51. Being nervous is normal.
Don’t be too worried about being nervous, since it is perfectly normal. In fact, even some of the most experienced public speakers still feel their legs trembling, prior to giving their speeches. What makes them look like they do not fear being in front of
people is their confidence. When you are confident, you will be able to overcome your nervousness, and become more comfortable in the latter part of your speech.
52. Don’t let certain things distract you.
When you are speaking in front of a large crowd, there is always a possibility for certain things to distract you. Some of which would include certain individuals standing up while you are talking, or late comers opening the doors. Keep in mind that these things will only become your distractions if you let them.
53. Preventing people from looking outside the windows.
If your presentation is going to be at a small room, where a certain number of participants are seated in front of you, you don’t want them to constantly look outside the windows and miss out important points from your speech. To prevent this, you can make sure to close the blinds just before starting your piece. Aside from preventing people looking outside, you can also minimize distractions by not having to see other individuals looking from outside.
54. Sort out any problems beforehand.
Whenever there are problems in the venue, it is best if you sort them days before the event. Thus, it is best if you can visit the venue to thoroughly check it days before your speech. If that is not possible, then be there an hour prior to the start of the program, so that you can fix any issues immediately.
55. Don’t forget to check the sound system.
Speaking in front of a large crowd can be frustrating, if you know that some people seated at the back are not able to hear you well. Thus, make sure that the venue can offer a good sound system. Aside from having adequate volume, the sound should also be in good quality, so that people would be able to understand you perfectly.
56. Words you should always remember.
Some of the words you should always remember and tell yourself would include prepared, poised, powerful, persuasive, commanding, composed, and confident. When you do this, you would eventually feel that you can deliver a great speech. Aside from that, it can also make your audience see that you are a person that can be described by the words mentioned on top.
57. What not to do when unprepared.
If you have not been able to prepare yourself for the presentation, one of the things that you should not do is to apologize. This should not be done, since it will make you feel less confident. Aside from that, people may not want to listen to you, since they won’t be expecting much from your presentation.
58. Take full advantage of your notepads or index cards.
There may be times when you get stuck on what sub topic you want to explain next. To prevent this from happening, you should take advantage of your index cards, and write down your opening phrases in bold letters on top of them. By doing that, you won’t have to deal with a long pause, since you can simply read them out and continue from there.
59. Become more familiar of the visual equipment you would be using.
If you are simply going to borrow a projector or any kind of visual equipment at the venue, then you should familiarize yourself in operating it. You don’t want to get your presentation delayed, just because you don’t know how to turn to the next page, or to return back to a previous one. Therefore, spend some time with it prior to your presentation, so that you would know how to operate it perfectly.
60. Avoid technical jargons.
When your presentation is technical in nature, you may get tempted in using technical terms for it. However, you should consider the possibility that some of the people in your audience may not understand them. Thus, it is best to make use of simple terms, so that you can ensure that all of them would know what you are talking about.
61. When involved with a sales presentation.
If your presentation is about sales, then make sure that you make it as lively as possible, especially if you want to motivate your audience to making more sales. This is because, the energy in your presentation can determine the kind of motivation the sales force would have when they leave the room. Aside from that, you should also make sure that you tell them stories that can inspire them.
62. Don’t worry about the few who may not appreciate your presentation.
After your presentation, you would know if people like it when they start clapping their hands, smile at you, or stand in ovation. However, you may notice that some would simple go out of the room, or are clearly not satisfied. When this happens, remind yourself that you cannot please them all. Thus, just let them go, and appreciate the fact that most of the individuals who listened to you are happy with what they learned.
63. A presentation is not the time to wear something new.
Trying out a new pair of shoes in a presentation may not be a very good idea. This is because, you still do not know, whether wearing it can still be comfortable even after standing for quite some time. This is also applicable to wearing a new shirt or a new pair of pants, since you want to be very comfortable during your speech.
64. How to project your voice properly.
Projecting your voice is essential in order to make sure that people can hear you clearly. Keep in mind though that voice projection is completely different from shouting. You need to make use of your diaphragm when you do it, so that it would sound good, and more commanding.
65. What to do when an error is committed.
When you said something wrong, or you made an error in using the visual aid, try not to apologize for it. Chances are, your audience may not have even noticed it. Thus, if you are going to apologize for it, then people listening to your speech would realize that you made a mistake. Some would probably take note of it; however, many would not even care, as long as you provide them with valuable information.
66. Using a whiteboard.
If you want to make use of a whiteboard for your presentation, make sure that the pens are working, prior to using them. This is because, visual aids are also very important, when it comes to helping people understand your message better. Aside from that, you don’t want to delay your presentation by spending time in looking for a pen that actually works.
67. Learn more about PowerPoint.
PowerPoint is a program that can help you a lot when it comes to having an effective presentation. It is true that you can hire someone to make the PowerPoint presentation for you, in accordance to your report. However, it is best if you are the one who makes it, especially if it is quite long, so that you are more comfortable and effective in using it.
68. Using a script.
While it is true that you can come up with your own script for a presentation, it is not actually a good idea to use a full script for the whole part of it. This is because, it can make you sound boring. Aside from that, people can also notice that you lack in emotion. Thus, make a script for your presentation just for the purpose of having guide for it, so that people would appreciate it more.
69. Practice your entrance.
Arriving early at the venue where you are going to do your presentation can give you a chance to practice your entrance. Practicing your entrance can help in making you more comfortable in delivering your speech. Thus, try to practice getting on the stage when no one is around yet, so that you can gain more confidence.
70. The right way to end the presentation.
The last thing that you should do prior to ending your presentation is to deliver your “call to action” phrase. This should be done after the question and answer portion, as well as the part where you show your appreciation to the audience and organizers. By doing that, your “call to action” phrase would remain in the minds of the participants, once they leave the venue.
71. How to make sure your voice is loud enough.
If you are unsure whether people at the back can hear you, then one way around it is to have a friend stand or sit at that part of the venue. By doing that, he can give you signals that would indicate whether your voice is loud enough or not. Just make sure that you agree on the signals, so that you won’t get confused.
72. Check your slides prior to the presentation.
When people have not arrived at the venue yet, try to sit at the back of the venue, after turning on the slides. This would give you an opportunity to check whether people sitting at the back rows would be able to see your slides properly. With that, it can still give you time to make adjustments when needed.
73. Don’t rely on your slides too much.
Some people think that with their slides, they would have something to refer to when it comes to reminding themselves what to talk about next. Keep in mind that your audience can also read the slides, which can make them get ahead of you. Aside from that, if the slides won’t work, then you may not know what to talk about next. Thus, it is best to practice your presentation without the slides, and carry some notes about it during the presentation.
74. Turn off your phone prior to your speech.
Turning off your mobile phone prior to your speech can help you focus more on the task at hand. Aside from that, it can also help in preventing you from getting distracted with unimportant text messages. Some people think that putting the phone in silent mode would also suffice. However, when in silent, you may have programmed it to vibrate, which can still become a distraction.
75. Know why your audience come to your presentation.
When you are able to identify the possible reasons why your audience have come to your presentation, then the better your presentation becomes. This is because, you would be able to tailor your presentation in accordance to their reasons. Do your research, so that you can ensure that they would appreciate your presentation more.
