July 12, 2023 • 20 mins
Ready to elevate your conference presentation skills to an entirely new level? I guarantee you'll find actionable advice in this episode of the Profitable Speaking Podcast, where we uncover my top 10 tips for crafting a compelling presentation. We dissect the 131 method of speech structuring, discuss the importance of a clear and concise message, and how to create a lasting impact with a memorable conclusion. You'll learn to align your words with striking visuals that complement your message, using authentic photos over generic stock images.
Moving forward, we hone in on the subtleties of a successful presentation. It's about resonating with your audience, weaving in references from prior speakers, and sharing stories laced with raw emotion for maximum impact. We underline the significance of rehearsal and timing, because it's not just what you say, but how you say it. You’ll uncover the power of audience participation, and how giving away something for free can forge deeper connections. Whether you're a seasoned orator or gearing up for your first conference presentation, tune in and discover how to make your speaking skills truly formidable.
Get a copy of my latest book - Micro Course Profits: Build a 7 Figure Income with Bite Sized Courses! Click the Link below...
Brad Hauck
I help you optimise and accelerate your digital marketing using smart strategies and AI tools.
Proficlix.com.au
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Episode 35 of the profitable speaking podcast,
where we provide practical tipsand insights to help you succeed
as a public speaker.
In today's episode, I'm goingto look at my top 10 tips for
racing your next conferencepresentation.
We're going to be diving intothe world of conference
presentations and equipping youwith the top 10 tips that will
(00:21):
skyrocket your performance andleave a lasting impact on your
audience.
Whether you're a seasonedspeaker or about to deliver your
first presentations, thesesimple yet powerful strategies
will ensure that you ace yournext conference presentation
with competence, charisma andfinesse.
So grab your notepad, get readyto unlock the secrets to
(00:41):
captivating presentations thatwill elevate your various and
new heights.
Let's jump right in.
Number one craft compellingspeech.
The key to acing a conferencepresentation lies in crafting a
compelling speech.
You need to focus on creating aclear and concise message that
(01:02):
resonates with your audience,structure your speech with a
strong opening, a well-developedbody that's for your main point
and a memorable conclusion thatleaves a lasting impact.
I like to use the 131 method,that's have one main topic,
three subtopics that talk aboutthat topic and then one reminder
(01:22):
at the end to pull it alltogether for the audience.
Now, as you go through and youbuild your 131 method, don't
forget to build in your sale.
Use facts and examples and casestudies to set you up as the
expert so that people want tohire you to work with them.
Remember you need to thinkabout your audience.
(01:45):
You need to know who they are,how they got here, where they
came from, why they're even inthe audience and what they need
to know to change their lives.
When you're building yourspeech, remember to build it big
and then trim it back.
Put everything in practice itand then throw out the bits that
(02:08):
don't work.
That way you get a nicecohesive sort of flow to
remember using the 131 methodand, of course, you add the
pretty last.
So just keep it plain, just useyour basic PowerPoint layout
with your information on it andthen, when you get to the end,
then you can add in all yourphotos and all that, but get the
(02:28):
speech written and tied it upand then do it.
Another one craft a compellingspeech.
Number two improve your visualimpact.
That was a mouthful.
Visuals play a crucial role inenhancing your presentation.
Invest time in designingvisually appealing slides that
complement your content.
Use colors, fonts and graphicsthat align with your message and
(02:52):
maintain a consistent visualtheme throughout your
presentation.
So one of the things thatreally bugs me is 1980s styles
PowerPoints.
They look like they were doneby one of my old year one level
students.
It's terrible.
Seriously, you're aprofessional speaker.
You need to improve the look ofyour PowerPoint keynote.
(03:15):
Whatever program that you usewhen you're presenting on stage,
it's not good enough to put acheap, nasty, default looking
PowerPoint up there for peopleto look at.
It distracts from your messageand it distracts from your
overall presentation.
You can look at a milliondollars, but if your PowerPoint
looks like it was done by a yearone, it's really embarrassing.
(03:38):
So please use a professionaltemplate.
You can buy templates fromInvato or you can go to five or
up work and get someone to makeit look pretty based on your
ideas.
These days, you can even use AIin PowerPoint to build the
slides.
So put your information in anddrop a photo on and you'll see
(03:59):
it come up with the AI and itwill suggest a range of layouts.
