11 Tips to Analyze Your Speech or Presentation

Giving presentations can be nerve-wracking. What if people don’t like it? What if I forget what to say? These are just a few of the questions that may run through your mind. 

But, after the presentation is over, it’s important to ask yourself some questions so you can improve for next time. In this blog post, we will discuss ten questions to ask yourself after giving a presentation.

When giving a presentation, it’s usually a great idea to try to record yourself so you can ask yourself the following questions and analyze your performance.

You can also ask yourself these questions when preparing for a presentation of speech!

1. Did I get my message across effectively?

Was your message clear and to the point, or did you ramble on about other things that were not relevant? You should ask yourself if you got your message across effectively. If not, try to focus on being more concise in future presentations.

The problem with not getting your message across effectively is that your audience might not understand what you are trying to say. This can be frustrating for both you and your listeners and can create a bad impression of you and your work.

So try to be clear and concise when delivering your next presentation. It is better to make a strong impact with your audience by using fewer words than rambling on about things that have literally nothing to do with your message or don’t help support your message.

2. Did I use too many filler words (um, am, like)? 

Using too many filler words can make you sound unconfident, so it is important to work on minimizing the number of filler words that you use. Filler words are phrases like “um” and “like.”

Filler words tend to give content a more conversational tone, but they can be distracting to audiences if overused. You should instead try emphasizing your point with more confident language and avoid using filler words as much as you can.

It can take a bit of deliberate practice to stop using filler words, but it can be done, and there are plenty of great tutorials online that will help.

3. Did I get a reaction from the audience?

A good way to gauge how well your presentation went is by looking at the reaction of the audience. Did they look interested? Did they participate in the discussion? Did they ask questions?

After you have delivered your presentation, take a mental note of the audience’s response.  If you did not get much of a reaction or the reaction you were looking for, you might need to work on your presentation skills.

4. How can I engage the audience better?

You may have noticed some people checking their phones during your presentation. Or, you might have seen that someone fell asleep. This is not the reaction you want from your audience. You should ask yourself how you can engage them better next time. Maybe use more visuals or get them involved in the presentation.

When you engage your audience during a presentation, you are going to get a response. So, for example, if you were proposing a solution to an existing problem, you’ll get feedback on your ideas.

So think of ways to get your listeners engaged. You can do this by asking questions related to your message, making statements that require a response, or using images and videos.

5. Did the presentation flow smoothly?

If your presentation didn’t flow smoothly, it might be because you jumped around from topic to topic. Doing this can be confusing for your audience. It’s usually better to take the time to make sure that your presentation flows smoothly. 

Before you even begin preparing your presentation, come up with an outline for the information that you want to share. Once you have your outline, add some transitions between topics.  These will help things flow smoothly.

6. What information was too complex?

You may have had some parts of your presentation that seemed to go over people’s heads. There could be several reasons for this. Maybe the content was just too complex, and you didn’t cover it with enough detail for your audience to understand. Or perhaps you needed to use different examples to explain the concept better.

Whatever the case, if your listeners don’t understand what you are talking about,  then it defeats the entire purpose of your presentation.

So if your audience seemed to struggle to comprehend your message in your previous presentation, make sure to simply the more complex parts in your next presentation to make the information more understandable.

7. Did I use enough visuals?

Visual aids are a great way to help your audience understand your presentation. They make your points more clear and can help keep the audience engaged. Plus, research shows that when we see something, we remember it better.

So if you did not use any visuals, try using more next time. This will help keep people’s attention on you and the information you’re trying to communicate.

It is also equally important to use the right kind of visuals. This is because visuals can either help or hurt your message, depending on how you use them.

Not all visuals are created equal. For example, a visual aid like an infographic might work well in some situations but not as well in others.

In addition to choosing the right type of visual for your presentation, you should also make sure that it fits on the screen or projector so everyone can see it clearly. If not, try using a larger font size or changing the background color to make it more visible.

8. How can I improve my delivery?

There are many ways to deliver a presentation. You could stand up and speak, sit down and have a conversation with the audience, or even walk around while giving your talk. 

No matter which method you choose, it’s important to be aware of your body language, how you are delivering the message, and how you’re coming across to the audience. Are you explaining things clearly? Are you speaking confidently? Are you using hand gestures to help explain your points? and so on.

If you’re not happy with your delivery, there are many ways to improve it. You can watch videos of other presenters, attend workshops and seminars, and get feedback from friends and colleagues.

9. How can I improve my slides?

Your slides are effective if they support your talk, not overshadow it.

Check the following:

Are my slides too text-heavy? Slides with too much text are hard to read and understand. Instead, use bullet points with only a few words or phrases on each slide – enough to remind you what to say, but not so much that the audience can read ahead of your voice.

Are my slides too busy? Keep visuals simple. Do not put too much on a single slide, as it is hard for the audience to follow what you are saying and read your slides at the same time.

Are my slides too animated? If your slides are too “busy,” they will distract you from your talk. If you must use movement to convey a point, keep it minimal.

Did I include sufficient visuals? Visuals can help explain your ideas and make your presentation more interesting.

10. Did I use the right tone for my audience?

You want the audience to feel like they can relate to you. If you sound too formal, it will be harder for them to engage with you. On the other hand, if you sound too casual or laid-back, it may be harder to gain their respect.

So, what is the right tone for your presentation? Start by asking yourself questions like:

– What is the age range of my audience?

– How many people are in my audience?

– What is the average level of education in my audience?

– What is the occupation of most people in my audience?

Once you have an idea of who you are talking to, choosing the right tone for your presentation is easier. This will make it easier for your audience to engage with you.

11. Did I sound confident?

One of the most important things when giving a presentation is sounding confident. If you are unsure of yourself, the audience will pick up on this.  Remember, the audience is there to learn from you. If you’re not sure of yourself, they won’t be confident in what you have to say.

One way to make sure you sound confident is by practicing your presentation beforehand. This will help you feel more comfortable when you’re in front of the audience.

When presenting, make eye contact with the audience when speaking. This shows that you are comfortable and confident in what you are saying. Also, try to convey confidence by not looking at your notes too much and speaking in a clear voice; that way, your audience will be more interested in what you have to say.

Other Areas to Analyze

Some other great points to analyze after a presentation can be:

• Did I speak too quickly or slowly?
• Were my body movements evident throughout the presentation?
• Are there any distracting mannerisms that could be reduced, eliminated, or combined with another movement to make it more effective?
• Could I have shortened some unnecessary parts of my presentation?
• Could I have used more supportive evidence to give my point more validity?
• Could each slide be reduced in size without losing meaning or clarity?
• Do my slides include illustrations that were too small?
• Did color contrast make text on graphic images clear to read?

Conclusion

These are ten questions you can ask yourself after giving a presentation. By reflecting on your performance, you can identify areas you need to improve and make adjustments for next time.