One of the biggest mistakes most presenters make is in not considering or respecting their audience when preparing their talks. Showing respect means not boring them to tears with a data dump of information which is meaningless to them.
1. Respect your audience. Make sure your talk is relevant to them, not just to you. Focus your talk on what benefits the audience and you will keep their interest.
2. Do not memorize your presentation. It will sound like and feel like you are reading it from the cue cards in your mind.
3. Never read a presentation, even if you are giving it in a language other than your mother tongue. No matter how well you have practiced the talk, you will come off stiff and boring. One exception might be if you are in a crisis and have decided to only deliver a single statement to the press, with no Q&A afterwards.
Showing audience respect means not loading your Power Point slides with overwhelming content that you expect them to read while you continue talking, or worse yet, reading the slide content to the audience. Audience respect involves knowing who you are talking to and knowing what they care about. Audience respect means showing that you care about each person in the room. Speakers who respect their audiences:
? Find out what the audience wants to know and address this information gap.
? Keep the messages simple and interesting.
? Use colorful examples and stories to illustrate their messages.
? Present in a natural and comfortable way.
Rudi Goldman is the founder and Managing Director of Media in English B.V., a Dutch-based communications company and media consultancy which prepares executives for successful television, radio, print media appearances and business presentations. An award-winning communications expert, his 30 years of international media experience covers a broad spectrum, from Los Angeles to New York and from London to Hilversum. Having served as Director of Programming - UK, Benelux and Scandinavia for the Walt Disney Company in London, he understands the European perspective. Goldman has individually trained well over 200 top international business/government leaders. http://media-in-english.com/
![]() |
|
![]() |
|
![]() |
|
![]() |
People take it for granted that leaders have achieved some... Read More
Converting PowerPoint to Flash would be absolutely a good choice... Read More
For communication to take place, a message must be transmitted... Read More
At some point in your presentation you will be expected... Read More
If you really aware and alert, your audience's behavior -... Read More
Does the thought of speaking in front of others send... Read More
Have you ever had to give a speech?Do you remember... Read More
I am of the belief that the majority of people... Read More
The query letter is simply a business letter that serves... Read More
Did the "Painless" part of the title get your attention?Speaking... Read More
How do you come across in your emails?As I receive... Read More
MORE and more corporations in Malaysia have awoken to the... Read More
Since the events of September 11th and the economy slipping... Read More
In recent years, companies have recognized the need to expand... Read More
How?Try a blueprint like this: people act on their own... Read More
"I'm not an expert on this topic, but . .... Read More
Cattiness is something no one ever wants to be accused... Read More
Imagine you are the most amazing figure skater who ever... Read More
Audiences around the world are all different. Cultural, social and... Read More
First and foremost, you must deal effectively with your own... Read More
The CEO of a worldwide business asked me to help... Read More
The most critical job of a manager, when you boil... Read More
"I didn't have 3000 pairs of shoes. I had only... Read More
8 Ways to Improve Your Presentation Skills 1. Join Toastmasters.... Read More
A trade show is an ideal way of showcasing your... Read More
Conventional wisdom is that the more choices customers have, the... Read More
Flash chart, flash map, flash graph may be mistaken for... Read More
There are four different ways that audience members assimilate information.... Read More
Whenever and whatever you're pitching, dozens of factors will figure... Read More
As a former owner of a National Speakers Bureau, I... Read More
One of the biggest mistakes most presenters make is in... Read More
Have you ever been slideswiped? You walk into a meeting... Read More
"There can be no knowledge without emotion. We may be... Read More
There are many definitions for presentations. When you present there... Read More
Flip charts are so common that we all think we... Read More
Webster's Dictionary defines communication as "a giving or exchanging of... Read More
How many times have you attended a meeting where the... Read More
The social skills of a small businessperson, franchisee, independent contractor... Read More
Allowing the audience to ask questions after your presentation is... Read More
Some speakers say, "I could never use humor in my... Read More
You're in a conference room. You're giving a PowerPoint presentation... Read More
Most people love to hide behind the lectern.. It makes... Read More
Company attire says a lot about your business philosophy to... Read More
Many of us use PowerPoint to convey a message to... Read More
Regardless of the nature of our job or social standing,... Read More
If you're ready to kick your career or business up... Read More
What is it about overhead projectors that causes us to... Read More
Where can you choose a company shirt vendor? There are... Read More
Communication is a complex and often difficult process for both... Read More
Whether you are speaking in front of a civic group... Read More
Tip #1 The purpose of your speech is to get... Read More
Remember back when the ability to create a slide show... Read More
So you're not a professional speaker. That's no excuse for... Read More
Audiences around the world are all different. Cultural, social and... Read More
Conventional wisdom is that the more choices customers have, the... Read More
8 Ways to Improve Your Presentation Skills 1. Join Toastmasters.... Read More
You don't have to be on a stage to be... Read More
Regardless of what response technique may be convenient in a... Read More
What is stage presence? Can it be learned?There are, undoubtedly,... Read More
"I'm not an expert on this topic, but . .... Read More
What would we do without our cell phones? Wow, there's... Read More
Do you ever get frustrated with your marketing? Are you... Read More
Whether you need to address large groups or small, familiar... Read More
The query letter is simply a business letter that serves... Read More
Most of us would agree that having humor in our... Read More
This article will help you to assess and maximise the... Read More
Presentation |