These days, when we say “presentation” we could be referring to anything from a speech in front of a room full of shareholders to an “elevator speech” to a prospect. But one thing about presenting never changes, and that is the pressure we feel, at least subliminally, as we prepare for and deliver our message. Here are a few important tips to keep in mind that will help your presentation be more effective, whenever and wherever it happens.
Are You Grounded?
Even the most effective and professional presenters and public speakers struggle to some degree with presentation anxiety. Our bodies naturally adopt a defensive posture when we stand up in front of a group of people who all have their eyes trained on us. This “fight or flight” response creates sweaty palms, shallow breathing, increased heart rate, queasy stomach and muscle tension. It also makes it very hard to give a smooth relaxed program! One way to fight this is to do what psychologists call getting grounded. While you are sitting quietly waiting for your introduction, take an inventory of what you see and hear around you – the table cloth is white, the china has a silver rim, my shoes are shiny, the lady next to me is wearing a wig, etc. Breathe slowly and deeply as you do this. By focusing on the little details around you, even the sound of your breathing, you are no longer focusing on your nervous symptoms and they will gradually melt away. Now you are ready to get up and knock ‘em dead.
Back Your Way Into a Relaxed Presentation
If you are one of those folks who struggles with nervous tension before a speech or presentation, here is one quick tip to help you stay relaxed. If at all possible, stay at the BACK of the room until you are introduced. There is nothing worse than sitting up front for an hour, feeling like all eyes are already on you, while you wait for your turn to talk, The longer you sit, the more stiff, uncomfortable and anxious you can become. If you stay at the back, out of the view of most of the audience, you can stand up, stretch your legs, walk around, go out into the hallway to shake your arms and legs to stay loose, go to the water fountain, and take care of other “necessities,” all of which will help you maintain a relaxed demeanor and a clearer focus in advance of your big moment. Then, when you are called to the podium, you can stride to the front with a big smile and a dignified posture, because you are refreshed and ready to go.
Protect Your Voice
Often when preparing for an important presentation we obsess over a thousand little details – the PowerPoint slides and projector, the microphone, our personal appearance and, of course our notes and presentation materials. What is the one obvious factor not on this list? The voice! What if the big day dawns and you wake up sounding like Froggy from the old Little Rascals movies? All your work to make a good impression goes right down the drain. Be smart; protect your voice. Avoid smoking and prolonged shouting (like you might find at sporting events or rock concerts), and keep your voice well hydrated at all times. The vocal folds' protective cushioned layers need to be kept moist to stay healthy. Caffeine, alcohol and some drugs prevent the body from retaining water. Limit tea or coffee, soft drinks, alcohol etc. - no more than 2-3 per day. Drink as much water as possible, up to 6-8 glasses per day, even more if you are working in a dry environment.
Quit Fidgeting
How many times did your parents tell you to hold still and quit fidgeting when you were a kid? Your squirming was probably irritating to them then, and the truth is, your fidgeting is just as irritating to your audience today. One of the hardest parts of giving a professional looking presentation is to keep your arms down at your side at all times – unless gesturing for special emphasis. It is absolutely the most awkward feeling in the world for some people to keep their arms in this position, but it works, because it keeps your hands from getting you in trouble. A lot of people like to fidget with their hands, stuff them in and out of their pockets, or clasp them either in front or behind them. Don’t do any of those things. These things all tell your audience that you are nervous, and the movements themselves are distracting, neither of which helps to inspire "trustability.” Most professional broadcasters are great at establishing a fixed posture and sticking with it. Maybe you don’t notice that they always keep their arms at their sides. The fact is, you don’t notice their arms at all, unless they want you to. And that is the whole point
Whatever you do, keep smiling
New research confirms that facial expressions have tremendous power to influence both ourselves and those around us. When test subjects were shown a series of pictures of people with unpleasant expressions on their faces, they reported feeling uncomfortable and unwilling to trust the people in the pictures. Another study found that test subjects experienced a rise in heart rate and blood pressure, along with feelings of aggression, after being asked to demonstrate a series of angry, depressed facial expressions for an extended period of time. The lesson here is that if you keep a smile on your face, your audience will feel more relaxed, you will feel more relaxed, and your chances of the audience being on your side at the end of your presentation will go way up.
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