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Capturing the attention of your audience is one thing; keeping them interested is another.

However much you use PowerPoint to convince us that you are Movie Producers, a presentation is prepared for the ear. Therefore, to be effective, the words and ideas must be retained in the listener’s mind.

Here are a few techniques you can try to keep your audience interested:

1. Repetition: Besides helping your audience remember something, repetition builds greater awareness of the key points of your presentation. So don’t be afraid to repeat the main point of your presentation.

2. Startling or surprising moments: Surprise is used to draw attention to the point you are about to make. Saying something relevant that the audience is not expecting to hear can rekindle their interest.

3. Use anecdotes or short stories: Yes, you! Every audience likes to hear a story. As they listen, they visualize the action of the story in their minds. This is why and how we remember stories long after we have forgotten a lot of other things. If you can deliver a critical point in the form of a story or anecdote that is relevant to the context of the rest of the presentation, trust me, your audience will remember the point and fondly remember you.

4. Use the above techniques sparingly in your presentations: If overused, the presentation becomes exaggerated and can quickly turn into a farce. If used with care and to move the presentation along, they usually work exceedingly well.

5. Really learn how to present with PowerPoint: I really mean this! Last week I went to a lecture and that night I had a bad dream. In this dream I was in a Presentation Morgue and I was reviewing the case notes of the deaths of some potentially good presentations. What concerned me was that up to 75% of them were stamped “Death by Power Point.

6. Body language and vocal variety matters: Oh! How many times have I seen a speaker stand before an audience with a deadpan expression, with as much body language as a standing passenger on a jam-packed Caribbean bus and deliver a speech in a tone with the single intention to induce sleep? Too many!

Negotiating is one of those skills we all have and use every day. Some are better than others but we all engage in negotiations all the time. Negotiating is not limited to your day job but comes useful in every situation you want something of somebody and includes when you’re talking to your boss, co-workers, spouse and children.

When most people think of negotiation they think of it in business terms or dealing with a salesman, but in fact a negotiation can be as big as two hostile countries sitting down and talking or your child asking you if they can borrow the car.

Before you enter into any negotiation you need to be prepared and there are 3 areas in which you have to be prepared every time. They are:

Yourself – Knowing yourself and knowing what you want is the most important factor. It will take you some time and thinking to clearly define what you want out of life but once you do your confidence will be increased and your negotiation skills will improve. Preparing yourself also means knowing your strengths and weaknesses.

The other person – As soon as you find out who you will be negotiating with it is very important to research that person. This offers a couple of advantages that can save you a lot of time and make the negotiation go smoother e.g. by doing your research you will have found out what authority this person has and therefore you will not ask for impossible things the person can’t offer, also on the other hand you will know for sure if they are claiming they don’t have the authority.

Knowing a little about the other person also has some social benefits. You can build rapport from the start by showing you know a fact or two about the other person. In situations such as an interview this can work wonders because it shows you took the time out and did research.

The Industry – You need to know about the industry you are working in. Strive to constantly learn about what is going on in your industry so you stay updated. Whenever you are going to be negotiating in an unfamiliar industry make sure to do the research so you know the players and the issues.

I remember clearly being ten years old, and given the “big reading” in my school play. I was genuinely shaking, nerve-wracked, blustering and so on. My teacher told me to plant my feet solidly, hold my script and read out loud and proud to the back of the row. Looking around now I see many professionals still addressing their audiences like that today!

Now I have written many articles, and continue to train many people in speaking publicly and there is one absolute basic that we all need to master when speaking and that is remembering to breathe. Simple of course, but when nerves get involved basics often go out of the window so I am writing this article to offer anyone who find their sentences tailing away a couple of techniques to help a nervous speaker find the space to breathe.

First, have a clear introduction, more than any other part of your presentation, super rehearsed. Knowing absolutely how you plan to start will really help your confidence levels, and increase the chances you will breathe at this point in the presentation.

Have a glass of water on stage. Use it as a prop, and dare yourself, again early on is good to get into the habit, to finish a sentence, and take a sip. Don’t say you are going to take a sip, don’t excuse yourself just do it and allow yourself to understand the audience will accept this. As you do this, you’ll be breathing.

When possible invite comments or questions during the session. Perfect timing to breathe as others talk. This is so easy to do when you know how… Pretty much any topic in many situations will allow you to ask the audience for their opinions first. Or you can invite your audience to discuss a question or a point of view you have given them, before taking their feedback. I do this often early in a presentation when I am sometimes particularly more energetic, and a “breather” is important.

Make use of natural breaks, whether for an exercise you are giving, or for comfort breaks, to get some air. It really helps. If you are a smoker you are probably used to dashing to the exit for your quick fix, but this is a great habit for speakers anyway. Go and get some air.

Our nerves kick in, and we often breathe not so well, in newer material, or those areas where greater discussion or audience disagreement is likely, so be kind to yourself and “wrap” these areas with material you know really well. And consider using a co speaker. Or decide to show a film.

Finally practice the pause. The pause is great because you don’t need more content, you just stop speaking. You allow yourself to calm. You help the audience to calm. You will transmit a really knowledgeable air of authority. Everything will just seem much easier. And during this time guess what? Yes! You are breathing. People usually worry about explaining every last pause. Trying to “keep the flow” of talking,but actually we appear so much more knowledgeable and informed when we allow the silence to speak for itself. Audiences have time to consider what you have said, they make more links on their own minds, and it helps with retention and comprehension too… Imagine stuffing a meal down, all seven courses with no pauses for anything – you would barely digest it would you? And that is how many speakers carry on. So pause and allow your audience to digest what you have been saying and you to breathe.

All the best… Keep bating because promise it’s better for your health than not!