Did you know that around 8 out of 10 people have a fear of public speaking?
Although most people can relate to getting anxious before a big presentation, not many people are fortunate enough to avoid public speaking entirely throughout their lifetime. If you’re someone who can’t escape their fear, you might as well try to conquer it.
Do you want to know how to give a good presentation? Keep reading for 5 tips that will help you develop good presentation skills.
1. Practice in Front of a Trusted Audience
One of the most important public speaking tips is to practice until you feel like you can give your presentation in your sleep. The more familiar you are with your presentation, the less likely you are to stutter, forget what you’re saying, or feel like you’re not ready. When you have the chance to practice in front of a small group, you can refine your skills and see if they’re engaged.
The best practice audiences are ones that can give you suggestions so you can leave an impression on your future audiences.
2. Engage Your Audience With Eye Contact
If you want to know how to be a good public speaker, you need to make your audience your priority. Lots of public speakers can be quirky or make mistakes and still end up giving incredible presentations because they’re entertaining. The best way to engage your audience is to have the courage to look as many people calmly in the eye while you speak so everyone feels included.
3. Focus on Your Body Language
One of the best presentation tips is to adjust your body language so that you can look more confident. Oftentimes you’ll notice that looking confident will help you feel more confident, too. It’s always great to walk around a bit, move your hands, and adopt a powerful stance as long as your movements don’t take away too much attention from what you’re saying.
4. Be Mindful of How You Speak
People who are nervous tend to speak fast, stutter, mumble, and make unhelpful interjections like “Uhh.” While you’re practicing, you should not only be mindful of what you’re saying but how you’re saying it. Pay extra attention to your speed and inflection so you can connect with your audience.
5. Use Visual Aids If Possible
Visual aids like PowerPoint are helpful for two reasons. Your audience will have interesting images to look at while you speak and you can feel more relaxed knowing that everyone won’t be staring at you the whole time. While you’re preparing your visual aids, make sure that everything you’re showing adds something meaningful to your presentation without being distracting.
Are You Ready to Be Known for Your Good Presentation Skills?
If you’re someone who wants to have good presentation skills, following these tips can turn you into an excellent public speaker in no time.
Are you passionate about reaching your full potential? If so, make sure you take some time to explore the rest of our site to find more expert educational guides that will help you thrive.