communication tips
6 tips to help your group presentations be a dream – not a nightmare!
May 31, 2020 |
Presenting tips
|business presentations, communication tips, group presentations, PRESENTATION TIPS, Presenting tips, team presentations |
A large proportion of the presentation skills masterclasses we carry out in-company tend to be for individuals within a team. These individuals want to give their presentation skills a serious overhaul to bring them to the next level. Or in some instances, individuals on the team are giving their own presentation at a conference, all hands, quarterly business review or other internal or external event and want to be at their absolute best.
However, more and more, we find clients approaching us to work with teams of people who would not ordinarily present.
Why so?
Well, the main reason is that quite often clients, or prospective clients, want to see more than a salesperson. They want to see the people who they will deal with, day to day and week to week, in the course of transacting their business. Whether that is an outsourced IT team, auditors or a creative team.
Presenting as a group raises certain issues that you need to address so that your team comes across as a cohesive T...
However, more and more, we find clients approaching us to work with teams of people who would not ordinarily present.
Why so?
Well, the main reason is that quite often clients, or prospective clients, want to see more than a salesperson. They want to see the people who they will deal with, day to day and week to week, in the course of transacting their business. Whether that is an outsourced IT team, auditors or a creative team.
Presenting as a group raises certain issues that you need to address so that your team comes across as a cohesive T...
Leo, leading by example, staying calm under pressure!
Mar 25, 2020 |
Other, Presenting tips
|communication tips, Presenting tips, PUBLIC SPEAKING TIPS, speech, St Patrick's Day Speech |
On 17th March at 9pm, like many other Irish families we sat, with more than a touch of trepidation as we waited for a speech from our Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar.
As the Taoiseach himself noted, this was a St Patrick’s Day we would all remember, with no parties and no parades. However, his speech was also a part of this St Patrick’s Day that we shall always remember.
So, what made this speech so memorable?
1. Opening and immediately connecting
Being St Patrick’s Day – it was appropriate to open with a greeting in Irish to wish everyone a Happy St Patrick’s Day – Lá Fhéile Pádraig shona daoibh.
However, he immediately connected by moving swiftly on to what was on all of our minds. Namely, it is St Patrick’s Day, and here we were sitting in front of the TV watching him, as opposed to either partying ourselves, or watching highlights of the parades and other people partying.
So, from the start, he had us hooked in to what he had to say.
Takeaway: When we have to de...
As the Taoiseach himself noted, this was a St Patrick’s Day we would all remember, with no parties and no parades. However, his speech was also a part of this St Patrick’s Day that we shall always remember.
So, what made this speech so memorable?
1. Opening and immediately connecting
Being St Patrick’s Day – it was appropriate to open with a greeting in Irish to wish everyone a Happy St Patrick’s Day – Lá Fhéile Pádraig shona daoibh.
However, he immediately connected by moving swiftly on to what was on all of our minds. Namely, it is St Patrick’s Day, and here we were sitting in front of the TV watching him, as opposed to either partying ourselves, or watching highlights of the parades and other people partying.
So, from the start, he had us hooked in to what he had to say.
Takeaway: When we have to de...
10 ways to build rapport when presenting
Have you ever sat in a presentation nodding along to the presenter, feeling as though they are talking directly to you?
You hang onto their every word and feel like this could be the beginning of a great professional relationship, maybe even friendship?
Some presenters are naturals when it comes to building rapport with their audience. They have a natural presence, a really good energy that the audience picks up on and reacts positively to.
Others may struggle in this area.
The good news is that anyone can build rapport when presenting, it just takes a bit of time. We share below our top 10 tips to help you build rapport the next time you give a presentation.
Firstly, what exactly is rapport?
Wikipedia states that:
Rapport is a close and harmonious relationship in which the people or groups concerned are “in sync” with each other, understand each other’s feelings or ideas, and communicate smoothly.
Tony Robbins sums it up in the following quote:
“Rapport is the a...
You hang onto their every word and feel like this could be the beginning of a great professional relationship, maybe even friendship?
Some presenters are naturals when it comes to building rapport with their audience. They have a natural presence, a really good energy that the audience picks up on and reacts positively to.
Others may struggle in this area.
The good news is that anyone can build rapport when presenting, it just takes a bit of time. We share below our top 10 tips to help you build rapport the next time you give a presentation.
Firstly, what exactly is rapport?
Wikipedia states that:
Rapport is a close and harmonious relationship in which the people or groups concerned are “in sync” with each other, understand each other’s feelings or ideas, and communicate smoothly.
Tony Robbins sums it up in the following quote:
“Rapport is the a...