Now the trick is to useconsistently, as you choose,
that different layout for eachslide, but it's pretty reliable
and overall it actually looksreally good.
Remember, also brand it usingyour brand, your logo and your
(04:21):
colours only.
Don't have mixed coloursthroughout.
If your main colours are golden, black and white, then use
golden, black and white.
Don't add pink or blue.
Use consistency.
We see this in every other formof production, whether it be
television or books or whatever.
Consistency is always throughthe whole document.
(04:43):
There's no excuse but to usedoing all sorts of things in
your PowerPoint.
Keep it clean, keep it fast,keep it nice and, of course, you
can use QR codes on each pageas well to send people to
somewhere where they candownload a gift via email.
So lots of things you can do toimprove your visual impact.
(05:06):
Number three use real photos,not stock photos.
When it comes to visuals, usingreal photos instead of stock
images can significantly enhancethe authenticity of your
presentation.
Real photos out of personaltouch can help your audience
connect with your message on amuch deeper level.
If you incorporate relevant andhigh quality images that
(05:26):
support and enhance your content, it will make a difference to
your overall presentation.
Stock photos are boring.
Let's base the facts okay.
We can recognise them from amile away, and especially if
you're not in America, becausestraight away you can tell from
the mixed people and the clothesand the way they look, that
(05:47):
they are not Australian orSingaporean or New Zealand or
whatever.
Okay, straight away, like itreally stands out, and honestly,
use your own pictures.
Okay, go out and take somephotos.
Get some photos taken.
Ask friends if they've gotpictures of something so it
looks like a real photo.
Someone's been to thearchitecture and you want a
(06:11):
photo of that.
Ask anyone.
Been frantic.
Get a photo of this.
No doubt someone will have it.
We all have millions of digitalphotos ripped, taken and stored
either in Apple photos or inGoogle photos.
Nothing says I lived this thatI'm talking about better than
your own stock images, your ownphotos Over four.
(06:35):
Get your audience to take actionby doing simple activities.
Engage your audience byincorporating simple activities
in your presentation.
Okay, this could be asinteractive as asking questions,
conducting polls or even littlegroup discussions between one
to three people.
These activities don't keepyour audience involved, but also
encourage active learning andparticipation.
(06:56):
The way I find that I'vementioned before is to use a
little workbook or worksheet.
You get people writing and thenyou can ask them for their
answers.
Okay, they fill it in, theydiscuss it with the person next
to them and allows you to getfeedback from the floor because
they're going to give youanswers and then you can write
it down on a flip chart.
So so much you can do when youget people to take some action,
(07:19):
when you get them thinking, italso keeps them all because
they're afraid you might askthem for an answer.
Now, obviously, you only takevolunteers from the audience,
but it still keeps everybodyelse on their toes.
It activates their brain andthat's really important when
you're trying to help themachieve something different
through your speaking.
(07:40):
Remember, teachers follow aformat when they teach a class.
Okay, they talk about the topicthey're going to do, they show
an example, they do somebackground related questions,
they then demonstrate how to doit, then they get the class to
do it, then they discuss theresults and then they do an
activity based on the originalone and then they review it.
There's a reason for thisprocess.
(08:03):
The reason is it works.
It's been tested billions oftimes in billions of classrooms
all around the world.
Do little things like thatFollow a little format, building
in there, okay.
Number five is give somethingaway for free.
Powerful way to leave a lastingimpression on your audience is
(08:23):
by offering something valuablefor free.
Okay, it can be an e-book, adownloadable resource or access
to exclusive content.
By providing this out of value,you not only build goodwill,
but you also establish yourselfas a credible authority in your
field.
Okay, it helps you collectemails, help you connect with
people, ongoing so you cansupport their success.
(08:44):
Okay, you can give a bonus thatgoes with the speech and make
sure to relate it specificallyto the topic.
It's not worth giving awaysomething that's not related.
I suggest you hold off to theend or close to the end, not the
last thing you talk about,otherwise people will be getting
ready to go.
But mention it early on.
I'm going to give you access tothis here, or I'll give you
(09:05):
access to my PowerPoint.
You can download the bulletpoints so you can take those
bullet points of what youcovered on stage, maybe turn it
into a little mini ebook and,quite frankly, you could do that
by either taking the points andtalking or feeding it into AI
and getting it to expand on them.
