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Present effectively Magazine article
13.02.2024
Magazine category

Present effectively: Why it's so important and what it comes down to

We may all remember them from school, university or a business workshop: long-winded presentations without any moments of suspense, where your mind automatically switches off after 10 minutes at the latest. If you are now on the other side of the table and have to give a presentation, you can prepare well in advance and create a lasting experience for the audience. Read this article to find out what makes a good presentation, why effective presenting is so important and how you can learn it.

Why good presenting is so important

We live in an age where information is abundant and technology makes it possible to disseminate ideas via various channels 24/7. Especially in this environment, the art of effective presentation is of great importance. Good presentation is a tool for filtering content and information for relevance and conveying it in such a way that it is understood and remembered. Those who have mastered the art of presenting can also convince other people of something and get them excited about it. With the right presentation techniques, you can make complex concepts understandable and arouse emotions in your audience.

Effective presentation as a key competence in business

Presentation skills are not only helpful when speaking in front of an audience, but also in interpersonal communication. You can also argue more convincingly in discussions with colleagues, customers or clients and present your thoughts and ideas persuasively. This skill not only boosts your self-confidence, but also promotes your professional success.

Win the competition for attention

Even on the way to work, we are confronted with various influences and information. News streams from the radio, flashing billboards, full email calendars and various, sometimes superfluous meetings do the rest to ensure that our heads are literally full. Hardly anything from an average or long-winded presentation will stick. With the ability to present effectively, you have the tools in your hand to gain the attention of the audience and, above all, to keep it during the presentation.

What you can achieve if you present well

What is the concrete benefit to you or your company if you have mastered the art of presenting?

  • Power of persuasion
    You can convince people of a cause, an idea, a product or an investment through effective presentations.
  • Professional success
    In many professions and positions, professional success depends crucially on being able to present well. Professional presentation skills can help you to stand out positively in meetings or at customer appointments - in management positions, this makes you an excellent role model for the entire team.
  • Self-confidence
    You need self-confidence to speak in front of people and then achieve the goals of your presentation. Only if you are convinced of yourself and your presentation skills can you inspire others.
  • Effective communication: Presentations allow you to convey complex information in an understandable way. By using visual aids such as slides or graphics, your message will come across clearly and comprehensibly to your audience.
  • Attract attention
    A professional and convincing presentation grabs the attention of your audience - even if it's the fifth appointment of the day. You can motivate the audience to really engage with the content of the presentation instead of just looking at the clock and taking nothing away from the presentation.
  • Networking
    Those who have mastered the ability to convince with words can often expand their network much faster. Professionals will approach you and seek a mutual exchange. It is easier for you to make contacts.
  • Personal development
    Regularly practising and improving your presentation skills not only contributes to your professional success, but also promotes your own personal development. You will learn to structure your thoughts clearly and communicate them convincingly.

These are the most common presentation errors

There are very few people who are born with the ability to present effectively. It often involves an intensive study of various presentation techniques and a long process of learning and practicing. Those who give an impromptu presentation often make typical mistakes.

Boring introduction: With a boring, monotonous introduction, you will lose at least half of the audience right from the start, who will switch off immediately. Their interest in the presentation is lost before the presentation has even begun. With a captivating and exciting introduction, on the other hand, you can capture the audience and make them curious about what awaits them in the presentation to come.

Lack of preparation: Insufficient preparation is one of the biggest mistakes you can make during a presentation. The presentation becomes unstructured, important information is missing and the audience quickly loses the thread.

Overloaded slides: Too much information on one slide overwhelms the audience and also distracts from the core message. Slides should always be clear and concise and focus on the really important points.

Lack of interaction: A presentation should not just be a monologue, but should also offer room for interaction. Speakers often completely ignore the audience instead of involving them through questions, discussions or other interactive elements, for example.

Unclear message: A presentation should convey a clear message that is easy for the audience to understand. If the message is confusing or unclear, you will create confusion and disinterest.

Poor posture and gestures: The speaker's posture and gestures play an important role in how the message is perceived by the audience. An insecure posture or exaggerated gestures often cost the audience confidence and distract from the actual presentation.

Time management problems: Your audience's attention span is not infinite. You should therefore always set yourself a schedule for your presentation so that the talk doesn't get out of hand. A time marker can also help you to control your speaking time so that you don't speak too quickly or too slowly.

Stand with your back to the audience: It happens quickly that speakers tend to stand with their backs to the audience in order to have a better view of their own slides. However, in order to present effectively, it is important to maintain eye contact and adopt an open posture.

There are many more typical traps that inexperienced speakers tend to fall into by mistake. For example, the use of technical terms that are incomprehensible to the audience.

What presentation techniques are there?

There are many more ways to present content than just putting up slides or reading from a sheet of paper. In addition to technical aids, a good presentation also requires important rhetorical skills.

