Part of the job of many executives, managers, and trainers is to present information to business owners and employees. For some, especially those with no experience in making presentations, it can be a nerve racking experience that can provoke anxiety and fear. The truth of the matter is that almost every presenter gets a touch of the jitters when they have to talk in front of large groups. The biggest difference between the experienced public speaker and the inexperienced one is that the experienced speaker knows that preparation is the key to increasing their comfort level. Let’s take a look at some ways they do this.

Know Your Goals

What is the purpose of your presentation is the question you must know the answer to before giving it. Some presentations are informational, while others are persuasive or motivational. Each one of these types of presentations requires a slightly different approach. For example, if you are trying to persuade or sell something you will need to convince your audience, whereas an informational presentation is geared more toward educating them. Lecturers are a good example of informational presenters. Motivational presentations are designed to inspire people.

Know Your Material

Knowing your material as thoroughly as possible is one of the best ways to alleviate presentation anxiety because it builds your confidence in knowing that you know what you are talking about. One of the worst things a speaker can do for themselves is attempt to make a presentation about something they know little about. Stumbling over material you know nothing about can be embarrassing and do little to alleviate speaker anxiety.

Practice

Although a speaker may be knowledgeable about the presentation material they need to rehearse the delivery of that information. What many professional speakers do is write the key points of their presentation on 3 X 5 cards and rehearse their delivery in front of a mirror or another person, working on their tone of voice, body language, and the flow of the information they are presenting. A successful presenter always practices and never wings it.

Take It Slow

When you begin your presentation remain as calm as you can. One way to do this is to establish a cadence or pace for yourself so that you are not speaking too quickly. Take your time, speaking clearly and pausing at the appropriate times. Moving too quickly through the material does send the message that you are nervous and also that you may not know what you are talking about.

Allow For Q & A Time

You should always make time in your presentation for questions and answers, usually before the end of it. Question and answer time is valuable in two ways. First, it gives you the opportunity to clarify key points. No matter how well you deliver your presentation there will always be someone who may not clearly understand some of the points you made. Second, question and answer time brings your audience into an interaction with you, rather than you just merely speaking and them listening.

Remember, the key element to giving a presentation is having confidence in doing it. Confidence in making a presentation, as we mentioned earlier, is acquired by good preparation, knowing your material, and practicing the delivery of it.