5 key areas of body language to keep in mind when presenting
What is the first thing you think of when you are preparing to give a presentation?
I bet it’s not your body language! And yet how we come across to an audience plays just as important a role as what we are saying. Your facial expressions, your hand movements, your stance all have a vital role in communicating your message to your audience.
Overall body language is an area a lot of our clients struggle with… “it doesn’t feel natural when making hand gestures”… “I feel self-conscious moving around the stage”… “I don’t feel comfortable making eye contact”. These are all acceptable feelings when it comes to delivering presentations.
Below are our tips to help you focus positively on your body language the next time you present or speak in front of a group.
1. Posture / Stance
Standing up straight is one of the main presentation skills to learn and good for 3 reasons: the first one is we can look more confident when we stand tall; secondly it also help...
I bet it’s not your body language! And yet how we come across to an audience plays just as important a role as what we are saying. Your facial expressions, your hand movements, your stance all have a vital role in communicating your message to your audience.
Overall body language is an area a lot of our clients struggle with… “it doesn’t feel natural when making hand gestures”… “I feel self-conscious moving around the stage”… “I don’t feel comfortable making eye contact”. These are all acceptable feelings when it comes to delivering presentations.
Below are our tips to help you focus positively on your body language the next time you present or speak in front of a group.
1. Posture / Stance
Standing up straight is one of the main presentation skills to learn and good for 3 reasons: the first one is we can look more confident when we stand tall; secondly it also help...
3 tips to handle a Q+A session effectively
Oct 30, 2019 |
Pitching, Presenting tips
|business presentations, communication tips, Presenting tips, Q+A session |
Do you or your sales team give great presentations but fall at the Q+A session?
Many years ago, when I was consulting for a major telecoms company, I was asked to sit in on a sales pitch being delivered by a global vendor of computer software. It was a household name back then and still is now. I mean, this was a BIG multinational. The 2 sales people arrived late, yes late!
However, they delivered a very professional company presentation. They had beautiful slides and it was obvious that they were well rehearsed and well prepared.
Well prepared … until it came to the questions and answers session.
Within less than 1 minute it became embarrassingly apparent to everyone in the room that they only knew the content on the slides! It was embarrassing for them and to be honest, for all of us in that room. They left shortly afterwards with their beautiful slides and their tails between their legs.
Nobody wants that to happen to them or their sales teams. It is not surprising t...
Many years ago, when I was consulting for a major telecoms company, I was asked to sit in on a sales pitch being delivered by a global vendor of computer software. It was a household name back then and still is now. I mean, this was a BIG multinational. The 2 sales people arrived late, yes late!
However, they delivered a very professional company presentation. They had beautiful slides and it was obvious that they were well rehearsed and well prepared.
Well prepared … until it came to the questions and answers session.
Within less than 1 minute it became embarrassingly apparent to everyone in the room that they only knew the content on the slides! It was embarrassing for them and to be honest, for all of us in that room. They left shortly afterwards with their beautiful slides and their tails between their legs.
Nobody wants that to happen to them or their sales teams. It is not surprising t...
Preparation tips before presenting
We are huge TED fans here at On Your Feet. We’re constantly reading the TED blog, watching their talks and picking up tips on presenting, speaking and communication which we then share with our own clients, and you!
One of the TED speaker coaches we admire is Gina Barnett. Gina has been a TED speaker coach since 2011 and is the author of Play the Part: Master Body Signals to Connect and Communicate for Business Success.
She shares her tips on preparing for TED Talks and communication techniques.
In this blog post we thought we would share the link to one of our favourite articles by Gina… in case you hadn’t come across it:
A TED speaker coach shares 11 tips for right before you go on stage.
We hope you pick up some useful pointers you can use next time you give a presentation, and if you want further tips check out our earlier blog where Barbara shares her tips following her own experience of giving a TEDx Talk....
One of the TED speaker coaches we admire is Gina Barnett. Gina has been a TED speaker coach since 2011 and is the author of Play the Part: Master Body Signals to Connect and Communicate for Business Success.
She shares her tips on preparing for TED Talks and communication techniques.
In this blog post we thought we would share the link to one of our favourite articles by Gina… in case you hadn’t come across it:
A TED speaker coach shares 11 tips for right before you go on stage.
We hope you pick up some useful pointers you can use next time you give a presentation, and if you want further tips check out our earlier blog where Barbara shares her tips following her own experience of giving a TEDx Talk....
Top tips for TEDx – or any talk for that matter!
