Business, Thought, and Management Articles --- Business Presentation --- Nonverbal Communication
Value non-verbal communication. So-called body language, such as hand gestures, eye contact, facial experessions and body gestures, greatly affects communication. More important than that is the appearance and dress code. In order to have an impressive image, it would be nice to add a little accessory.
For a successful presentation, be mindful of your attire (dress code). The audience will first judge you by looking at your outfit. The image of the audience is different depending on what you wear. There are no hard and fast rules about how to dress appropriately for a presentation. However, be aware that there are certain manners and unwritten rules that should be followed depending on the industry, age group, etc. The CEO of a famous IT company sometimes gives a presentation wearing a T-shirt and jeans. Just because successful people do it doesn't mean they'll be successful doing the same way themselves. Dressing too unconventionally is risky. However, it doesn't mean that you should dress inconspicuously like other people. Rather, you should stand out in some bright and flashy clothes. Choose an outfit that will impress your audience, preferably one that will make them feel good. Even if you wear flashy clothes, it is not recommended to wear clothes that do not look like you. The best thing is to wear clothes that express your personality.
Watch your facial expressions. The most important thing in a presentation is a smile, then a smile, and a smile. Practice smiling every day. And if possible, change your facial expressions to better convey the story of your presentation to your audience: joy, excitement, worry, or doubt.
Watch your eye contact. When you make eye contact with someone, it's a good idea to stop looking at them for 1-3 seconds. Move your gaze in a straight line. Look around the room several times during your presentation. Don't let your gaze swim. Don't stare at someone too long. Also, it's not good to just look at the materials.
It is important to have "consistency" in the message you want to convey with facial expressions and eye contact. Smile when you make eye contact and look confident.
Master your body language. Don't stoop. The audience won't believe you if you're looking to the side. Stand up straight and look straight at the audience. Move slowly. Keep your gestures steady. Extend your fingers straight out, speak sharply, and move your body firmly and expressively at key points.
Be mindful of cultural diversity. The audience may not necessarily have the same values as you.
Purpose of the Presentation
What is the purpose of your presentation? What are you doing the presentation for? How can you tell if your presentation went well? In order to make a presentation successful, it is important to clarify the purpose first.
Means of Presentation
What are the means of presentation? What works and what doesn't in a presentation? How will the method you choose affect the outcome of your presentation? Choosing the right method is critical to a successful presentation.
Preparing for Presentation
It is no exaggeration to say that the success of a presentation largely depends on its preparation. Be meticulously and accurately prepared to get the best results in the shortest amount of time. Good presentations are almost always well prepared.
Presentation Practice
Practice at least once before giving your presentation. By practicing through it, you can see it. Is the time, including Q&A, appropriate? Is the content too rich or too thin? Can you continue to attract the interest of the other party without any sloppiness? Is there anything that you clogged or felt difficult to explain?
Good Communication
During the presentation, it is important to maintain good communication with the other party. Do not make mistakes in the basics such as clothing, grooming, greetings, and language. Let's proceed while checking the reaction of the other party by eye contact etc. Focus on what the other person is interested in. The important thing is not to forget that there is a partner.
Follow Up
Follow up exactly after the presentation is over. After-sales follow-up is more than just making a phone call and asking, "How do you feel about buying?" The important thing is whether the other person understands and is interested. Even if they don't buy it now, they may want to buy it in the future, so it's a waste to just call them once.
Control of Fear
Many people have a fear of speaking in public. Presentations make you nervous. But holding on to fear can turn your presentation into a major failure. How to control fear is important when giving a presentation. Controlling your fear will help you deliver your presentation smoothly and tactfully.
Speak Clearly
Let's speak clearly. By speaking clearly, you can convey information in an easy-to-understand manner to the other person. Those who can speak clearly can attract people. Know in advance how to speak clearly. And practice speaking clearly.
Persuade
The purpose of a presentation is basically to persuade the other party. If you can't persuade your audience, you can't say your presentation was successful. Depending on where, what, and how you persuade people in your presentation, the impression and effect of your presentation will greatly differ.
Language and Word Choice
The content will vary greatly depending on what language you use, whether it is Japanese, English, or other languages. The choice of each word has a great influence on the reaction of the presentation. Language and word choice should be checked in the initial preparation stage of the presentation.
Nonverbal Communication
Value non-verbal communication. So-called body language, such as hand gestures, eye contact, facial experessions and body gestures, greatly affects communication. More important than that is the appearance and dress code. In order to have an impressive image, it would be nice to add a little accessory.
Visual Aid
Use visual aids. Incorporate images, graphs, and illustrations. Using videos can be fun. When creating visual aids, try to make them easy to understand and memorable.
Questions for the Audience
One technique is to dare to ask the audience questions during the presentation. Questions to the audience can be expected to have the effect of eliminating the sense of distance with the other party and increasing the favorable impression. Let's draw the other person into their own pace while asking questions at the right time.
First "Grab"
The key to the presentation is the first “grab”. If you can "grab" well, you can smoothly draw the audience. If the beginning is powerful, your audience will listen intently. It is no exaggeration to say that the first "grab" determines whether a good presentation is good or not.
Hang a Hook
Hook into your audience's mind. Sprinkle your presentation with things that interest your audience, make them curious, or make them want to ask questions. A memorable presentation is one that hooks the audience's mind. A hook will help your audience remember it after your presentation.
Thoroughly Reasoning
The weapon of presentation is reason. Recreating the material over and over again, crafting the story, repeating vocal exercises, choosing words, and practicing body language are also ways to move the audience. In order to move the audience, you need a reason to move. In order to move the audience, the more you look at the material, the more the audience can't help but move, so thoroughly you must use logic.
Remove the Cause Why Audience don't Take Action
Let's eliminate the reason why the audience doesn't move. No matter how powerful and moving the presentation is, and how well the theory and story are solid, it will not be effective if the audience does not move in the end. Your goal is to get the audience to move, so keep trying to find out why the audience don't move during your presentation.
Dream and Draw
Dream up your presentation. Engage your audience with a dream and inspire them to make that dream a reality. A dreamy and exciting presentation will get a better response. It's important to envision and engage your audience in order to motivate them to take action.
Offers that Make Audience Want to Act
Always make an offer at the end of your presentation. Motivate your audience with an action-ready offer. By making an actionable offer at the end, your presentation response rate will go up significantly.
