10 Ways To Improve Your Presentation Skills.

Presentations are one of the most difficult things you will ever have to do as a professional or student. You're presenting to someone else, and that level of etiquette just doesn't exist in today's society. You are expected to be polished and professional, but not too polished.

First impressions matter, so it's important for you to keep your audience engaged throughout the entire presentation. Here are 10 ways to improve your presentation skills and ensure you look like the professional or expert that you are.

1. Know Your Audience

The first thing you should do before you even think about the presentation itself, is to know your audience. You don't want to be so focused on your presentation that you forget they're in the room with you. So take a few minutes to deeply ponder who they are and what they're looking for. Why are they there? What are their key questions? What facts or information could help them make a decision or an action?

2. Understand Your Purpose

Once you've done the research, figure out why you're giving this presentation in the first place remember it's partly for them, so although this is not a sales pitch, it's still important to tell them why it was created. What's the point of having this presentation? If you're going to give them a piece of information, make sure it's backed up with real examples. You don't want to confuse them with too much information, so stick to the facts as much as possible.

3. Write Down Your Notes

This is a big one. Write down your notes before you even walk into the room and keep that piece of paper with you at all times while speaking even if only in your head. It's very easy to get lost in an argument or misinformation that can come from our own interpretation of what we've read and heard. When you're on stage, you have the advantage of a pause button, but if you don't have anything written down or memorized, you might find yourself forgetting the important information.

4. Feedback Is Important

By now, I'm sure most of us are familiar with the concept of peer review this is when someone else reviews your work to ensure it meets their standards. As professionals and students, we know that feedback is critical. Don't take this lightly. Ask your professor or professor's assistant if they had any what they think and let them give you suggestions or feedback on your presentation. If nothing else, let them know it's appreciated and help them get better as well.

5. Don't Waste Your Time

There will always be at least one person in the room who doesn't care about what you have to say or doesn't have time to listen. Don't waste your time. Instead, look at them while they're looking away and start summing up your speech to yourself. You don't want to be caught off guard or confused when you're asked a question that needs a quick answer. If it makes sense, write down the question on your notecard and answer it for yourself during the pause or transition.

6. Remember What You're Here to Do

You're here to give them information. The purpose of this presentation is to inform them, so make sure you are constantly doing that from start to finish if possible. Never forget what you're here for and keep that in mind when you step on stage. Don't let yourself get distracted or sidetracked. You've been prepared well and are ready to deliver the information they need to hear, but remember you're always in control of the presentation whether you like it or not.

7. Get Your Audience Involved

Don't just ask questions at the end of a presentation unless your audience is encouraged to ask them during the course of the presentation. You want their opinion and it's proven that people are more likely to give you feedback by participation rather than as an afterthought. After you're finished with your presentation, offer them an opportunity to ask questions and make it clear that they can leave with actionable information if they really need it. You'll get a lot more out of your presentation this way.

8. Keep Your Eye on The Prize

As mentioned above, there will always be someone who isn't paying attention or someone who doesn't care what you have to say. You could spend the whole presentation staring at them while they're looking away, acting like they're not there, but what's the point? They don't care. Focus on the people who are there to listen to you and make sure they're getting what they came for.

9. Keep Your Edge But Never Lose Your Temper

You should always remain professional and unbelievably polite you can be stern, but never rude. If you feel yourself getting frustrated or angry with people for any reason, walk away from that moment. Take a deep breath or take a break and make sure you re enter when you feel more in control. This will save you from embarrassing yourself or wasting time when it doesn't need to be wasted.

10. Write It All Down

If you wrote it down on your notecard, say it. Don't use your notes to read from like a script. Review the main points of what you're doing, but speak off the top of your head. If you need to read something, then that's fine. But make sure you still memorize and focus more on interacting with the audience than reading from a piece of paper. Your presentation should be comprised of 70% talking and 30% reading preferably less.

In Conclusion

There are many ways to prepare for a presentation and it all depends on what you're presenting, how long it will take to do, how much time you have, and what you need to get done. The most important thing is to be organized and prepared. This is an event that requires a lot of preparation so make sure you are prepared.

Schedule some extra time if your presentation will take longer than usual be honest with yourself, and don't forget to do the research beforehand, which can sometimes feel like homework but it's very important in being empathetic and understanding your audience.