As a marketing professional, I participated in innumerable seminars and presentations during my carrier. I love to write about this subject more than any other topic. Presentation is all about performance in front of your audience.

That is true up to a certain extent, a good presenter is like an actor and he must improve on his skills of how he performs while addressing his audience because audience wants him to see that he is giving them proper attention and making them feel important. Just reading and going from one point to another point is not a good presentation. If presentation is bit of drama and bit of acting, that is what it is and a good presenter knows it.

A good presenter makes his carrier brick by brick and systematically, he should know every word that he speaks while presenting a topic in front of his audience, if a word is, there it must be there for a reason. Rigorous questioning and a refusal to stop until you find the underlying cause of an issue will only achieve getting to its right cause. I recommend a real hard practice to every one who wants to work for Indian corporate as a marketing professional especially in the field of presentation and seminars department. This is somewhat exhaustive but paying in the end.

Illogical arguments during presentation
Don’t feel bad during illogical or unconcerned arguments during your presentations, some times they are unhealthy, ignorance of the one making arguments or simply to test your knowledge. These are common and usually in every seminar, presentation or a meeting. This is kind of a decisive test of a presenter of making a credible presentation that lies in the practice of constantly questioning, interrogating and giving logic of topic with a soft flow. All these arguments help you make yourself better in the sense that you know your topic better and if you care to go deeper based on those arguments some time later. Ask your self ‘had these arguments made you any better, did you gain any points out of them?’ you have achieved half of your target if the answer was in yes.

What I would do in cases like these that I would not sleep until I would crack those arguments, they could hold some water as well. I know even some questions, teasing however might have some positive points for you, you cannot put them aside just because you thought those were irrelevant in reference to your topic, that is your idea. The one who started those arguments could have a real flourishing idea in his mind. For example, that was a young executive, a junior professional with ideas bubbling in his mind and was not able to put them properly but the idea had a lot of significance of its own.

You act this way just because you are big gun
When a junior professional full of ideas making his initial presentations some of the senior managers take him very lightly and to insert their supremacy become skeptical in their approach and ask some questions or put-up points, which are very unprofessional. Have a look at such proposals and answers probably not given in a loud enough voice but in his own way.

Question 1- Why are you making these proposals when our resources are overstretched and do not permit further investment.
Answer- Market-Research shows there is a big gap in the market for this idea/concept and the scope for the same is high. Margin of profit is big so there is incremental scope and opportunity of profit if the idea launched at the right time. As for he financial problems, let me handle the business and I will see that every thing works fine.
Conclusion- No result- if the boss is not considerable. However, if some one is interested in that concept it should be registerd for a consideration and high level thinking immediately.

Question 2- Why no one else is in that sector – Does that mean that this is not feasible?
Answer- This is hard to get the product right although not impossible and once done successfully can do wonders for the company, and for that why no one else maybe they know that they are not capable, any way we are better than they are and can do it successfully.
Conclusion of the plan- He would get skeptical glances of 3 out of 4 bosses present in the meeting however, the fourth may consider his plan with interest.

Question 3- Why should we do this and run a risk of spoiling our historical success records, although we are feeling a little stressed balance sheet and margin of profit is not that good.
Answer- Because it is all down to positioning isn’t it? If we launch head to head against ourselves then we have a strong point, but if we aim more according to market and go for those already in the market avoiding duplication we should do comparatively okay.
Conclusion- Most of the seniors present would take him as a threat unless some one who does not care for his own self would take his idea seriously to forward it to higher management. I for one would certainly do that.

Finally- Why do you want to put your carrier at the risk by taking up this challenge just when your promotion is already due and if the plan of yours fails to bring desired results? Your carrier here might end and your chances with a competitor are not as bright either.
Answer in most cases- That look like a very strong point sir and very well made. Should I come to your cabin and discuss about the promotion thing with you? What kind of a promotion do you have in your mind any way? Thanks a lot.
Conclusion- So a budding idea killed while it was taking shape and an opportunity wasted before it surfaced or turned into reality.

