Top Ten Rules for Effective Presentations

I am of the belief that the majority of people can improve their presentations dramatically by focusing on eliminating bad habits and presentation skills more than seeking to add anything on. How often have you come out of a seminar and overheard someone say, "Wow, she was great! Did you see how effectively she used her hand gestures?"

That said, here are some ideas to help you become a better speaker.

1. Keep it simple
Speak naturally
Make eye contact
Don't do crazy things with your hands
Don't do much more than speak, i.e. managing props etc.

2. Be impassioned

3. Balance the format of your information

4. Build the relationships beforehand if possible

5. Get the audience to participate at varying levels if effective

6. Show, don't tell. That is, use stories, not facts and figures

7. Get rid of distracting idiosyncrasies

8. Don't misinterpret people's actions and get discouraged

9. Know your material

10. Never, ever, go overtime

About The Author:

Chris Widener is a popular speaker and writer as well as the President of Made for Success, a company helping individuals and organizations turn their potential into performance, succeed in every area of their lives and achieve their dreams.

To see Chris "live" at the upcoming Jim Rohn Weekend Event as he speaks on the subject of Secrets of Influence go to http://Chris-Widener.InspiresYOU.com/ or call 800-929-0434.

---

Too Many Choices - Dont Confuse Your Customers

Conventional wisdom is that the more choices customers have, the... Read More

Special Delivery! Tips for Improving Your Humor

Delivering humorous speeches involves a lot more than simply having... Read More

Nonverbal Communication in Business

There are five key elements that can make... Read More

Transitions: Building Bridges to Your Points

Presenters often tell me that they fear losing their train... Read More

Show the World Your Wares Easily and Inexpensively

You've spent a lot of time preparing your PowerPoint presentations... Read More

Ten Tips on Using Flip Charts and Whiteboards

Flip charts are so common that we all think we... Read More

How to Attract New Business Like George W. Bush Wins Elections

THE LITTLE-KNOWN SPEECHWRITING SECRETS THAT WON GEORGE W. BUSH THE... Read More

Guidelines for Rehearsal Criticism

It is both good planning and considerate to provide auditors... Read More

Close Deals in Record Time!

Remember back when the ability to create a slide show... Read More

Communication Barriers and Simplifying the Communication Process

The communication process can be much more difficult than a... Read More

What Every Manager Should Know About How to Sharpen His Presentation Skills

Regardless of the nature of our job or social standing,... Read More

The Missing Link in Presentation Skills Training

Imagine you are the most amazing figure skater who ever... Read More

Give Your Audience Something to Talk About

There is an old saying: "The first thing to do... Read More

Cross Cultural Presentations

The international flavour of many people's jobs naturally means that... Read More

Planning a Group Meeting

CHARACTERISTICS OF AN EFFECTIVE FACILITATOR: As chairperson, focus on the... Read More

Can Stage Presence be Learned?

What is stage presence? Can it be learned?There are, undoubtedly,... Read More

Presentation Pitfalls Series: Top 10 Content Mangement Mistakes

Here, David Letterman style, are what I consider to be... Read More

Be Bold, Branded, and Bespoke - Your Customers Want You to Choose

I had been working on a logo idea for several... Read More

Incorporate Humor in Your Next Speech

Some speakers say, "I could never use humor in my... Read More

How To Run Your Greatest Conference Ever

Like most good achievements, a magnificent meeting depends on planning... Read More

Story Telling As A Tool For Trainers

Once upon a time????."Yeah right, don't tell us a story,... Read More

Polishing Your Sales Presentation

Summer is here! It's time to bring out your summer... Read More

The Relationship between Information Sender and Receiver: The Art of Communication

For communication to take place, a message must be transmitted... Read More

Qualities of Good Communication

Webster's Dictionary defines communication as "a giving or exchanging of... Read More

Choosing a Company Shirt vendor

Where can you choose a company shirt vendor? There are... Read More

Move Key Audiences to Actions You Want

How?Try a blueprint like this: people act on their own... Read More

Presentation Skill Mistakes

Last week my husband and I attended an awesome 4... Read More

Develop The Winners Edge Through Conversational Hypnosis

Communication is vital for survival in an age of information... Read More

The Crucial Components of a Lesson Plan

MAKING INFORMATIVE LESSON PLANS: --The performance objectives should answer this... Read More

Tips to Energize Your Presentations

"There can be no knowledge without emotion. We may be... Read More

Winning The Big Pitch - The 7 Deadly Sins Of Business Presentations And How To Avoid Them!

Are poor presentations costing you business?The ability to deliver a... Read More

Presentation Power Does Not Come From PowerPoint

You speak before a group. You present your message. You... Read More

Data Visualization Flash Charts: Information in a Flash

Flash chart, flash map, flash graph may be mistaken for... Read More