Presentation Basics - Is There A Purpose?

In this presentation basics post I talk about knowing your purpose of your presentation and why that is important.

When there is no purpose to a presentation it is like a ship without a rudder - you and you audience ultimately go nowhere and nothing is achieved.

The selection of the purpose will help determine the type of presentation you give and the materials needed to support it.

The presentation basics purposes I have identified are - to inform, to explain, to persuade or to entertain the audience. In helping determine the purpose it is important to consider - What response do I want the audience to take after the speech? It could be buy something, give money to a charity, to understand quantum physics?

To summarise this presentation basics post is know what you want to achieve with your presentation and be more productive.

Presentation Basics of Preparation Build Confidence

I have identified 5 presentation basics of presentation preparation.

Being thoroughly prepared helps to build confidence you have both in your ability to present and in content you are to present.

The presentation basics I have identified for preparation are;

1. Know your purpose - there must be a good reason to present or you will every-one's time
2. Know your audience - this basic plays a big part in determining the presentation you are to give
3. Know your subject - if you haven't mastered your subject how can you hope to master your audience
4. Write and design your presentation - includes what you will say and any visual aids you will use including PowerPoint slides
5. Practice - there are big benefits to helping to speak up confidence and effective presentation

Over my next posts I will provide more detail on the presentation basics of preparation.

Presentation Basics To Overcome Fear of Presenting

In this post in my series on presentation basics I discuss some tips to overcome presentation fear.

The basic tips to overcome public speaking anxiety are:

1. Focus on the presentation basics of preparation
2. Visualize a successful outcome - a well-received and effective presentation.
3. Practice relaxation techniques - e.g. deep breathing exercises, stretching or going for a short walk to relieve tension
4. Downplay the importance of the presentation - everyone started somewhere and you are doing the best you can
5. Remember you will feel more anxious than you appear to the audience
6. For your first appearance keep it brief
7. Take every opportunity you can to present to build confidence

This can be the most difficult of the presentation basics to master. The other presentation basics will help you overcome the presentation fear and come to enjoy presenting.re

Presentation Basics Fear

Next of the presentation basics is to manage the fear of presentations, also known as public speaking anxiety, jitters, nerves or shakes.

There are a number of descriptions of presentation fear, and this is because most people suffer or have suffered from this affliction. Most effective presenters and public speakers today have managed this anxiety and now use it spur them on to give a successful presentation.

It is not a fear we are born with. We are born with only two fears - fear of loud noises and fear of falling. Basically because of this it is possible for most people to overcome it, as evidenced by the speakers who have overcome it in the past.

The presentation basic here is that presentation fear is able to overcome, so don't let it hold you back. In the next presentation basics post I will discuss ideas to overcome presentation fear.

Presentation Basics Structure

The first of the presentation basics is - a simple structure is all that is needed for an effective presentation.

It is simply that there is a beginning, a middle and an end to the presentation. It is all that is needed to give a successful presentation. Anything more complicated may confuse the presenter and their audience. An effective presentation is a presentation that effectively conveys the ideas and information of the presenter to the audience.

There are many examples of this way of organizing communication - books, reports, plays etc.

An effective use of this structure in a basic but good presentation is to use the 3 parts to;-

1. Tell 'em what you are going to tell 'em
2. Tell 'em
3. Tell 'em what you just told 'em

The presentation basics principle here is not to have an overcomplicated the structure and layout of the presentation. Anything too complicated can confuse the audience and reduce the effectiveness of the presentation.

Presentation Basics

Getting presentation basics right will help a presenter immensely in becoming a more effective presenter.

Good presentation skills are highly respected and much in demand by organizations. It is worth while to the individual to understand and apply the presentation basics. In many career paths, effective presentation skills are a requirement for advancement over a certain level. Good technical skills can only take you so far.

The presentation basics can be broken into 4 fundamental areas:-

1. The basic structure of effective presentations - the power of 3
2. Fear of presentations - understanding and managing public speaking anxiety
3. Presentation preparation - developing the presentation - the speech and PowerPoint slides
4. Giving the presentation - gestures, appearance and voice expression

Mastery of the fundamental presentation basics will help improve confidence in presenting, speaking up in meetings, interviews and in day to day conversations.