Podium Presentation Skills
Quick Reference Guide
Techniques to Overcome Anxiety
Technique
Pointers
Notes
Adequately
Prepare
 Prepare speech
 Edit speech into short
phrases
 Rehearse at location
before
 Devise a speech that follows your natural
speaking delivery
 Edit your content to fit your time allowance
 Test any equipment needed before you
present
 Anticipate questions and prepare answers
Learn to
Relax
 Normal to be nervous
 Visualize success
 Use relaxation
techniques
 Avoid caffeine
 Use deep breathing exercises to relax you
 Step through your speech in your mind and
visualize a positive reaction from your
audience
Get
acquainted
with your
location
and
audience
 Be early
 Familiarize yourself
with the podium
 Meet audience before
hand
 Walk the route from your chair to the
podium before the audience arrives
 Take the opportunity to talk with audience
members before the meeting starts
 Make eye contact with some of the
audience members you talked with before
the meeting
Focus on
Key Points
 Concentrate on the
message
 Speak with energy in
your voice
 Use pauses to
emphasize
 Stay focused on the main point of the
message
 Use voice tone and inflection to emphasize
your main points
Practice
 Practice in front of a
mirror
 Ask a friend to listen
and give feedback
 More experience in presentations leads to
more confidence
 Practice before ever delivering a
presentation
 Visualize the expected audience as you
practice
Podium
 Avoid leaning on the
podium
 Determine distance
when speaking into the
microphone
 Use good posture when standing at the
podium
 Confirm ahead of time how close your
mouth needs to be to the microphone
 Avoid rocking behind the podium and
distracting your audience
Verbal and Non-Verbal Skills
Description
Type of
Verbal Skills
Voice Projection
Pitch
Rate
Pronunciation
Fillers
Voice projection is vital in front of a large audience. Get someone to stand at
the back of the room and practice projecting your voice.
Vary the pitch of your voice to keep your audience interest. A high-pitched
voice tends to convey nervousness to an audience, so try to lower your pitch to
express confidence.
The rate at which you speak can affect your audience understanding. Slow
down when talking about complex concepts.
Pronunciation relates to how you articulate or string words together. Avoid
using contractions such as “gonna” instead of “going to,” as it may come across
as too casual.
Avoid using fillers such as “you know’ and “like” to fill silence. Use a pause of
silence to emphasize your point and allow the audience to process the
message.
Description
Type of NonVerbal Skills
Stance
Eye Contact
Facial
Expression
Movement
Gestures
Stance relates to how you hold your body. Stand tall and keep weight evenly
distributed between both feet.
Making eye contact with your audience is a sign of respect, as it shows that
you’re trying to engage them. When making eye contact, do so for no more
than five seconds at a time.
Your facial expression is often interpreted as a reflection of what you’re truly
feeling. Smiling can reassure your audience and make you look confident.
Movement is used to convey excitement or to build rapport with audience
members. When using a podium don’t get stuck in one spot.
Gestures help emphasize important points, and should relate to what you’re
presenting. Avoid pointing at audience members, and reduce any distracting
habits such as fidgeting with pens, keys, hair, or glasses.
Audience Profile
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Who is the decision maker or decision makers?
How much does the decision maker(s) know
about the situation?
How does the decision maker(s) view the
situation?
How will the decision maker(s) react to the
proposal?
Who else will attend the presentation?
What are their views of the presentation or
proposal?
Who else will be affected by this presentation?
What's the next step?
Preparing Your Introduction
Your introduction should:
 Grab their attention
 State your purpose
 Show specific benefits
Other ways to begin your presentations:
 A statement of your qualifications
 Present facts and figures
 Use Quotes that prove your point
 Use an Analogy to clarify
Remember: An audience will remember best
what you say first and what you say last.