Sep 30, 2013

Presentation FAQs: #6 Do I switch off the lights while presenting?

No. Do not switch off the lights if you are on stage and you are talking to the audience. In case you are playing a video, you can switch the lights off for a better experience.

The audience has come to listen to you. They have come to see what you have got for them. You are the hero of the presentation. Not your slides. Many times you don't even need slides. When you switch off the lights, you shift the focus of the presentation to your slides and your voice goes into the background as if it is not important.

How will you engage the audience and establish eye contact if you are hiding in the dark? Never switch off lights unless there is a better reason that what I have given above.

2 comments :

  1. "You are the hero of the presentation. Not your slides."
    100% agree! Every time we conduct presentations, it's so natural to actually forget that people are there for the presenter and if a presentation turns sour, the PPT has nothing to do with it. Thanks Vivek!

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  2. @Chillibreeze Thanks for sharing your thoughts. As you rightly said, when we present we worry too much about our slides. We tend to forget that we are the reason the audience is there. They have come to listen to me and not to see my slides.

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