Irrespective of what business you are in a small company, a large multinational or a home based business, communication and presentation skills are important. Adeptness in these skills is essential for the survival of your business.
This quality may not be naturally present in each and everybody. Some take the help of communication training courses or books to get this right. Herein, we will give you some tips on how to develop both these qualities to become a successful entrepreneur.
Here, we are specifically going to discuss those traits that are required in a presentation. And naturally if you develop these skills, your communication style will improve.
The first thing that you need to do in a presentation is to take a good look at the material that you are going to speak. Always make it a point to speak the important points at first. Also, do not worry if you finish early. As long your content is good, nobody will complain.
Next, try to avoid awkward pauses. The best way to do this is by not speaking anything when you run out of ideas. Let others ask you something or ask their opinions on the subject you are discussing. This practice will give you ample time to gather back your thoughts. You must remember that it is not essential that the whole presentation should be filled by only your voice.
Another crucial element that is essential in a good presentation is eye contact. The person who speaks should not fix his gaze over a particular area but should constantly make eye contact with all members of the audience. This will make the audience believe that he is speaking to each and every one.
Many people think that using visual aids is a good way of expressing your ideas. But, you must realize that greater number of facts and figures you use, the greater time you waste. As a rule of thumb, you must ensure that in a 15 min talk, there should not be more than 15 visual aids.
Greater number of visual aids will also confuse people. You will get only a limited time and if you have greater number of figures, you have no other way than rushing through them. In the end, most of the people will find it hard to figure out what you exactly wanted to say.
Finally, another important quality is variety in the tone of speaking. If you begin to speak in a monotone, there is every chance that the attention of the audience will drift. But if you add a bit of drama and entertainment, the presentation will be more lively as well as interactive.
Always remember that only a good communicator can become a good presenter. Thus, communication and presentation skills go hand in hand. Work on one and the other will follow.