Presentations

Fitness, Focus and Fashion - 3 Public Speaking Tips from a Broadway Show

Fitness, Focus and Fashion - 3 Public Speaking Tips from a Broadway Show

I absolutely love live theatre, both performing in shows and watching them. Recently I had the opportunity to see several shows on Broadway and three things came to mind with regard to what presenters can learn from the theatre...

Tips for Managing the Q&A Part of Your Presentation

Tips for Managing the Q&A Part of Your Presentation

Many people worry unnecessarily about asking an audience if they have any questions after their presentation. But as with everything else to do with presenting, you can prepare yourself to deal with them, and there are a number of reasons why a question and answer session is a good idea...

What to Do When Things Go Wrong During a Presentation

What to Do When Things Go Wrong During a Presentation

During any live performance there will inevitably be some on stage disasters; even with the best preparation there is always a possibility that something will go wrong. In this post I talk about the most common public speaking disasters and how to manage them...

How to Take Your Presentations From Good to Great

How to Take Your Presentations From Good to Great

During a recent Professional Speaking Association event Patricia Fripp, award-winning keynote speaker, business presentation expert, sales presentation skills trainer and in-demand speech coach, put presentations under the microscope and offered advice for how to make a good presentation great. Here is an overview of her top tips...

7 Simple Rules of the Stage for Presenters

7 Simple Rules of the Stage for Presenters

Many presenters are unaware of some of the basic rules of the stage so in this post I share with you some of the points you should take into consideration whenever you are in front of an audience...

9 Attention Grabbing Ways to Open a Presentation

9 Attention Grabbing Ways to Open a Presentation

During the first 30-60 seconds of your presentation, your audience will decide whether they like you and are interested in listening to what you have to say. It’s a very short time to draw people in and it’s important to ensure that you don’t waste those first few precious moments to effectively engage them so here are 9 attention grabbing ways to open your presentation...

7 Worst Ways to Open a Presentation

7 Worst Ways to Open a Presentation

The beginning of your presentation is the most crucial part and you have approximately 10 seconds for your audience to decide whether you are worth listening to. Here are the statements to avoid so that you avoid losing your audience before you begin...

5 Ways to Energise Your Presentation

5 Ways to Energise Your Presentation

If you think about speakers who really connect and truly engage an audience, there’s a good chance it will be those who bring an authentic energy, enthusiasm and excitement to their presentations. These qualities are infectious and they enable speakers to bring their audience on a journey with them. But how do you inject energy into your presentation? Here are five ways to infuse your talk with a liveliness that will have your audience captivated...

8 Tips for Remembering Your Presentation

8 Tips for Remembering Your Presentation

One of the biggest fears my clients have is about forgetting what they are going to say when public speaking and I am frequently asked for advice on how to memorise a speech or presentation. In this post I explore the different schools of thought about this and provide some suggestions on how to prepare effectively to remember your presentation...

5 Reasons Why Stories Help Your Presentations Sparkle

5 Reasons Why Stories Help Your Presentations Sparkle

People throughout the world have told stories for centuries - as a way of passing down history to the next generation, to share experiences, to teach children the skills of life and for pure entertainment. Here are five reasons why you should consider including stories in your next presentation...

How Fast is Too Fast When Delivering a Speech?

How Fast is Too Fast When Delivering a Speech?

I am often asked how many words should be included when drafting a speech. This can depend on a number of factors, not least the language being spoken and the culture in which it is spoken; speech rates can vary from region to region, person to person and even each time you speak. In this post, find out what impacts your rate of speech and how many words you should be aiming for if scripting your pitch or presentation...

The Power of Passion in Public Speaking

The Power of Passion in Public Speaking

One of the most memorable speeches I've heard was delivered by someone whose presentation wasn't particularly strong in any of the areas we would normally associate with a great speaker. But one element in her delivery stood out and ensured I have never forgotten her message... 

How to Make Your Speech Come Alive Using Subtext

How to Make Your Speech Come Alive Using Subtext

Famous Russian actor and theatre director, Constantin Stanislavski was quoted saying, ‘Spectators come to the theatre to hear the subtext.’ The use of subtext is used in acting to communicate so much more than just the words and the technique can also be used to give life and meaning to your presentations and connect with your audience on another level...

Tips for Presenting to Large Audiences

Tips for Presenting to Large Audiences

Speaking to a large audience is a privilege and an honour but it has additional challenges that you need to be aware of in order to deliver your message. In this post I share what to do (and not to do) when presenting to large numbers of people...