effective presentation skills definition

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Top 5 Features to Look for in a PowerPoint Presentation Creator

Creating an impactful PowerPoint presentation is essential for effectively delivering information and engaging your audience. However, designing a visually appealing and engaging slideshow can be time-consuming and challenging, especially if you lack design skills. That’s where a PowerPoint Presentation Creator comes in handy. These tools provide users with ready-made templates, intuitive interfaces, and advanced features to make the process of creating presentations easier and more efficient. If you’re in the market for a PowerPoint Presentation Creator, here are the top five features you should look for:

User-Friendly Interface

One of the most crucial features to consider when choosing a PowerPoint Presentation Creator is its user interface. A user-friendly interface allows you to navigate through the software effortlessly, even if you’re not tech-savvy or familiar with design tools. Look for a creator that offers drag-and-drop functionality, customizable layouts, and an intuitive design toolbar. These features will enable you to create professional-looking slides without spending hours on tutorials or training.

Extensive Template Library

Another essential feature of a good PowerPoint Presentation Creator is an extensive template library. Templates act as starting points for your presentation and can significantly speed up the design process. Look for a creator that offers a wide range of templates suitable for different purposes such as business presentations, educational slideshows, or marketing pitches. Additionally, ensure that these templates are customizable so that you can personalize them according to your brand guidelines.

Advanced Design Tools

To create visually stunning presentations that capture your audience’s attention, it’s crucial to have access to advanced design tools within the PowerPoint Presentation Creator. Look for features like image editing capabilities, pre-designed shapes and icons libraries, text formatting options, color schemes customization, and animation effects. These tools will allow you to add visual elements that enhance your message while maintaining consistency throughout your slides.

Collaboration Capabilities

Collaboration is often an essential aspect of creating presentations, especially in a team environment. Look for a PowerPoint Presentation Creator that offers collaboration capabilities, such as real-time editing and commenting features. These features allow multiple users to work on the same presentation simultaneously, making it easier to gather input and make changes in real-time. Additionally, consider whether the creator provides cloud storage options to securely store and share your presentations with team members or clients.

Integration with Other Tools

To streamline your workflow and enhance productivity, consider a PowerPoint Presentation Creator that integrates with other tools you regularly use. Look for integrations with popular platforms like Microsoft Office Suite, Google Drive, Dropbox, or project management software. These integrations will enable you to import and export files seamlessly while ensuring compatibility across different devices and platforms.

In conclusion, when choosing a PowerPoint Presentation Creator, look for a user-friendly interface, an extensive template library, advanced design tools, collaboration capabilities, and integration with other tools. By considering these top five features, you can find the perfect creator that suits your needs and helps you create compelling presentations that leave a lasting impact on your audience.

This text was generated using a large language model, and select text has been reviewed and moderated for purposes such as readability.

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What Are Effective Presentation Skills (and How to Improve Them)

Presentation skills are essential for your personal and professional life. Learn about effective presentations and how to boost your presenting techniques.

At least seven out of 10 Americans agree that presentation skills are essential for a successful career [ 1 ]. Although it might be tempting to think that these are skills reserved for people interested in public speaking roles, they're critical in a diverse range of jobs. For example, you might need to brief your supervisor on research results.

Presentation skills are also essential in other scenarios, including working with a team and explaining your thought process, walking clients through project ideas and timelines, and highlighting your strengths and achievements to your manager during performance reviews.

Whatever the scenario, you have very little time to capture your audience’s attention and get your point across when presenting information—about three seconds, according to research [ 2 ]. Effective presentation skills help you get your point across and connect with the people you’re communicating with, which is why nearly every employer requires them.

Understanding what presentation skills are is only half the battle. Honing your presenting techniques is essential for mastering presentations of all kinds and in all settings.

What are presentation skills?

Presentation skills are the abilities and qualities necessary for creating and delivering a compelling presentation that effectively communicates information and ideas. They encompass what you say, how you structure it, and the materials you include to support what you say, such as slides, videos, or images.

You'll make presentations at various times in your life. Examples include:

Making speeches at a wedding, conference, or another event

Making a toast at a dinner or event

Explaining projects to a team 

Delivering results and findings to management teams

Teaching people specific methods or information

Proposing a vote at community group meetings

Pitching a new idea or business to potential partners or investors

Why are presentation skills important? 

Delivering effective presentations is critical in your professional and personal life. You’ll need to hone your presentation skills in various areas, such as when giving a speech, convincing your partner to make a substantial purchase, and talking to friends and family about an important situation.

No matter if you’re using them in a personal or professional setting, these are the skills that make it easier and more effective to convey your ideas, convince or persuade others, and experience success. A few of the benefits that often accompany improving your presentation skills include:

Enriched written and verbal communication skills

Enhanced confidence and self-image

Boosted critical thinking and problem-solving capabilities

Better motivational techniques

Increased leadership skills

Expanded time management, negotiation, and creativity

The better your presenting techniques, the more engaging your presentations will be. You could also have greater opportunities to make positive impacts in business and other areas of your life.

Effective presentation skills

Imagine yourself in the audience at a TED Talk or sitting with your coworkers at a big meeting held by your employer. What would you be looking for in how they deliver their message? What would make you feel engaged?

These are a few questions to ask yourself as you review this list of some of the most effective presentation skills.

Verbal communication

How you use language and deliver messages play essential roles in how your audience will receive your presentation. Speak clearly and confidently, projecting your voice enough to ensure everyone can hear. Think before you speak, pausing when necessary and tailoring the way you talk to resonate with your particular audience.

Body language

Body language combines various critical elements, including posture, gestures, eye contact, expressions, and position in front of the audience. Body language is one of the elements that can instantly transform a presentation that would otherwise be dull into one that's dynamic and interesting.

Voice projection

The ability to project your voice improves your presentation by allowing your audience to hear what you're saying. It also increases your confidence to help settle any lingering nerves while also making your message more engaging. To project your voice, stand comfortably with your shoulders back. Take deep breaths to power your speaking voice and ensure you enunciate every syllable you speak.

How you present yourself plays a role in your body language and ability to project your voice. It also sets the tone for the presentation. Avoid slouching or looking overly tense. Instead, remain open, upright, and adaptable while taking the formality of the occasion into account.

