Photo Credits: Teemu Paananen from Unsplash
Welcome to our blog, friend! This week’s guide is on presentation! My speaking experience ranges from numerous business presentations to speeches and lectures, so I compiled tips for when the spotlight is on you!
Stand Strong
Stand tall and be proud! It has been shown that when you stand in positions that are assertive before your time presenting, you will feel less anxious and feel stronger going into the presentation. Harness the power of your body language to improve your presentation.
Take a breath!
The flow of time completely changes when you are presenting; small pauses feel like an eternity while a whole paragraph can pass in the blink of an eye. Despite how you might feel when the spotlight is on you, ensure you take pauses to collect yourself when speaking rather than using filler words like “uh” and “um.” These pauses are completely natural and will not look out of place to a viewer, which will prevent you from stumbling over yourself and make you appear more confident and collected than you might be.
You are the Expert
When presenting, it is often believed that you need to memorize what you have to say and present perfectly which leads to the dreaded “uhm” and “ah” that we spoke about earlier. I suffered from this a lot because I loved to present, and it was an issue until my professor clued me in on something: YOU are the only one that knows what was written, don’t stick to the script! This realization that no one I am speaking to knows my script not only improved my confidence when speaking, but it made my presentations easier to listen to since they became more natural and less confined. I could maneuver around mistakes and improvise, so long as I hit all the points I wanted to.
Speak With, Don’t Talk to
We all had experiences with a teacher, professor, or friend that would bore you out of your mind when they spoke. You might be an expert in the field, but no one will appreciate what you say if you put yourself on a pedestal and act superior. Taking a more casual approach to speaking will help keep you audience’s attention, in addition to interacting with your crowd (assuming it is appropriate for the venue). Treat your audience as friends, rather than someone who needs to be taught.
Always Get Feedback
The only way to improve is to learn where you went wrong. Find avenues after your presentation or event to reach out to your audience and get their opinion on what they took away from your presentation and how you can improve, whether it be asking them in person or following up on social media afterwards. By inquiring about your presentation from an unbiased source, you can strengthen your voice by understanding what makes you successful and what you could improving on.
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