How to Give a Great Speech or Presentation
- 10 Top Tips!
by Peter Baker, Voiceover from http://www.MaleVO.co.uk
TIP 1: Prepare! Prepare! Prepare!
It doesn't mean over rehearsing the presentation and seeking
to remember every word within the right order. Even if you were a
good actor, this isn't the way to go about it. You’ll run into
unnaturally, and won’t have the ability to react to any reactions. However,
I do suggest that your critical first and last sentences are learnt
word perfect. It’s like flying an airplane - take-off and landing are generally
very critical!
Now - the most important thing is that you need to ensure you're totally
confident in these areas:
Voice artist
- You 100% be aware of structure of your presentation.
- Have fully rehearsed just the start and end from it.
- Have familiarised yourself together with your slides if you have them.
- Confident the equipment will work!
- Understand how to answer the questions you guess the crowd
will have for you. Do you know the MOST DIFFICULT questions
they might throw at you? Investigate the answer to those
BEFORE the day!
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TIP 2: Stay moist!
Any kind of public speaking or audio or video recording
causes presenters to “dry up” to ensure that their performance is
impaired. Drink some still water (Not fizzy, you might burp on stage!) before
your talk and some water by you during it.
TIP 3: Forget you are speaking to a large group.
Your listeners in the audience will like to think you are talking to
them personally anyway. Imagine that you are talking to only one
person; and say “you” within the singular tense throughout your
presentation. Never say “Hello everyone” and so forth.
Even seasoned broadcast professionals play this mind trick to
achieve a personable, empathetic performance and also so they
don’t get scared by taking into consideration the thousands or millions
listening or watching them!
TIP 4: During the “performance”, it’s important to relax, and
maintain a cool, professional approach.
If you’d rather takequestions at the conclusion, say so at the start of your company presentation, or you’ll be distracted out of your structure by questions from the audience.
TIP 5: Get confidence!
For a business speech, get your CV or resume out and
remind yourself of who you are and what you’ve done! It’s
important to give yourself a logical assessment of your abilities and
experience.
You have real accomplishments and strengths, by getting
good feedback externally world, your positive selfassessment
becomes fact.
TIP 6: Reinforce your confidence!
There are many “tricks” to create short-term confidence that
may meet your needs. This is something some theatrical actors use to
boost their confidence when waiting in the wings ready to come
onto stage.
Nervous actors sometimes tell themselves:
“I am Beautiful”; “Everybody Loves Me” & “I know a Secret”.
Obviously, self confidence is the difference between feeling
unstoppable and feeling scared out of your wits. Your perception of
yourself comes with an enormous impact on how others perceive you.
Perception is reality - the greater self confidence you have, the
more likely it is you’ll succeed. More about this later.
TIP 7: Dress smartly, but comfortably.
No one is more conscious of your physical appearance than you are. When you don’t look good, it changes the way you carry yourself and connect to other people. Use this to your benefit by taking care of your individual appearance. This doesn’t mean you need to spend a lot on clothes.
One great rule to follow along with is “spend twice as much, but buy half as
much”. Rather than buying a bunch of cheap clothes, buy half as
many select, top quality items that you feel comfortable in.
The secrets of how to give a great business presentation
TIP 8: Get and turn into fit!
Along the same lines as personal appearance, physical
fitness has a huge effect on self confidence. If you’re out of shape,
you’ll feel insecure, unattractive, and less energetic and
enthusiastic about what you’re talking about.
By going to the gym, being active or playing sport, you’ll improve
your characteristic look, breathe more effectively, and energise
yourself. Having the discipline to work out not just makes you feel
better, it creates positive momentum to help you take new
experiences like speaking in public in your stride. That is so
very important.
TIP 9: Improve your posture.
People with slumped shoulders and lethargic movements display deficiencies in self-confidence. The look like they aren’t enthusiastic about what they’re doing and they don’t consider themselves important either.
By practicing good posture, you’ll automatically feel more
confident. Stand up straight, keep your head up, and imagine you
really are a puppet on a string, being opened up from the tip of your head.
Don’t forget to create eye contact with people; outwardly flirt with
people you fancy!
You’ll create a positive impression on others and instantly feel more
alert, empowered and confident.
TIP 10: If everything else fails….
Accept your desire not to speak and accept your fears, but just “go with it” and look toward having a treat of some type afterwards. Just categorise the experience as something slightly unpleasant
and it will be over soon. BUT - it’s vitally important you keep these thoughts TO YOURSELF. If you do, most people find the speech goes perfectly, and even enjoy it, and wish to do it again for the thrill!
However, if you admit to the audience you're scared or
inexperienced; it puts them within an awkward position and also
reinforces your worries to yourself, making the feared situation
happen in reality!
Still concerned about building confidence?
Many people may find that any kind of public speaking or audio or
video recording causes these phones “dry up” so that their performance
is impaired. During the “performance” it is important to relax, not
rush answers and maintain a cool, professional approach.
It effects everyone differently, but maybe you’d benefit from taking a walk
or having a long break before a media interview. The last thing
you will need are immediate work worries on your mind before an
important TV, press or radio interview.
Keep in mind that during a recorded or live video or audio interview
you have to imagine that you are talking to just ONE person; your key
imagined “ideal viewer / listener”.
If you begin to think about your words going into thousands or
an incredible number of homes, it may seriously affect your confidence.
Even seasoned professionals play this mind trick to achieve a
personable, empathetic performance.
Preparation is paramount to building your confidence; not only on the
subject to be discussed, but it's important to remind yourself on:
• Your background.
• Your talent.
• Your achievements.
• Your talents.
• Your strengths.
• Why you were accepted for the current job.
• Why you were chosen to talk.
Let’s visit again that mental trick some theatrical actors use to
boost their confidence when waiting in the wings:
“I am Beautiful”; “Everybody Loves Me” & “I know a Secret”.
The final one is easy to explain. The last time you knew some
“office gossip” first, would have given you a lot of additional confidence
to chat to others about the knowledge you had just discovered.
So, it’s the same in a presentation…to repeat things i mentioned
above - YOU know something THEY don’t know. They would like to
hear what you need to say!
There’s your instant confidence! Good luck!
Peter Baker is a professional voiceover with a BBC and ITV news background has a broadcast quality studio in Cheshire, United Kingdom.
Check out his site at http://www.MaleVO.co.uk His e-mail is [email protected]
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