Presentation Tips

Presentation Tips


Drink Water

Before you give a speech, deliver a sales presentation or make phone calls - drink one to two glasses of water. It lubricates your vocal chords, helps your voice and gives you needed fluids that you lose while speaking. Lukewarm water is best. Cool water is OK. Ice water is not good for your vocal chords. Avoid dairy products because they create phlegm in your throat.


Move away from the lectern

When you address an audience move away from the lectern (often called the podium). Let them see you as more than just a talking head. You will be both more powerful and more connected to your audience. If you must see your notes then stand beside the lectern - and don’t lean on it. Stand strong.


Emphasize your name

While introducing yourself to one person or a group, emphasize your name, so they hear it, feel the respect you have for your name and remember it. State, “My name is (short pause) George (short pause) Torok (smile).” Say it loud enough to be heard. Most importantly - say it much slower than you normally do and smile. Make your name memorable

If your name is unusual, difficult to remember or pronounce, say it extra slow and repeat it, ‘Torok’. Help them remember it by adding, it sounds like ‘tore – rock.’ You might add, It means ‘Turk’ in Hungarian. Or you can call me ‘nickname’. If you can have fun with your name people will like you. If you make them laugh with you, they will remember you.


Stand and wait for everyone’s attention

Giving your 30-second presentation at a networking meeting? Stand, stop playing with your chair and wait till you have everyone’s attention before you speak. It might take a second or two. Then when you speak it makes your information seem more valuable - and they will hear you.


Use action verbs

Telling people what you do? Use action verbs and words that paint pictures of results. Avoid nouns ending in ‘tion’. Don’t say, “We are in the telecommunication business.” Instead try, ‘We install and maintain phone systems for small and medium sized business.” We specialize in designing customerfriendly systems for busy offices with unique needs.’ Use the word ‘specialize’ - it means you are special.




Executive Speech Coach, Business presentation tips from George Torok, the Speech Coach for Executives.

Power Presentations tip 20: Stage Presence

Power Presentations Tip 20:

Stage Presence


What is it?
Stage presence is that invisible quality that attracts the rapt attention of your audience. A presenter with strong stage presence receives higher credibility and more respect from the listeners.


Who has it?
Stage presence is hard to define but you recognize it when you see it. You might recognize performers, actors and public speakers who seem to have it. Anthony Hopkins demonstrated it in Silence of the Lambs. Stage actors seem to develop it more than TV and movie actors. David Copperfield has it on TV and especially in his live performances. Madonna flaunts it in her shows.


How do you develop your stage presence?
I think that it is best not to pursue it directly. Instead build your stage presence as a byproduct of other elements. I also believe that there is not one formula for stage presence. Depending on the individual and circumstances you can achieve stage presence with a different set of elements than someone else.


What are the elements of stage presence?
Probably the most important element is that you appear to be in control - of yourself, your presentation and the room. The perception of being in control is made of up other elements: warm smile, purposeful and fluid movement and good posture. Notice that these are visual cues to your audience. Look like you are in control and your audience will believe that you are in control.

Your voice can contribute to your stage presence. You should be easy to be heard and understand. A slower speaking pace usually strengthens your stage presence. Silence in the form of well placed pauses builds presence. A conversational tone helps.

Thought-provoking words indicate your comfort with the topic and aids the perception of being in control.

Noticing the people and things in the room and using them to your advantage further builds your stage presence.


Stage Presence. The next time you see it make note of the techniques that contribute to it.


George Torok
PS: Tell me how this tip helps you.

PPS: Thanks for your comments and feedback.




Feedback

"I appreciate the simplicity and usefulness of these categories. It's a persuasive to informative continuum going from why to what to how. It makes it clearer what the primary objective of a particular speech needs to be without excluding the importance the informative element in a persuasive speech or vice versa."

Steve Kultala
Communication Training Consultants "Getting results every time you speak!"
www.powerfulpresenter.com


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Secrets of Power Presentations by Peter Urs Bender

Executive Speech Coach, Business presentation tips from George Torok, the Speech Coach for Executives.

From stuttering to speaker’s podium

Here's an inspirational story about an individual overcoming a severe stuttering challenge.

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From stuttering to speaker’s podium

Reported in The Oakville Beaver

Author Charles Marcus of Oakville stuttered so much growing up, he could barely utter a few words — sometimes not speaking at all for long periods.

Today he is a motivational speaker and will stand up before the Shaarei-Beth El Congregation of Oakville to speak about — what else? — overcoming life’s obstacles.

Marcus will make his appearance at 2 p. m. on Sunday, April 19.

The Oakville resident grew up in Manchester, England. He was shy and self-conscious.
Now, as a bestselling author on success, Marcus is a motivational speaker and seminar leader who has travelled across Canada, the U. S., even Europe and Asia. Australia is next on his agenda.

Marcus has more than realized his dream — pondered in long periods of silence — of not only speaking fluently, but doing so in public.

Read the rest of this article at the Oakville Beaver.

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Visit the website for Charles Marcus

Charles Marcus is speaking at the Stimulate Your Business Summit

Executive Speech Coach, Business presentation tips from George Torok, the Speech Coach for Executives.

Power Presentation Tips 19: Answer Three Questions

Power Presentation Tips 19

Answer three questions

Most presentations are intended to asnswer at least one of three questions.

Why?
What?
How?

Why
This is the most difficult type of presentation and the most important type for leadership and sales.
The purpose of the presentation is to make a change. The change might mean a new direction for the company, a new method or a new supplier.
As the presenter you need to address the "why" questions in the minds of your listeners.
Those questions might include:
Why should I care?
Why should I change?
Why should I trust you?
Your listeners might not see the need or want the change. They might not believe there is a problem. You need to be dramatic to catch their attention and convince them that they have a problem. The way to do this is with visual and emotional props and language.

What
Your audience knows they have a problem or need and you are offering a solution. A report is another type of "what" presentation.
The questions might be:
What choices do we have?
What are the features and benefits?
What happened?
This could be as simple as a waiter presenting a menu to diners.The people know they want to eat but have yet to decide on their selection. The waiter describes the choices and might even recommend favorites.
A certain amount of detail is required to differentiate the choices. The words and visuals should be precise, colorful and descriptive.

How
This type of presentation is most likely a training session. It could also be the briefing for a team about to execute a plan.
The questions might be:
How will this work?
How can we do that?
How can I improve results?
By definition lots of detail is required. This could be the most boring type of presentation or the most exciting depending on the combination of the mindset of your listeners and your presentation delivery.
You will have more success with this type of presentation by employing props, printed material and multimedia. Audience interaction is more important. Stimulate all the senses to clairify the details and make them stick.
Depending on the purpose of your presentation one question will tend to dominate the minds of your listeners. Of course, most presentations will include all three of these questions to some degree.

George Torok
Presentation Skills Coach

PS: tell me how this tip helps you.

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Executive Speech Coach, Business presentation tips from George Torok, the Speech Coach for Executives.