For many people, public speaking is one of the most dreaded activities. Yet you may have to do public speaking at some point, giving a presentation in front of an audience or speaking at a team meeting. Standing and speaking in front of a large group can be nerve-wracking. People may suffer from anxiety or lack self-confidence. The fear of public speaking is called Glossophobia.
Many people do not feel completely at ease when standing in front of a group. Fortunately, with some tips, you can overcome these fears and feel more comfortable giving presentations.
Tip 1: Lie to your brain.
A good mindset is key. It is important to convince yourself that you can give the presentation and that your message is worth sharing. Whether you are excited or nervous, your brain cannot distinguish between the two. So before training, tell yourself, "I am not nervous I am excited to give this presentation." This will help reduce your nerves and focus on getting your message across.
Tip 2: Structure for the granny.
Bring structure to your presentation so that it is easy for your audience to follow. Write down what the audience already knows about the topic in 1 column. In the next column, write what you want them to know after the presentation. Start from here and build the structure. Have you doubts whether everything is clear? Practice with the granny (or someone else who doesn't know anything about the topic). Practising with someone unfamiliar with the topic will easily point out pitfalls in your structure.
Tip 3: No 2nd chance for a 1st impression!
Provide a surprising intro. This can be through an anecdote, a shocking statement, or a question. What also always attracts attention is to start with a strong image and ask the audience what they think of when they see this image.
During the presentation, it is important to keep communicating with the audience. Ask questions and keep it interactive. This will help hold the audience's attention and increase their engagement. Don't be afraid if there is a moment of silence. This gives the audience a chance to let everything sink in.
Tip 4: What you say is only 7% important.
And by this I do not mean that the message (the content) is not important. But rather what words you choose to convey this message. 70% of your presentation is body language and 23% is tone of voice. So spend time practising on your body language. Record yourself giving the presentation and watch it 3 times.
Watch it once on mute: look at your body language. Is it clear? Do you make eye contact with the audience or do you look at the ground and walls? Do you wiggle a lot? Do you make excessive hand movements?
Watch it once with sound but without picture: Listen to what you say. Are there certain sentences that are not clear? Do you often use stop words like euh? What about your voice? Are you shaking or sounding nervous?
Watch it once with sound and vision: Now look at the overall picture. Does your body language match the text you are saying? Are there any other things you notice?
Above all, remember to relax and have fun during the presentation. You are the expert in your field. When you are confident and enjoy presenting, this will also come across to the audience.
Do you want to improve your presentation skills? Would you like to learn how to present and pitch with confidence and impact? Then we would like to invite you to participate in our training. In it, you will learn all the skills needed for a successful presentation and learn how to present like a pro.
Register now via our website and become a successful speaker!