Storytelling

Incorporating storytelling into a presentation is an effective strategy used by many powerful public speakers. It has the power to bring your subject to life and pique the audience’s curiosity. Don’t be afraid to tell a personal story, slowly building up suspense or adding a dramatic moment. And, of course, be sure to end with a positive takeaway to drive your point home.

Active listening

Active listening is a valuable skill all on its own. When you understand and thoughtfully respond to what you hear—whether it's in a conversation or during a presentation—you’ll likely deepen your personal relationships and actively engage audiences during a presentation. As part of your presentation skill set, it helps catch and maintain the audience’s attention, helping them remain focused while minimizing passive response, ensuring the message is delivered correctly, and encouraging a call to action.

Stage presence

During a presentation, projecting confidence can help keep your audience engaged. Stage presence can help you connect with your audience and encourage them to want to watch you. To improve your presence, try amping up your normal demeanor by infusing it with a bit of enthusiasm. Project confidence and keep your information interesting.

Watch your audience as you’re presenting. If you’re holding their attention, it likely means you’re connecting well with them.

Self-awareness

Monitoring your own emotions and reactions will allow you to react well in various situations. It helps you remain personable throughout your presentation and handle feedback well. Self-awareness can help soothe nervousness during presentations, allowing you to perform more effectively.

Writing skills

Writing is a form of presentation. Sharp writing skills can help you master your presentation’s outline to ensure you stay on message and remain clear about your objectives from the beginning until the end. It’s also helpful to have strong writing abilities for creating compelling slides and other visual aids.

Understanding an audience

When you understand your audience's needs and interests, you can design your presentation around them. In turn, you'll deliver maximum value to them and enhance your ability to make your message easy to understand.

Learn more about presentation skills from industry experts at SAP:

How to improve presentation skills

There’s an art to public speaking. Just like any other type of art, this is one that requires practice. Improving your presentation skills will help reduce miscommunications, enhance your time management capabilities, and boost your leadership skills. Here are some ways you can improve these skills:

Work on self-confidence.

When you’re confident, you naturally speak more clearly and with more authority. Taking the time to prepare your presentation with a strong opening and compelling visual aids can help you feel more confident. Other ways to improve your self-confidence include practicing positive self-talk, surrounding yourself with positive people, and avoiding comparing yourself (or your presentation) to others.

Develop strategies for overcoming fear.

Many people are nervous or fearful before giving a presentation. A bad memory of a past performance or insufficient self-confidence can contribute to fear and anxiety. Having a few go-to strategies like deep breathing, practicing your presentation, and grounding can help you transform that fear into extra energy to put into your stage presence.

Learn grounding techniques.

Grounding is any type of technique that helps you steer your focus away from distressing thoughts and keeps you connected with your present self. To ground yourself, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and imagine you’re a large, mature tree with roots extending deep into the earth—like the tree, you can become unshakable.

Learn how to use presentation tools.

Visual aids and other technical support can transform an otherwise good presentation into a wow-worthy one. A few popular presentation tools include:

Canva: Provides easy-to-design templates you can customize

Powtoon: Animation software that makes video creation fast and easy

PowerPoint: Microsoft's iconic program popular for dynamic marketing and sales presentations

Practice breathing techniques.

Breathing techniques can help quell anxiety, making it easier to shake off pre-presentation jitters and nerves. It also helps relax your muscles and get more oxygen to your brain.  For some pre-presentation calmness, you can take deep breaths, slowly inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth.

While presenting, breathe in through your mouth with the back of your tongue relaxed so your audience doesn't hear a gasping sound. Speak on your exhalation, maintaining a smooth voice.

Gain experience.

The more you practice, the better you’ll become. The more you doanything, the more comfortable you’ll feel engaging in that activity. Presentations are no different. Repeatedly practicing your own presentation also offers the opportunity to get feedback from other people and tweak your style and content as needed.

Tips to help you ace your presentation

Your presentation isn’t about you; it’s about the material you’re presenting. Sometimes, reminding yourself of this ahead of taking center stage can help take you out of your head, allowing you to connect effectively with your audience. The following are some of the many actions you can take on the day of your presentation.

Arrive early.

Since you may have a bit of presentation-related anxiety, it’s important to avoid adding travel stress. Give yourself an abundance of time to arrive at your destination, and take into account heavy traffic and other unforeseen events. By arriving early, you also give yourself time to meet with any on-site technicians, test your equipment, and connect with people ahead of the presentation.

Become familiar with the layout of the room.

Arriving early also gives you time to assess the room and figure out where you want to stand. Experiment with the acoustics to determine how loudly you need to project your voice, and test your equipment to make sure everything connects and appears properly with the available setup. This is an excellent opportunity to work out any last-minute concerns and move around to familiarize yourself with the setting for improved stage presence.

Listen to presenters ahead of you.

When you watch others present, you'll get a feel for the room's acoustics and lighting. You can also listen for any data that’s relevant to your presentation and revisit it during your presentation—this can make the presentation more interactive and engaging.

Use note cards.

Writing yourself a script could provide you with more comfort. To prevent sounding too robotic or disengaged, only include talking points in your note cards in case you get off track. Using note cards can help keep your presentation organized while sounding more authentic to your audience.

Learn to deliver clear and confident presentations with Dynamic Public Speaking from the University of Washington. Build confidence, develop new delivery techniques, and practice strategies for crafting compelling presentations for different purposes, occasions, and audiences.

Article sources

Forbes. “ New Survey: 70% Say Presentation Skills are Critical for Career Success , https://www.forbes.com/sites/carminegallo/2014/09/25/new-survey-70-percent-say-presentation-skills-critical-for-career-success/?sh=619f3ff78890.” Accessed December 7, 2022.

Beautiful.ai. “ 15 Presentation and Public Speaking Stats You Need to Know , https://www.beautiful.ai/blog/15-presentation-and-public-speaking-stats-you-need-to-know. Accessed December 7, 2022.

This content has been made available for informational purposes only. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals.

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• Effective Presentation Skills

Presentation can be defined as a formal event characterized by teamwork and use of audio-visual aids . The main purpose of presentation is to give information, to persuade the audience to act and to create goodwill. A good presentation should have a good subject matter, should match with the objective, should best fit the audience, and should be well organized.

