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Giving a presentation is, for many people, a nerve wracking experience. However you would be surprised how just a few simple changes in your technique and perspective on giving a presentation can help. Here a few such changes:

Don’t expect too much of yourself

People often have unrealistic expectations of what they can achieve in a presentation. The reality is you need to be more grounded in your estimations, the reaction you will get is probably be not going to be the whirlwind of fist pumping enthusiasm you may have expected, probably. Set yourself realistic targets.

Act naturally

There is always going to be an element pandering to the audience in a presentation, but know when to draw the line. Something like laughing at a joke that isn’t funny, which will probably be the case, is fine however it doesn’t take much for an audience to realise that you are being fake and, if they do realise this, then in many ways your ship has been sunk. Acting natural will also be picked up and has the added advantage that the less you force it, the easier it will come.

Don’t memorise every word

Although it is generally a good idea to not use too many notes it is not such good idea to learn your entire presentation word for word. This will only be putting more pressure on yourself and if you get lost or forget something it will not only have a negative effect on the flow of your presentation but will probably end up making you even more nervous. Instead have a few short and simple trigger notes that point you in the right direction. They should be more reminders than notes. This will help you find your feet and your confidence to grow.

Similar resources you may like

1. Planning Your Presentation
2. Writing a Presentation
3. A Telephone Presentation
4. Talking to an Audience
5. What not to do in a presentation

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confidence, course, nervous, notes, Presentation, training

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This entry was posted by Faye Binfield on Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009 at 1:43 pm and is filed under Presentation Skills Resources. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.