blog
5 tips for your face to face communications – specifically presentations
Jan 11, 2018 |
Presenting tips
In this age where most of us spend our working day communicating through emails and our personal time communicating via Instagram, Snapchat, Whatsapp and text – how significant is face to face communication?
Well, according to a study at Harvard, face to face communication is 34 times more successful than an email.
That’s fairly significant, don’t you think?
So, when you are communicating to a group of people, be it to your team, the board, at a conference or in a pitch – you really want to make sure that you hit the mark.
The tips below focus on helping you with your delivery of the message.
1. Water, water but never milk!
Okay so, this is a bit random – but it is important!
Never drink milk before a presentation as it coats your vocal chords and impedes your vocal impact. Sip water regularly (at least every 5 minutes) – if you feel thirsty you are already dehydrated.
Sipping water also allows you time to pause during your presentation, and if...
Well, according to a study at Harvard, face to face communication is 34 times more successful than an email.
That’s fairly significant, don’t you think?
So, when you are communicating to a group of people, be it to your team, the board, at a conference or in a pitch – you really want to make sure that you hit the mark.
The tips below focus on helping you with your delivery of the message.
1. Water, water but never milk!
Okay so, this is a bit random – but it is important!
Never drink milk before a presentation as it coats your vocal chords and impedes your vocal impact. Sip water regularly (at least every 5 minutes) – if you feel thirsty you are already dehydrated.
Sipping water also allows you time to pause during your presentation, and if...
3 Funerals and a Wedding
Recently I was approached by 2 people with the same need but for completely different reasons. One of these was a man whose daughter was getting married. The other, also a man, had 3 people he knew with terminal illnesses. Both of them knew they would have to speak in emotional circumstances.
While shedding a tear or 2 is of course acceptable (and healthy) both of these clients felt they needed some help to ensure that they would not lose control.
As with all things, there isn’t a “one size fits all” solution. Below is a random sample of techniques that may help you if you are in a similar situation:
Breathing
Both before and during the speaking event it can be helpful to engage some deep breathing techniques.
There is a simple breathing exercise that can help hugely when feeling nervous or anxious. When I do this breathing exercise (even when I am not feeling anxious) my heart rate consistently falls by 10%.
So, here it is – breathe in slowly for a cou...
While shedding a tear or 2 is of course acceptable (and healthy) both of these clients felt they needed some help to ensure that they would not lose control.
As with all things, there isn’t a “one size fits all” solution. Below is a random sample of techniques that may help you if you are in a similar situation:
Breathing
Both before and during the speaking event it can be helpful to engage some deep breathing techniques.
There is a simple breathing exercise that can help hugely when feeling nervous or anxious. When I do this breathing exercise (even when I am not feeling anxious) my heart rate consistently falls by 10%.
So, here it is – breathe in slowly for a cou...
Top tips to be more engaging in your business presentations
Sep 15, 2017 |
Presenting tips
|business presentations, communication tips, Presenting tips, PUBLIC SPEAKING |
When you stand up and speak in a presentation, listeners will form an opinion of you, your product or service and your organisation, based on how you are coming across. Come across as dull and boring – then that is the impression you leave them with of your organisation. On the other hand, come across as engaging and they will be more likely to seek you out.
Below are our top 10 tips, which recently appeared in the Sunday Business Post, that can help you to be a more engaging presenter in your next business presentation.
1. What about “them”? The most important element in any presentation is “them”, your audience. Before you put pen to paper or finger to keyboard you need to find out all you can about them and what they want to get from your presentation. The better you understand them, their attitude and their world, the better chance you have of engaging with them.
2. Begin with the end in mind. What is the purpose of the presentation? This should be cryst...
Below are our top 10 tips, which recently appeared in the Sunday Business Post, that can help you to be a more engaging presenter in your next business presentation.
1. What about “them”? The most important element in any presentation is “them”, your audience. Before you put pen to paper or finger to keyboard you need to find out all you can about them and what they want to get from your presentation. The better you understand them, their attitude and their world, the better chance you have of engaging with them.
2. Begin with the end in mind. What is the purpose of the presentation? This should be cryst...
How to read a presentation without sending the audience to sleep!
Aug 30, 2017 |
Presenting tips
|communication tips, PRESENTATION TIPS, Presenting tips, PUBLIC SPEAKING TIPS |
We all know that we shouldn’t read a presentation or speech. It’s not ideal and you could end up disconnecting from your audience; it is better to deliver a presentation as a conversation.
However, sometimes for legal, policy or other reasons it is necessary to read verbatim.
The presentation tips below have been selected from a longer list and mainly focus on the ones that enable you to maintain eye contact, which is arguably the principal challenge when reading a speech.
