Business Presentation Skills for 2013 ? Archimedes Consulting Blog

January 25th, 2013

1^st Impressions count

We all know that we make up our minds about people in seconds, but what causes us to do that? What mental processing is going on in our brains that cause such a swift and decisive reaction? The supercomputer, that is our?brain, is taking in visual and auditory inputs and is quickly deciding if what it sees ?adds up?. Does the visual appearance match the tone of voice? Does the tone of voice sound confident; does the body language match the confidence? If these things look positive and critical, if they add up, then we form a favourable first impression. So the best tip for creating positive first impressions in business is to project warm confidence and a great start on that is to smile even when you don?t feel like it! Your physiology can lead your emotions, so smiling can make you feel better as well as making you look positive and confident.

Standing out in a crowd

If you get off to a good start and create a strong first impression, how then do you capitalise on that? How do you set yourself apart from other people presenting, pitching, or interviewing that day?

Maya Angelou said, ?People will forget what you said, forget what you did; they will never forget how you made them feel?. To stand out in a crowd you need to connect with your audience on an emotional, as well as, a rational level. Many in business remain absolutely clinical in their presentations and lose the human appeal. So, in addition to the data, the argument, and the facts you are delivering don?t lose sight of what that actually means to your audience and look to make them feel good about their achievements or aspirations.

?Holding audience attention

21^st century business is suffering from a collective case of ADD (attention deficit disorder). In the fast pace of today?s business world people are finding it increasingly difficult to focus and concentrate for any length of time. How then do you deal with that when you?re tasked with delivering a 20 minute plus presentation?

In the immortal words of Bananarama (the original girl band!), ?It ain?t what you do, it?s the way that you do it?. Holding an audience?s attention is not really about what you?re saying it?s more about how you say it. Can you get your message across in an entertaining and engaging way rather than just downloading the bare facts onto your audience? For example, can you use relevant stories, jokes, or analogies that illustrate and dramatise your key points? In essence, the difference between a sound presenter and a great presenter is someone who gives at least as much attention to the HOW as the WHAT of their message.

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Source: http://blog.archimedesconsulting.co.uk/2013/01/business-presentation-skills-for-2013/

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