Present like you mean it

This is what I learnt from the lecture I attended in Salford University about giving successful presentation. I am also adding my own experience from teaching young students how to present, and from giving so many of them myself.

Here are FIVE steps for a GOOD presentation:

First thing is choosing a topic.

If the choice is all yours, pick something that you are interested in, you know so much about, AND something that interests the audience as well. If the topic is given to you, "make it work" and treat it as your own because you have to shine with it.

Second is RESEARCH,

and not only on the topic you got, but on the audience as well. Knowing your audience is a key. For instance, having children will be different than having adults, and having adults fresh from high school is also different from having adults with PHDs. So, take this to consideration, and make sure to have it as part of your research.

Third is Preparation. 

You have done your research, and you know all the key points. Now is the time to put it all together, and prepare for greatness.

• Have a consistent plan of your findings, and following this outline will be good to organize your thoughts:

1. Introduction
2. Summery of the main points (without giving everything away).
3. Body 1 + explanation, example, or statistics
4. Body 2 + explanation, example, or statistics
5. Body 3 + explanation, example, or statistics
6. Another summery to prepare for a conclusion, and in it make sure to touch on all the main points you mentioned above clearly just to remind the audience of what you said but without repetition.
7. Conclusion
8. Any questions part

• Make up your mind on how you'll present all the above. Do you want to use powerpoint? Big Boards? another program? it's really up to you. As long as your comfortable with the method you choose, you should be fine.
• NOTE: Please don't fill the slides, the boards, your notes or cards with loads of text and read it to the audience because it shows a lack of skill in presenting. Remember you are giving a presentation to show your abilities in talking and being comfortable around a crowd. Reading is a whole different skill, and I assure you that NO ONE appreciates a reader IN a presentation settings.

Fourth is Getting Ready.

Rehearse and practice your presentation because the day of the presentation you want to be READY not reading it for the first time. Read it to yourself OUT-LOUD and hear how you sound. For some reason practicing silently always feels right, but you can't know for sure till you hear yourself.

Fifth PRESENTING

If you feel nervous, just reassure yourself that you'll be fine. NO one is going to eat you, so take it easy and try to do your best. Just Face your audience, smile, be clear with a good tone of voice, and give it your all.

NOTE: eye contact is VERY important, but you don't have to look STRAIGHT into people's eyes, you can look at their foreheads or above their heads, and that will give the illusion that you are looking at that person.  

hope the above tips help you, wish you a successful presentations :)

Pitch Perfect: How to Give a Great Presentation

This is a summery of an awesome business lecture by: Gareth Palmer.
I attended it in the University of Salford part of their entrepreneurship series, hope you find it as helpful as I did! :)

The perfect pitch comes from focusing on FIVE main area
(each area start with a letter from the word PITCH)
Performance Imagination Tailoring Confidence Happiness

Performance:
Pitching an idea and presenting it is a performance, it's like giving a show to an audience; acting. All you have to do is commit and prepare. The problems that might face any performer are nerves; anxiety and expectation (the fear of what people expect from you). You just have to do your research, prepare, practice, and focus. Make sure it's NOT *just* the night before!     
The main point to succeed in preforming is focusing and you can do that by doing WFO (well formed outcome). Just Visualize your performance -in positive manner of course- and see the great outcome you want.    

NOTE: Smile, and your audience will smile back (it's a natural reflex). 

Imagination:
There are two ways to doing it:
1- association: imaging yourself; feel it; live the part.
2- disassociation: watch yourself mentally, and how you do it.
rehearse your performance by imagining in the 2 ways above (positively)
and while you are doing it squeeze your index and thump to make the imagination stick in your head (won't hurt trying it!)
Tailoring (plus technology):
Remember: FIRST IMPRESSIONS COUNT!
1- Clothes: the way you dress and tailor your appearance, and always dress better (example: if it's smart casual lean more into smart).
2- The design of the performance.
3- Audience: research them before you meet them, so you tailor your content towards them.
4- Check what worked in the past. There's no harm in reapplying success.
NOTE: While giving a group presentation make sure the number of presenters is right and the organization of people on stage.
NOTE: If you are giving a presentation, and you feel that people are locked up (their hands shielding their chests), then try opening them up (NOT PHYSICALLY) by giving open hand gesture. They will feel encouraged to mirror you.
Technology:
do you need it? don't just bring a powerpoint because you think you need one! asses the situation, maybe you'll do better without one.
NOTE: stick to bullet points and short phrases on slides NEVER a paragraph :O
Confidence:
There is a difference between BEING confident and ACTING confident and what you need is act it.
(fake it till you make it). Just think I am confident, and you will be.
VOICE: tone of voice plays in showing how confident you are. Always aim for deep slow tones (females might sound too sexy doing it, so practice to get it right). Be responsive in your voice NOT defensive.
BREATH: taking a breath will do you wonders.
try to breath from three areas: tummy, chest, and mouth.
Happiness:
be relaxed, and smiley, but without being too personal and jokey and better off refrain from joking. Imagine starting with a joke and the audience don't get it? nothing will be more embarrassing.
NOTE: When people are happy, their thinking slows down, and they tend to close DEALS! sooooo, make your audience happy, and you never know it might just work ;)

THE ELEVATOR PITCH/ LIFT PITCH
you got 60s to convince someone in an elevator/ a lift to get you a DEAL.
what you need to AIM for when you get a chance like this:
1- Introduce yourself/ hand shake
2- Compliment the person you want to pitch to.
3- Brief line about your pitch (this skin product will make a 10000 in a year & it's been tested, all I need is .... from you).
4- Give your card
5- Take his card to make an appointment.

REHEARSE, PRESENT, & PREFORM.