When we hear the word “presentation†most of us immediately imagine someone in a suit standing in front of an auditorium. However, not every presentation takes place in such a formal setting.  In fact, many presentations are giving in a conference room during a board meeting or even in the office in front of a…

We’ve all heard it time and time again.  “Practice makes perfect.â€Â  Although it has been repeated many times throughout your life, it still holds true.  In just about any skill you pursue, the more you practice at it the better you will become…and public speaking is no exception.  There is simply no way around it. …

The thought of giving a presentation is intimidating for most people.  This fear and anxiety can be somewhat diminished when the presenter has plenty of time to practice and prepare.  What happens, however, when there is not time to prepare?  What do you do when you are asked to speak without notice?  This can make…

Giving a presentation is enough to make just about anyone nervous and nervous speakers will do anything to avoid interacting directly with the audience.  They almost act as if there is a barrier between them and the audience.  However, audience interaction is the key to giving a compelling presentation.  The best speakers know how to…

You have just been asked to give a presentation to your colleagues.  You are preparing to put together a Powerpoint presentation when you are faced with an important decision: How long should your Powerpoint presentation be?  You want to be sure you include all of the necessary information but you don’t want your audience to…

Giving a presentation is never easy but for those who are born without natural eloquence, it can be especially tough.  This can cause people to feel very tense or anxious right before they present.  This is very common and happens to the best of us.  Unfortunately, this anxiety can add mounds of pressure to someone…

More than half of your impact as a speaker depends upon your body language.  When all eyes are on you, your facial expressions, stance, and gestures become increasingly important. When giving a presentation, strong, positive body language becomes a powerful tool for helping you build credibility, express your emotions, and connect with your audience.  Effective…

It’s the moment you have been preparing for; you just walked on stage, your audience is silent, and everyone is waiting for you to open your mouth and begin your presentation.  The truth is your audience will begin judging you the moment you step on stage so it’s crucial to win them over right from…

While your technical skills may help you get a foot in the door, it always helps to have a repertoire of soft skills in your back pocket.  Perhaps the most important of these soft skills is the ability to pull off a presentation.  The skills involved with being a good presenter embody many qualities that…

Think back to the last presentation you attended.  Were you interested and engaged in what the speaker was saying?  If not, you were probably distracted by some of the speaker’s bad habits.  The most important part of a presentation is NOT the information you are presenting, but rather HOW you present the information.  Regardless of…