How to Give Effective Presentations That Don’t Bore Your Audience

Hello! It’s Kristine here with the Express to Impress podcast. Today, we’ll be talking about how to give a presentation that doesn’t bore your audience. The idea for this episode came from one of my former students and now a friend from Turkey. She requested an episode about how to give effective, not boring presentations. I can’t wait to dive into this topic! 

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But first, I want to tell you about what I offer in addition to the Express to Impress podcast. In this podcast, I show you how to talk about yourself and present your ideas clearly, confidently, and persuasively. These communication skills are useful in business meetings, presentations, and of course, in job interviews. In my online course, “How to Land Your Next Job,” you can get not only communication tips and strategies but also the latest employment data, recruitment practices, and guides and templates. People who take my course are 100% prepared to speak clearly and confidently at every stage of their job search. The course is on-demand, which means that you can enroll and learn at your own pace. Learn more about my course on my website at www.express-to-impress.com and get 15% off the course by using the coupon code podcast15 at the checkout. 

Introduction

Alright, let’s get started! We’ve all been trapped in a presentation that is so boring that we are nodding off, secretly pinching ourselves to try to stay awake, or forcing a smile when the presenter looks in our direction. Or worse, you’ve been the one giving the boring presentation, and you realize it’s boring when you see people nodding off, scanning their phones, or fidgeting anxiously. 

Why Are So Many Presentations Boring?

Why are so many presentations boring? For starters, most people don’t like giving them. I even read in Psychology Today that people fear public speaking more than they fear death! What in the world! From fears of rejection and embarrassment to resentment for having to give a presentation in the first place, most people have a negative mindset going into a presentation. Preparing for something you dread isn’t fun either, so many people are underprepared for giving presentations. If I’ve just described you, just bear with me for a few minutes, and I think I can change your mind. 

Why Giving a Presentation Is Awesome

Have you ever wanted to:

• Change the way another person thinks?
• Change a co-worker’s behavior? 
• Show the rest of the company your department’s progress? 
• Share an idea that you’re excited about?
• Convince a bunch of people to use your product? 
• Teach others how to do something that will save them time and money? 
• Share your knowledge and passion with others?

Giving a presentation offers an exceptional opportunity to do all these things and more! It’s a time when you have power and influence over others. Unlike a meeting, you’re not vying for attention. In a presentation, everyone is focused on you. In a world where far too many people with great ideas and knowledge are not heard, you should take advantage of any opportunity where you’re given a voice. 

Being a great presenter is prized by employers, so by giving a presentation well, you’ll also become a more valuable employee. Finally, giving a presentation can be fun! If you love telling stories, you were born to be a presenter!

Story

Right out of university, I began working for People to People International, an international organization founded by President Eisenhower. Working in the student department, I supported and grew our global student chapter program. The young people I worked with were incredible! They identified needs in their community and world, developed and carried out service projects to address those needs, created campaigns to educate others on those issues, and explored other cultures. 

To grow the program, we reached out to students who traveled internationally through our programs, wrote to schools near and far, called schools, set up booths at fairs and conferences, and gave presentations. Out of all the recruitment methods we tried, presentations proved to be the most convincing.

Every year, we hosted an international student conference that attracted anywhere from one to three hundred students worldwide. For five consecutive years, I got up on stage to present to young people about a program I loved through and through and urge them to start them in their schools and communities. I invited student chapter leaders to share their personal experiences during my presentations, so their peers could see that what I was talking about was real and possible. I’d never felt an adrenaline rush like I had from presenting; I was buzzing with energy! I think my passion for the topic and ability to see it as an opportunity gave me the confidence to get up on stage year after year. 

And you know know what? It worked! I still remember the line of students after presentations waiting to get a student chapter application packet. Seeing the fruits of my labor was incredibly gratifying. 

You too can give effective presentations that don’t bore your audience. Let’s dive into the tips section of the episode so you can learn how.

Tips

Step One: Identify Your Goals

The first step in preparing for your presentation is identifying your goals since they will guide your content. So, what is the main purpose of your presentation? The most common goals are to inform, to motivate, or to convince an audience. 

Step Two: Consider Your Audience

When planning your content, put yourself in the shoes of your target audience. What matters to them? What would they find interesting, shocking, motivating? What is the audience’s level of knowledge on the topic? Goethe wisely noted, “A person hears only what they understand.” That means that you need to speak the language of your audience. I’m not referencing the audience’s actual language, but their preferences, knowledge, and motivations. 

Step Three: Plan Your Content

Now it’s time to plan your content. If your goal is to inform your audience, make sure you include numbers, charts, and other specifics and cite credible sources. 

If you want to motivate your audience, use inspiring examples, quotes, success stories, and, most importantly, be inspired yourself. Genuine inspiration spreads like wildfire. 

To persuade your audience, you first need to convince them that you deserve their trust and respect. You can share your credentials, a personal connection to your topic, or establish common ground. You should also share your knowledge and cite facts on the subject, including both sides. Then, you explain why one way is better than the other, including the value they will receive if they follow your advice or adapt your strategy.

No matter your goal, it’s vital to engage your audience to prevent them from getting bored. To engage your audience, ask questions, and take polls. For example, you could say,

Raise your hand if…

Then, incorporate their collective feedback into what you have to say next.

Every excellent presentation ends with a call to action, which can happen before or even after the question and answer section. That way, the audience is left feeling inspired and knows exactly what you want them to do.

