. Use Video & GIFs Sparingly
    When appropriate, throw in a GIF or video. But make sure it aids in your storytelling, instead of distracting from it. A truly engaging public speaker will be able to present impactfully without gimmicks.
  17. Always End Early & Say Thanks
    Whether your audience gave you five minutes of their attention or an hour, end early and say, “Thank you.” Be respectful and always end early especially if you’re expecting a longer Q&A period.

Check here to download the shorter version of 17 Effective Public Speaking Tips and Tricks in pdf format for your easy reference.

Public speaking is an art, and one that can take years to perfect. Join Toastmasters and find a club that you like to practise your speeches in a friendly environments. You are welcome to visit our Kampong Ubi Toastmasters Club if you are living in Singapore.

17-Effective-Public-Speaking-Tips-and-Tricks

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