Presentation Tips:

Making it Interesting

Using Visual Aids

Writing it Out

Your Opening Statement

Beating Presentation Panic

Business English:
How to Make Better Business Presentations

Make it Interesting!

No one wants to be bored by your presentation - so the number one thing to think about is:
How do I get and keep the interest of my audience?

Find out as much as you can about your audience before you begin to prepare your presentation.

1. Who are they?

2. How many people will there be?

3. What age range?

4. Men or women? Friend or foe? Are they there by choice?

5. What do they want from your presentation?

6.What do they know already about your subject?

7. Why will they come to your presentation?

The more you know about your audience, the closer you can pitch your presentation to suit them.

But what do you do if know very little in advance about your audience?  The best answer is to try and find out more.

However, here are some techniques that will keep any audience interested.

1. Interpret your statistics. Give them figures and then explain what they mean. Is a five per cent increase in sales in China a good result or a great result? Tell them what you think. Put them in a context they can relate to.

2. Include some fascinating facts to illustrate your subject. For example, as English trainers, we often use the little known fact that the country in the world where the most people speak English is not the USA or India, it’s China.

3. Use one or two quotes if they reinforce your mission. You don’t have to name the person who said it, especially if they are obscure. You can say ‘As someone said…’

4. Native speakers can usually successfully incorporate jokes into their presentations.  But, If you are speaking across cultures native speakers may want to be very careful about adding them in - and non-native speakers often should not.  Much humor does not translate well from one language to another.

Jokes sometimes require timing and pronunciation skills that a non-native speaker may not have. And, different cultures may not have the experience background to properly interpret the humor - as well as the fact that they may be offended by jokes that native speakers find funny.

Make your Presentations 100% Professional!

Free eBook! This DRAFT manuscript will be part of the Business English eBook, when it is completed.  You may download this BETA copy - Free! Please remember this is a DRAFT manuscript - if you see any errors - please let us know.