Step Four: Plan The Delivery of Your Presentation

Planning your content is essential. But your body language and movement, tone of voice, and emotional state combined are even more important in connecting with your audience and achieving your goals. Don’t be afraid to show your personality, use humor, and maybe even sarcasm, where it’s appropriate. 

How can you stay calm and focused during your presentation? Different strategies work for different people, but some people find it useful to meditate, pray, or listen to energizing music before giving a presentation. Others select a mantra they repeat silently to themselves before and throughout the presentation. If you want to try it out, identify a fear and find a mantra that addresses it such as:

I know this content like the back of my hand.

My career success doesn’t hinge on this presentation. 

The audience cares about what I have to say.

You will maintain the audience’s attention if you present information in an organized way, transitioning from one point to the next.  Signposts can help you accomplish both! They are the road signs and traffic lights of your presentation, allowing people to understand your presentation’s structure.

For example, to outline your presentation’s structure, you could say:

I’ve divided my presentation into three parts.

To introduce your topic, you could say:

Today I’m going to talk to you about…

Or, to transition from one section to another, you could say: 

Well, what does this all mean?

To summarize your presentation, you could say:

We can agree, that…

And to finish up, you can use an expression like:

It’s been a great pleasure to talk with you today. Thank you very much for your attention!

To start the question and answer part of your presentation, you could say:

I’ll be happy to answer your questions at this time.

Step Five: Practice

Practicing is the key to an amazing performance! Practice on your own, with a friend, or record yourself speaking. That’s how you will grow your confidence and deliver a smooth presentation. While you’re practicing, envision yourself speaking to real people and radiating confidence!

If you practice with a friend, ask them to rate you and to ask difficult questions. Give them a scoring rubric so they will pay attention to the areas you care about most. For example, they can observe if your introduction is attention-grabbing, you maintain eye contact, you articulate and pronounce words clearly, and the presentation is convincing. 

Your friend’s tricky questions may help you address weak points in your presentation and help you learn how to handle uncomfortable situations. However, if a question truly stumps you, you should be ready to respond confidently with a statement like:

I don’t have the information you’re asking about at this moment, but I’ll happily email it to you after the presentation.

And remember: nobody can know everything. The fact that you cannot answer a question immediately does not make you unprofessional. 

Visualizing a successful presentation is also an important part of preparing for a presentation. Top athletes and presenters alike use this form of focused meditation.  

Step Six: Deliver Your Presentation

On the day of your presentation, you’ll feel nervous energy. That’s a good thing! That adrenaline can help you speak with energy, enthusiasm, and clarity. Have your notes nearby and follow your plan. Repeat your mantra to calm any fears. Focus on your goal and opportunity before you. 

If you feel uncomfortable with all eyes on you, I suggest you look at people in the audience whom you know and who support and believe in you. Imagine you’re talking to them about something you care about passionately, from a stage where many other people just happen to be in the room at the same time. Another tactic I use, especially if there aren’t familiar faces in the audience, is to imagine I’m talking to someone I care about, such as my 12-year-old niece. It adds warmth and clarity to my speech. It’s amazing what our brains can believe with some gentle coaxing. 

While you should plan for and visualize a smooth presentation, you ultimately need to be flexible. If there are challenges, like technical problems or a disrespectful audience member, stay focused on solving one at a time. Remember, you have authority as a presenter, which should give you some comfort in facing challenges. 

Lastly, let go of the idea of perfection. People who want to deliver a perfect presentation can self-sabotage. If English is your second language, it’s especially important to not expect perfect English. As long as people can follow what you’re saying and are interested in your main idea and points, they can easily overlook less than perfect English.  

Alright, you’ve got this! Your patience, persistence, practice will bring about great results!

In the next part of the episode, I’ll cover some new idioms and phrases for people looking to build their English vocabulary.

Idioms and Phrases

Bear with (something or someone) 

If I’ve just described you, just bear with me for a few minutes, and I think I can change your mind. 

We use this as a request or polite command when we want someone to remain patient and attentive, especially during a lengthy or problematic situation.

Born to (be or do something)

Finally, giving a presentation can be fun! If you love telling stories, you were born to be a presenter!

This means to possess an innate talent or ability in a particular area.

Through and Through

For five consecutive years, I got up on stage to present to young people about a program I loved through and through and urge them to start them in their schools and communities.

This means completely; in every way, manner, or aspect.

Adrenaline Rush

I’d never felt an adrenaline rush like I had from presenting; I was buzzing with energy!

We use this phrase to describe a sudden increase in energy resulting from an intense activity.

The Fruits of (one’s) Labor

Seeing the fruits of my labor was incredibly gratifying. 

This is the outcome or rewards of one’s work or efforts.

In (One’s) Shoes

When planning your content, put yourself in the shoes of your target audience.

This means to imagine an experience from someone else’s perspective. 

Speak (One’s) Language

That means that you need to speak the language of your audience. 

This means to say something in a way that aligns with someone else’s preferences, desires, or motivations.

To Know Something Like the Back of (One’s) Hand

If you want to try it out, identify a fear and find a mantra that addresses it such as “I know this content like the back of my hand,” “My career success doesn’t hinge on this presentation,” or “The audience cares about what I have to say.” 

You can use this idiom when you know something completely.

If there is a communication topic or problem that you’re facing and want me to discuss it on the podcast, write me an email to tell me about it. You can reach me at hello@express-to-impress.com. Thank you so much for listening to this episode of Express to Impress. If you found it helpful, please share it with a friend. I hope to see you next time. Bye!

Music By Lucas Knutter