Presentations Training:
Presentation Skills - Speaking To A Hostile Audience

Have you ever had to speak before an audience who was hostile toward your topic? If not, it will surely happen sometime. The following presentation skills tips may help you ease that hostility:

Presentation Skills: Be attentive and understand the question being raised

A person from the audience is obviously asking you questions just for the sake of asking questions. Do not respond with sarcasm. No matter how challenging the question is, keep your cool and answer accordingly.

Presentation Skills: Be guided by your speech

When a hostile audience bombards you with challenging questions, go back to the essence and contents of your speech for the answers. This simply shows excellent presentation skills, proves that you know what you are talking about, and emphasizes the message you are trying to convey.

Presentation Skills: Be the master of your temper

Treat your audience as you would your friends. This way they will feel your sincerity. This also helps establish chemistry between you and the audience, which is critical to presentation skills at any time. No matter how a part of the crowd pushes you to be irritated, hold that feeling and bear in mind that you are there to talk, not to argue, with the audience.

Presentation Skills: Be honest

The more honest you are, the more the audience will listen to you. It is far easier to deliver a sincere speech than to play games. Eventually, the audience will realize that you are lying if you are not sincere in your message.

Presentation Skills: Be careful with your gestures

Be expressive but not too powerful. Never use gestures and body language that may tell the audience you wish to dominate them.

From the preparation of your speech to the delivery, there are a lot of presentation skills to consider when you are speaking in front of a crowd. When it comes to the challenge of speaking before a hostile crowd, you need to be sure you know your presentatin skills and your message well.

Source: Carma Spence-Pothitt link

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