Killer Presentations Tips for Students Who Want to Stand Out

1. Killer Presentations Tips for Students Who Want to Stand Out https://www.powtoon.com/blog/17-killer-presentations-tips-students-stand/

2. 1. You Have a Personality → Show it! Goofy? Good at impressions? Over-the-top energy? Soft tone that can calm a crowd? ↓ Whatever you’ve got, use it & be you!

3. 2. Talk to a Cartoon • Create animated video  (Powtoon) • Integrate presentation & interact with character • cartoon, celebrity, evil corporate boss, smiling sun • Have character pop in from right or left  stand on opposite side & interact • Add in a speech bubble or voiceover 

4. 3. Don’t Read • written words  trigger ↓ talk about each point • keywords only • The purpose of your written words are to act as a trigger; they get you talking about each point. The rest should come from you. • Spend the time choosing your keywords and not writing descriptions.

5. 4. Improvise • No one is 100% sure • what he’ll say • or how he’ll say it • Rely on memory & common sense to wing it • Don’t be scared • pull out the unexpected!

6. 5. Use Your Hands! • Point to a picture on the slide • Add gestures • Mimic a motion • Use hands to emphasize facial expressions

7. 6. Pump Yourself Up! You are ON STAGE! • Loosen your nerves • jump up & down • practice again… • Your energy level sets the bar! ↓ extend energy to audience • DO NOT— • lecture • read to audience • DO— • be on stage! • excited! • be loud, enthusiastic, & happy!

8. 7. Take a Pause  Prevent “Ummmm…” • Avoid fillers • so, and, all right, okay, um, uh… • Pauses are OKAY

9. 8. Vocal Variety • Alternate voice and tone • loud & low • excited & serious • soft & dramatic • Keeps people engaged

10. 9. Look ‘em in the Eyes! • Don’t talk at people • Talk to them • look at audience in front, middle & back • Move around! • Stop in middle of presentation— • ask a question • look around at those who answer or agree/ disagree

11. 10. Let Images Take Over Your Screen • Images  powerful = engaged audience • Bullets/pictures → whole screen with strong scene • Are you making a presentation on foreign language? • Show a confused tourist in Paris! • Speaking about technology in third world countries? • This image by Sven Torfinn is breathtaking! 11 Free and Awesome Image Resources for Presentation

13. 11. Make ’em Laugh • Professional & informative demeanor doesn’t mean you can’t be fun! • Humor makes everything lighter and better!

14. 12. Tell a Story See next slide for same info but in webbing format • Stories = connections • Connections = listening • We listen to people when we connect to them and we connect to them through telling stories. Why? Because telling stories builds trust. You are sharing a part of you that you may not necessarily share with everyone. • A personal story is the fastest way to build trust, show you are human and stir emotion. The emotion can be laughter, sadness or tears, it doesn’t matter, by conveying your message through a narration you have paved the way for any subject or topic.

15. 12. Tell a Story listen build trust connect stir emotions personal stories laughter humanize you tears sadness builds trust

16. 13. Arrive Early with Technical Backup • Preventative measures • check software waaaaaaaaayahead of time • make a backup • upload presentation to another source • then make yet ANOTHER BACKUP

17. 14. Preparation = Confidence • Research & understand your topic (poem) • Bunch of words on slide IS NOT all that matters • Know content without cues KNOWING CONTENT = CONFIDENCE