39 Delivery
Qing Mao
Make an impact on your audience with a well-written presentation that is lively and interesting.
What You’ll Learn:
- How to communicate in a presentation
- How to use visual aids to enhance your message
- How to dress for a presentation
- What role the audience plays in a presentation
Now it’s your time to get on the stage and use your charisma and knowledge to make an impact. But will your presentation proceed as you expected?
Watch this video presented by students from Stanford Graduate School of Business on how to use body language to win over your audience during your presentation. In this subtopic, we will discuss other important aspects to pay attention to while giving a presentation.
Presentations
Techniques for building the delivery
To maximize the effectiveness of your presentation, pay attention to the following tips.
| USE OF WORDS IN A SPEECH | ||
|---|---|---|
| Start with an anecdote | Sharing an interesting anecdote can be one way to grab the reader’s attention. | In TED talk Learning a language? Speak it like you’re playing a video game, Marianna Pascal starts her talk with her personal experience as an ESL teacher in Malaysia. Watch it here. |
| Build a conversation | A presentation is a two-way interaction, so find ways to interact with the audience if you can whether it be through Q&A or tone of delivery. | Estelle Gibson, in her TED talk, The true cost of financial dependence, uses conversational style while narrating her experience to give the audience a chance to think through the talk. Watch it here. |
| Simplicity | Keep the length of your presentation appropriate to your audience and purpose. | Bill Gates, in his TED talk The next outbreak? We’re not ready, In spite of the complexity of the issue, makes his speech very easy to understand. Watch it here. |
Tone of Voice
Andy Eklund (2012) says, “Tone vocalizes what the speaker is feeling. A positive tone might be described as ‘friendly’ or ‘confident,’ while a negative tone might be ‘bored’ or ‘dreadful.’” Use a speaking voice that is conversational, warm, and positive.
| USE OF VOICE IN A SPEECH | |
|---|---|
| Project your voice | Project your voice, so the person sitting farthest from you can hear you easily. |
| Vary your tone | Vary your tone to maintain interest and emphasize key points. |
| Alter pace | Maintain interest and add emphasis by giving your speech a rhythm. “Speak faster to show excitement and/or build suspense. Speak slower to show the importance of an idea. Pause after important ideas to allow audience time to grasp them” (“Delivering the Presentation,” n.d.). |
Body Language
Body language is extremely important. It provides non-verbal cues to the audience. Use these tips to make an impact right from the beginning of your presentation.
| USE OF BODY LANGUAGE IN A SPEECH | (adapted from “Delivering the Presentation,” n.d.) |
|---|---|
| Eye contact | Make eye contact with your audience to keep them interested. This will allow you to notice if they are showing signs of being bored or confused, in which case you may want to change your tone or expression. |
| Facial expression | Make sure your face is enthusiastic. Smile and use your eyes to express feelings like joy or excitement. Avoid blank facial expressions, which will trigger disengagement. |
| Posture | Stand straight with your shoulders back, feet slightly apart, and arms naturally relaxed at your sides. Avoid slouching and leaning. |
| Gesture | For a small audience, use more fine gestures with your fingers. For a larger audience, use big gestures with your hands and arms to add emphasis. Avoid fidgeting. |
Now, let’s watch another video from Stanford Graduate School of Business, demonstrating the importance of using body language properly in a presentation.
How to Dress for a Presentation
Clothes can communicate and showcase your unique personality and enhance audience focus. It is important to dress according to your audience, purpose, and environment. Choosing appropriate attire can help you win your audience.
Some examples of professional attire that is appropriate for the context and environment include:
While clothing is an important aspect of your presentation, don’t forget that it is your ideas, delivery, and passion that add to your success when presenting.
Click here to learn more about dressing for a presentation.
What Role the Audience Plays in a Presentation
Audience members have important roles during a presentation, such as responding to the interaction offered by the presenter, listening critically, and being open-minded.
The body language of audience members can positively or negatively affect the speaker. Dzik, Miller, & Vossen (2015) recommend avoiding yawning, staring, fidgeting, and looking away, among other behaviours. They encourage audience members to nod, smile, and lean forward.
How to Communicate with a Presenter
• Listen critically while being able to decode the message from more angles than just your own.
• Keep your mind open to all topics.
• Make notes on all aspects of the speech.
• Be willing to speak up during feedback periods.
• Give constructive feedback.
Learn more about audience’s responsibilities here.
Try it!
Watch this video and compare the two presentations.
| PRESENTATION 1 | PRESENTATION 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Eye contact | The presenter reads from his notes. There is no interaction with the audience. | The presenter has direct contact with the audience. |
| Facial expression | The presenter looks nervous. | The presenter keeps a smile on his face. |
| Tone | The presenter uses monotone. The audience can’t catch the important points. | The presenter uses stress and pauses to emphasize his main points. |
| Gesture | The presenter is holding his notes. He doesn’t use any gestures. | The presenter uses appropriate gestures to help send the core message. |
| Engagement with the audience | The presenter does not engage the audience. | The presenter mentions a personal experience to build connection with the audience. |
Voice and body language convey 93% of your message to an audience. Adjusting your tone and voice and being aware of your body language can help you give a successful presentation.
