In today's marketplace anyone, from the CEO to the lab
technician, may be called upon to give a presentation. Your audience can
range from a small group of potential clients or financiers to an
entire Fortune 500 Company. If you have little or no public speaking
experience, the moments before you step up to the podium, sit at the
head of a conference table or walk across the stage can be terrifying.
In fact the weeks, days and hours beforehand can be just as unnerving.
The good news is, that some degree of nervousness is normal and even
productive. If not overwhelming, it can help to keep us on our toes and
allow us to do our best. So, acknowledge your butterflies and teach them
to fly together.
My experience spans over twenty years in the public
arena and along with the help of an associate of mine, Marta Siberio, of
Marta Siberio Consulting, Inc. we have come up with twelve simple
techniques to help you present like a pro.
1. Prepare yourself,
mentally, emotionally and physically. Everyone would agree, from
Toastmasters to Dale Carnegie, that being prepared should be your first
priority. Do all you can to get ready for your big debut. Psych yourself
up with some positive talk. Get plenty of rest the night before and eat
a protein rich breakfast to ensure your energy level stays high during
your presentation. If you're required to talk for longer periods of time
with only a few short breaks, bring along some almonds or another high
protein food to snack on during the breaks and always keep water by your
side.
2. Look Your Best. Choose items of clothing that are
professional and make you feel good. Now is not the time to try a new
pair of shoes or the hottest trend in fashion. Stay with something you
feel comfortable in. If you look good and are comfortable, you feel good
and your confidence rises.
3. Know your topic. If you are
discussing technical terms, make sure you know them inside and out. I
promise, the one bit of information you don't know, will be the one
subject of a question asked. If that happens you may lose your
credibility with potential clients or colleagues. If making a sales
pitch, have a thorough knowledge of the product, services, sales figures
and any other information you need to be persuasive. Same rules apply
for team or department reports. If you know and understand your facts
and figures, you will have more confidence when presenting. If you do by
some chance forget something, don't panic. There's always "Let me get
back to you on that." Or "Great question, but before I answer, I want to
double check my data." Then make sure to follow-up and give the
appropriate answer.
4. Become familiar with your surrounding in
advance. It 's so important to visit the space you will be working in
before hand. If you have the opportunity to view the space a day or two
in advance, that's ideal. If that isn't possible, get there as early as
you can the day of. You need to know whether you are going to be
standing on stage, sitting at a conference table or standing behind a
podium in the center of a room. Are you using technology, flipcharts or
other visual aids? In addition, Marta Siberio suggests, "Before you
set-up and begin, walk around the room. Look from your audience's
perspective. Visualize where things should be. As a member of the
audience what do you expect to see?" Logistically, make the space work
for you and set-up the spotlight where you want it to be.
5.
Another confidence builder; work with a partner or two. If you can, have
your co-workers help you. Find a couple of people who will be at your
presentation. They will be your preview audience and make sure you are
on track with your message. Most importantly they can give you feedback
to help you deliver a professional presentation. The big advantage to
this? If you get stuck during your rendition of monthly production
figures, you can look to them. Just knowing that they have heard you
before can trigger your recall and help you move ahead with certainty.
6.
Find one or two things to share with your audience. Some good questions
to ask yourself are: Whom are you presenting to? What do you have in
common with them? Maybe a humorous personal story or an industry joke.
(Just be careful it's not offensive to anyone). Or try a quote from a
famous person that applies to your subject material. All of these will
break the ice, and hearing the audience laugh will put you at ease. Try
these sites for inspiration:
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/used.html or
http://www.greatcleanjokes.com/jokes/other-joke-types/funny-speech-openers/
7.
Rehearse your speech by yourself. Stand in front of a mirror and recite
your presentation out loud, even if you feel silly doing it. I know I
did in the beginning. Then I realized that this rehearsal time gave me
an opportunity to see which areas I needed to work on. The benefits? You
are less likely to make mistakes in the actual presentation or whack
yourself in the head with flying arm syndrome. I once gave myself a
bloody lip. Yes, I admit my hands like to talk as much as I do. One area
I saw I had to work on.
8. Be aware of your body language. If
sitting at the head of a conference table, don't slump or cross your
arms over your chest. Both actions can make you appear disinterested.
Instead place both feet flat on the floor and place both hands in a
steeple position, fingertips touching. Don't fidget or tap your fingers
on the desk. If you want to look busy, Marta suggests holding your notes
in both hands, glancing at them from time to time. But don't send or
receive texts on your phone. If you are standing, try an athletic or
yoga stance with knees slightly bent and feet-hip-wide-apart. When
standing at a podium place both hands on either side of it; this is a
way for you to claim your space and appear and feel more confident.
Remember don't shift from side to side or foot to foot and don't put
both hands in your pocket(one hand is okay). Both moves give the
appearance of untrustworthiness.
9. Start your presentation with
The Old WIIFT-What's in it for them. When preparing your presentation
it's important to think like the audience. What will they get from you?
What information do you have for them and most importantly how does it
benefit them to listen to you? At the beginning of your presentation,
list all of the key components you are going to discuss. For example,
"Today I will discuss the top three sales techniques to overcome cost
objections, followed by role play and ending with a question and answer
session." Or "This afternoon I will be discussing several ways to
achieve a higher level of production in each department, followed by a
five minute question and answer session."
10. Make eye contact
during your presentation. It's important to establish your sincere
intentions, and part of that is making eye contact with your audience.
If you find looking in someone's eyes (say, your bosses) a bit
intimidating, you're not alone. Try these tips. Instead of looking
directly into someone's eyes, focus in between them at the base of the
forehead, just above the bridge of the nose. Also look out into your
audience and find key focal points along the back of the room. Every
time you scan the room, nod at each one as you make a point in your
speech. It will look to your audience like you are making connections
with other listeners. What ever you do, don't stare at any one person
for too long.
11. Breath, relax and slow it down. Marta says one
of the biggest mistakes novice speakers make is rushing through their
material and not breathing. She suggests taking several calming breaths
before you begin. In addition, Marta suggests you keep a trigger object
that reminds you to slow down. It could be as simple as a Post-it note
that says "Slow down" or a talisman that only you know about.
12.
Remember to have fun. There is a little actor/actress in all of us. Some
of the most successful motivational speakers were once shy children.
There is a certain excitement in performing for others. So let out your
inner diva or rockstar and have fun with that side of yourself. Enjoy
the spotlight.
By using some or all of these tips, your
butterflies will line right up for you. One last bit of advice, based on
personal experience. Trust yourself to do the best you can.
