How Blogging can improve your Presentation skills. By John Kempton of JRK Consultants Ltd

This first blog is about the launch of my blog at the Richmond Business Expo to be staged at Twickenham stadium on the 26th April 2013. I have stand number 16. Do come along and see me.
I am at the Expo to show how I can help you make your Presentations more effective. This can be achieved with your physical presentation and also by using your virtual identity.

I want to tell you about how having a blog, or ‘new media’ presence can help you enhance your physical presentation.

We all have to present ourselves. Some people go further and love public speaking and probably become politicians! Other people avoid speaking in public and see it as a public humiliation waiting to happen.
We sit there about to speak, sweaty hands, dry throat, and our brain is working overtime thinking of all the things that can go wrong. The last thing you are thinking is “I wish had started a blog”.
But, the blog or virtual profile is, I believe, the very thing that gives you a really useful way to enhance how you present yourself.

Professor Mehrabian proposed that how we communicate and the impression we make is based on three factors.

How you look = forms 55% of the impression
How you sound = forms 38% of the impression
The actual words you use = forms 7% of the impression

This research has the really scary implication that when we present work, make a speech or even talk to people – most of the impression that is formed about us is based on the way we look and the way we sound. The smallest part of the impression (only 7%) comes from the actual words used. Indeed, if we don’t like someone’s accent and the way they look – it makes it really hard to hear the message.

The solution is to start blogging now!!
So, how does the blog help? Here are four key ways:
1) It supports what you are saying – if the audience likes your style and wants more they can get more.
2) It supports what you are NOT saying – if the audience doesn’t like your style – but can get through that to hear the message – here is a way to communicate and make the 7% words much more powerful.
3) If you have a blog you have something to say – If you have something to say then you can feel more confident about how you say it. Really effective presenters and communicators are passionate about their subject.
4) The blog gives you a chance to develop your own style and experiment. Find out who you are and how you like to put your messages across.

A blog or virtual presence is a great aid to your presentation style. It allows you to practice “how you sound”. It gives you a chance to develop the “look” you want for yourself. And really importantly, you can get to see the value of every “word”. Try comparing tweets from people you follow to see how some are really good at giving clear, concise messages, using every character.
The final question is “What comes first the blog or the presentation?

I hope you found this useful. For more ideas on how to make this work for you -come along and talk to me at the Richmond Business Expo to be staged at Twickenham stadium on the 26th April 2013. Have a look at my website www.jrkconsultants.co.uk. Or, email me on jrk@jrkconsultants.co.uk

John Kempton has spent many years listening to and being bored by poor presenters in classrooms, auditoriums, meetings, conferences, hustings and public occasions. He just wants to help!