Happy Friday %FIRSTNAME%,
Continuing on our path to rock your next presentation, I want to touch upon the lead-up to the big day. Public speaking doesn’t make me nervous and in fact, I rarely prepare for my presentations – I prefer to read the audience and see where I should focus. (That’s next week’s missive!)
If you are one of the many who get anxious before you speak – get anxious during and then are anxious for days after…being prepared is your secret weapon.
Here’s the process I coach folks through
- Know the subject matter – so you can speak about it without notes. This goes for a presentation in a meeting or on a stage. The more comfortable you are with the subject matter – the easier it will be!
- Back to #1 – have a theme or a thesis per se. What is the #1 point you want to get across to your audience?
- Don’t be SMARTER than your audience – in other words, don’t speak above them – make sure you use terms that your audience will understand!
- Like I said last week – please don’t fill a presentation with factoids that no one cares about or will remember. Put yourself in their shoes!
- If you are using any kind of technology – do a dry run – or 10 until you are comfortable
- Before your presentation – take some time to be zen. Don’t rush around like a crazed person. Show up early, be calm.
- Lastly, give yourself some grace – the world isn’t going to end if you fumble, if you mess up. Practice isn’t about being perfect it’s about lessening the anxiety.
Here’s my last bit of advice – when you are doing a run through – try it in FRONT of people if you can. Doing presentations in front of people you know is often harder than in front of people you don’t know – so it’s a great out of the comfort zone push!!
Best of luck!!
CD