Difference Between Presentation Skills and Public Speaking

Presentation skills and public speaking identically both are similar, but still have prominent dissimilarities. Presentation skills tell if you can represent a specific topic with beautiful speech along with correct data, people will listen to you. On the other hand, public speaking test your speaking skill, showing how you can associate with and address your audience. These two aspects need specific skill sets to attract the audience. If you want to be a public speaker or like to present your invention in your next exhibition in your organization, first learn what are these two aspects and what skills are required.

What is Presentation Skill?

When you share valuable information along with data in front of your audience, it's called Presentation. One has to develop certain qualities to present the data and discuss the report. Some people develop the skills to stand and do the presentation, and some naturally build them.

What is Public Speaking?

Public Speaking, in other words, is a brilliant way to communicate with your mass. You can educate them with your personal experience, entertain them with your body language and build a rapport so that they enjoy your every word and pay attention to what you're speaking. If you visit any University program, political rally, or religious function, you can observe how the organization's leaders hook the audience with their speech and presentation style. Public speaking is considered skill-based art; you need to be an artist to grab their attention to your words.

The Similarities Between Presentation Skills and Public Speaking

You can experience Presentation skills in an educational institute, company meetings, product launch programs, etc. when a specific message should be generated among the mass. Here, the similarities lie in its way of Presentation. People also watch your body language, way of talking, words, accents, and how you interact with your audience.

In public speaking, you need to make them sit and listen with your attractive power to catch their attention. Your audience, however, notices all your activities, words, body language, way of Presentation, and the use of words.

Therefore, both need skills to grab the audience's attention, educate them with your data, and entertain them with your speaking power. In both cases, you need in-depth knowledge so that none can challenge your information.

The Difference Between Presentation Skills and Public Speaking

Though both need a specific skill set, there's a fine line between them. Generally, presentation skills are necessary for someone working in a company, educational institution, or business owner. In these fields, you need to show the objective of the Presentation along with data (previous and current) to justify your words or establish your point of view. For example, audience members can challenge your data if you present wrong or confusing information.

On the other hand, Public speaking is different; anyone can be a public speaker if they can share something valuable with the masses. In public speaking, generally, people share their personal experiences rather than discuss data and information. For example, if you visit political rallies or religious gatherings, you will notice that the leaders share their opinions on specific topics. In public speaking, you can add your sense of humor and timing while delivering the speech, which is not expected in presentation gatherings.

Public speaking topics can be fun-filled and full of entertainment, while Presentations always address severe issues and discuss them to educate the mass. In a Presentation, light matters cannot welcome, and your body language should be professional, which you do not need in public speaking. In public speaking, you have to draw their attention and compel them to sit with your powerful speech.

In Presentation, people gather to listen to your words with pre mindset, but in public speaking, there's always an opportunity to explore something new as it's an experience-sharing exercise.

Generally, both look similar, but if you understand the value-added perspective, you can easily segregate them.

Skills Required for Presentation

As we've mentioned, the Presentation is for the professional and business world, and specific skills are also accumulated under professional guidelines. The following behavioral aspects are required to become a good presentation professional -

• You should have proper knowledge about what you're going to present

• Your body language should be professional

• You should sound professional with proper enunciations

• You should know what to share with your audience and what are the limits

• You have to be ready to receive positive and negative comments from the audience

• You should be prepared to handle a puzzling question from the audience

• You should work on your way of talking to others during the Presentation

• You've to be professional and show a professional attitude on the stage

• Remember, you represent your company or Institution, so your behavior should earn respect the way people show to your company or institute

Skills Required for Public Speaking

• As public speaking is another way to share a personal experience or discuss something valuable with your audience, this also needs a specific skill set. They're -

• Your words should be powerful

• Your body language should be friendly

• Your experience must be for ordinary people so that they can resonate with you

• You should sound attractive and clear

• Your topic in public speaking must be worthy of discussion

• You need to understand the mass and what they want to listen to

• Your interaction power can create an association between you and your audience

These are the common interpersonal skills required to become a great and all-time favorite public speaker.

Things to Avoid in Presentation and Public Speaking

Though both deal with mass and interact with them directly, both need to avoid a few aspects. They're -

• You should check your behavior even amid a heated argument

• Avoid creating any argumentative situation during your speech

• Avoid controversial issues discussed in your session

• Never show disrespect to others' opinions on similar topics but respect their view as it is common to differ from each other

• Don't target any individual in your speech; it can spoil your credibility, and you may lose your audience

• Don't forget to greet your audience and show gratitude for attending till the end of the show

A negative attitude doesn't give you positive results, and it's applicable in both cases. So when you're dealing with mass, your temperament should be commendable, and your audience should learn something new and implement it in their life.

Bottom Line

Remember the European and Asian leaders’ speeches that electrified the world audience. They're the people with the born quality and talent to address mass and compel them to follow their words. These qualities create the difference between a commoner and a public speaker. Presentation is also an affair with the mass, but it's a bit different than public speaking. But, at the end of the show, you need to catch their pulse so that they must wait to attend your next session with enthusiasm.