Technical professionals are not generally known for their superior communication skills. They usually have little or no presentations training or experience. Technical professionals are at their best when they’re being, well, technical. So what happens when a technical professional is required to make an oral presentation?
Confronted with the prospect of speaking before an audience, most people instinctively dive for their comfort zone. Unfortunately, in the case of technical professionals, they are likely to be the only ones comfortable in their “zone.” A presentation to a prospective client is doomed if the speaker drones on and on about minutiae in the technical specs, or delivers a load of specialized trade-specific jargon that only he understands.
Delivering a Good Technical Presentation
As a technical professional, public speaking probably isn’t in your primary skill set. Here are some tips for delivering a successful presentation and getting your message across.
Know Your Audience. As best you can, determine in advance who you’ll be speaking to, what their level of expertise is likely to be, and where their interests lie. Take all this into account when planning your presentation. Keep in mind that you can use technical terms without explanation only if you will be speaking to other experts in your field who will understand such specialized language. Otherwise, drop the jargon and approach your topic in lay terms.
Address the interests of your audience. If you’re speaking to colleagues, their primary interest may be your application of a new technology, the discovery process, and how it was implemented. However, if you are making a presentation to a potential purchaser, they just want to know what it will do for them. Always keep in mind your audience’s needs and speak to their concerns.
Know Your Message. Studies show that people generally only retain three or four ideas when they are presented with information. Make this work for you rather than against you by highlighting just three or four concepts, the ones you want them to walk away with. Don’t spend a lot of time listing every single feature of the product ?#147; your clients won’t remember it all. Break the information down into manageable chunks.
A good approach is to plan an opening for your presentation, then three main ideas, then a closing. Elaborate on the three main ideas to whatever extent seems appropriate, but don’t lose focus. State the three main ideas in your opening, and summarize them in the closing. That old saw about “Tell them what you’re going to tell them, then tell them, then tell them what you told them” is actually a very effective way to make sure your message comes across clearly.
Know Your Material. Don’t skip rehearsal! Make sure to practice your presentation before showtime, preferably with an audience or in front of a video camera. Have a friend, family member or co-worker listen to your talk and ask for feedback. Watch yourself on screen. This is your opportunity to ensure that your presentation effectively addresses your audience’s needs and to work on your delivery skills. Make sure your presentation fits within any time limits that have been set. If you have practiced your material sufficiently, it will also cut down on nervousness when it’s time to face your real audience.
If you will be using sound equipment or a slide presentation, it’s a good idea to practice with them in advance as well. In the case of a slideshow, make certain that it complements your presentation but that you stay in the driver’s seat. YOU are the presenter, and there’s no reason for you to be there if you’re just reading material off PowerPoint. Your audience can most likely read it themselves ?#147; and faster than you can say it out loud. Slides are best used for showing graphics or bullet points that summarize your main ideas.
Know the Four P’s. There are four keys to effective and compelling oral delivery: Projection, Pace, Pitch, and Pauses. This isn’t just a matter of speaking loudly and slowly enough that everyone can hear and understand you ?#147; though that certainly is a factor. Nervous presenters often speak too softly and too fast. Use relaxation exercises to decrease anxiety, and be sure to support your voice by breathing deeply.
By varying your vocal volume, inflection, and pacing, and by skillfully using pauses, you can avoid a dull, monotone delivery. Remember that you must convey emotion to keep your audience’s attention. If your presentation lacks passion, conviction, enthusiasm or energy, your audience will become bored and tune you out. They can’t be expected to take interest in anything you don’t seem to have interest in yourself!
Exceptional Technical Presentations
These basic guidelines should help technical professionals plan and deliver a more effective presentation. However, many professionals can benefit enormously from additional training. A voice coach or presentations training course will provide more in-depth instruction, and help your technical presentations become truly exceptional - and highly successful.
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