Whatever you want to do.
And then, finally, make surethat free thing looks like a
(09:26):
million dollars.
Okay, use Canva to do thelayout or get someone to show up
work to make it look nice.
Again, stop handing out stuffthat looks like it was done by a
year one student.
It's annoying and it's oldfashioned.
Okay, we've come a long way.
You can do better.
Number six practice.
Okay, I've said this too manytimes Practice is key to
(09:50):
delivering a polished andconfident presentation, and
confident is the key word here.
When you rehearse your speechmultiple times, paying attention
to your timing, your gestures,your delivery, you get better.
Okay, simple Practice in frontof a mirror, record yourself or
get feedback from someone youtrust.
The more you practice, the morecomfortable you will be and the
(10:12):
more prepared you'll feel onthe day of the presentation.
As I put lots of slides in myinitial practice slide deck and
then I cull them, I move themand I insert new ones, I'll go
through a presentation 10 times.
Okay, even if it's 45 minuteslong, it will take me 10 times
to get it down to somethingreally good.
(10:32):
I do it through and then, whenI get it to the point where I
feel pretty comfortable with it,I lock it down.
I stop pulling out slides, Istop doing stuff.
Okay, gotta draw a line in thesand where you're not going to
make any more changes.
Okay, get to the point whereyou know where you're going and
(10:52):
when you see the slide, itautomatically comes to your head
.
And then get better than that.
Okay, so you get to the pointwhere you know what the next
slide's going to be.
Now, that's not always possibleif you're doing one-off
speeches, but if you are doingthe same sort of speech, you can
get to the point where youdon't really need the slides,
and that's when you might get abit slick.
(11:13):
Practice it up.
Practice seven watch thespeeches before yours and add
references Before yourpresentation.
Take time to watch otherspeeches or presentations at the
conference.
This will give you a sense ofthe audience's interests and the
overall tone of the event.
Incorporate relevant referencesand key takeaways from the
previous speaker to create aseamless flow and show your
(11:37):
engagement with the conferencetheme.
Okay, this is really important.
Take note of anything relatedto your topic Just a couple.
You don't need like 50paragraphs two or three things.
And then, when you get on stageand you get to a point, you say
, oh, and I agree with Mary orJoe who said this, because that
fits in here with what I talkabout.
(11:58):
So, yes, they really worktogether.
Okay, it shows you present inthe room to everybody who's
there.
It also gives cutoffs to theother speaker for their great
thinking and, if you can showwhere their thinking fits into
your framework or your ideas,ties the conference together
better.
(12:19):
Use real life stories that haveemotion.
Number eight stories have aunique power to captivate
audiences and make your messagememorable.
We all know this.
Okay, incorporate real lifestories that invoke emotions and
connect with your audience'sexperiences.
Whether it's a personalanecdote, customer success story
or an example, make sure italigns with your key points and
(12:41):
supports the overall message.
It must be related to whatyou're talking about.
Nothing hits harder than reallife stories told.
Okay, they must have emotion.
A story is just a story withoutemotion.
It doesn't have any impact.
Sometimes it's hard to do, butplease try.
I'm trying I've always tried todo better at this.
(13:03):
Okay, people will tell you whenyou hit the mark.
Recently, when I was talking inSingapore, I told a story about
leaving the office and cominghome, my kids saying that they
never saw me because I wasalways in the office, I'd leave
soon after they got up and I'dget home shortly before they
went to bed because they werevery young.
It was quite heartbreaking, buta number of people and I've
(13:25):
told me.
Quite a few people came upafterwards, especially men, and
said to me that they knewexactly what I was talking about
and that was really hardhitting for them.
Okay, so these little storiescan make a big difference to
your impact.
So when you're doing a story,make sure you write it out a bit
, make sure it points down andthen build it by practicing.
(13:47):
Okay, sometimes it's good towrite an outline of the story
and then practice it and buildit up.
Number 10, smile and beconfident.
You're the expert.
Your body language anddemeanour greatly influence how
your audience perceives you.
Smile, make eye contact andproject confidence.
Remember that you're the expertin your field and your
(14:08):
presentation is an opportunityto showcase your knowledge.
Embrace your expertise and letit shine through your confident
and approachable demeanour.
I've said it before my wifealways reminds me to smile
because I have a resting faceand it doesn't look cool when I
go to the stage.