1. Type the speech on the upper 2/3 of the page. This will make eye contact easier as you have a shorter distance to raise your head.
2. Begin with first 2 pages side by side. As you reach the end of the first page slide the 2nd page on top of the first. This prevents the paper from shuffling and becoming a distraction.
3. Pace your looking down and looking up. Always ensure that your eyes are up at the end of a sentence.
4. Avoid breaking sentences over pages. This will al...
However, sometimes for legal, policy or other reasons it is necessary to read verbatim.
The presentation tips below have been selected from a longer list and mainly focus on the ones that enable you to maintain eye contact, which is arguably the principal challenge when reading a speech.
1. Type the speech on the upper 2/3 of the page. This will make eye contact easier as you have a shorter distance to raise your head.
2. Begin with first 2 pages side by side. As you reach the end of the first page slide the 2nd page on top of the first. This prevents the paper from shuffling and becoming a distraction.
3. Pace your looking down and looking up. Always ensure that your eyes are up at the end of a sentence.
4. Avoid breaking sentences over pages. This will al...
PowerPoint Presentations: Top 3 things that annoy audiences most
Jun 28, 2017 |
Presenting tips
|business presentations, communicating with confidence, powerpoint tips |
According to a survey conducted in 2015 by Dave Paradi of Think Outside The Slide, the top 3 things that annoy audiences most about PowerPoint presentations are:
1. Speaker reads the slides
2. Full sentences instead of bullet points
3. Text too small
If you look at these 3 reasons they all point to the same issue – lack of preparation by the speaker!
If the speaker knew their topic they would show a few key words on each slide, could therefore increase font size and would not need to read from the slides.
Remember that slides are not there to replace you!
Don’t let your PowerPoint take centre stage – your slides are used as a visual aid to enhance your message / presentation not actually be your presentation.
Garr Reynolds in his book Zen Presentations recommends using 7 words per slide, not per line, per slide! That might sound a bit extreme but it is definitely worth thinking about …..
Bonus Tip: 36.9% of people surveyed above also found that visua...
1. Speaker reads the slides
2. Full sentences instead of bullet points
3. Text too small
If you look at these 3 reasons they all point to the same issue – lack of preparation by the speaker!
If the speaker knew their topic they would show a few key words on each slide, could therefore increase font size and would not need to read from the slides.
Remember that slides are not there to replace you!
Don’t let your PowerPoint take centre stage – your slides are used as a visual aid to enhance your message / presentation not actually be your presentation.
Garr Reynolds in his book Zen Presentations recommends using 7 words per slide, not per line, per slide! That might sound a bit extreme but it is definitely worth thinking about …..
Bonus Tip: 36.9% of people surveyed above also found that visua...
5 slightly obscure presentation tips
Mar 01, 2017 |
Presenting tips
Below are our top 5 presentation skills tips — albeit slightly obscure ones — to help you before and during your presentation…
1. Water, water but never milk! Never drink milk before a presentation as it coats your vocal chords and impedes your vocal impact. Sipping water allows there to be silence in the room; pausing is one of the most powerful tools when presenting. It allows your audience to digest what you have just said and it also gives you a chance to think what you will say next.
2. Get that chin parallel. If you keep your chin parallel to the ground it ensures you are not tilting your head downwards and projecting your voice to the floor. It also ensures that you do not tilt your chin upwards which can give the impression you are looking down your nose at your audience.
3. Clench your buttocks. Yes, that was not a misprint, clench your buttocks. This is a great exercise to do when you feel nervous – immediately your focus is taken from your ner...
1. Water, water but never milk! Never drink milk before a presentation as it coats your vocal chords and impedes your vocal impact. Sipping water allows there to be silence in the room; pausing is one of the most powerful tools when presenting. It allows your audience to digest what you have just said and it also gives you a chance to think what you will say next.
2. Get that chin parallel. If you keep your chin parallel to the ground it ensures you are not tilting your head downwards and projecting your voice to the floor. It also ensures that you do not tilt your chin upwards which can give the impression you are looking down your nose at your audience.
3. Clench your buttocks. Yes, that was not a misprint, clench your buttocks. This is a great exercise to do when you feel nervous – immediately your focus is taken from your ner...
Truth hurts… but not in the long run
We are delighted to have our founder’s brother, Sean McMahon, doing a guest post about how honesty is always the best policy, especially when it comes to presenting and public speaking…
We are now living in the era of “fake news” and “new truth” where just by saying something makes it so. I much preferred the good old days (i.e. pre-2016) when honesty and truth meant that a fact was real and could be relied upon as being true and correct. Having worked in Financial Services for over 26 years the truth is something that I rely upon every day especially in my interaction with customers and colleagues.
It didn’t take me long to figure out that trying to bluff your way around a subject with a customer when dealing with their money would only end in tears, be this in a presentation or even in a conversation.
