The more I research the more confused I get. The majority of presentation training companies offer a quick fix to your presentation anxieties, proclaiming to turn you into a professional presenter in little more than 3 days. But I know different.
Yes, if you want to spew out dull, dry presentations, follow the 'tell them youre going to bore them, bore them and tell them that you've bored them' formula. Behave like an actor, and chances are you will become an actor, and a very bad one at that.
The problem with presenting is that it is a lifetime habit, yes you can achieve some tips and advice from training courses, but great presenters do not follow a prescribed format; its a bit like a box of lego, give the same box to two people and they will build different structures, playing on their own strengths, knowledge and life experiences. Presentations are the same, each should be hand crafted based on the needs of the audience, topic to convey and strengths of the presenter, to ignore this is simply a recipe for disaster.
So my advice to anyone doing a presentation is this, why are you presenting and what do you want the audience to do, is it to educate them, sell to them, amuse them or to gain an opinion. Get this bit right and the rest will naturally follow.