It doesn't mean I'm unhappy, itjust means that's the way I am,
okay, so smile.
(14:29):
I always think of this before Ihit the stage.
Your parents were right okay,stand tall, pull your shoulders
back.
Okay, have some presence onstage, command that stage and
move around it.
Don't hide in one spot, okay,get around.
Use both sides of the stage.
Talk to the full audience.
If there's an electric on stage, burn it.
(14:51):
Get rid of it.
Maybe you do not stand behindit.
If you do, it will kill yourpresentation.
It's painful to watch someonepresenting behind an electric.
There's only very few peopleI've seen who can do it.
Horticians are probably theonly one that can pull it off,
to be honest, okay.
And lastly, with the confidenceside, you get a good suit or
(15:12):
outfit that you feel comfortablein.
That you feel confident in.
That gives you power.
It's like changing your frame.
When you pull your suit on,your frame changes.
You become the confident nextto the stage.
And lastly but not least, usevideo.
Incorporating video into yourpresentations can be a game
changer.
(15:33):
Okay, dad's variety, visualinterest and can effectively
illustrate cobs or showcase realworld examples for you.
Use video clips strategically,ensuring they align with your
message and seamlessly integrateinto your overall presentation
flow.
Okay, like photos, videosreally add impact.
I know that, having been ateacher and I still write
(15:55):
courses for schools and things.
You can get kids something toread.
You can give them pictures, butif you give them a video and
then ask them.
It has a much greater impact.
So using video is veryimportant in the learning
process and it should beimportant in your learning
process as well.
Okay, it must be your video, orabout an event that you're at,
(16:17):
etc.
So don't just use random videosto illustrate a story.
It's better to actually shoot avideo of yourself telling a
story and then put it in yourpresentation than just use video
of someone else telling a story.
Okay, check it works.
This is really important.
One of the biggest issues isembedding video into PowerPoints
(16:40):
and Keynotes and things likethat.
It's very unreliable and I'mstill doing some research into
trying to make that work better,because I want to use more
video in mind.
For example, sometimes peoplewill convert the video to an
animating GIF.
It's only a short video, so youmight be using video in the
background of a slide orsomething.
But either way, make sure youdo your research.
(17:03):
Make sure, when you're usingvideo, use a tip, illustrate a
point or to build ground to astory you're about to talk about
.
So say it's a news item andthen you say sorry on that day.
Okay, don't use video to makeyourself the hero.
Remember, you're up there asthe guide.
(17:23):
You're trying to make youraudience the hero.
You're there to help themsucceed.
If you want to learn more aboutthat, go and have a look at
Donald Miller's books in theStory Brands universe.
There is such good stuff thereabout the fact you're not the
hero.
Yes, they might look at you asmaybe being one, but that's not
your job in the room.
Your job is to say I did this,but you can do it too.
(17:47):
I'm going to make you the hero.
Okay, and also remember, ifyou're going to use video,
please use high resolution video, unless it's old video, in
which case you may be able toget it upscaled, because loading
it into a software likePremiere Pro and that are these
days with AI and you can upscalethe resolution, because while
(18:08):
you're looking at it on a screenthis big, while you're prepping
when people come into the room,we know how big those screens
are behind us, so we need tomake sure that it's clear, not
pixelated.
So, to review, when it comes toacing your next conference
presentation, there are severalkey factors to consider.
Crafting a compelling speechsets the foundation allowing you
(18:30):
to deliver a clear, memorablemessage.
Enhancing your visual impactwith real photos not only adds
authenticity, but it alsocaptures your audience's
attention.
Engaging your audience throughsimple activities encourages
active participation, createsdynamic learning environments.
Offering something valuable forfree leaves a lasting
impression and establishes yourcredibility.
(18:51):
Practice is crucial, as itredefines your delivery and
refines it, and it boosts yourconfidence.
Watching previous speeches andadding in references
demonstrates your engagementwith the event and helps build a
cohesive narrative.
Incorporating real-life storiesthat evoke emotion adds depth
and connection.
(19:12):
By smiling and exudingconfidence, you establish
yourself as the expert instealing trust in your audience.
And finally, leveraging thepower of video brings your
presentation to life andenhances comprehension.
By applying these 10 tips in acohesive manner, you will create
a conference presentation thatcaptivates your audience and
(19:33):
leaves a lasting impactadvancing your professional
success.