Characteristics of a Good/Effective Presentation

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The article is Written By “Prachi Juneja” and Reviewed By Management Study Guide Content Team . MSG Content Team comprises experienced Faculty Member, Professionals and Subject Matter Experts. We are a ISO 2001:2015 Certified Education Provider . To Know more, click on About Us . The use of this material is free for learning and education purpose. Please reference authorship of content used, including link(s) to ManagementStudyGuide.com and the content page url.

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Throughout academic and professional life, people have to give presentations. There are endless reasons to present, from presenting the results of research to proposing a new invention. Learning presentation skills helps presenters know what to practice when preparing a presentation and makes them more confident and capable when presenting.A presentation is…

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Throughout academic and professional life, people have to give presentations. There are endless reasons to present, from presenting the results of research to proposing a new invention. Learning presentation skills helps presenters know what to practice when preparing a presentation and makes them more confident and capable when presenting.

Presentation Skills Definition

A presentation is a form of communication in which a speaker delivers information to an audience. For instance, researchers often present their research to scholars in their field, while businessmen often present their company progress to colleagues.

• Presentation skills are the skills required to deliver engaging, effective presentations.

Developing strong presentation skills is important because presentations are vital to professional communication. Effective presentations can enhance a speaker's academic and professional credibility.

The 5 Ps of Presentation Skills

Remembering the "5 Ps of Presentation Skills" can help presenters plan an organized, compelling presentation.

First, it's crucial to identify the purpose of a presentation, which is its goal. For instance, the purpose might be convincing the audience to agree with your perspective on a debate, trying to secure a scholarship, or defending a thesis for a grade. To determine the purpose of a presentation, presenters can ask themselves questions like the following:

Why am I giving this presentation?

Who am I giving this presentation to?

What do I want the audience to learn from this presentation?

What do I want to get out of delivering this presentation?

Identifying the overall objective of giving the presentation is important because all parts of the presentation should support that purpose. Once you've identified the purpose, keep it in mind as you develop all aspects of the presentation.

Next, you should organize your presentation. Reflect on how you can achieve the goal you determined in the previous step. Often there are guidelines for presentations, like in school when teachers specify a required time limit or format. Make sure to follow those guidelines and plan out how you will meet your goal in following them. When planning a presentation, presenters can ask themselves the following questions:

What format should this presentation be delivered in?

How long should this presentation be?

How can the information be broken down into succinct sections?

Is it possible to include creative or comedic elements while staying organized and professional?

Presenters should also consider the context they are giving the presentation in when planning a presentation. How many people will be in the room? How will the room be set up? Will the presentation be over a video conferencing platform or face-to-face? All of these things can impact how the presenter should set up the presentation to keep the audience engaged and ensure they understand the material.

For example, in a face-to-face presentation to a small audience, a presenter can schedule a time for the audience to ask questions. However, in a recorded presentation emailed to the audience, the presenter should include an email or other form of contact for audience members to reach out with questions.

Preparation

After planning the presentation out, you can then prepare the details. Follow the plan you made in the previous step and bring all of your materials together. This step includes writing an outline or a script of what you will say and what details to include, such as texts or visual and auditory materials. Presenters can ask themselves the following questions when preparing their presentation:

Does this presentation accomplish the main goal?

Does this presentation address all of the important points of this topic?

Is this presentation organized, neat, and easy to follow?

Are there any distracting visual materials, or are they used sparingly?

It is often challenging to write a word-for-word script of what to say in a presentation. Contextual factors such as time constraints and questions from the audience can disrupt such a script and throw the presenter off. Instead, crafting a detailed outline of what topics to discuss is typically an easier approach to a presentation.

Once you have finished preparing the presentation, you must practice it. Giving yourself time to practice will allow you to note any parts of the presentation that should be tweaked or taken out. Practicing presentations also help you understand how much time it takes and whether you need to shorten or lengthen them.

When practicing a presentation, the presenter should have a clear voice, appropriate tone, and a confident attitude. Practicing these elements will help make them easier to come by on the day of the presentation, even if you are nervous.

Finally, you can deliver your presentation. If things do not go according to plan, the best approach is always to go with the flow. If you have sufficiently practiced your presentation, you should have an in-depth understanding of the material you are presenting. Distractions or challenges will not decrease your knowledge of the topic, so even when things go off-plan, speak confidently from the heart about what you know and your presentation will remain strong.

Presentation Skills Tips

The following tips and tricks can help presenters ensure effective, engaging presentations.

7 Presentation Skills

Practicing these seven presentation skills can help people polish their presentations.

Know Your Audience

When planning and delivering a presentation, remember who your audience is. For instance, are they experts in the field of study or beginners? This knowledge will determine what kind of vocabulary you can use and the level of detail with which you can discuss the topic. Knowing your audience is also connected to understanding the purpose of your presentation. For example, if the purpose of a presentation is to get a good grade in English class, then you should present with your English teacher's knowledge and expectations in mind.

Choose Your Tone of Voice

The tone of voice directly impacts the audience's levels of engagement in a presentation and can thus make or break a presentation. Presenters should speak confidently and persuasively when appropriate but always maintain a professional, respectable tone. They should avoid slang words and words with judgmental connotations, such as "duh" or "obviously." Instead, they should make their point through strong, well-explained evidence.

Pace Yourself

Alongside using an appropriate tone, presenters must also speak in a steady, even manner. Talking too fast or too slow will make it difficult for the audience to stay engaged. Instead, speak at a medium pace, just as you would if you were having a normal conversation.

People often start babbling when they get nervous. Speaking too fast during a presentation can confuse the audience and reduce the strength of the presentation. Practicing ahead of time will help you avoid this.

Watch Your Body Language

Engaging presenters appear strong and confident. To achieve this, you should check for the following body language before presenting:

Stand/sit up straight

Make eye contact with the audience

Use hand gestures when appropriate

Use various facial expressions

Proper body language can also mask nervousness when public speaking. Smile and stand up straight even if you're nervous and you will appear confident to your audience!

Be Succinct

To keep the audience's attention during a presentation, you should strive to get straight to the point. Visual aids should use short bullet points whenever possible and summarize the most important points of your ideas. You can go into more detail when speaking out loud, but still, try to stick to the most vital information.

Stay on Subject

A good way to keep your presentation to the point is by staying on topic. It can be tempting to go on tangents when public speaking by telling extra stories or going into too much detail about a topic. However, going down rabbit holes like that can distract your audience and cause them to lose focus. Instead, outline the most essential points you want to present and practice presenting just those ideas.

