People often think that public speaking and presentation skills are the same thing and use it interchangeably. After all, public speaking and presentation require you to give a speech in front of an audience. However, this is not the case as there are subtle differences between the two skills. It is advisable to understand the differences to prepare accordingly. This will give you the best results.
Read the article to know about the differences between public speaking skills and presentation skills.
What is a Presentation Skill?
Presentation skill is defined as when a piece of valuable information is shared with data to an audience. It represents how beautifully you can represent a specific topic along with a speech in front of a crowd. An individual needs to develop qualities to present the data and discuss the information so that the audience will listen to them with undivided attention. Some people have to improve their skills while others may have natural presentation skills.
What is Public Speaking?
On the other hand, public speaking is defined as the skill to speak effectively and confidently in front of a large crowd. In public speaking, you can share your life experiences to educate the crowd about certain situations. You entertain them with your body language and facial expressions. You perform in a way so that the mass enjoys hearing you and pays attention to your every word.
You might have observed how a chief guest or organization leader can hook the audience to their seats with their speech and style. It is considered an art so you have to be an artist to draw the attention of the crowd toward you.
Six Major Differences Between Public Speaking and Presentation Skills
Let us look at the six major differences between public speaking and presentation skills.
- Skills Required
Public speaking is the art of transferring knowledge from one person to another. It is mostly used to motivate and encourage the audience. According to some experts, public speaking requires only the skills of a speaker to present themselves verbally with different communication styles among the live audience and entertain them.
On the other hand, presentation skill requires an individual to combine their verbal skills with writing abilities. It requires an individual to work on visuals such as Microsoft PowerPoint, Google Slides, or any other applications.
- Preparation Time
Public speaking is an art rather than a skill. The audience would expect you to do a good job when you have enough time for preparation but a good speaker can resonate with the audience even if they are put on the spot! Public speaking might be spontaneous. In extempore, it is spontaneous. The speaker is given a topic and a few minutes to prepare for the topic.
Now, presentation is always a prepared act. An individual has ample time to prepare for their presentation. He is ready with all the information and facts with slide shows. A presentation is given on a specific topic and the presenter has enough time to collect data and information and prepare the tables and charts.
- Creativity
Since public speaking is an art, it is creative. It can be formal or informal depending on the occasion and the place. The delivery style is different for every individual. Every individual has their weaknesses and strengths. Every speaker has a unique style that cannot be learned. Moreover, the speaker has the freedom to formulate their communication style.
The presentation is formal. It has to be delivered according to instructions and guidelines. The presenter cannot incorporate their communication and delivery style. They have to follow the format of a presentation. Moreover, they have a limited scope to add their creativity to the presentation.
- The Purpose of the Speaker
Debate is one of the forms of public speaking where every participant speaks either in favor or against the topic. Most forms of public speaking work in this manner where the purpose of the speaker is to convince the audience with the stance of the speaker.
In a presentation, the topic is explained in detail highlighting every important point. The presenter has no particular stance. They provide every information related to the topic. The purpose of the presenter is to educate the audience about the topic in a detailed way.
- Size and Type of Audience
In public speaking, a speaker can address a crowd ranging from a few people to large gatherings. An interview where two people are talking and a standup comedian entertaining a large crowd are examples of public speaking. The types of audience are unknown people. The speaker has not met them nor does he know the audience.
A presentation is presented in front of a defined set of people who are limited in numbers. Students presenting a presentation in a class and a manager talking about prospects’ business ideas with a client are examples of presentation skills.
- Format of the Communication
Public speaking is giving a speech in front of a large audience. It involves various types of communication skills ranging from giving a speech or a debate to motivating the audience through storytelling or Ted Talks. It also involves poetry recitation to stand-up comedies to entertain the live audience. However, technology has advanced these days. Today, public speaking is defined as any form of communication between a speaker and the audience.
A presentation involves visual and spoken communication in the form of a slide show or an audiovisual slide show. Here, the topic is not only communicated to the audience but is supported with tables, charts, diagrams, images, and others. In the case of a presentation, the presenter knows the audience and is familiar with them.
In a Nutshell
Public speaking and presentation skills are important aspects for an individual to grow in their personal as well as professional lives. Orator Academy understands this and brings you a platform where you can enhance your skills. It brings you the online course for public speaking skills and presentation skills training. The course overviews are designed by experts for beginners as well as intermediates. The coach is dedicated to helping you and will guide you at every step. Click on the official website of Orator Academy to learn more.
