Sometimes you have to give the same presentation more than once. Maybe you have to deliver the same presentation to different offices across the country, or you might be presenting the same lecture semester after semester. Whatever the case, it is easy for your presentation to become stale and lifeless.
Photo credit: 'PicPics'
You know it inside out, and it is hard to remember that for the audience, this is the first time that they have heard it. As you go through the motions, covering the same old ground, and hearing yourself speak before you even say the words, it can be tough to make your presentation interesting and engaging.
In this week's video tutorial, speaking expert TJ Walker gives you some essential pointers about how you can keep your presentation fresh and seemingly spontaneous, whether it is the second, twenty second or two hundredth and second time you have delivered it.
In the following short video (4' 07") TJ Walker explains all:
Are you keeping your audience awake during your presentation or speech? No? Then how do you keep from going stale.
What's important to remember is that as bored as you might be with your presentation, as TJ Walker reminds us:
''It's not about you. Your audience doesn't care if it's boring to you. They're hearing you for the first time, so you'd better make it special.
Something else you can do, you can plan a moment of spontaneity: act like you're searching for a word. It'll seem fresher.
Also, if you change a word here or there, you can maybe change a story, try to make it a little better each time. There are very few speeches in the entire world that are absolutely 100% perfect for every single audience.
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Use the opportunity you have in going over the same ground to make your presentation better, and play with what works and what doesn't work so well. This is something that stand-up comedians are very good at, perfecting their routines a little more with every performance.
Of course, one size doesn't fit all, and not every audience is going to react to the same things. TJ Walker notes that:
''Look at the reactions you're getting from your audience. If someone still looks concerned like they're not quite getting it, well stop, ask them, maybe give an additional example that you don't normally give. It doesn't mean you're throwing your whole speech away or trying to wing it, it just means you're being more responsive to your audience.''
In short, that familiarity with your content buys you a little bit of breathing space to adapt your presentation to the audience you are delivering it to. You are, to an extent, freed up from having to think about remembering everything because you already know it all, and instead have the freedom to focus on your delivery.
That can bring your presentations to a whole new level.
