Tips on Presentation Style
1. Speak loudly, slowly and clearly, and let your confidence and enthusiasm show. Avoid
speaking monotone and ensure that your voice can be heard. Vary your vocal variety –
change the tone, volume, speed and pitch of your voice.
2. Please remember that most participants are not native English speakers. Avoid speaking
too quickly as this may affect the audience’s ability to understand you.
3. Your stance/posture affects your physiological state. Stand upright with chest high as
good posture helps in exuding an air of confidence.
4. Talk with your audience; avoid reading your slides. Engage with the audience as far as
possible and make eye contact.
5. Speak to the ways people learn; auditory, visual and kinesthetic. Know your
audience so that you can offer the right mix. Research suggests 40% are visual, 40% are
kinesthetic, and only 20% are auditory. If you don’t use props or visuals, you will not reach
80% of your audience. Be inclusive and find ways/tools that will speak to 100% of the
people in your audience.
6. Encourage questions: be patient and listen to the question without interrupting the
person asking the question whilst he/she is in mid-flow.
7. Humour can be an effective tool for establishing rapport or making a point. Any joke you
tell should be appropriate.
8. Learn to laugh at your mistakes (if you make any).
9. Have reverence for the work you do. It is a privilege to be on the platform and with this
comes a huge responsibility to your audience. Speaking is an art and a skill. Tap in to
your creativity, your wholesomeness, your playfulness and live/speak from the inside out.
10. Enjoy your session. If you enjoy it, your audience is likely to enjoy it too.
If you are unable to attend the Congress and need to send a replacement, please contact
Simona Androni via e-mail at: [email protected]