The moment the presenter grabs the remote and turns toward the screen, audience members immediately assume they are in for another boring slideshow presentation. The fact is, however, that it is possible to create stellar presentation slides. You just need to know how. You can’t engage audiences and convey a compelling message if your slides…

Storytelling is a form of communication that has been around for centuries and it’s a great way to connect with people. People love a good story and it helps people to understand your background, experiences, and beliefs in an engaging way. When you treat your audience to a great story, it helps them to connect…

  While the words you speak are certainly important, the way in which you say them is what will resonate with listeners. A presenter’s most powerful tool is their voice. Speakers can assert, demand, announce, state, affirm, and evoke a whole range of emotions just by using their voice. Your voice also plays an important…

Delivering a great presentation involves more than creating an outline and putting together a dynamic PowerPoint. While those certainly play an important role, there is another element that is often overlooked and that’s body language. The most important visual you can show an audience is yourself, and your body language can have a significant impact…

Engaging your audience during a presentation is no small feat, but there is one simple thing you can do to enhance your impact as a speaker: sustained, meaningful eye contact with your audience. Positive eye contact allows you to connect with your audience on a personal level. It also allows you to build rapport with…

Even the best presenters lose your attention at times. Why? Because the brain works quickly and your mind begins to drift the moment something seems unimportant or uninteresting. Keeping your audience’s attention is arguably the most challenging part of presenting because audiences these days are more distracted than ever. You are competing with smartphones, emails,…

The goal of any presentation is winning over your audience and that starts with your opening statement. Research suggests that you have between 30-90 seconds to grab your audience’s attention before they begin tuning you out. Hooking your audience at the beginning of your presentation is critical to its overall success. It’s absolutely imperative that…

One of the most prevalent principles of public speaking is the Rule of Three. You will see this speech writing technique used over and over again because it is simple, it is powerful, and it works. The Rule of Three allows you to express concepts more clearly, emphasize your main points, and increase memorability of…

If someone asked you to summarize your presentation with a short elevator pitch, would you be able to do it? It might seem like an easy task at first; after all, an elevator pitch is roughly 30 seconds. However, most people would end up stumbling over their words and struggling to figure out which parts…

Many people think the best way to start their presentation is to establish credibility by rattling off a list of credentials, honors, and achievements. While credibility is important, it is not the best way to begin a presentation. Instead, you should use this time to connect with your audience. You must have a connection with…