Hate Presenting? Top Tips From Presentation Skills Training

Big presentation tomorrow? If you’ve been putting it off, have no clue what to say and no idea where to begin…you are not alone. No wonder so many people say, “I hate presenting.” Here are the most popular top tips from my presentation skills training to help you get confident and ready for your big day. Last week one participant in my presentation class cornered me on a break. “I’m really scared. I hate presenting,” she told me in a hushed tone. “My palms get clammy. My throat gets dry. And I’m so afraid that I’ll say the wrong thing in front of my boss.” Sound familiar? So many people dread presenting, hate presenting, and wish they were anywhere else than in front of the room. Those bumper stickers of ‘I’d rather be sailing’ come to mind. I’ve seen this in myself and in thousands of professionals. What can you do instead of staring at the blinking cursor, worrying and obsessing before you give a presentation? Here are my most popular 7 tips from my presentation skills training. Read them. Use them. And hey, find a new way to give presentations. 1. Start away from the computerr If you’re fed up with staring at a blinking cursor, do something different. Plan your story—away from the screen. Get out an old-fashioned piece of paper. Sketch your big ideas first. Then, add in detail, story flow and specific examples. By working with a pencil and paper, your creative juices flow much easier. 2. Watch childrenr Just because you have a big presentation tomorrow, you deserve to get some creative inspiration. If you have children, watch them playing. If you don’t go watch kids at a playground. What do you notice? They’re having fun! They are experimenting. They are trying out new things. They aren’t worried about whether they’ll lose their job if they make a mistake. They’ve got the right idea. Pick up a few pointers from them and then continue with your presentation planning. 3. Research lastr Ahh. The ultimate lure of ‘have to do more research.’ Perhaps you do. But not yet. Save adding facts, data and statistics for later. In fact, make time to do this at the very end—after you’ve worked out everything else. For now, just write in “X” for where you need to put a relevant statistic. You’ve just eliminated hours of searching. And you’re back on track. 4. Whiteboard with a planr Instead of relying exclusively on PowerPoint or Keynote slides, use a whiteboard. But don’t do it without a clear visual framework and plan. Whiteboard presenting is catching fire because it is the fastest way to engage audiences and have a real-time conversation. You aren’t limited to a corporate script. You can be responsive and adaptive on the spot. Not sure how to look professional? Get whiteboard presentation skills training and coaching. This is easy to get online and also in person if you have a group or team. 5. Imagine the rewardsr Just as Olympic athletes do, visualize success. Imagine in vivid detail all the rewards of doing a terrific job in your presentation. A signed deal. A promotion. A big bonus. Make certain that your visualization includes specific rewards that are important to you. Picture this in precise detail so you can step into your future. 6. Take an online trainingr Whether you are presenting tomorrow or next week, pick up some new tips. The fastest way? Grab a seat in an online self-study course. You’ll be able to pick and choose what you need, based on your current skills and urgent priorities. Story line. Visuals. Calls to action. You’ll find tips and tools for every aspect of presenting. Likely, you’ll use more than one idea for your presentation—even if it is tomorrow. 7. Practice with a coachr Whether you are new to presenting or a seasoned pro, there’s always more to learn. Especially if you’ve spent your life saying, “I hate presenting.” With the increase in virtual coaching, it is now affordable and convenient to work with an executive coach. If you are serious about getting to a whole new level—fast, this is the way to go. Imagine yourself. Confident. Poised. Ready to answer questions. Fearless in front of any audience. See? With just 7 quick tips for remarkable presenting, you’ve got a plan. You don’t have to limit your career. Instead you can feel confident, prepared and ready-to-go for your presentation.