Customers found it perfectly acceptable for me to say that I didn’t have the answer to a question and appreciated the fact that I wasn’t trying to pull the woo...
We are now living in the era of “fake news” and “new truth” where just by saying something makes it so. I much preferred the good old days (i.e. pre-2016) when honesty and truth meant that a fact was real and could be relied upon as being true and correct. Having worked in Financial Services for over 26 years the truth is something that I rely upon every day especially in my interaction with customers and colleagues.
It didn’t take me long to figure out that trying to bluff your way around a subject with a customer when dealing with their money would only end in tears, be this in a presentation or even in a conversation.
Customers found it perfectly acceptable for me to say that I didn’t have the answer to a question and appreciated the fact that I wasn’t trying to pull the woo...
5 tips for creating a fantastic first impression
Nov 10, 2016 |
blog, Other, Pitching, Presenting tips
|business presentations, communicating with confidence, corporate presentatins, Presenting tips |
“How long does it take to create a first impression?”
Two minutes? Twenty seconds? Two seconds? Some psychologists* would suggest that the length is as short as one tenth of a second. Therefore, before you have opened your mouth the audience are beginning to form an impression.
So whether you are delivering a high impact business presentation, delivering a presentation at a conference or even a sales presentation, here are a few simple tips to ensure that when you are presenting, you create a fantastic first impression.
1. Dress for the occasion
Bearing in mind that the first impression has already begun before you even open your mouth, what you wear really does count.
Two words can address the whole issue of dress code – dress appropriately. By researching your audience you should have a good idea of what “appropriate” is for the occasion. Business casual will usually suffice for those in the IT industry, while in the legal world a full suit and tie...
Two minutes? Twenty seconds? Two seconds? Some psychologists* would suggest that the length is as short as one tenth of a second. Therefore, before you have opened your mouth the audience are beginning to form an impression.
So whether you are delivering a high impact business presentation, delivering a presentation at a conference or even a sales presentation, here are a few simple tips to ensure that when you are presenting, you create a fantastic first impression.
1. Dress for the occasion
Bearing in mind that the first impression has already begun before you even open your mouth, what you wear really does count.
Two words can address the whole issue of dress code – dress appropriately. By researching your audience you should have a good idea of what “appropriate” is for the occasion. Business casual will usually suffice for those in the IT industry, while in the legal world a full suit and tie...
How to lose listeners & alienate your audience!
Oct 06, 2016 |
Presenting tips
“How do I start my presentation?” is a question we are asked all the time. Whether it’s addressing a large audience at a conference or presenting to a small team at work, if you get the opening wrong you could end up losing the audience before you begin!
Below are 5 ways NOT to open your presentation:
1. Wear a long gloomy face
Definitely do not smile. If you do there may be a risk of them thinking you are an open, friendly person and you definitely can’t have that!
2. Tell a filthy inappropriate joke
It’s generally quite difficult to tell a “normal” joke well in front of an audience, let alone a filthy one! Remember not everyone has the same sense of humour as you, and you could end up offending the audience before you start!
3. Apologise for your boring topic…
… and make sure you do it in a dull, monotone voice. This gives them a licence to snooze, check their emails or start tweeting about what a rubbish presenter you are.
4. Ask...
Below are 5 ways NOT to open your presentation:
1. Wear a long gloomy face
Definitely do not smile. If you do there may be a risk of them thinking you are an open, friendly person and you definitely can’t have that!
2. Tell a filthy inappropriate joke
It’s generally quite difficult to tell a “normal” joke well in front of an audience, let alone a filthy one! Remember not everyone has the same sense of humour as you, and you could end up offending the audience before you start!
3. Apologise for your boring topic…
… and make sure you do it in a dull, monotone voice. This gives them a licence to snooze, check their emails or start tweeting about what a rubbish presenter you are.
4. Ask...
How to read a speech and still have an impact – 5 tips to help you do it better.
Jun 28, 2016 |
Presenting tips
You probably know that it is not ideal to read a speech or presentation.
However, there are occasions that for legal or other reasons you may need to read verbatim. These other occasions include potentially emotional situations such as at a wedding or a funeral where we want to do a really good job but fear our emotions might get in the way.
This can be challenging, particularly if it is something you have never had to do before.
This short video gives 5 tips on how you can read from a script and still deliver with impact.
Enjoy!
...
However, there are occasions that for legal or other reasons you may need to read verbatim. These other occasions include potentially emotional situations such as at a wedding or a funeral where we want to do a really good job but fear our emotions might get in the way.
This can be challenging, particularly if it is something you have never had to do before.
This short video gives 5 tips on how you can read from a script and still deliver with impact.
Enjoy!
...