Or at least don't make them the star of the show.&nbsp;You are the star. Your slides are your aides--your backup singers. Use them intermittently.&nbsp;

Ditch the Slides

Communication

Keep the nature of the occasion in mind as you prepare your message. Every situation and audience is different.&nbsp;Don't be tone-deaf. Your antennae must be sensitive to the need for formality or informality, seriousness or humor, words that work and words that won't.

 Pack For The Climate Of Your Destination

There's no correlation between the length of a talk and its impact.&nbsp;Have a good beginning, a strong ending, and put the two as close together as possible.

Begin, Be Brief, Be Seated

Any communication that you are willing to pay for begins effectively.&nbsp;Your job at the beginning of a talk is to capture attention and convince your audience that it's in their interest to listen. All's well that begins well.

Begin With The Pitch

Promoted

Listeners cycle in and out of attentiveness--mostly out. Twenty percent of your audience will be spaced out at any given time.So when you begin, establish your themes, and as you move through each section remind them where they are on the journey. When you get to the end, repeat your key points.

Ride the Cycle

Attention-getting messages are simple, unexpected, and concrete.The mention of an object creates a visualized idea in our minds--we form an image of the thing, and retain it in our memory. This doesn't happen at the mention of abstractions, like "value" or "memory."

Make It Stick

Rehearse. An audience doesn't want to see you struggling to say what's on your mind.&nbsp;They've come for a show, an organized presentation of thought. Know your lines: your opening line, headlines, bottom line, and story lines. Being prepared will help you come across in a conversational manner, too.

Get Ready for Prime Time

Know how to stand (either behind the lectern, where you're half-hidden but feel safer, or out on the open stage) and move in such a way that you communicate the intangibles that motivate others to believe in you. Body language was the first language.Also, know how to project your voice effectively.

You Are The Most Important Visual

When you're speaking, if you're having a good time, inform your face. Your face is the most valuable real estate in any meeting room.The audience wants to hear, see, and sense your face enjoying your belief in your clear and simple message. When they do, you and your ideas will be more convincing.

Inform Your Face

Good content may be necessary for a successful presentation, but it isn't sufficient: it doesn't guarantee success.You must frame your good content so it holds attention and show up on time, dressed to say what you have to say in a lively, engaging manner.

Frame Your Content

Your goal as a speaker should be to have inscribed on your tombstone, "He Made His Point, and Bored Them Less." To accomplish this lifetime achievement, adhere to the following. 1. Ditch the Slides OK, maybe in your business culture you need to have slides, but please don't make them the star of the show.

Ditch the Slides

20 Great Ways to Engage and Involve Your Audience - Business Communications

Engage your Audience

Improve your Presentation

How to give better PowerPoint presentations and improve your slides to keep an audience engaged

How to give better PowerPoint presentations and improve your slides to keep an audience engaged

Three reasons your presentations suck

You don’t care enough about the audience

The Words and the Design

Lack of Practice