Presentation Studio Sydney: Top Tips for an Authentic Presentation

It’s not about pitch, volume or pace

Most of us at some time or another have received advice about modifying our pitch, volume or pace. Perhaps we were told that we speak too high, we need to speak louder, or we were just too fast.

The thing is, these are all symptoms of a bigger picture. Simply changing your pitch, volume or pace without looking at the root cause, is like putting new tyres or a rear spoiler on an old car, and expecting it to run in the Grand Prix. These alterations will never make a big impact on the whole car, and look out of place.

Similarly, when you focus on the externalities of your presentations and try to slow down your speech, modulate your pitch or speak with a deeper voice, you feel awkward and your presentation isn’t significantly improved. In fact, the more you try to change these things, the less authentic and more uncomfortable you become.

There is no one size fits all when it comes to presentations. There is no perfect speed, pitch, or pace. Our presentations are as unique as we are. This is why we have to look beyond the traditional fixes.

The most memorable (in a good sense!) presentations are the ones that are most authentic. This doesn’t mean that the speaker is calm or feeling relaxed – in fact this can work against us. When we deliver an authentic presentation, ‘who we are’ shines through. We connect with our audience. We inspire and engage them. And we make a difference.

Check out this humorous PowerPoint presentation that includes some of the following top tips:
http://www.presentationstudio.com.au/blog/2011/01/11/powerpoint-presentations-year/

Top Tips for an Authentic Presentation:

Develop:
• Step away from the computer and brainstorm your ideas and goals
• Grab a marker pen, some paper and storyboard your presentation
• Plot a flow and take your audience on a journey

Design:
• Clean strong visuals that support what you are saying
• No clutter – one message per slide
• No clipart or nauseating animations

Delivery:
• Create places on stage as anchors for different parts of your presentation
• Learn a new neutral position (rest position) to use on stage
• Don’t take a deep breath in to relax – give a breath out!

Presentation Studio is Australia's leading full service presentation design agency.
For more information on presentation tips and tricks or tailored workshops for PowerPoint Training run by Emma Bannister or Public Speaker Courses run by Dr Louise Mahler subscribe to our newsletter at www.presentationstudio.com.au.

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