10 Tips for Professional Speakers

by Jaimie Abbott

Put your best foot forward every time! One of the reasons that many people fear taking the podium is because they are afraid of being the focal point of everyone's attention and they don't want to make a fool of themselves. There are several things you can do to "fool-proof" your speaking event so that you present well every single time!

1. Take the time to prepare well for your presentation. Preparation enhances your confidence and it's also an opportunity to refine any weak areas in your presentation.

2. Begin and end your presentation on time. Arriving late to your presentation is simply unprofessional; not to mention that it won't win you any points with your crowd. Also speaking over time shows your audience that you don't value their time.

3. Know your audience. The only way you can really relate your audience is if you know who they are. Profile your audience. Are they male or female? What income bracket are they in? Why would they attend your presentation?

4. Dress appropriately for your audience. Not all speaking engagements require a business suit! There are many places where business casual attire has become the norm. Before your audience even hears your message, they are already sizing you up and this is impacting whether or not they are hearing what you have to say!

5. Have a backup plan for visual aids used in your presentation. You've selected to use visual aids because you thought they would be helpful in getting your message across. What happens when laptops fail or the room cannot accommodate presentation equipment? Create a plan on how you would handle a situation like that.

6. Tone down information overload. Yes, you can overload your audience with too much information and if you're not careful, you'll lose them. They'll mentally check out. As a speaker, you'll want to present enough information that hooks them into getting more information from you!

7. Don't use inappropriate humor. Humor can be a tricky thing working for you or against you. You will really have to know your audience in order to use jokes or humor appropriately.

8. Vary your speech tones. The monotonous speaker will lose their audience within the first 15 minutes. It's okay to be animated during your presentation and in fact, doing so will transmit flair and passion that keeps people engaged in your message.

9. Relate your topic back to your audience. Basically, stop talking about yourself! Your audience might want to hear a testimony or two, but mostly, they'll want to hear about them and how your presentation can help them!

10. Solidify your message. Support your ideas with data and evidence and build a solid case for your viewpoints. You can use statistics, testimonies, demonstrations, pictures and more!

Your presentation can be fool proof if you take the time to minimize mistakes. By going through these key points, you can assure yourself that you are well prepared for any challenge that might come your way and you will experience the success you've always dreamed of!