A question-answer session makes you stronger during a presentation
In fact, your presentation needs a strong and foolproof argument during the presentation. What I feel that such a session of arguments or questions not only makes you stronger but gives you lots of courage for your progress as a better presenter and manager with nerves made of steel. You would become that much stronger once you are through such sessions. No more butterfly feelings in your gut during further presentations.

Therefore consider this as one of the helpful aspect of your preparations as a successful presenter. I agree sometimes it takes a bit hard to control while bad arguments take place but that is where your acting talent comes in handy. Corporate life nowadays is some what involves a little bit of acting as well. Otherwise poking ones might steel the show from you. Make sure you have qualities of a good presenter to make to the top, let me help you in this. Here are some helping tips for you-

Tip#1- Be yourself, nothing but you- Some people over do it to look some thing out of the world, well there is no need for that, no need for speaking with contempt, glazed eyes or staring at people present. Just do self-examination of yourself, the way you look, the way you move the way you sound and you presence makes the impression. I know this is hard thing to manage but some people have authority in them while some others lack it. Some people have trust of others and those who do not get it straight away from their clients. Have a trust and try to lift yourself a few notches to be bigger but stay who you are, do not change for any thing, remain what you are.

Tip#2- Voice is asset; work on it- The voice is your biggest asset while you are making a presentation in fact this is your voice that represents you despite whole of you presenting it in front of your audience. You are the best judge of your voice and the one who can control it according to your need. If I were to answer about my voice, I would say I liked it because I have a certain tone of deepness, authority that makes me confident. To improve your voice and its impact, I would suggest you to record yourself and listen to yourself often. If you think a vocal coach can improve your voice, do not hesitate to go for that.

Tip#3- How you look is important- As a presenter you should look impressive but not at the cost of your self-confidence or any thing out of the blues. Just staying within you and looking as elegant and up to the occasion. Do not let anyone, however well intentioned, make you wear anything or have a look that you find makes you look awkward. The whole point about how you look is about your appearance according to your status and from mischievous to the intellectual, the star that you are at the time of making your presentation.

Tip#4- How do you feel on the stage- Have a look around you while appearing on the stage for your presentation. Just walk on with a straight back although this is not simple for fresher but you will have to do it by feeling as if you were glad while climbing the steps to take the stage. It is worth feeling good about the people present in the audience and thinking that all of them are nice people. The people present in audience are there to hear you and share your views. Let me share a secret with you - just imagine that all the people in the audience have loads of money and they will share it with you only if you look cheerful and glad- simple.

Tip#5- Have faith in yourself- Once while out for a seminar in Chandigarh some one asked me if I had the trust in what I was saying. This was during the break when we were having light snacks and the man concerned was only distributor for North India from one of our competitors, a Hyderabad based company. My answer was – you have to believe what you are saying as a presenter even if you have any doubts about it. Because you cannot make others believe in what you are saying with full confidence and conviction. The best presenters are the shameless showmen and you know that. Shameless is such a great word you know, just keep repeating it next time you appear for presentation and see what happens.

Tip#6- Learn some proverbs, idioms, Tagore and Gandhi- Just learn them to use on right occasion to make it a little dramatic, this helps when you are having nothing else to say especially in a question and answer session. That would make atmosphere different and your job easier. Keep practicing and repeating them while in bathroom to start with and the outside. Raise your voice and let go with exaggerated theatrically style to let that make an extra ordinary impact. You can start doing it by reciting a poem or a story to a child and then a short speech in the temple while there is a small gathering of devotee and the best of all during your lunch hours where all your coworkers are having lunch together.

Tip#7- Give your topic a life- While trying to reach to the top you have to learn to give your topic a different color that describes what you have to say that could grab attention and at the same time is interesting enough to keep your audience glued to your presentation. You are not there to read a script but to convince them about the concept of the idea of your topic. You have to sell your concept. That is what you are there. So make it as lively as you can and present it as nicely as you can.

I know I have written a few things, which are not acceptable to every one as a matter of principle but while it comes to principles of presentation and marketing, they say every thing is fair in love and war, although marketing is no war but this is love all the way. I am sure you shall try out some of the tips and take full advantage of them.