I hope you found this episode ofour podcast on the top 10 tips
for acing your next conferencepresentation interesting.
If you did, I have a challengefor you Hit that like button and
subscribe to the podcast rightnow, and then share this episode
(19:53):
with another speaker who coulduse the tips and strategies I
shared.
Let's help each other grow ourbusinesses and make an impact in
the speaking world.
Together, we can reach evenmore people and make a bigger
difference.
So don't wait.
Take action now and share thelove.
Thanks for tuning in.
Get ready for more excitingbusiness building tips in the
next episode.
Episode 35 of the profitable speaking podcast,
where we provide practical tipsand insights to help you succeed
as a public speaker.
In today's episode, I'm goingto look at my top 10 tips for
racing your next conferencepresentation.
We're going to be diving intothe world of conference
presentations and equipping youwith the top 10 tips that will
(00:21):
skyrocket your performance andleave a lasting impact on your
audience.
Whether you're a seasonedspeaker or about to deliver your
first presentations, thesesimple yet powerful strategies
will ensure that you ace yournext conference presentation
with competence, charisma andfinesse.
So grab your notepad, get readyto unlock the secrets to
(00:41):
captivating presentations thatwill elevate your various and
new heights.
Let's jump right in.
Number one craft compellingspeech.
The key to acing a conferencepresentation lies in crafting a
compelling speech.
You need to focus on creating aclear and concise message that
(01:02):
resonates with your audience,structure your speech with a
strong opening, a well-developedbody that's for your main point
and a memorable conclusion thatleaves a lasting impact.
I like to use the 131 method,that's have one main topic,
three subtopics that talk aboutthat topic and then one reminder
(01:22):
at the end to pull it alltogether for the audience.
Now, as you go through and youbuild your 131 method, don't
forget to build in your sale.
Use facts and examples and casestudies to set you up as the
expert so that people want tohire you to work with them.
Remember you need to thinkabout your audience.
(01:45):
You need to know who they are,how they got here, where they
came from, why they're even inthe audience and what they need
to know to change their lives.
When you're building yourspeech, remember to build it big
and then trim it back.
Put everything in practice itand then throw out the bits that
(02:08):
don't work.
That way you get a nicecohesive sort of flow to
remember using the 131 methodand, of course, you add the
pretty last.
So just keep it plain, just useyour basic PowerPoint layout
with your information on it andthen, when you get to the end,
then you can add in all yourphotos and all that, but get the
(02:28):
speech written and tied it upand then do it.
Another one craft a compellingspeech.
Number two improve your visualimpact.
That was a mouthful.
Visuals play a crucial role inenhancing your presentation.
Invest time in designingvisually appealing slides that
complement your content.
Use colors, fonts and graphicsthat align with your message and
(02:52):
maintain a consistent visualtheme throughout your
presentation.
So one of the things thatreally bugs me is 1980s styles
PowerPoints.
They look like they were doneby one of my old year one level
students.
It's terrible.
Seriously, you're aprofessional speaker.
You need to improve the look ofyour PowerPoint keynote.
(03:15):
Whatever program that you usewhen you're presenting on stage,
it's not good enough to put acheap, nasty, default looking
PowerPoint up there for peopleto look at.
It distracts from your messageand it distracts from your
overall presentation.
You can look at a milliondollars, but if your PowerPoint
looks like it was done by a yearone, it's really embarrassing.
(03:38):
So please use a professionaltemplate.
You can buy templates fromInvato or you can go to five or
up work and get someone to makeit look pretty based on your
ideas.
These days, you can even use AIin PowerPoint to build the
slides.
So put your information in anddrop a photo on and you'll see
(03:59):
it come up with the AI and itwill suggest a range of layouts.
Now the trick is to useconsistently, as you choose,
that different layout for eachslide, but it's pretty reliable
and overall it actually looksreally good.
Remember, also brand it usingyour brand, your logo and your
(04:21):
colours only.
Don't have mixed coloursthroughout.
If your main colours are golden, black and white, then use
golden, black and white.
Don't add pink or blue.
Use consistency.
We see this in every other formof production, whether it be
television or books or whatever.
Consistency is always throughthe whole document.
(04:43):
There's no excuse but to usedoing all sorts of things in
your PowerPoint.
