The Art of Oral Presentations

There are not many people who feel very comfortable speaking in front of large crowds, especially unfamiliar audiences. Many people feel very uncomfortable looking up and meeting eyes with a sea of people. At first they begin to speak and there is a crackling sound in their voice. The power to communicate orally is lacking. Nervousness and anxiety takes over rather than calmness and confidence.

If this sounds like you then not to worry; many of us have the same problem. We become nervous when we have to address a group of friends let alone a large group of strangers. The ultimate solution for this is preparation. This contributes to a feeling of confidence. The following are tips which may help in enhancing your presentations.

1. Organize: A good idea is to structure your presentation using the following outline

a. Plan the presentation, and focus on what is really important, also consider solutions to the issue.
b. State the main topic
c. Support the main topic with a few related examples
d. Present your viewpoints of the subject using a specific approach
e. End your presentation with a very clear summary and a final statement
f. Plan extra time for questions

2. Use of Visuals: Tell it and show it. Try to find vivid and memorable ways to bring your point across. You can use:

Handouts

Charts

Graphs

Etc

Visual aids augment your oral message in a variety of ways. Appropriate pictures, drawings and photographs can certainly grab your audiences attention. These tips should be helpful in your choice of visuals.

Keep your visuals simple and appropriate

Ensure that they are easy to read and understand by everyone in the audience

Do not put everything you have to say on the visual aids and then read from it

Engage your listeners by giving them a copy of important slides and highlight important points

3. Talk to your audience so that they are interested in what you have to say. Put yourself in their position, and think about what would interest you. Try not to be monotone. Keep a certain kind of spark in your voice. While some presentations differ and have different features these tips are typical for any presentation and will no doubt make a different in your performance. For more information you can visit my website at http://www.123estuff.com.