TED conferences (www.ted.com) have become the standard as far as presentations are concerned. This is a good thing! They are exciting and effective. Each speaker has a maximum of 18 minutes to present their subject in the most innovative and convincing manner possible. Why is this important in a business setting? Managers have less and less time to share more and more information, more and more people have to be convinced by your message, and the alignment of teams, customers, suppliers, etc. is a key factor for success. Don’t wait any longer; adopt the TED-style format.
MARTINA’S 9 TIPS
Write your message in a single sentence.
Find your main thread and get straight to the point. You can explain everything in 18 minutes: it takes hard work and courage to make choices.
Take care with your opening words; stand out from the very first second! The first 3 minutes are crucial to connect with your audience.
Sachez qui avez-vous en face de vous, quel est votre public et qu’est-ce qui l’empêche de dormir la nuit.
Tout le monde aime les histoires. Racontez votre histoire, ou une anecdote totalement alignée sur votre message.
N’hésitez pas à donner beaucoup d’exemples personnels et d’expériences vécues : ils inspireront votre public.
Une conférence est une conversation. Vous êtes en tête-à-tête avec votre auditoire, même s’il y a plus de cent personnes en face de vous !
Montrez votre passion. La passion est contagieuse, elle pique la curiosité et fait changer le monde.
Les bonnes conférences ne sont pas improvisées, alors répétez, répétez et … répétez !
Know who you are in front of you, who is your audience and what is preventing him from sleeping at night.
Everyone loves stories. Tell your story, or an anecdote fully aligned with your message.
Do not hesitate to give many personal examples and lived experiences: they will inspire your audience.
A conference is a conversation. You are one-on-one with your audience, even if there are more than a hundred people in front of you!
Show your passion. Passion is contagious, it piques curiosity and changes the world.
Good lectures are not improvised, so repeat, repeat and … repeat!
ADVICE AND TIPS
FROM ACTORS
Breathe with your stomach
Work on your breath; breathe deeply and into the abdomen. Place your hands on your stomach, imagine that your lungs are placed there and breathe in, taking your time. It’s good for stress and for your voice.
Yawn
To prepare your voice before speaking, yawn! All actors warm up their voices; it’s their primary work tool. An initial warm-up consists of yawning and opening your mouth wide!
PRACTISE BY WHISPERING
Practise your presentation by whispering it, but articulate and exaggerate the whisper so loudly that you could be heard from far away even without a microphone! It’s your breath doing all the hard work, and it will add strength to your voice!
3 MINUTES OFF BY HEART!
Learn the first 3 minutes of your presentation like the back of your hand: sing it, practise it while you go for a run, while swimming, cooking, gardening…
VISUALISE THE SCENE
Visualise your presentation in advance, imagine yourself in position and anticipate everything that could happen: the hesitations, the memory blanks, but also the successes! What’s going to happen? Prepare your brain!