Keep it clean, keep it fast,keep it nice and, of course, you
can use QR codes on each pageas well to send people to
somewhere where they candownload a gift via email.
So lots of things you can do toimprove your visual impact.
(05:06):
Number three use real photos,not stock photos.
When it comes to visuals, usingreal photos instead of stock
images can significantly enhancethe authenticity of your
presentation.
Real photos out of personaltouch can help your audience
connect with your message on amuch deeper level.
If you incorporate relevant andhigh quality images that
(05:26):
support and enhance your content, it will make a difference to
your overall presentation.
Stock photos are boring.
Let's base the facts okay.
We can recognise them from amile away, and especially if
you're not in America, becausestraight away you can tell from
the mixed people and the clothesand the way they look, that
(05:47):
they are not Australian orSingaporean or New Zealand or
whatever.
Okay, straight away, like itreally stands out, and honestly,
use your own pictures.
Okay, go out and take somephotos.
Get some photos taken.
Ask friends if they've gotpictures of something so it
looks like a real photo.
Someone's been to thearchitecture and you want a
(06:11):
photo of that.
Ask anyone.
Been frantic.
Get a photo of this.
No doubt someone will have it.
We all have millions of digitalphotos ripped, taken and stored
either in Apple photos or inGoogle photos.
Nothing says I lived this thatI'm talking about better than
your own stock images, your ownphotos Over four.
(06:35):
Get your audience to take actionby doing simple activities.
Engage your audience byincorporating simple activities
in your presentation.
Okay, this could be asinteractive as asking questions,
conducting polls or even littlegroup discussions between one
to three people.
These activities don't keepyour audience involved, but also
encourage active learning andparticipation.
(06:56):
The way I find that I'vementioned before is to use a
little workbook or worksheet.
You get people writing and thenyou can ask them for their
answers.
Okay, they fill it in, theydiscuss it with the person next
to them and allows you to getfeedback from the floor because
they're going to give youanswers and then you can write
it down on a flip chart.
So so much you can do when youget people to take some action,
(07:19):
when you get them thinking, italso keeps them all because
they're afraid you might askthem for an answer.
Now, obviously, you only takevolunteers from the audience,
but it still keeps everybodyelse on their toes.
It activates their brain andthat's really important when
you're trying to help themachieve something different
through your speaking.
(07:40):
Remember, teachers follow aformat when they teach a class.
Okay, they talk about the topicthey're going to do, they show
an example, they do somebackground related questions,
they then demonstrate how to doit, then they get the class to
do it, then they discuss theresults and then they do an
activity based on the originalone and then they review it.
There's a reason for thisprocess.
(08:03):
The reason is it works.
It's been tested billions oftimes in billions of classrooms
all around the world.
Do little things like thatFollow a little format, building
in there, okay.
Number five is give somethingaway for free.
Powerful way to leave a lastingimpression on your audience is
(08:23):
by offering something valuablefor free.
Okay, it can be an e-book, adownloadable resource or access
to exclusive content.
By providing this out of value,you not only build goodwill,
but you also establish yourselfas a credible authority in your
field.
Okay, it helps you collectemails, help you connect with
people, ongoing so you cansupport their success.
(08:44):
Okay, you can give a bonus thatgoes with the speech and make
sure to relate it specificallyto the topic.
It's not worth giving awaysomething that's not related.
I suggest you hold off to theend or close to the end, not the
last thing you talk about,otherwise people will be getting
ready to go.
But mention it early on.
I'm going to give you access tothis here, or I'll give you
(09:05):
access to my PowerPoint.
You can download the bulletpoints so you can take those
bullet points of what youcovered on stage, maybe turn it
into a little mini ebook and,quite frankly, you could do that
by either taking the points andtalking or feeding it into AI
and getting it to expand on them.
Whatever you want to do.
And then, finally, make surethat free thing looks like a
(09:26):
million dollars.
Okay, use Canva to do thelayout or get someone to show up
work to make it look nice.
Again, stop handing out stuffthat looks like it was done by a
year one student.
It's annoying and it's oldfashioned.
Okay, we've come a long way.
You can do better.
Number six practice.
Okay, I've said this too manytimes Practice is key to
(09:50):
delivering a polished andconfident presentation, and
confident is the key word here.
When you rehearse your speechmultiple times, paying attention
to your timing, your gestures,your delivery, you get better.
