Presenting in front of a large audience can be a nerve-wracking experience. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or new to public speaking, those pre-presentation nerves are a common occurrence. However, people can easily turn nervous before a presentation into confidence with the right preparation.
7 Preparation For Presentation To Calm Your Nerves
Feeling nervous about being on stage and delivering your speech? Here are 7 preparation you need to do to calm your nerves and deliver a compelling presentation.
1. Practice Make Perfect
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The most important thing to calm your nerves before a presentation is practice. Ever heard about practice makes perfect? The same goes for your preparation for the presentation. As the speaker, instead of memorizing the whole text of your presentation, the speaker needs to be very comfortable with their own speech.
Imagine standing up on the stage but not really knowing what your speech is all about, then what’s the point? Familiarity with your presentation will bring out confidence and help to deliver your words naturally.
2. Focus On Your Audience
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Therefore, before giving your presentation, it will be better to know how to talk and focus on your audience by asking some questions. If it is confirmed that the speaker is providing them with relevant and engaging information, it will make them stay to listen and smooth the overall presentation.
How to know what your audience wants:
- Ask the representative of the audience about what they expect from the presentation
- Arrive early and greet some of the audience at the door with a quick survey about why they are here and their expectations
- Practice your presentation with friends and ask if there is something missing in it
Your presentation should not at all be a surprise. If it is, it will lose total control over the audience’s response, which significantly increases your anxiety.
3. Control The Speed Of Your Talk
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Furthermore, a good speaker needs to have control over the speed of their talk. We understand that sometimes, nervousness can make people talk faster than usual. But in delivering a presentation, we need to ensure that the audience understands and easy to catch up on what we are saying. Try to talk slowly and relax a bit to help people be clear with your speech. Other than your speed, it is important to control your breathing as well.
4. Control Your Breathing
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During normal days, breathing sounds easy and it is. But whenever there is a nerve-wracking event and anxious has control yourself, breathing doesn’t seem as easy as before. Nervous will only make people breathe quickly from the top half of your chest.
Instead, try to intentionally breathe deeply for a few breaths to control your intense feelings. This will lower your heart rate and help you feel more at ease. The slower pace will trick your body into believing that you’re calmer.
5. Attend Other Presentations
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However, preparation to calm your presentation nerves also can be achieved by attending other presentations and meticulously taking notes on various aspects. For example, pay close attention to the speaker’s gestures, the duration of their speech, and how often they pause while speaking. Writing down these observations will help in gathering valuable knowledge and inspiration for enhancing your own presentation in unique and innovative ways.
6. Don’t Forget To Smile
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Smiling is an excellent trick to use whenever people feel nervous or scared before the presentation. But does a smile really help? The endorphins are released during the process of making this facial expression, which boosts your confidence. Additionally, a smile helps to convey eagerness and assurance to others, which will enhance the audience’s understanding of your message. So, don’t forget to put a smile on!
7. Drink Enough Water
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The presence of anxiety always leads to an uncomfortable condition like dry mouth, which can be distracting while delivering a presentation. To overcome this issue effectively, it is essential to drink enough water before the presentation. Additionally, it is a good idea to prepare a water bottle by your side while speaking with the audience. It will not only ease the discomfort of dry mouth but also serve as a source of refreshment to keep your confidence during the presentation.
Bear in mind, that it takes time to become an expert public speaker and learn to control your anxiety before a big presentation. Use these 7 methods properly and you can finally get over your stage fright and shine on stage like a real champion. Try it out now!
