There’s no doubt that fear of public speaking is an issue thousands of people face that can affect their presentation skills. Studies have shown that almost 77% of people suffer some sort of anxiety when they have to speak in front of a large audience. However, this is where you can stand out from other people, as public speaking is considered one of the biggest assets an individual can have.

Plus, it’s also a primary reason for the success of highly-paid senior management staff. However, it’s not easy to get this skill right. That’s why we’re giving you some pro advice, unlike all the myths you’ll find online.

Myth 1: Don’t Try to Be Funny

A lot of people think that being funny can rake in the audience’s attention. A random joke may not add value to your message but if you use a non-offensive story or funny event that supports your message, then it can be useful. Furthermore, people consider humor to be useful during presentations as the release of endorphins and adrenaline can help improve the listeners’ interests and attention span.

Myth 2: Alcohol Before a Presentation Will Calm You

This is one thing a lot of people think helps improve your presenting as it will relax you. However, that’s wrong, because in reality alcohol can reduce the function of your senses which is something you wouldn’t want. During a presentation, you need to be sharp and attentive so if there are any questions, you’re agile in your responses.

Myth 3: Don’t Read Your Slides

In most cases, it’s always advised to NOT read from your slides but there are instances when you can use the slides to retain the audience’s attention. You can use a short slide with a  quote, statistics, or an impactful statement and read the text with your audience allowing you to grasp the audience’s attention.

Myth 4: Visual Aids Don’t Help

This is something a lot of people believe in as they think that visual aids distract the audience. However, in reality, they help you a lot during presentations as they make it look more professional, persuasive, creative and also make you look prepared.

You can use presentation templates that show data interestingly and colorfully for people to understand. More importantly, when you use visual aids for important information, they compensate for any key information you missed out on while presenting.

If you’re looking to make your presentations visually attractive and creative then check out our PowerPoint templates.  All our templates and graphics are designed by professionals with years of experience in public speaking and presenting so they know which infographics and designs will be useful in attracting the audience’s attention.

We also provide business dashboards and Excel templates to companies that are looking to manage their business performance and activities. You can visit our website to check out all the different slide themes for presentations and business templates or contact us for more details.