Okay, simple Practice in frontof a mirror, record yourself or
get feedback from someone youtrust.
The more you practice, the morecomfortable you will be and the
(10:12):
more prepared you'll feel onthe day of the presentation.
As I put lots of slides in myinitial practice slide deck and
then I cull them, I move themand I insert new ones, I'll go
through a presentation 10 times.
Okay, even if it's 45 minuteslong, it will take me 10 times
to get it down to somethingreally good.
(10:32):
I do it through and then, whenI get it to the point where I
feel pretty comfortable with it,I lock it down.
I stop pulling out slides, Istop doing stuff.
Okay, gotta draw a line in thesand where you're not going to
make any more changes.
Okay, get to the point whereyou know where you're going and
(10:52):
when you see the slide, itautomatically comes to your head
.
And then get better than that.
Okay, so you get to the pointwhere you know what the next
slide's going to be.
Now, that's not always possibleif you're doing one-off
speeches, but if you are doingthe same sort of speech, you can
get to the point where youdon't really need the slides,
and that's when you might get abit slick.
(11:13):
Practice it up.
Practice seven watch thespeeches before yours and add
references Before yourpresentation.
Take time to watch otherspeeches or presentations at the
conference.
This will give you a sense ofthe audience's interests and the
overall tone of the event.
Incorporate relevant referencesand key takeaways from the
previous speaker to create aseamless flow and show your
(11:37):
engagement with the conferencetheme.
Okay, this is really important.
Take note of anything relatedto your topic Just a couple.
You don't need like 50paragraphs two or three things.
And then, when you get on stageand you get to a point, you say
, oh, and I agree with Mary orJoe who said this, because that
fits in here with what I talkabout.
(11:58):
So, yes, they really worktogether.
Okay, it shows you present inthe room to everybody who's
there.
It also gives cutoffs to theother speaker for their great
thinking and, if you can showwhere their thinking fits into
your framework or your ideas,ties the conference together
better.
(12:19):
Use real life stories that haveemotion.
Number eight stories have aunique power to captivate
audiences and make your messagememorable.
We all know this.
Okay, incorporate real lifestories that invoke emotions and
connect with your audience'sexperiences.
Whether it's a personalanecdote, customer success story
or an example, make sure italigns with your key points and
(12:41):
supports the overall message.
It must be related to whatyou're talking about.
Nothing hits harder than reallife stories told.
Okay, they must have emotion.
A story is just a story withoutemotion.
It doesn't have any impact.
Sometimes it's hard to do, butplease try.
I'm trying I've always tried todo better at this.
(13:03):
Okay, people will tell you whenyou hit the mark.
Recently, when I was talking inSingapore, I told a story about
leaving the office and cominghome, my kids saying that they
never saw me because I wasalways in the office, I'd leave
soon after they got up and I'dget home shortly before they
went to bed because they werevery young.
It was quite heartbreaking, buta number of people and I've
(13:25):
told me.
Quite a few people came upafterwards, especially men, and
said to me that they knewexactly what I was talking about
and that was really hardhitting for them.
Okay, so these little storiescan make a big difference to
your impact.
So when you're doing a story,make sure you write it out a bit
, make sure it points down andthen build it by practicing.
(13:47):
Okay, sometimes it's good towrite an outline of the story
and then practice it and buildit up.
Number 10, smile and beconfident.
You're the expert.
Your body language anddemeanour greatly influence how
your audience perceives you.
Smile, make eye contact andproject confidence.
Remember that you're the expertin your field and your
(14:08):
presentation is an opportunityto showcase your knowledge.
Embrace your expertise and letit shine through your confident
and approachable demeanour.
I've said it before my wifealways reminds me to smile
because I have a resting faceand it doesn't look cool when I
go to the stage.
It doesn't mean I'm unhappy, itjust means that's the way I am,
okay, so smile.
(14:29):
I always think of this before Ihit the stage.
Your parents were right okay,stand tall, pull your shoulders
back.
Okay, have some presence onstage, command that stage and
move around it.
Don't hide in one spot, okay,get around.
Use both sides of the stage.
Talk to the full audience.
If there's an electric on stage, burn it.
(14:51):
Get rid of it.
Maybe you do not stand behindit.
If you do, it will kill yourpresentation.
It's painful to watch someonepresenting behind an electric.