You can use these technical aids for your presentation:

Most presentations today are supported by modern software, such as PowerPoint from Microsoft or Keynote from Apple. These programs offer you extensive options for making your presentations visually appealing and inserting graphics, diagrams and animations in addition to text. There are also additional features for designing slide layouts as well as fade-in effects and animations.

Of course, you can also use tried and tested analog aids. These include blackboards, whiteboards and flipcharts. These are particularly suitable for recording spontaneous ideas, making sketches or responding to questions from your audience.

Also make full use of the rhetorical stylistic devices

Facial expressions and gestures play an important role in a presentation. To make your presentation more lively and win over the audience, you can use a variety of aids.

  • Rhetorical devices: These include stylistic devices such as metaphors, comparisons or vivid examples with which you stimulate the listener's imagination. This allows you to convey your message much more forcefully.
  • Body language: You convey an important message to your audience through your body language - it is a central component of communication. An open and confident posture, appropriate eye contact and authentic gestures strengthen the confidence and credibility of the speaker.
  • Speech tempo and pauses
    Hardly anything is more monotonous in a presentation than a constant speech tempo. A variable speaking tempo and targeted pauses help you to control your audience's attention and emphasize important points. By deliberately slowing down or speeding up the pace of your speech, you can keep the tension high and hold your audience's attention.
  • Surprise effects: Incorporate occasional surprise effects such as unexpected anecdotes or humorous interludes into your presentation to make it more dynamic.

The melody of your voice can also create tension. You can consciously raise and lower your voice, become louder or quieter.

Also pay attention to the correct breathing technique when presenting

Many inexperienced speakers do not realize how important their breathing is while speaking. When nervous, most people tend to breathe very shallowly into their chest. This sign of your nervousness is also transmitted to the audience. Instead, you should concentrate on abdominal breathing. Deep, drawn-out breaths relax your solar plexus and your body and mind can also calm down. If you notice that you are breathing incorrectly during the presentation, simply take a rhetorical pause. This allows you to take a few deep, calming breaths without your audience noticing. After this pause, you can seamlessly continue with your presentation.

Good preparation is half the battle

In order to gain the necessary confidence for your presentation, you should prepare it well and think carefully about how you want to deliver it. Take enough time to research the content, develop a central theme and finally put your presentation through its paces to check for superfluous, incomprehensible and overly complex content.

Think about a successful introduction in which you introduce the topic on the one hand and captivate the audience directly on the other. Develop opportunities for interaction with your audience in advance, which you can incorporate into your presentation at regular intervals. It can also help to check out the location in advance if you are invited to give a presentation in a new venue. You can then familiarize yourself with the conditions and know what to expect on site.

A little tip: If possible, you should avoid using lecterns and podiums. This way you are much closer to your audience.

How can you learn to present effectively?

The best way to learn how to present is in a safe environment that allows you to develop your skills and practise and consolidate various presentation techniques. It is worth seeking the support of experienced coaches or trainers who can offer you opportunities tailored to your needs to improve your presentation skills.

Learn to present effectively in a presentation training course

The Stage Academy offers you individual presentation training to improve your personal impact on the audience. You will learn how to successfully present your ideas to an audience. The training takes a holistic approach, giving you the most important tools to captivate your audience.

Central contents of the presentation training:

  • Learning important presentation techniques
  • Dealing with stage fright
  • Optimal time management
  • Dealing with criticism and feedback
  • Behavior in the event of unexpected faults
  • Conveying clear messages
  • Conscious control of body language

This is a 1-to-1 training session that lasts approx. 90 minutes and takes place digitally via MS Teams or Zoom. This allows you to plan your appointment flexibly and benefit from theoretical input and helpful feedback.

The benefits of presentation training

Anyone who has to speak in front of an audience or (regularly) give a presentation will benefit from presentation training. You won't get general tips here, but coaching that is tailored to your individual needs and picks you up exactly where you are at the moment. After an initial analysis of your current presentation skills, you will carry out a practical exercise and receive honest feedback and tips that you can quickly put into practice.

Central contents of the presentation training:

  • Self-confident appearance
  • Development of clear structures for the presentation
  • Authentic charisma
  • Use of facial expressions and gestures
  • Dealing with nervousness
  • Needs of the target group
  • Good time management
  • Dealing with unforeseen situations

Conclusion: Effective presentations are an important building block for success in your career

Hardly any manager can avoid presenting something from time to time. The good news is that even if you are not the kind of person who walks into a room and immediately enjoys undivided attention, you can learn and practise presenting. In addition to good preparation, it is important that you use both technical and rhetorical stylistic devices and develop a good breathing technique.  

The Stage Academy also offers you professional presentation training and presentation coaching that will prepare you perfectly for your next performance. Thanks to location-independent online appointments, you remain as flexible as possible and can schedule the coaching sessions whenever you have time. You benefit from coaches with many years of experience who will give you individual attention in 1-to-1 training sessions. You will benefit from the tips and best practices for the rest of your life.

We wish you every success with your next presentation!

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