Hisham Sarwar
When you give a speech in front of an audience, you are judged not only for the information you are providing but how you are presenting it. Either you speak to an entire hall or a few numbers of people; your confidence is something that makes them follow you. According to experts, an audience judges the speaker for competence and trustworthiness within the first 30 seconds.
Whenever you are presenting something in front of an audience, following are the few key points that you must keep in mind:
Always dress better:
Many people think that it is just the content that impresses their followers. But that is not true; it is because as soon as you walk into a room, the first thing you are judged for is your clothing. According to experts, if it is the first time you are presenting something, you need to dress 25% more formal than the rest of the people. Chose the clothes that fit your body type, wear proper shoes, and pay attention that the color of the clothes compliments your skin color.
Be attentive to the way of speaking:
You cannot do anything about your vocal quality but what you can do is to be attentive to the pace with which you deliver the content. When you are involved in a face-to-face conversation, speak a little slower than usual. It is because the listeners don’t have the extrasensory inputs of watching your mouth move and facial expressions. When you are giving a webinar or on online presentation, being fast can harm your credibility. When you are in conversation with a group of people in front of you, you can go a little fast but be very careful in that too.
Use simple words:
While giving a presentation or any kind of information, do not try to appear smart by using difficult words. People will like you more when you will explain everything in simple word. The long and convoluted sentences won’t make you sound smarter, instead, it will complicate the message you want to give. When you will articulate complex ideas into simple ones, it will make you gain credibility and respect from the audience.
Practice under stress:
Practicing alone in the mirror is a lot different than presenting in front of an audience. Therefore, before the presentation, gather a few people and rehearse in front of them. It will stimulate stress and to rehearse under low levels of stress will keep you away from cracking under lots of pressure.
Pay attention to the posture:
Your body language says a lot more than your words. Instead of keeping hands in pockets, use the hand gestures that are natural and authentic. Always keep the palms of your hands facing up and above the waist. This will be considered an open posture demonstrating the audience that you have confidence in what you are saying.
