zandax online course logo
zandax website search
zandax phone callback
Info, Blogs, Contact & Login
Courses
Tests

Top Tips for Presentations

From the ZandaX Presentation Skills Blog

Articles to make you more effective in your presentations

Home  >  ZandaX Blogs  >  Business Blog  >  Presentation Skills Articles  > 
Top Tips for Presentations

Top Tips for Presentations

A post from our Presentation Skills blog

Article author: John B
      Written by John B
Some people enjoy, even love, delivering presentations. I was not always one of them. Like me when I was younger, many people get incredibly nervous and absolutely hate delivering them.

When I was still at school, most of the people in my class had to deliver a short presentation in front of the entire school and there was a prize involved. As you could choose your own subject, I was very excited and prepared for weeks. I thought everything was perfect but that changed on the day of the competition. My turn came and I was called up onto the stage. It was only then that the problems began. I reached the podium and could not see over it.

I had been one of the last in my class to start growing and was the shortest person participating. I realised that I could not see over the podium and, if I remained behind the podium, nobody would be able to see me. Therefore, I was forced to step to the side of the podium. With my entire short body now in view, I did not know whether to hold my notes in front of me or leave them on the podium and ad lib. I chose the latter and started to speak. People began shouting because since I was now not in front of the microphone, I could not be heard. I walked to the front of the stage and basically shouted my way through what was now a bit of a fiasco. As I no longer had my notes and did not know what to do with my hands, I twiddled my thumbs in front of me as I spoke.

Shouting at the Audience

Needless to say, I didn't win the competition. They never gave the results from those that were outside the first three places but I am pretty sure I came last. It was not until after university that I had the opportunity to receive some training on how to present and I now love presenting. One job that I had about ten years ago on cruise ships was based purely around the ability to deliver short presentations to over a thousand people at a time and try to get them to sign up for something on the spot.

Besides learning techniques on controlling your nerves (probably the single biggest thing that helps) areas such as how to control a question and answer session helped me the most. I personally now always start from left to right and front to back when allowing people to pose questions. All of these factors can help other people with controlling their own nerves.

So, besides the areas covered in our courses, here are some other subjects to think about which can help with overcoming nerves:

  1. Find out what resources you will have access to at the site which the presentation is to be held at. Going with a PowerPoint presentation isn't useful in many places in Africa. This is an extreme example, but it makes the point. Less radical examples might mean finding out if you will have access to a microphone or not.
  2. Ask if it is possible to see the venue first. Do the props that you are going to use always suit the shape and size of the location? Would everybody be able to see the screen?
  3. Use suitable humour if possible. Not only does it help to break the ice, it often makes the presentation more memorable and will help separate you from competition.
  4. If getting help, try be specific. Do you want assistance with building the presentation or delivering it? There is available help for both.
At ZandaX, we try and provide assistance in developing presentations and delivering presentations. We have courses for both and combined as well. For any help with putting the wow factor into your presentations by overcoming nerves, give us a call.

Do You Want Better Presentation Skills?


If you'd like to learn more about delivering presentations, why not take a look at how we can help?

Boost your presentation skills with our online courses.
RRP from $0 – limited time offer just $0.00

             


If you enjoyed this article, make sure to read the next post in the series, Is There A Difference Between Presentation Skills And Public Speaking?.

Back to the Presentation Skills blog

Click the button for more Presentation Skills articles.

The ZandaX Business Skills blog

Click a panel for great articles on business skills

Write For Us

We pride ourselves on our busy, high-quality and helpful blog, and we're always looking for guest contributors to increase the variety and diversity of what we present.

Click to see how you can write for us with an original and well-written guest post.

ZandaX Blog Contents

Want to see them all? Click to view a full list of articles in our blogs.

Online courses to boost your skills
Click a button to see more about each course
Personal Development
Microsoft Software
 
 
Leadership & Management
Sales & Presentations
Service & Support
 
 
ZandaX online training course logo
ZandaX – Change Your Life ... Today
All content © ZandaX 2023
ZandaX LinkedIn logo
ZandaX LinkedIn logo
ZandaX LinkedIn logo
Close menu element
See how you score on a range of skills that are critical to your well-being and performance
Communication Skill test
Communication Skills
How Can You Communicate Better?
Would you like to see what kind of communicator you are? And how you can improve the effectiveness of your communications?
Likeability test
Likeability
How Much Do People Like You?
Do you sometimes wonder just how likeable you are? And wouldn't you like to see how you can (genuinely) become more likeable?


Time Management test
Time Management
How Can You Make More Use Of Your Time?
Are you frustrated by how easily time slips away? Do you get frustrated when things don't get done just because you run out of time?
Assertiveness test
Assertiveness
Are you Passive, Aggressive or Assertive?
Would you like to know where you fall on the behavior spectrum? Does your response to events sometimes surprise you?


Close menu element
Information & Resources
ZandaX information
Information
Read more about us, our Privacy Policy and our Terms of Service
See how we want to help you, and how we make everything easy for everyone
Callback request
ZandaX Blogs
Articles to increase your knowledge and understanding in key areas of your life and career.
Read our blogs on Personal Development, Business Skills and Leadership & Management


Time Management test
Log In
Log in to your online dashboard
View your courses, review what you want and download your workbooks and certificates
Assertiveness test
Contact Us
An easy online form to get in touch
With options for More Information, Customer Service and Feedback


Close menu element
Develop Your Skills, Knowledge and Understanding with ZandaX
Click any subject in the listings for more information and a full list of courses

Personal Development
Personal Development training
Your soft skills affect everything you do, at work, at home and with friends ... they are truly life changing!
NEW COURSES
Online training courses
Hot Off the Press...
We're always adding to and upgrading our courses, so here are a few of our latest releases:
For a full listing of courses, please visit our Quick Course Finder to find exactly what you want.
Site Cookies
We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better.

You can change your cookie settings in your browser. Otherwise, we'll assume you're OK to continue.

I'm fine with this