There's a reason practicing is mentioned more than once in this article. Practice entering the space you will present in, practice setting up your presentation if there are visual aids, and practice presenting the information all the way through. You should strive to reach a point where you can deliver the presentation without looking at many notes. Also, try to anticipate questions the audience will have and how you will address them.

Improving Presentation Skills

People can always improve their presentation skills, even if they think they have mastered them. To improve presentation skills, you can follow the following steps.

Be Interested

It is easier to give a compelling conversation when you are passionate about your presentation. If you have any input into what you present, try to select a topic you are genuinely interested in researching, writing, and talking about .

Know Your Topic

Do not try to present beyond your scope of understanding. Present information that you understand entirely and can thoroughly explain. This will increase your confidence and help ensure questions do not catch you off guard.

Take Deep Breaths

Giving a presentation can be overwhelming. Take a few deep breaths while you practice and before you present. This will calm any nerves and help ensure you speak calmly and steadily.

Taking care of your health can also improve your presentation! Drink water to stay hydrated and eat before you present!

Oftentimes, especially in school, people have to present in groups. Presenting with others can be challenging because each group member might have a different presentation style. It is extra important to practice a presentation several times with a group so everyone is on the same page about the purpose, what tone to use, how to pace the speech, and how to keep the audience engaged. Coordinating schedules with other group members to plan and practice the presentation can be tricky, so be sure to get started on the project long before the presentation date. Hence, everyone has time to contribute to and run through the presentation.

Benefits of Presentation Skills

Developing strong presentation skills can help in many areas of life. People have to give presentations in all kinds of scenarios, including when they are:

Completing assignments for school classes

Defending academic research

Applying for college scholarships

Explaining the results of a project at work

Trying to earn a promotion

Developing presentation skills can help people fearlessly approach the above situations and more. When strengthening presentation skills, people also strengthen their public speaking, professional communication, and writing and design skills. Mastering all of these makes people strong candidates for a variety of jobs and can make them more confident, capable people overall.

Presentation Skills Examples

Strong presentation skills can make or break a presentation. They can define the difference between letter grades, earning scholarships, and securing jobs. The following example demonstrates how presenters can apply the above skills in delivering an effective presentation.

Tony and Abigail are assigned to present the themes of Charlotte Brontë's novel Jane Eyre (1847). They have to give a five-minute presentation to their English teacher and the other students in their English class. What are the first steps they should take?

First, they must coordinate their schedules to ensure they have sufficient time to work on the presentation. They have a month before the due date, so they decide to meet once a week to plan independent tasks and coordinate their work.

At the first meeting, they should decide the purpose of their presentation and plan how to address it. Their goal is to inform the class and their teacher about Jane Eyre 's themes and demonstrate their understanding of the novel. They decide that they can do this through a PowerPoint presentation, in which they devote one slide to each theme. They select four themes and decide to discuss two each.

Next, they begin preparing the presentation. They use a shared PowerPoint to work independently but contribute to the same project. They use concise bullet points on the slides about the themes and write a more detailed outline for what to discuss when projecting those slides. They also include some images to help their audience visualize their points. Since they are presenting in school, they select formal vocabulary and use a calm, steady, professional tone.

In the week leading up to the deadline, Tony and Abigail meet up a few times to practice the presentation. They pretend they are walking into the classroom they will present in, and they make sure they can pull up the display on their computers without any problems. Once they have run through the presentation several times, they feel ready to present. On presentation day, they eat a filling breakfast, drink lots of water, and take some deep breaths. They make a few jokes while presenting but stay professional and on topic. They successfully deliver an engaging presentation!

Presentation Skills - Key takeaways

• To develop a presentation, identify the purpose, plan how to address it, prepare the materials, and practice presenting it.
• Presenters should know their audience, use a professional, steady tone of voice, and make eye contact with listeners.
• Presents should be succinct and stay o topic to keep the audience focused.
• When delivering a group presentation, start far in advance to coordinate schedules and presentation styles.

Frequently Asked Questions about Presentation Skills

--> what are the 7 presentation skills.

Know your audience, choose your tone of voice, pace yourself, watch your body language, be succinct, stay on subject, and practice. 

--> What are the 5 P's of presentation skills?

Purpose, Plan, Preparation, Practice, Present 

--> What are the qualities of a good presentation?

A good presentation is organized, succinct, and thoroughly practiced. The presenter should be enthusiastic and confident and speak with a professional tone at a steady pace. They should use some creative features and make eye contact with the audience. 

--> How can I give a good presentation?

To give a good presentation you should be knowledgeable about the topic and practice your presentation several times. You should know your audience and make consistent eye contact with them. You should also stand up straight, smile, and vary your facial expressions. 

--> What is the importance of presentation skills?

Developing strong presentation skills is important because presentations are a vital part of professional communication. Effective presentations can enhance a speaker’s academic and professional credibility. 

Final Presentation Skills Quiz

Presentation skills quiz - teste dein wissen.

John is preparing a presentation about the Krebs cycle. He identified his purpose, planned how he will address it, prepared a detailed presentation, and presented it to his entire science class. What did he do wrong?

Show answer

He should have practiced his presentation before delivering it.  

Show question

Which of the following presentation skills impacts the audience’s engagement the most?

Choosing tone of voice  

Which of the following should presenters not do?

Frequently look down at their notes  

What is the best speed to speak when delivering a presentation?

What is the first step when developing a presentation?

Identifying the goal of the presentation  

Sam is reflecting on his presentation and asking himself how long it should be and if it can be broken down into succinct sections. Which of the 5Ps of presentations is he addressing?

Jake is extremely nervous to present in front of his classmates. Which of the following skills can help him calm his nerves and feel more confident?

Presenting quickly to get the presentation over with  

What type of tone should presenters use when speaking?

Professional and respectable  

What does it mean for a presentation to be succinct?

The presenter explains the most important information and avoids going on unrelated tangents.  

Why is it important to give an engaging, effective presentation?

Effective presentations can enhance a speaker’s academic and professional credibility. 

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Presentation is a one-to-many formal verbal communication method. A presentation is the process of presenting an idea or a topic to an audience . It is typically a demonstration, introduction, lecture , or speech meant to inform, educate, persuade, inspire, motivate, or to build good will or to present a new idea or product.

