The apprehensiveness you feel when presenting in front of a group of people can only be overcome by an unwavering feeling of confidence. If you believe in yourself, don’t panic, don’t waste the opportunity with mistakes that could be easily avoided, give it every chance and deliver your presentation with confidence.
Before starting the presentation, there are a few elements you should be careful about. For example, your body language may indicate that you are absolutely ready to your audience, but once you start speaking you might ramble on or seem unfocused. This will confuse and distract the audience.
How can you avoid this?
Proper planning is the key. Start by doing your research, writing notes on index cards, and practicing. Practice makes perfect. So if you properly practice, many times over if you have to, you can perfect the way you deliver your presentation.
A great presentation starts with knowing who your audience is, their background and interests. This will help you decide the tone of your conversation. Whether it is 20 spectators or 500 of them in the audience, it’s your job to captivate them as the presenter. Start with a smile, it will not only put you at ease, but will also be welcomed by your audience.
Once you’ve prepared the body of the presentation, decide how you will begin and conclude it. Make sure the introduction grabs the attention of your audience and the conclusion summarizes and reiterates your important points.
Now to be clearer on the points, here’s an infographic explaining the “do’s and don’ts of presenting” created by Walkerstone. The infographic teaches you how to prepare yourself for a presentation and a few tips to make sure that it all goes well. Good luck with your next presentation!
