Presentation Magic: Dazzle & Deliver Talks With Confidence

By Marisa D'Vari

Presentation Magic: Dazzle & Deliver Talks With Confidence by Marisa D'Vari helps people who want to improve their presentation, public speaking, and networking skills.

"Behind Every Power Player is an Effective Speaker," writes D'Vari, who tells us that in today's package-focused society, everyone is a brand and we're always on display.

D'Vari writes: "In today's competitive world, your professional and social success depends on your ability to present your ideas to your colleagues, make more effective client presentations on the job, feel more confident in social situations, and handle media opportunities with panache."

While much of how others evaluate us is subconscious, D'Vari says there's a lot we can do to control and hone the image we project.

D'Vari tells us about a young, "...unhappy boy in a bleak English town...who yearned for a better life." By studying the mannerisms, speech, dress, and behaviors of those he admired, the boy polished his image. Eventually, the boy decided to become an actor and changed his name to Cary Grant.

"Are you stuck in a rut? Changing your image can have a huge impact on how you see yourself, and how others see you," writes D'Vari.

To improve your presentation skills, D'Vari suggests these steps:

— Analyze your audience, especially their level of knowledge about the topic and why they've come to listen to you.

— Make your presentation "you centric," establishing an emotional connection with the audience and showing how your speech can improve the listener's life.

— Use stories and anecdotes

— Create key units of information

— Vary your presentation. Smile, move, establish eye contact, and pause from time-to-time at key points.

— Take an acting class

D'Vari says it's important to prepare for your presentation, to visualize yourself being successful, and to "banish mind yapping" to positively influence your subconscious mind before delivering a presentation.

D'Vari writes: "... The mind/body response does not differentiate between past, present, future, or imagination. Each registers an image. Conditioning your mind to see yourself as confident and positive is one of the fundamental components of this process to achieving excellence while making a presentation."

As part of preparation, D'Vari says you should test any visual aids in advance, especially things like overhead projectors. Be sure everything works, so you don’t become discombobulated right before your speech.

D'Vari asks us to consider the image created by unpolished shoes, a spot on the shirt, being overwhelmed by the overhead projector, or other apparently minor items.

Consider entering a house of worship where the religious leader has a spot on his shirt. D'Vari observes: "Here we are, anticipating someone who can lead us to salvation, and he can't even get the coffee stain off his shirt."

"We are 'pre-wired' to take appearance into account in every area of our lives," writes D'Vari, "...In any presentation situation, the audience looks to our appearance first, then our manner of delivery, and finally, the content itself."

Presentation Magic: Dazzle & Deliver Talks With Confidence by Marisa D'Vari also has great advice for anyone wishing to improve his or her networking skills.