Glossophobia. Fear of public speaking affects 3 out of 4 people. This staggering statistic is alarming and surprising at the same time, since a certain skill in speaking is required in most careers. The following article will show you how to prepare for a presentation so that you don't fear it.
Steps
Step 1. Do your research
To make your presentation engaging, you need to know what you are talking about. You don't need to be an expert, or read every published book, or consult every website that deals with your subject, but you should be able to answer any questions your audience may ask you.
- Choose quotes from reliable sources. Good quotes make a good presentation excellent. Choosing the words spoken by brilliant people and including them in your presentation will not only make you appear intelligent, it will show your audience that you have spent time reflecting on other people's thoughts.
- Make sure your sources are reliable. Few things could make you lose credibility like reporting incorrect data. Don't trust the information you find on the web a priori.
Step 2. Write notes
Write down the main ideas on your cards. Don't detail, or you'll have a tendency to look down on what you've written. Add fun facts, questions, or other interactive activities to share with your audience.
- Write down your key words or ideas. In this way, if you need to consult your notes, you can get the information you want with a single glance, without having to read every single word.
- Also, writing down the necessary information on your notes will allow you to memorize it further. Most likely, you will only be able to use your notes for emergencies, in case you can't remember what you need to say.
Step 3. Practice
In most presentations, it is quite clear who practiced and who did not. Work on what you are saying and how you are going to say it. You will feel more confident at the moment of making the actual presentation by managing to eliminate all dead pauses, in a completely different way than those people who try to climb the mirrors.
- Practice in front of family or friends, or in front of the mirror, and give your speech. It will probably be best to practice in front of friends you don't know well so that you can replicate the feeling you will get in front of an audience.
- When you have finished your presentation, ask your friends for their opinion. Was it long enough? Was your eye contact good? Have you hesitated somewhere? Was it clear in every point?
- Review your performance. Challenge yourself to further improve your actual presentation. When the time is right, you can be sure that you have done your best and have worked hard to get the best possible results, especially in the areas that are most difficult for you.
Step 4. Smile at your audience
When it's time for presentation, there's nothing that grabs your audience's attention like a good old-fashioned smile. Be happy; you're about to teach something your audience didn't know before.
Studies have shown that smiles are contagious; which means that when you smile, it is unlikely that other people will be able not to do the same. So, if you want your presentation to flow free of all obstacles, make an effort to smile. All people will be made to smile; and in turn you will smile thanks to all those smiles
Feel confident in your presentation. When you give a presentation, you are like a teacher for the duration of the speech. In fact, your job is to make the listener understand what you are trying to say. So make sure you pay attention to how your teacher does it because teachers are expert speakers.
Step 1.
- Before, after and during the presentation, visualize your success. Be humble and never cheeky, but keep imagining your presentation being successful. Don't let any thoughts of failure come to your mind.
- In several respects, the confidence you have in yourself is just as important as the information you convey. While not wanting to diminish the value of the information transmitted and encouraging you to always perform a quality research, know that a large part of the results achieved and the knowledge that you will be able to transmit will depend on your level of security.
- If your confidence needs a boost, think big. After 10 or 15 minutes your presentation will be over. How will your presentation impact your long-term future? Probably not much. Try to give your best, but if anxiety occurs, remember that your life will bring you many more important moments than this.
Step 2. Eye contact
Nothing is more boring than listening to a presenter look at the floor or his notes. Take it easy. Your audience is made up of friends and you always talk to them; speaks the same way.
Make it a goal to look at every person in your audience at least once. In this way, each of them will feel involved. Plus, you will give the impression that you know exactly what you are talking about
Step 3. Make sure you have some sort of modulation in your voice
Your goal is to engage your audience, not to put them to sleep. Try to have an animated speech. Talk like it's the most interesting thing in the world. The audience will thank you for it.
The intonation, used above all by radio DJs, is the variation of the pitch of the sounds during the pronunciation of words; it is the acceleration that occurs in your tone of voice when you are excited about something. Be careful not to look like a person who has just seen a lion, but not like a person has just seen a squirrel. Vary the pitch of your voice to make the presentation more interesting
Step 4. Move your hands as you speak, using them to emphasize certain points and keep the listener interested
I will also help you to better channel the energy of your nervousness.
Step 5. Try to have a great conclusion
The conclusion is your final impression on your audience. Make it exciting by introducing a final stat, or come up with something creative to do at the end. Your conclusion can be anything, as long as your audience knows you're about to finish.
- Tell a story, preferably containing a personal reference. Why not include a short anecdote about a famous historical figure in your presentation?
- Ask a provocative question. Ending your presentation with a question will allow you to follow up on your presentation, in fact, people will be inclined to continue their interest in trying to answer. Do you want to lead your audience to draw certain conclusions? Perhaps you could formulate your question by suggesting the desired conclusion.
Step 6. Sit back smiling, knowing that you have obtained an excellent grade and that you have just done something that many would not be able to do
Don't be saddened by any lack of applause.
Advice
- Try to have good posture. Do not cross or close your arms, leave them open. Don't slouch and keep your back straight.
- If you make a mistake, let it go. If you don't get attention by correcting yourself, no one will notice and if they do, they will quickly forget.
- Remember - Speak out loud - or to put it in acting terms - project your voice.
- Don't forget to look at everyone, not just the floor. Do not be enchanted by anyone in particular but do a "scan" of the entire audience.
- Choose a halfway point. This way you can watch some presentations first and avoid their mistakes, and the audience won't be too bored for when it's your turn.
- Keep your hands under your shoulders so the audience isn't distracted.
- Make sure you are looking in all directions and not just in the middle of the audience.
- Try to give the right tone of formality to your speech, depending on the purpose or to whom it is directed.
- Trust and, when you are almost at the end of your presentation, ask the audience if there are any questions, comments, etc. It will be further proof of your preparation and commitment.
- Move! It is not necessary to sit still in your spot all the time. Have fun. Using your body language to accentuate your voice can help give your presentation an extra touch of naturalness.
- Try not to argue with your audience. This is a distraction from your presentation. You simply say that they have an interesting point of view, which you will see to verify and respond to.
- Know that whoever is watching is so nervous about their presentation, they probably won't hear much of yours.
- Remember that PowerPoint is a tool for your audience and not for writing your speech. Your presentation should include a lot more than what you put on PowerPoint, and the slides shouldn't contain too much text.
