2017 February 23 Archive - EXEIdeas

For those who get anxious and worried about the idea of speaking in front a large group of people, it can be hard to believe that there are some individuals who speak publicly as a career. And, what’s more, is that many of these people actually enjoy getting up and speaking to a room full of people! Fear of public speaking is not uncommon; however, the truth is that anybody has the ability to deliver a kick-ass speech or presentation with the right strategies and techniques and a healthy dose of patience with themselves. We’ve put together some of the main things to do if you want to make sure that your presentation receives a standing ovation – or at least a ‘well done!’.Rehearse:When getting ready to deliver a presentation, there’s absolutely no way of stressing enough exactly just how important rehearsals are. By regularly rehearsing your presentation, at least once every day, you will soon become comfortable with it and by the time you’re giving it to that room full of people, the words will be rolling off your tongue like second nature. Forgetting what you were about to say can be a killer when it comes to presentations, and a momentary blank mind can lead to anxiety, stress, and an overall poor performance. So, reduce your risk of this happening by rehearsing over and over again.Make Eye Contact:Public speaking can be nerve wracking at the best of times, but the key to giving an excellent speech is to have a strong air of confidence about you. Making eye contact with members of your audience, especially when you are speaking to them directly, is absolutely critical for delivering a good performance. Making eye contact will encourage your audience to be more engaged with you, something that can actually help you to relax and be more at ease.Take a Practice Run:If you don’t have extensive experience of making presentations or public speaking, then getting some real-life practice in beforehand is an excellent way to calm your nerves and feel more confident as you’ll be more prepared when it comes to what to expect. One great way to practice public speaking is via a webinar platform such as Click Meeting. Webinars allow you to speak publicly to groups of people, however, since you’re online, you won’t actually be physically face-to-face – something that can make public speaking easier to deal with psychologically.Move Around:Depending on the number of people that you are delivering your presentation to, moving around is usually an important part of giving a good performance. Nobody wants to listen to a speaker who stands motionless, and moving around can help you to become more energetic, motivated, and even appear more enthusiastic about your topic – something that can definitely help in many work or educational situations where you may be required to give a presentation.Avoid Reading Off The Script:Assuming that you are going to be presenting slides to your audience, it’s crucial that your presentation isn’t totally dominated by you simply reading word for word from the slides. Instead, it’s important to simply include a brief outline on your slides, which you will then expand on during the presentation in your own words. Not only is this much more interesting for your audience, but you’ll also make a far better impression and show off the fact that you know your stuff.Speak Slowly:When delivering a presentation, it can be easy to speed up our talking, perhaps not even realizing that we are doing so until afterwards – or even worse, if somebody points it out. Speaking too quickly can be very annoying for your audience, as they will struggle to keep up or retain any of the information that you have provided them with. The same applies to talking too quietly – if your audience are straining to hear you, they’re going to lose interest rapidly. Practice controlled breathing to help you pace your words and keep your voice at a good volume whilst giving a presentation.Giving presentations is something that many people are nervous about doing, and it’s easy to see why when all eyes are on you. Do you have any tips for delivering a kick-ass presentation and beating the nerves? We’d love to hear from you in the comments.