Over the past 10 years or so TED has become a global phenomenon. TED is the global stage where speakers get to share their big idea. TEDx events (as defined on TED) are organised by curious individuals who seek to discover ideas and spark conversations in their own community. As a TEDx speaker coach, my role is predominantly to help the speakers in the physical delivery of their talk. After all, it is their idea, their talk and their job to put it together.
I have been a TEDx speaker coach since 2014 and have loved every minute of coaching speakers to deliver at their very best. However, when I did my own talk in Dublin in 2016 – “You probably are more intelligent than you think you are” I picked a few insider insights which I now share with the speakers I coach.
While these tips are primarily intended for TEDx speakers – they can be helpful for any talk.
Get clarity on your idea.
This might sound pretty basic – and it is! You have to get absolute clarity on your...
I have been a TEDx speaker coach since 2014 and have loved every minute of coaching speakers to deliver at their very best. However, when I did my own talk in Dublin in 2016 – “You probably are more intelligent than you think you are” I picked a few insider insights which I now share with the speakers I coach.
While these tips are primarily intended for TEDx speakers – they can be helpful for any talk.
Get clarity on your idea.
This might sound pretty basic – and it is! You have to get absolute clarity on your...
3 key points to help you prepare for a virtual presentation
Jan 31, 2019 |
Presenting tips
|communication tips, online presentations, PRESENTATION TIPS, presenting virtually, remote presentations, virtual presentations |
With the advancement of technology, the world has suddenly become a very small place.
Whether you’re a small business using remote workers, or a large company with offices globally, it’s now a lot quicker and easier to reach people in different countries and timezones using virtual presentations!
The demand for virtual presentations is increasing and we are being asked about them more and more during our in-company Presentation Skills Masterclasses. Many of our clients are using them for not only team meetings, but also client meetings and sales pitches.
We ourselves regularly deliver coaching to clients in other locations using Zoom or Skype.
Just as you would expect in a standard face-to-face presentation, preparation is key! Below are our top 3 areas to focus on when preparing for a virtual presentation.
1. Software / technology
If you’re presenting to a client, make sure you let them know what software you’ll be using when you arrange the appointment. The chanc...
Whether you’re a small business using remote workers, or a large company with offices globally, it’s now a lot quicker and easier to reach people in different countries and timezones using virtual presentations!
The demand for virtual presentations is increasing and we are being asked about them more and more during our in-company Presentation Skills Masterclasses. Many of our clients are using them for not only team meetings, but also client meetings and sales pitches.
We ourselves regularly deliver coaching to clients in other locations using Zoom or Skype.
Just as you would expect in a standard face-to-face presentation, preparation is key! Below are our top 3 areas to focus on when preparing for a virtual presentation.
1. Software / technology
If you’re presenting to a client, make sure you let them know what software you’ll be using when you arrange the appointment. The chanc...
Oscars 2018 – who wins the best speech award?
Mar 05, 2018 |
Other, Presenting tips
|communication tips, Oscars, PUBLIC SPEAKING TIPS, speech, Thank You Speech |
USA today described last night’s Oscars as a “relatively tame and predictable night”. Is that a fair description?
Maybe it was.
Maybe it wasn’t.
For me, I am always curious about the speeches.
Interestingly, in his monologue, Jimmy Kimmel referred to said upcoming speeches. He tried to encourage the winners to keep their speeches short, by promising a prize of a jet ski to the shortest speech.
So, I am sure Mark Bridges, who won the Costume Design Oscar for Phantom Thread, is whizzing in his brand new jet ski, somewhere off the coast of LA! He managed to get through his thank you’s in a mere 32 seconds.
But, the good thing about the lure of the jet ski prize, was that it gave several of the winners an opportunity to throw in a bit of humour early on in their speeches, by making throw back references to the infamous prize.
Overall, from what I can glean, the 2018 Oscars were nothing particularly special. In 2017, at least we had something to talk about, with the excitement...
Maybe it was.
Maybe it wasn’t.
For me, I am always curious about the speeches.
Interestingly, in his monologue, Jimmy Kimmel referred to said upcoming speeches. He tried to encourage the winners to keep their speeches short, by promising a prize of a jet ski to the shortest speech.
So, I am sure Mark Bridges, who won the Costume Design Oscar for Phantom Thread, is whizzing in his brand new jet ski, somewhere off the coast of LA! He managed to get through his thank you’s in a mere 32 seconds.
But, the good thing about the lure of the jet ski prize, was that it gave several of the winners an opportunity to throw in a bit of humour early on in their speeches, by making throw back references to the infamous prize.
Overall, from what I can glean, the 2018 Oscars were nothing particularly special. In 2017, at least we had something to talk about, with the excitement...
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...