No matter how experienced you are at presenting to an audience, everyone gets nerves.
Those butterflies in your stomach are a good thing, they keep you sharp, alert and ready. But controlling and harnessing those emotions takes a little work.
With the following tips, even the most reluctant performer can keep anxiety at bay and deliver a brilliant presentation.
Frame of mind: think positive, be positive.
Go in there with a positive frame of mind. If people are tuning in or turning up, they want to hear what you’ve got to say. Speak with purpose and enthusiasm.
Negativity is infectious, so too is positivity. Lots of studies have shown the benefits of visualisation and positive thinking in improving performance. So tell yourself you’re going to be great!
Be prepared.
Know your topic inside out. Avoid rigid scripts. Have your notes in your head, not your head in your notes. Stressing about what you’re going to say will ruin your experience, you won’t enjoy yourself. Your audience will pick up on that and it will put you off future opportunities.
Once you’re comfortable with your subject matter, you’ll appear natural and fluent. That will put your audience at ease.
Preparation also means turning up with plenty of time to spare. My palms are sweating at the thought of trying to find a parking space three minutes before being due to present - don’t put yourself in a stressful situation before you even start!
The same rule applies for online presentations. Know where you need to be - or what the login details are - and leave time.
And… Breathe!
Breathing exercises are incredibly power. Deep breathing activates your parasympathetic nervous system. This overrides your natural fight or flight instincts during stressful situations.
Special Forces military units use an exercise called ‘box breathing’ before a high-stress activity. Close your eyes, breathe slowly in through your nose while counting to four. Hold your breath and count to four. Now exhale as you count to four. Repeat a few times and you’ll feel you shoulders loosen and tension drop.
There are lots of calming breathing techniques. Try one next time you’re feeling stressed. Right, you’re now ready to breach a building full of armed terrorists or even deliver a sales pitch to a room of investors.
Remove variables and distractions.
Focusing on delivering a great presentation means getting rid of any annoying distractions. This could be everything from making sure you have clear, simple notes, to wearing something smart but comfortable. Nothing like a chafe to throw you off your game.
Develop a pre-presentation routine. The familiarity will set you at ease. Check your notes, quick run through, check out the venue, make sure the technology (mic and display) works, go for a walk, get fresh air, and so on. Write a check list of things that set you up to succeed. Once it becomes a habit, it will be one less thing to worry about.
Focus on the mission.
Focus on the content. Remember, it’s not about you, it’s about what you have to say. Don’t overcomplicate the mission with unnecessary slides, content and props. By all means introduce visual aids and devices, but not at the expense of your fundament messages.
Unless they add real value, they’re just another thing to go wrong, worry about or break the flow. Once you nail the content, build your confidence, then it’s time to look for ways of turning the dramatics up. Until then, focus on the basics.
Remember to enjoy yourself!
Presentations shouldn't be an ordeal. If you’re having fun, your audience will. And if you apply some of these tips, you’ll soon relish the chance to stand up in front of a crowd and share your brilliant business insight and ideas.
If you want a copy of my FREE mini eBook ‘7 Secrets to Smashing your Social Media Lives’ click here. And don’t forget to join my Facebook group by clicking here.