Presentations need to be effective and it must help achieve the expected goal of positively influencing the audience with the new information being presented. Presentations are formal method of communicating your messages in a powerful manner to create the desired impact. There are PMP training , numerous presentation audio visual tools and aids available which can be used to make the presentations more powerful and effective.

One should prepare well for making an effective presentation. For that we need to understand the finer nuances of presentation. 

An approach for making effective presentation

The entire process of effectively delivering a presentation can be divided into following 3 phases: 

  1.  Planning the presentation

• It is very important to do the necessary ground work before even we start designing the presentation. 
• It is important to clearly define the objectives of the presentation. What are the end messages we are looking at conveying to the audience and what results a successful presentation will lead to. 
• We must understand the background of the audience upfront. We also need to clearly understand their expectations from the presentation.
• What are the messages we need to convey to the audience and the priority of the messages
• We also need to be very clear about how the presentation will benefit the audience
• Plan and define the expected take-away for the audience
• Decide the tone of the presentation whether it is informative, inspirational, motivational or educational

2. Preparing the presentation

It is important to prepare an appealing presentation by aggregating the right content in the right format. We can make use of some of the presentation tools to make the presentation visually more impactful.

• Decide the content to be shown in the presentation. Decide additional supporting information that might need to be distributed for consumption by the audience
• Decide the right tools for making the presentation. PowerPoint is one of the most impactful presentation tools widely being used.
• Making use of visual charts and graphs will also enrich the presentation
• Number of slides in the presentation should be limited. 
• There are many thumb rules for making presentation slides. Most important is not to have too much text on the slides. There should be mostly important bullet points on a slide
• Prepare the speech script for each slide to explain each point on the slide
• One of the most popular guidelines for making powerpoint presentation is the 10-20-30 rule, which says there should not be more than 10 slides, not taking more than 20 minutes to present and font size of text not less than 30. 
• There is also a 7-7 rule which states that each slide should not have more than 7 lines of text and each line should not have more than 7 words
• Signpost the presentation by dividing it logically 

3. Delivering the presentation

Delivering the presentation is the most important part of the whole process. This is the real work where you need to establish direct contact with the audience and deliver the presentation to them. This being a live and face-to-face process will involve huge amount of human emotions. It can cause immense anxiety to the presenter. One needs to keep the following points in mind while delivering the presentation.

• Rehearse the presentation with the prepared script very well many times before making the actual presentation
• Start the presentation in a positive and strong note. 
• Maintain direct eye contact with the entire audience and make good use of your body language
• Use lot of real world examples which the audience can relate with. Also share personal experience to drive the practical aspect of the message. This will make the messages more relatable and easily acceptable by the audience
• It is normal for a speaker to feel nervous with a new audience. Hence it is necessary to create the initial connect with them. That will help to reduce the anxiety and help you become more comfortable.
• Use humour as appropriate depending upon the audience. 
• Conclude your presentation with the key messages
• Make provision for some time for question answer session during the concluding part of the presentation

Making presentation is always challenging.  Each presentation is unique as the topics may be different and audience may be different. A good presentation should have a good subject matter, should match with the objective, should best fit the audience, and should be well organized. And it must meet or exceed the expectation of the audience and finally should give something concrete to the audience to take away. 

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The formal presentation of information is divided into two broad categories: Presentation Skills and Personal Presentation .

These two aspects are interwoven and can be described as the preparation, presentation and practice of verbal and non-verbal communication. 

This article describes what a presentation is and defines some of the key terms associated with presentation skills.

Many people feel terrified when asked to make their first public talk.  Some of these initial fears can be reduced by good preparation that also lays the groundwork for making an effective presentation.

A Presentation Is...

A presentation is a means of communication that can be adapted to various speaking situations, such as talking to a group, addressing a meeting or briefing a team.

A presentation can also be used as a broad term that encompasses other ‘speaking engagements’ such as making a speech at a wedding, or getting a point across in a video conference.

To be effective, step-by-step preparation and the method and means of presenting the information should be carefully considered. 

A presentation requires you to get a message across to the listeners and will often contain a ' persuasive ' element. It may, for example, be a talk about the positive work of your organisation, what you could offer an employer, or why you should receive additional funding for a project.

The Key Elements of a Presentation

Making a presentation is a way of communicating your thoughts and ideas to an audience and many of our articles on communication are also relevant here, see: What is Communication? for more.

Consider the following key components of a presentation:

Ask yourself the following questions to develop a full understanding of the context of the presentation.

When and where will you deliver your presentation?

There is a world of difference between a small room with natural light and an informal setting, and a huge lecture room, lit with stage lights. The two require quite different presentations, and different techniques.

Will it be in a setting you are familiar with, or somewhere new?

If somewhere new, it would be worth trying to visit it in advance, or at least arriving early, to familiarise yourself with the room.

Will the presentation be within a formal or less formal setting?

A work setting will, more or less by definition, be more formal, but there are also various degrees of formality within that.

Will the presentation be to a small group or a large crowd?

Are you already familiar with the audience?

With a new audience, you will have to build rapport quickly and effectively, to get them on your side.

What equipment and technology will be available to you, and what will you be expected to use?

In particular, you will need to ask about microphones and whether you will be expected to stand in one place, or move around.

What is the audience expecting to learn from you and your presentation?

Check how you will be ‘billed’ to give you clues as to what information needs to be included in your presentation.

All these aspects will change the presentation. For more on this, see our page on Deciding the Presentation Method .

The role of the presenter is to communicate with the audience and control the presentation.

Remember, though, that this may also include handing over the control to your audience, especially if you want some kind of interaction.

You may wish to have a look at our page on Facilitation Skills for more.

The audience receives the presenter’s message(s).

However, this reception will be filtered through and affected by such things as the listener’s own experience, knowledge and personal sense of values.

See our page: Barriers to Effective Communication to learn why communication can fail.

The message or messages are delivered by the presenter to the audience.

The message is delivered not just by the spoken word ( verbal communication ) but can be augmented by techniques such as voice projection, body language, gestures, eye contact ( non-verbal communication ), and visual aids.

The message will also be affected by the audience’s expectations. For example, if you have been billed as speaking on one particular topic, and you choose to speak on another, the audience is unlikely to take your message on board even if you present very well . They will judge your presentation a failure, because you have not met their expectations.

