1. Tell Why you’re the Right Person for the Presentation Topic!

At the beginning of the presentation, explain why you have the right to talk to them on the topic by highlighting relevant elements of your background:

• If it's a technical topic and you were trained as an engineer, say so.

• If you've been working in the related field for the last 5 years, say so.

• If you've studied the subject in depth and interviewed experts, say so.

• If you don't have direct but do have parallel experience, say something like: "when I was working in (this other field), I had considerable experience in (the topic) that I believe applies here..."

2. Demonstrate Understanding.

Prove that you know what you're talking about by:

• Quickly recapping the preparation you've done for the session.

• Using the audience's language. Learn and use the terms your audience knows to facilitate understanding and demonstrate that you took time to prepare. Be careful with acronyms and jargon.

• Acknowledge that there may be people in the room that know more than you do about some aspects of the matter at hand, but that your study gives you a good grasp of what needs to be done.

3. Give the Real Facts.

Identify the source of the information you are using such as:

• "the sales report in XXX journal/company for the month just ended shows..."

• "the data from the field test conducted in XXX last month indicates..."

• "the recent research survey of XXX customers in the Southwest concludes..."

• clearly identify the origin of data used in charts and graphs.

4. Tell the Truth.

Your audience will never really trust you if they catch you in a lie. Avoid the temptation to pretend to know the answer to a question and fake it. It's better say "I don't know" and find the answer from the group or commit to research the issue after the session.

5. Be Yourself.

Trying to be someone you're not is almost as bad as telling a lie. It's also a lot more work. You can, however, take up a temporary role to illustrate your understanding of the views of others by using introductory phrases such as:

• "If I was the parent of a teenage girl, I might be thinking...."

• If we were walking in the shoes of the customer, we might..."

6. Doing what you say you will do.

• If you say you're starting at 9:00 a.m. then start at 9:00 a.m.(be punctual).

• If you promise frequent breaks, allow for frequent breaks.

• If you say you're going to take all questions, do so.

7. Speak with Conviction and Enthusiasm.

Say it like you mean it, and your audience will believe in your words. If you sound tentative, people will book you as "squishy" and question your commitment on the matter.

• Rehearse with real people before presentation, and ask them to give you candid feedback.

• Eye contact, body language is extremely important.

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