How do you practice presentation skills informally?

Choosing topics intimately tied to the audience's lifestyle or future and establishing a clear emotional and lifestyle connection, backed by concrete facts and figures, is paramount. Audiences invariably seek answers to the questions of "Why is this relevant?" and "What is the immediate need?" Even when discussing a triumphant satellite launch into orbit, they are keen to understand its implications on their everyday existence and the lifestyles of future generations. Connecting the dots from evolution to the current condition and outlining the path towards a positive future in a constructive manner is essential during the preparation of the chosen topic.

Just be sheer practice. The more you talk to people, the more you try and talk about topics that you donot know about ad break your inhibhitions the better. I find even emulating great orators works. There is a great book on TED talks about how to present that helped me a lot. Presenting if done well is like putting on a show, so practice it informally among your friends, colleagues. Try and be articulate and proper when you talk/present yourself. Thats what you are actually doing-presenting yourself.

I am not so sure whether every time you can know your audience, its a tricky space. Knowing the audience works but being able to adjust and adapt to them means being agile and being able to change your style,your way of speaking and even the matter itself. ! Tricky to say the least. Humour always works- but it should not become the core of the conversation or else it becomes the TOPIC itself and audience does not feel like they are learning much.

Here's a key tip that works without bothering the audience: people love to hear success stories that inspire and make them think. So, share stories that relate to your topic, or give real-life examples by explaining how things were before and how they improved afterward. This kind of storytelling makes you a standout communicator in any casual conversation. It grabs people's attention, leaves a strong impression, and keeps them engaged. You only have to consider the language of communication to persuade the audience, ensuring their comfort with the chosen language.

When delivering any idea or message about anything or anyone, it's crucial to consider both the positive and negative aspects. By presenting a balanced view and allowing the audience to make their own choices, you can have a powerful impact. Sharing your ideology to guide people in making the right choices for the current hour can attract them to your ideas and yourself. I follow the principle of the following Tamil Thirukural couplet: Couplet 504: Weigh the good and closely examine the failings, Then judge the person by what prevails. Explanation: This couplet advises us to assess individuals by considering their positive qualities and faults. Ultimately, we should judge them based on what predominates in their character.

It is not necessary to keep the tempo and voice tone the same throughout the presentation. Segmenting topics and sequencing can serve as hints for the topics you will cover and summarizing them at the beginning of your oration is necessary. Create visual impacts with your visuals and expect the audience to pay attention to your key points and stories. If you have multiple content choices for each topic, you can confidently address a large audience. Don't be anxious about taking pauses during delivery; they can be valuable. Instead, feel confident about the next choice of content prepared under the topic and you can easily resume after a few seconds. I will always make meaningful pauses to make the audience to think and infuse my ideology...

Cover the entire crowd area with eye contact. Here's a simple tip: divide the audience into three segments and maintain eye contact with anyone reacting to your content with a smile or expressions. This will gradually boost your confidence, and you'll become more comfortable as the entire audience starts engaging with your content.