The audience’s reaction and therefore the success of the presentation will largely depend upon whether you, as presenter, effectively communicated your message, and whether it met their expectations.

As a presenter, you don’t control the audience’s expectations. What you can do is find out what they have been told about you by the conference organisers, and what they are expecting to hear. Only if you know that can you be confident of delivering something that will meet expectations.

See our page: Effective Speaking for more information.

How will the presentation be delivered?

Presentations are usually delivered direct to an audience.  However, there may be occasions where they are delivered from a distance over the Internet using video conferencing systems, such as Skype.

It is also important to remember that if your talk is recorded and posted on the internet, then people may be able to access it for several years. This will mean that your contemporaneous references should be kept to a minimum.

Impediments

Many factors can influence the effectiveness of how your message is communicated to the audience.

For example background noise or other distractions, an overly warm or cool room, or the time of day and state of audience alertness can all influence your audience’s level of concentration.

As presenter, you have to be prepared to cope with any such problems and try to keep your audience focussed on your message.   

Our page: Barriers to Communication explains these factors in more depth.

Continue to read through our Presentation Skills articles for an overview of how to prepare and structure a presentation, and how to manage notes and/or illustrations at any speaking event.

Continue to: Preparing for a Presentation Deciding the Presentation Method

See also: Writing Your Presentation | Working with Visual Aids Coping with Presentation Nerves | Dealing with Questions Learn Better Presentation Skills with TED Talks

10 Presentation Skills That Every Great Presenter Must Have

It’s no secret that effective presentations can help you get ahead in business. After all, what better way to show off your knowledge and expertise than by delivering a well-crafted presentation? The right presentation skills give you the ability to share your ideas with an audience convincingly and engagingly.

Unfortunately, not everyone is born a natural presenter. If you’re not used to standing up in front of an audience, the prospect of doing so can be daunting. Fortunately, there are a few simple things you can do to improve your presentation skills.

In this article, we’ll share some tips on how to do just that, allowing you to deliver an effective presentation.

Let’s get right into it.

What are Presentation Skills?

Presentation skills are the abilities you need to deliver a clear and effective presentation. After all, a good presenter is someone who can communicate their ideas in a way that engages and motivates their audience.

There are many different aspects to presentation skills, from knowing how to structure your talk to using visuals effectively, to dealing with nerves.

Developing strong presentation skills will help you to communicate your ideas more effectively and make a positive impression on your audience.

Presentation skills are important because they can help you to communicate your ideas clearly and effectively. A good presentation can make a big impact on your audience and can help to persuade them of your point of view.

Presentation skills are also important in other areas of life, such as job interviews, sales pitches, and networking events. Being able to present your ideas clearly and concisely can give you a big advantage over others who are not as confident in their presentation skills.

Why Is it Important To Recognize Presentation Skills & Their Benefits?

One of the most important reasons to recognize presentation skills is because they are a valuable skill for any profession. Good presentation skills can help you in your career by making it easier to sell your ideas, get promoted, and be successful in business.

In addition, good presentation skills can also help you in your personal life by making it easier to give speeches, make presentations, and teach classes.

In addition, recognizing presentation skills can also help you improve your presentations. If you are not aware of the importance of presentation skills, you may not be using them to their full potential.

By taking the time to learn about presentation skills and how to use them effectively, you can make your presentations more effective and persuasive.

Here’s a list of benefits that come with good presentation skills:

• Increased confidence
• The ability to think on your feet
• Improved public speaking skills
• Enhanced written communication skills
• The ability to lead and motivate others
• Enhanced problem-solving abilities
• Improved negotiation skills
• Stronger time management skills
• Greater creativity
• The opportunity to make a positive impact on others

10 Examples of Presentation Skills

Let’s now explore some practical examples of presentation skills that will help you ace your next big presentation.

A Clear And Confident Voice

One of the most important aspects of a great presentation is having a clear and confident voice. If you’re mumbling or speaking too quietly, your audience is going to have a hard time understanding you.

On the other hand, if you’re shouting or speaking too fast, they’re going to get overwhelmed and tune out. So, it’s important to find that happy medium where your voice is audible and easy to understand.

The Ability To Engage With Your Audience

Another key presentation skill is the ability to engage with your audience. This means making eye contact, using gestures, and speaking in a way that is relatable and easy to understand.

If you’re just standing there reading off a slide, chances are your audience is going to get bored pretty quickly. But if you can find ways to keep them engaged, they’ll be more likely to listen to what you have to say.

Good Eye Contact

One of the best ways to engage with your audience is through eye contact. When you make eye contact with someone, it shows that you’re interested in what they have to say and that you’re engaged in the conversation. It also helps to build trust and rapport.

So, if you can find ways to make eye contact with your audience members, it will go a long way in keeping them engaged.

Natural Gestures

Another great way to engage with your audience is through natural gestures. Using your hands and arms to gesture can help emphasize points and keep your audience engaged. Just be sure not to go overboard – too much gesturing can be distracting.

Positive Body Language

Your body language is also important when it comes to presentations. If you’re slouching or looking down at your feet, it’s going to show that you’re not confident in what you’re saying.

On the other hand, if you’re standing up straight and making strong eye contact, it’s going to give off a positive impression. So, be aware of your body language and try to project confidence through it.

The Use Of Visual Aids

Visual aids can be a great way to engage your audience and make your points more clear. Using slides, charts, and graphs can help illustrate your ideas and make them easier to understand. Similar to using gestures, just be sure not to overdo it – too many visuals can be overwhelming and confusing.

The Ability To Handle Questions

At some point during your presentation, you’re likely going to get questions from your audience; how you handle those questions can make or break your presentation. If you’re able to answer them confidently and without getting flustered, it’ll show that you know your stuff.

But if you start to get tongue-tied or defensive, it’s going to reflect poorly on you. So, be prepared for questions and try to stay calm when answering them.

An Organized Structure

Another important presentation skill is having a well-organized structure. This means having an introduction, main body, and conclusion to your presentation.

It also means using transitions between sections to help your audience follow along. If your presentation is all over the place, it’s going to be hard for your audience to stay engaged and they’ll quickly tune out.

