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How do you deliver the conclusion of your presentation? It’s understandable to want to coast across the finish line, especially if you feel like your speech and your speaking performance were on point. But successful speakers know that you can undo all of that work if you... Read More →

Let’s make something clear: PowerPoint is evil. This may strike you as being an overstatement. Evil? Seriously? Seriously. PowerPoint truly sucks. It has single-handedly ruined hundreds of thousands of presentations and corrupted many otherwise intelligent speakers. My advice?... Read More →

Making eye contact with your audience throughout your entire presentation is the number one way you can improve your delivery style as well as to enhance your presence and the impression people have of you. Eye contact is the primary way to reach, and connect with, your audience.... Read More →

Transitions matter. Truly effective transitions help your audience follow you from one idea to the next, from one topic to the next. The good news is: It’s easy to make transitions well. The bad news is: It’s just as easy for them to trip you up. A common problem... Read More →

We’re taught not to keep an audience hanging, but … well, let me tell you a story. I once attended a presentation where the speaker used a very unusual technique in a presentation, but being the speak-geek that I am, I stashed it away and have put it to good use... Read More →

There are two critical things you need to know about handouts. Or maybe I should say, there are two criticial DON’Ts: DON’Tpass them out while you’re speaking. It will distract audience members and, since speakers generally speak while passing out these materials, it... Read More →

Some speakers begin their presentations by asking the audience questions related to the audience, or to the audience’s perception of relevant topics. Beginning with a few questions can work well, if you avoid the problems. One advantage of starting in this way is to immediately... Read More →

The most effective way to deliver your introduction is to make eye contact with your audience for the entire duration of your introduction. This is both the most terrifying and most thrilling part of a speech before a live audience. But before we get into that, let’s talk about... Read More →

Grabbing your audience at the beginning is of primary importance to any speaker. If you decide to start with a story you will, naturally, want to present something compelling and interesting, something that will resonate with your audience. Keep your story brief and to the point;... Read More →

Shocking statistics wake people up and grab people’s attention in a way that few other speaking tools do. Shocking statistics make people think. And sometimes, when used properly, they make people feel. Use shocking statistics for effect and deliver them with impact. Why are... Read More →