The ability to make an effective presentation is important to many in the business world. The presenter may be presenting to a group of managers, colleagues or clients. The presentation will have a definite purpose, he or she will have specific goals to achieve with their audience in each presentation.

The Importance of Presentation Skills

The presenter uses three elements to ensure they achieve their goals:

1. The content of their talk

2. Slides or other visual aids

3. Their skills as a presenter

Presentation skills are the most important of these factors. You may spend a lot of time preparing a wonderful presentation, but if you do not use good presentation skills to get the interest or the attention of the group, then your presentation is doomed to failure.

No-one wants to be the presenter who lulled their audience to sleep with a dull, boring voice tone. Or the person who talked so fast that no-one had a clue what they were saying! A poor presenter can go even further!

They may even antagonise the group by ignoring them, staring at the floor or over the heads of the group to some spot on the back wall. How many times have you been intensely irritated by a presenter who dances back and forth, or who fidgets erratically throughout his or her presentation?

Key Presentation Skills Tips

There are a few, simple presentation skills and tips that the effective presenter uses to ensure that their presentation is effective.

1. Focus on your Goals

You are taking this group on a journey during your presentation, from first impressions to your final destination. It is essential that the destination is clearly identified, and that you have clear goals for your presentation. What are the key points you want to get across? Do you want the group to be informed, to be persuaded, to accept or to agree?

2. Look like a Confident Presenter

People will be much more persuaded by someone who looks like a confident presenter. Ensure your dress is appropriate. Walk up to the presentation place calmly and confidently. Breathe deeply as you walk up, to help you control nerves.

3. Positive Posture

Stand facing the group with your head up, shoulders square and feet about a foot apart. If you plant your feet firmly apart in this way, you are less inclined to sway, fidget or dance during your presentation. Keep your hands relaxed in front of you, so that you can make gestures easily.

4. Eye Contact

Engage the group with eye contact. Look directly into each person's eyes for a count of two or three. Ensure you include everyone in the group. There is a natural inclination to look at either the most dominant person in the group, or at the one with the most encouraging face! Ensure you include everyone. Making eye contact round the group in this way not only engages the group, but it also makes you, the presenter, appear very confident.

5. Make Slow Deliberate Gestures

People who stay very still are boring, but you want your movement to work for you rather than against you. Use your hands to emphasise a point, or take a step forward to bring the point home. Turn to look at the slide and turn back to look at the group. Slow, deliberate movement is best. If your talk is long, move to the other side of the slides every five minutes, so that the group have somewhere different to look.

6. Work with, rather than Against, your Slides

Many presenters put up a slide covered in text, data or bullet points, and then talk about something completely different! Appreciate that your group will either listen to what you are saying, or they will read the slide. They cannot do both! Keep your slides simple, and guide the group through the information. Drop each point down one at a time, and read it with the group. If you are using a chart or diagram, tell the group the context first and then tell them where you want them to look. If you want the group to look at the slide, turn look at it yourself, and then turn back to the group. You decide where you want them to look, and they will follow you.

These few presentation skills will ensure you hold the interest and attention of your group from the beginning to the close of your presentation.