The Use Of Storytelling

Storytelling is a great way to engage your audience and make your points more memorable. And while it might not seem like a traditional presentation skill, it can be extremely effective. So, if you can find ways to weave stories into your presentation, it’ll go a long way in captivating your audience.

Last but not least, confidence is one of the most important presentation skills you can have. If you’re not confident in what you’re saying, it’s going to show – and your audience is going to pick up on it.

So, even if you’re not feeling 100% sure of yourself, try to project confidence. It’ll make a big difference in how your audience perceives you and your message.

How To Identify & Master Presentation Skills

The good news is that presentation skills are not rocket science. Anyone can develop and master them with the right guidance.

Here’s a 5-step process to help you identify and master presentation skills.

Determine The Purpose Of Your Presentation

Are you trying to inform, persuade, or entertain your audience? Knowing the purpose of your presentation will help you focus on the right content and delivery.

Know Your Audience

Who will be watching or listening to your presentation? What are their needs, wants, and concerns? The better you understand your audience, the more effectively you can address their needs.

Structure Your Content

Organize your thoughts into an introduction, body, and conclusion. The introduction should grab your audience’s attention and set the stage for the rest of your presentation. The body should contain the meat of your argument, and the conclusion should drive home your main points.

Choose Your Delivery Method

Will you be using slides, props, or other visual aids? Will you be speaking extemporaneously or reading from a script? Choose a delivery method that best suits your content and audience.

Practice, Practice, Practice

The only way to become a master presenter is to practice, practice, practice! Experiment with different techniques and find what works best for you. Then keep practicing until it becomes second nature.

Also, consider that the right strengths test can help you understand your presentation skills better – both the strong ones and the ones to get better at. To this extent, the High5test.com strengths test is a great resource.

How To Improve Presentation Skills in The Workplace

The workplace is one of the most important places to hone your presentation skills. After all, in the business world, first impressions are key, and being able to deliver a polished and professional presentation can make all the difference in whether or not you’re successful.

Here are a few tips to help you improve your presentation skills in the workplace:

Preparation Is Key

This may seem like a no-brainer, but it’s worth repeating. When you’re preparing for a presentation, take the time to do your research and gather all of the necessary information. This will help ensure that your presentation is well-organized and flows smoothly.

Be Aware Of Your Body Language

Your body language speaks volumes, so it’s important to be aware of what you’re communicating with your nonverbal cues. Make sure you’re standing up straight, making eye contact, and using gestures appropriately. These small tweaks can make a big difference in how your audience perceives you.

One of the best ways to improve your presentation skills is simply to practice as much as you can. The more you present, the more comfortable you’ll become and the better you’ll be at thinking on your feet and handling questions from the audience.

Seek Feedback

After each presentation, take some time to reflect on what went well and what could be improved. If possible, seek feedback from your colleagues or boss. This will help you learn from your mistakes and continue to improve.

By following these tips, you can start to improve your presentation skills and make a positive impression in the workplace.

How To Highlight Presentation Skills In Resume & Job Interview

Another important skill that is often overlooked is the ability to highlight presentation skills in both a resume and a job interview. This can be the difference between getting the job and not.

When you are applying for a job, your resume is often the first thing that potential employers will look at. It is important to make sure that your resume includes any relevant presentation skills that you may have.

You can do this by including any experience you have in public speaking, leading presentations, or teaching courses. If you do not have any experience in these areas, consider listing any other relevant skills that could transfer over into presenting, such as customer service or sales experience.

In addition to your resume, it is also important to be able to highlight your presentation skills during a job interview. This is often done through behavioral interviewing, where you will be asked to describe specific examples of times when you have presented in the past. It is important to be prepared for this type of question and to have a few examples ready to go.

When you are highlighting your presentation skills, it is important to focus on any successes that you have had. This could be anything from getting positive feedback from an audience to successfully teaching a new course.

No matter what the specific example is, it is important to focus on how you were able to positively impact the situation. This will show potential employers that you can effectively present information and that you are someone they would want on their team.

Bonus Tip: How to Improve Presentation Skills in School As a Student

School students often have to present in front of their classmates and teachers. This can be a daunting experience, especially if you don’t feel confident in your abilities. However, there are some things you can do to improve your presentation skills while you’re still in school.

Join A Club Or Organization That Requires Presentations

This will force you to get up in front of people regularly and hone your skills. If no club or organization at your school requires presentations, start one!

Give speeches in front of the mirror.

Practicing in front of a mirror can help you identify any nervous habits you have (like fidgeting or pacing) and correct them before you have to give a real speech.

Use Note Cards Instead Of A Script

Reading from a script can make you sound robotic and unauthentic. Note cards will help you stay on track without sounding like you’re reciting memorized lines.

Record Yourself Giving A Presentation

Then, watch the recording back to see how you can improve. This exercise can be painful, but it’s one of the best ways to identify your weaknesses and work on them.

Find A Mentor

Ask a teacher or another adult you trust to give you feedback on your presentations. They can offer helpful tips and criticism that will help you improve.

By following these tips, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a great presenter in no time!

Presentation Skills FAQs

What are the 7 presentation skills.

The 7 presentation skills are:

• Eye contact

What are the 4 types of presentation skills?

The 4 types of presentation skills are:

• Verbal communication
• Visual aids
• Non-verbal communication
• Listening skills

What is the rule of presentation?

The rule of presentation is to always keep the audience in mind. This means knowing who your audience is, what they want to hear, and how to best deliver your message so that they will listen and be able to understand it.

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Robert Dolan, Effective presentation skills, FEMS Microbiology Letters , Volume 364, Issue 24, December 2017, fnx235, https://doi.org/10.1093/femsle/fnx235

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Most PhD's will have a presentation component during the interview process, as well as presenting their work at conferences. This article will provide guidance on how to develop relevant content and effectively deliver it to your audience.

Most organizations list communication skills as one of their most critical issues…and presentation skills are a large component of communications. Presentation skills are crucial to almost every aspect of academic/business life, from meetings, interviews and conferences to trade shows and job fairs. Often times, leadership and presentation skills go hand in hand. NACE Survey 2016 - Ability to communicate verbally (internally and externally) ranked 4.63/5.0 and was the #1 skill employers want. The information provided in this article is designed to provide tips and strategies for delivering an effective presentation, and one that aligns the speaker with the audience.

What type of speaker are you?

Facts and fears of public speaking.

Your blueprint for delivery.

