Do you have any upcoming presentation you want to hit out the park? Michael from Lighthouse Communications offers five essential tips for practicing an upcoming presentation effectively:
Practice Aloud: Begin by reading your prepared content out loud to familiarize yourself with it. While memorizing word-for-word is recommended for high-stakes situations, aim for a natural delivery by practicing several times until the content shifts from short-term to long-term memory.
Test Out Content: Share parts of your presentation, like stories or analogies, with friends, family, or colleagues to see if they understand and are engaged by the material. This feedback can help refine your presentation.
Mark Up Your Script: Annotate your script to plan vocal delivery aspects such as pauses, emphasis, and intonation. This helps in conveying your message more effectively during the actual presentation.
Practice with a Clicker: For slide deck presentations, use a clicker during practice to avoid forgetting to advance slides during the actual presentation. Practice facing an imaginary audience rather than looking at your computer.
Record Yourself: Use your phone to record your presentation practices. Listen back to identify areas for improvement in tone, pacing, and emphasis, and watch for effective facial expressions and gestures.
Michael emphasizes the importance of scheduling practice time and sticking to it, suggesting that consistent practice leads to less stress and more effective presentations.
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Written by Michael Shehane
Edited by Michael Shehane
Produced by Lighthouse Communications