Give High Impact Presentations and Talks – 6 Expert Tips

Do you want to give high impact presentations and talks?

Do you want to engage your audience? And do you want to present with impact when speaking? If your answer to any of these is ‘yes’, then these techniques are for you.

We’ve been coaching business leaders to become impressive public speakers for more than ten years. We can transform a nervous presenter into a high impact public speaker in just a few hours. We use these tools from our public speaking toolbox to transform dull performances into impressive, high impact talks and presentations:

How To Give High Impact Presentations

  1. Use short phrases in your talk

  2. Include many more personal pronouns

  3. Introduce more and longer pauses

  4. Use rhetorical tools

  5. Connect with the audience within 10 seconds

  6. Avoid metatalk in your presentation

Presenting with Impact Tip #1. Use short phrases

Spoken language works best when delivered in snackable bites, using short, simple words and phrases.

  • Speak a few words at a time.
  • One idea per phrase.
  • Cut long sentences into chunks.
  • Take out sub clauses and complex constructions.

High Impact Presentation Tip #2. Include many more personal pronouns

You will find that personal pronouns are more compelling when you use them in your presentations. When you use I, We, Us and You, it means that you are speaking directly to your audience. You’ll find this technique works well. And you’ll find your words easier to say.

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High Impact Talks Tip #3. Introduce more and longer pauses

Say this phrase out loud,{pause] with long pauses. {pause] You would be amazed how long you can pause. {pause] Pauses are so important.{pause] Learn how to use pauses when presenting.

  • Pauses give your audience time to think.
  • They give you time to compose your next line.
  • Pauses also make you look more impressive.

High Impact Presentation Tip #4. Use rhetorical tools

Rhetorical tools are often forgotten, but critical in high impact talks. For example:

These are some of the most useful and important tools you can adopt. Used well, they will transform your performance.

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High Impact Talks Tip #5. Connect with your audience within 10 seconds

Never start your talk with “Hello, my name is… I am here today to talk to you about….”

Instead, give a high impact start to your presentation and grab their attention immediately. Use one of the many tried and tested ways to hook your audience and lead them straight into your subject.

High Impact Presentations Tip #6. Avoid metatalk

The biggest presentation secret to presenting with impact is not a secret at all.

In a conversation you would never say: “In this sentence you will hear that I am saying…..” or “In my next paragraph I will outline my argument.” This would be “meta-talk”: talk about talking, and it sounds very odd!

That’s the presentation secret. So why do we see so many presenters start their presentation with: “In this presentation I will show you….” or “I will take you through this presentation….” That sort of meta-talk is annoying because it distances you from your audience. You distance yourself at exactly the time when you need to connect.

To avoid this presentation mistake, our presentation skills coaching shows you how to speak directly to your audience rather than narrate the mechanics of your presentation.

Presentation secret: Great presenters avoid metatalk.

What does this mean in practice? Avoid referring to your presentation as a separate entity. Instead, talk to your audience as if to a person – one to one. And only refer to your visual aids as needed.

For example:

You SHOULD NOT say: “Now turn to page 3. Here are the quarterly sales figures. As shown on the presentation, sales this quarter are up 3% and the graph shows the positive trend.”

You SHOULD say:Sales this quarter are up 3%. That is a good result. This means we have now been increasing sales for the last 6 quarters. It’s a trend we would love to see continue.”

Can you see the difference?

In the second example you don’t mention the slide or the graph. You aren’t narrating a slide, you are talking to the audience and the slide/graph visually supports your argument. It’s a subtle change, but completely changes how effectively you communicate.

If you want to learn more about this and many other techniques for better presentations, please get in touch and find out how we can support you to become a world-class presenter.

Contact us for a free consultation on your coaching needs

You may also be interested in Five techniques to make a boring presentation more interesting.

Start your journey to world-class communication skills now

Download our free ebook: Powerful Presenting:  Transform your Leadership Talks. It’s full of practical tips and insight to help you make high impact presentations:

  • Increased confidence
  • Improved persuasion
  • Greater engagement

Click here to download your free copy of the ebook now.

Have you got an upcoming talk or presentation? Do you want to become an even more impressive public speaker? If so, talk to us.

We have developed a robust toolbox of techniques to help you deliver clear, confident talks and presentations.

We’ll help you look, sound and feel impressive so that you grab your audience’s attention.  In just a few short hours we’ll transform you to deliver clearly, confidently and with impact. You can prepare a specific speech with us, or learn skills that will benefit you all your life.

Speak to Louise on +44 20 7018 0922 or email louise@benjaminball.com to discuss how we can help you become an impressive public speaker.

Contact us for a free consultation on your coaching needs


About Benjamin Ball Associates

Benjamin Ball Associates  Presentation skills coaching team

At Benjamin Ball Associates, we help our clients to communicate better. You get presentation coaching for executives.

Over 15+ years the award-winning BBA team has coached thousands of senior executives globally to present powerfully. You get access to a transformational toolbox of presentation skills & techniques to help you become a clear, confident communicator.

We’ll help you create a powerful first impression that hooks and engages your audience immediately, and we’ll transform you to deliver clearly, confidently and with impact.

Speak to Louise on +44 20 7018 0922 or email louise@benjaminball.com to find out more and discuss transforming your speeches, pitches and presentations.

Contact us for a free consultation on your coaching needs

Contact us for a chat about how we can help you with your presenting.

Let's talk about your presentation training needs

Contact us for a chat about how we can help you with your presenting.

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