Know the needs of your audience
and match your contents to their needs. But that's not all. You must
know your material thoroughly. Ensure your talk is captivating to
your audience so as to keep their attention. Practice makes perfect
and takes away fear so rehearse, rehears and rehears again.
Some people find it helpful to
record their rehearsals and listen to themselves but
others do not like to hear their own voices. Having said that taping
your rehearsals will help you identify problems like saying 'eh' too
much or having too many repetitive phrases. You will come to know
your strong points and your weak points.
When you are giving your presentation remember that you are
actually performing as an actor
is on stage. Performers make stage performances look easy. They do
this by spending time preparing and you must do the same to look at
ease on stage.
Make sure the organisers know what you require for your talk well
in advance. PowerPoint, Screen, lapel microphone, lighting, table,
glass of water etc
Dress appropriately
for the occasion and have your mood match the mood of the topic you
are delivering. Look (in fact BE) enthusiastic, confident, proud,
but not arrogant.
Do not speak too quickly.
You must enunciate clearly, and show appropriate emotion and feeling
when you talk. If you can establish rapport with your audience at
the beginning of the talk then they will warm to you and be more
receptive to listening. Speak to the person farthest away from you
to ensure your voice is loud enough to project to the back of the
room.
Vary the tone of your voice
and do not be afraid to gesture with your hands if appropriate. Body
language is important. Standing, walking or moving about with
appropriate hand gesture or facial expression can add as much as
your actual words.
Make sure you know how to use the
presentation software you will
be using such as PowerPoint well before your presentation. Do not
over complicate your presentation with excessive use of animation,
sound clips, or inappropriate colours.
Speak with conviction
as if you really believe in what you are saying.