Lots of presenters when asked what’s the one thing they’d like to do differently, would probably respond with “present with more confidence”. OK so why is this so lacking in many business preseters today?
If this is like you at all, how do you feel when you’re in front of an audience and getting ready to present? Very nervous? Palms sweating? Shallow breathing? Heart pounding? The list is probably endless but its actually quite normal. And you might be surprised that many now confident presenters also suffered at one time from these same problems.
So how do we create the confidence required to control these nervous habits? How can we enhance our presentation skills? What effective confidence building techniques can you use to help you move into a more confident state when you are about to present.
There are many different techniques that people use. Some will work for you better than others. Here’s three things to start you off.
Be prepared. Know your audience, what makes them tick.Research your audience thoroughly. Then ensure that your presentation is designed with them in mind.
Create a clear structure to your presentation. Keep it straightforward with a specific beginning, middle and end. And restrict your key points to 3 in total. This will help you remember what you have to say and make it easier for your audience to understand.
Try and speak more slowly. Lots of people speed up when they present ? when the nerves kick in. So be conscious of this and make an effort to keep in control. The temptation is often there to rush through things. But if you think ’slow motion’ when you begin you will then feel more in control of things and this will give you more self confidence.
Try to use these three tips the next time you present. And as a result you should be more confident and successful.
Click the resource link if you want to find out more about confident presenting and how to present with PowerPoint.