Business presentations are the last step in the business process. This is the stage when you are done with production and all the work related to operations and are about to present it to the key stakeholders. While it is the last step, you must consider the most important and defining one.
The presentation is the deal maker or breaker at the end of the show. Thus when you assign someone the task of presenting a project proposal, a product or a service to the investor or a prospective client, make sure the said person masters the art of impressive presentations and displays it in his body language.
Body language is one key and very imminent aspect often ignored by businesses in the assessment of presentation skills. But when you send your presenters to fight for you on the front line, you need to ensure they have an impressive set of body language skills.
This article will introduce you with the ever-helpful body language tips your presenters must implement.
It is possible that you select someone for a business presentation based on good oratory skills and command on a subject. Their body language may not support those skills. That’s where your role comes into play. You need to give them a chance to acquire professional help for presentation skills, as is the trend in Dubai based corporate companies.
If you run your company there, you can get in touch with one of the companies for presentation skills training for helping your presenters develop sound body language skills.
These will enable them to implement the following tips:
1. Don’t slouch
Slouching makes you look like you are in a resting state of mind. It makes you look lazy, less confident, and may prompt the audience to underestimate your preparation for the presentation. Stand tall, pull your shoulders back, not to forget the stomach, you just tuck it in.
2. Smile often
Smile is contagious. A study from UC Berkeley suggests that smiling is “as stimulating as receiving 16,000 pounds sterling in Cash.” Smiling makes your personality look vibrant and positive.
It isn’t only beneficial for your image to smile on and off; it is important for you to smile to feel good about the situation you are in. When your face has a negative expression like frowning or grimacing, your brain receives a signal of negative emotion, and thus it makes you feel like you are in a difficult situation.
3. Maintain an intimidating posture
Standing tall and holding your arms out or placed on your hips makes you look as well as feel confident. This confidence reflects in your presentation as the image of the product, service, or company that you’re representing.
4. Take up some space
When you present your content, make sure you are not hiding behind the podium. You should make use of the stage as much as possible. You need to show that it’s you people should be paying attention to instead of standing behind the podium begging for their attention, draw it to yourself by moving around.
It may be difficult at first, but within no time, you will overcome the stage fright. Just take a few slopping steps and make yourself comfortable there. Be natural and avoid pacing. The stage is yours!
5. Don’t leave your hands hanging
Gestures matter a lot in a presentation. How you move your hands and where you place them is of paramount importance for your performance. When you use the right gestures, they complement your words, and you succeed at impressing your audience.
Think about it. Consider you are speaking in a professional setting, but you have to be engaging. So move hands when needed. Do not tie your hands with each other as it makes you look defensive. You shouldn’t take your arms higher than your shoulders as it looks informal and overly emotional.
Want your company’s presenters to improve?
Some of your employees might be impressive presenters and not need this advice. But there will be many who definitely need help with their body language. Give them a chance to get professionally trained for presentations.
If you are in the UAE, you have many corporate trainers around you. You can get in touch with one of those for employees training to pave the way for your employees to deliver powerful presentations.
With practice, they can master their gestures and body language without which the words look empty and meaningless in presentations. Be supportive as a business owner. If you do so, you aren’t only supporting your employees; you are supporting your own business!