Avoider —You do everything possible to escape from having to get in front of an audience.

Resister —You may have to speak, but you never encourage it.

Accepter —You’ll give presentations but don’t seek those opportunities. Sometimes you feel good about a presentation you gave.

Seeker —Looks for opportunities to speak. Finds the anxiety a stimulant that fuels enthusiasm during a presentation.

Public speaking can create anxiety and fear in many people. Dale Carnegie has a free e-book that provides tips and advice on how to minimize these fears www.dalecarnegie.com/Free-eBook

People are caught between their fear and the fact that many employers expect them to demonstrate good verbal communication skills.

Most interviews by PhD’s have a presentation component.

Academic interviews always have a presentation component.

If your job doesn’t demand presentation skills, odds are that you’ll need them in your next job

Develop your blueprint for delivery:

Information by itself can be boring, unless it's unique or unusual. Conveying it through stories, gestures and analogies make it interesting. A large portion of the impact of communications rests on how you look and sound, not only on what you say. Having good presentation skills allows you to make the most out of your first impression, especially at conferences and job interviews. As you plan your presentation put yourself in the shoes of the audience.

Values …What is important to them?

Needs …What information do they want?

Constraints …Understand their level of knowledge on the subject and target them appropriately.

Demographics …Size of audience and location may influence the presentation. For example, a large auditorium may be more formal and less personal than a presentation to your team or lab mates in a less formal setting.

Structure—Introduction, Content and Conclusion

Body Language and Movement

Verbal Delivery

Introduction

Build rapport with audience (easier in a smaller less formal setting).

State preference for questions—during or after?

Set stage: provide agenda, objective and intended outcomes

Introduce yourself providing your name, role and function. Let the audience know the agenda, your objectives and set their expectations. Give them a reason to listen and make an explicit benefit statement, essentially what's in it for them. Finally, let them know how you will accomplish your objective by setting the agenda and providing an outline of what will be covered.

Deliver your message logically and structured.

Use appropriate anecdotes and examples.

Illustrate and emphasize key points by using color schemes or animations.

Establish credibility, possibly citing references or publications.

Structure your presentation to maximize delivery. Deliver the main idea and communicate to the audience what your intended outcome will be. Transition well through the subject matter and move through your presentation by using phrases such as; ‘now we will review…’ or ‘if there are no more questions, we will now move onto…’ Be flexible and on course. If needed, use examples not in the presentation to emphasize a point, but don’t get side tracked. Stay on course by using phrases such as ‘let's get back to…’ Occasionally, reiterate the benefits of the content and the main idea of your presentation.

Restate the main objective and key supporting points

For Q&A: ‘Who wants more details?’ (Not, ‘any questions?’)

Prompting for questions: ‘A question I often hear is…’

Summarize the main elements of your presentation as they relate to the original objective. If applicable, highlight a key point or crucial element for the audience to take away. Signal the end is near…‘to wrap up’ or ‘to sum up’. Clearly articulate the next steps, actions or practical recommendations. Thank the audience and solicit final questions.

Your non-verbal communications are key elements of your presentation. They are composed of open body posture, eye contact, facial expressions, hand gestures, posture and space between you and the audience.

Stand firmly and move deliberately. Do not sway or shift.

Move at appropriate times during presentation (e.g. move during transitions or to emphasize a point).

Stand where you can see everyone and do not block the visuals/screen.

Decide on a resting position for hands (should feel and look comfortable).

Gestures should be natural and follow what you are saying.

Hand movement can emphasize your point.

Make gestures strong and crisp…ok to use both arms/hands.

Keep hands away from face.

When pointing to the screen, do so deliberately. Do not wave and face the audience to speak

Look at audience's faces, not above their heads.

If an interview or business meeting…look at the decision makers as well as everyone else.

Look at faces for 3–5 seconds and then move on to the next person.

Do not look away from the audience for more than 10 seconds.

Looking at a person keeps them engaged.

Looking at their faces tells you how your delivery and topic is being received by the audience. The audience's body language may show interest, acceptance, openness, boredom, hostility, disapproval and neutrality. Read the audience and adjust where and if appropriate to keep them engaged. For example, if they seem bored inject an interesting anecdote or story to trigger more interest. If they appear to disapprove, ask for questions or comments to better understand how you might adjust your delivery and content if applicable.

Use active rather than passive verbs.

Avoid technical terms, unless you know the audience is familiar with them.

Always use your own words and phrases.

Cut out jargon/slang words.

Look at your audience and use vocal techniques to catch their attention. Consider changing your pace or volume, use a longer than normal pause between key points, and change the pitch or inflection of your voice if needed. Consider taking a drink of water to force yourself to pause or slowdown. View the audience as a group of individual people, so address them as if they were a single person.

Tips for reducing anxiety

If you experience nervousness before your presentation, as most people do, consider the following.

Be Organized —Knowing that your presentation and thoughts are well organized will give you confidence.

Visualize —Imagine delivering your presentation with enthusiasm and leaving the room knowing that you did a good job.

Practice —All successful speakers rehearse their presentations. Either do it alone, with your team, or video tape yourself and review your performance after. Another tip is to make contact before your talk. If possible, speak with the audience before your presentation begins; however, not always possible with a large audience. Walk up to them and thank them in advance for inviting you to speak today.

Movement —Speakers who stand in one spot may experience tension. In order to relax, move in a purposeful manner and use upper body gestures to make points.

Eye Contact —Make your presentation a one-on-one conversation. Build rapport by making it personal and personable. Use words such as ‘ we ’ , ‘ our ’, ‘ us ’ . Eye contact helps you relax because you become less isolated from the audience.

Personal appearance

Clothes should fit well, not too tight. Consider wearing more professional business-like attire. Find two to three colors that work well for you. Conservative colors, such as black, blue, gray and brown, seem to be the safest bet when presenting or meeting someone for the first time in a professional setting. Depending upon the audience, a sport coat and well-matched dress slacks are fine. Generally, try to avoid bright reds, oranges and whites, since these tend to draw attention away from your face. Avoid jewelry that sparkles, dangles or makes noise. Use subtle accessories to compliment your outfit.

Other resources: www.toastmasters.org https://www.skillsyouneed.com/present/presentation-tips.html

https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/evaluation/documents/effective-presentations-a-toolkit-for-engaging-an-audience

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