There's only very few peopleI've seen who can do it.
Horticians are probably theonly one that can pull it off,
to be honest, okay.
And lastly, with the confidenceside, you get a good suit or
(15:12):
outfit that you feel comfortablein.
That you feel confident in.
That gives you power.
It's like changing your frame.
When you pull your suit on,your frame changes.
You become the confident nextto the stage.
And lastly but not least, usevideo.
Incorporating video into yourpresentations can be a game
changer.
(15:33):
Okay, dad's variety, visualinterest and can effectively
illustrate cobs or showcase realworld examples for you.
Use video clips strategically,ensuring they align with your
message and seamlessly integrateinto your overall presentation
flow.
Okay, like photos, videosreally add impact.
I know that, having been ateacher and I still write
(15:55):
courses for schools and things.
You can get kids something toread.
You can give them pictures, butif you give them a video and
then ask them.
It has a much greater impact.
So using video is veryimportant in the learning
process and it should beimportant in your learning
process as well.
Okay, it must be your video, orabout an event that you're at,
(16:17):
etc.
So don't just use random videosto illustrate a story.
It's better to actually shoot avideo of yourself telling a
story and then put it in yourpresentation than just use video
of someone else telling a story.
Okay, check it works.
This is really important.
One of the biggest issues isembedding video into PowerPoints
(16:40):
and Keynotes and things likethat.
It's very unreliable and I'mstill doing some research into
trying to make that work better,because I want to use more
video in mind.
For example, sometimes peoplewill convert the video to an
animating GIF.
It's only a short video, so youmight be using video in the
background of a slide orsomething.
But either way, make sure youdo your research.
(17:03):
Make sure, when you're usingvideo, use a tip, illustrate a
point or to build ground to astory you're about to talk about
.
So say it's a news item andthen you say sorry on that day.
Okay, don't use video to makeyourself the hero.
Remember, you're up there asthe guide.
(17:23):
You're trying to make youraudience the hero.
You're there to help themsucceed.
If you want to learn more aboutthat, go and have a look at
Donald Miller's books in theStory Brands universe.
There is such good stuff thereabout the fact you're not the
hero.
Yes, they might look at you asmaybe being one, but that's not
your job in the room.
Your job is to say I did this,but you can do it too.
(17:47):
I'm going to make you the hero.
Okay, and also remember, ifyou're going to use video,
please use high resolution video, unless it's old video, in
which case you may be able toget it upscaled, because loading
it into a software likePremiere Pro and that are these
days with AI and you can upscalethe resolution, because while
(18:08):
you're looking at it on a screenthis big, while you're prepping
when people come into the room,we know how big those screens
are behind us, so we need tomake sure that it's clear, not
pixelated.
So, to review, when it comes toacing your next conference
presentation, there are severalkey factors to consider.
Crafting a compelling speechsets the foundation allowing you
(18:30):
to deliver a clear, memorablemessage.
Enhancing your visual impactwith real photos not only adds
authenticity, but it alsocaptures your audience's
attention.
Engaging your audience throughsimple activities encourages
active participation, createsdynamic learning environments.
Offering something valuable forfree leaves a lasting
impression and establishes yourcredibility.
(18:51):
Practice is crucial, as itredefines your delivery and
refines it, and it boosts yourconfidence.
Watching previous speeches andadding in references
demonstrates your engagementwith the event and helps build a
cohesive narrative.
Incorporating real-life storiesthat evoke emotion adds depth
and connection.
(19:12):
By smiling and exudingconfidence, you establish
yourself as the expert instealing trust in your audience.
And finally, leveraging thepower of video brings your
presentation to life andenhances comprehension.
By applying these 10 tips in acohesive manner, you will create
a conference presentation thatcaptivates your audience and
(19:33):
leaves a lasting impactadvancing your professional
success.
I hope you found this episode ofour podcast on the top 10 tips
for acing your next conferencepresentation interesting.
If you did, I have a challengefor you Hit that like button and
subscribe to the podcast rightnow, and then share this episode
(19:53):
with another speaker who coulduse the tips and strategies I
shared.
Let's help each other grow ourbusinesses and make an impact in
the speaking world.
Together, we can reach evenmore people and make a bigger
difference.
So don't wait.
Take action now and share thelove.
Thanks for tuning in.
Get ready for more excitingbusiness building tips in the
next episode.
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