Planning a presentation may be difficult and frequently feels stressful. While communicating complicated topics in public, effective speakers employ simple vocabulary. They pause before speaking and convey their message with assurance as a result of their research and planning.
Oral presentation being a part of communication is as important as the written presentation. You express your ideas completely and successfully before the audience. Through successful oral presentations, one can easily manage one’s personal and business affairs.
It was the practice of Greek practitioners such as Plato, Aristotle, and Cicero who focused on the art of rhetoric or persuasion. So, oral presentation is not a new concept. In the world of business, you communicate with customers, colleagues, supervisors, employers, associates, and employees.
Let’s have a look at the important steps, ways, and, strategies for delivering oral presentations.
Table of Contents
Important Steps to follow
Before creating any visual content for your upcoming meeting or event, follow these 7 easy steps to prepare the oral presentation. These are as under:
- Know the purpose of speech
- Analyze the audience’s expectations and the situation.
- Define the main idea.
- Research the topic thoroughly.
- Organize the data and write the draft.
- Arrange visual aids, if needed.
- Do a rehearsal of the speech.
Know the purpose of speech
The speaker must know the purpose of his speech. Are you there to educate, motivate, amuse, or influence the audience as the speaker? He should decide whether his speech is meant to provide information, persuade the people, or just establish goodwill at social gatherings, etc.
Analyze the audience and the situation
The speaker must analyze his audience. He must know whether his audience is learned or illiterate, young or old, etc. The speaker must also know about the size of the group, etc.
Choose the Main Ideas of the Speech
When you decide the purpose of your presentation and the audience’s expectations are in front of you, it is an appropriate time to choose the main ideas of your speech. You should also arrange the ideas before presenting them to the audience.
Research the Topic Thoroughly
The speaker should do the necessary research for the facts. Such research is needed both in long and short speeches.
Organize the Data and Write the Draft
After finding the topic and collecting the necessary data, you organize the data and start to draft the speech. Here all the facts are arranged in an appropriate order to avoid any difficulty.
Arrange visual aids, if required
Some presentations may require visual aids. In this way, you go for visual aids in advance. PowerPoint slides, printed handouts, or palm cards provide a framework for your presentation and make it easier for the audience to understand your important points.
Visual aids can be diagrams, charts, figures, bulleted lists, or pictures that highlight vital information that would be laborious to describe verbally. Sometimes you use the projectors to display your points.
Do the Rehearsal
The speaker can get a lot of confidence if he rehearses the speech in advance. Rehearsal enables the speaker to manage his speech within a limited time.
Ways / Methods how to Speak
There are four methods to make oral presentations. These are:
- Extemporaneous Method
- Manuscript-reading Method
- Memorization Method
- Impromptu Method
Extemporaneous Method
In the extemporaneous method, the presenter makes a speech from a prepared outline. The speaker should type or print all essential points and headings on the paper. This method permits the speaker more eye contact with the audience.
Manuscript-Reading Method
Under this method, the speaker reads parts of his speech from the manuscript that he has prepared. This method is suitable for a speaker who delivers a long speech. The speaker should not lose eye contact with the audience and should keep on frequently looking at them during the speech.
Memorization Method
Memorizing means learning by heart. Some speakers memorize their speeches and deliver them to the audience. The speaker should take care that his speech must look natural and not artificial. This method is for that beginner who does not have much confidence in the beginning.
Impromptu Method
Impromptu means without rehearsal or preparation. Often in discussions, meetings, or conferences, people are asked to speak impromptu on the spur of the moment. The best way to make an impromptu speech or comment is to gather a few points from the discussion and develop a statement in light of those points.
Strategies for Delivering Oral Presentation
There are six factors of oral presentation.
- Appearance
- Posture
- Eye Contact
- Voice
- Audience
- Preparation
Appearance
Physical appearance plays an important role in making others believe that you can present yourself. A neatly dressed man with a pleasant expression affects the listeners and attracts them to convey himself. He should be attractive but not showy. So, dress appropriately and comfortably.
Posture
The posture of a speaker reflects his inner strength or weakness. It leaves a strong impression on the minds of the audience. The speaker is alone while dozens of eyes gaze at him. Your whole effort goes to waste if you don’t sit, stand, and walk correctly during your presentation. A person with sagging shoulders gives the feeling of depression, and lack of control.
Eye Contact
If you want to make successful oral presentations, it is essential to make pleasant eye contact with the audience. Your eye contact with the viewers makes them engaged and attentive. If you are shy and you don’t look at the audience, they will not form a favorable opinion of your personality. You may harm your presentation.
Voice
Voice plays a vital role in your oral presentation. To present orally, we should keep the following points in mind:
- Your breathing must be in your control.
- Your voice should neither be too shrill nor unpleasantly high.
- The tone should be cheerful.
Audience
You must know what kind of audience you are going to face. A good speaker is always a good actor who deceives the audience through different tactics and makes them believe that he wishes to share his views and ideas with the audience.
A speaker is watchful and sensitive to the changing moods of the audience. If the audience is tired, you should try to divert their attention by cutting a joke to create friendly feelings.
Preparation
Every good talk requires careful preparation. It needs practice. If you deliver an unprepared speech, you won’t get the desired outcome. In this regard, careful planning will enable you to communicate your ideas to others. A good speaker elaborates on himself confidently.
Final Words
Presentation skills are the knowledge, talents, and traits required to design and deliver an engaging presentation that conveys concepts and information. They cover your speech’s content, organization, and any slides, videos, or visuals you use to bolster your arguments.
In both your professional and personal life, it is necessary to deliver effective presentations. When giving a speech, persuading your partner to make a significant purchase, or conversing with friends and family about a pressing matter, you’ll need to polish your presentation skills.
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