Have a big presentation coming up and feeling a little uneasy about it? Those anxious nerves and thoughts of self-doubt are perfectly healthy. But if you want to crush your performance, you need to find a way to stop these negative emotions from coming over you and figure out how to use them to your advantage. Here we’ll show you how you can step up, make an impression and nail your big presentation.
Turn Fear Into Poise
When you take the stage, all eyes are on you, which can leave you feeling a little insecure and anxious. Rule number one — don’t show it. Take ten deep breaths before you head up on stage to help calm your mind and body and improve your focus and clarify. Then step up and take control. Even if you don’t feel particularly confident at first, fake it — stand tall, make eye contact, use hand gestures, and speak loud and clear. The first thing people will notice is your body language, so exude confidence and clarity when you’re delivering a presentation, and people will believe it.
Make a Good Impression
It’s not just what you say; it’s how you look. Make sure you dress the part if you want to nail your big presentation. That means iron your outfit, style your hair, shine your shoes, and look like you’re about to receive an award on stage.
Know What They Want To Hear
Your presentation needs to engage and delight your audience, or they’ll quickly lose interest. Know your audience and then make sure your presentation delivers something engaging and informative.
Be Passionate
Nobody wants to listen to a presentation from someone who isn’t passionate about the topic. Put a little energy and excitement into your presentation, but don’t go over the top. Aim for charismatic, outgoing, entertaining and imaginative, but leave dull, fidgety and hyper backstage.
Prepare and Practice
The more you prepare and practice, the less likely you’ll get nervous and forget what you’re supposed to say. That’s why you need to come prepared to deliver. Don’t just draft up a presentation and speech and expect it to go smoothly. Practice it at least five times from beginning to end. If you have a spouse or business partner, make sure to practice it in front of them so they can help make suggestions regarding your tone and delivery. You should also have all the presentation requirements organized with the event planners at the venue. If you need AV, lights, sound, and a screen for your presentation, make sure its all planned for and tested in advance to prevent a disaster. You’ll be happy you did.
At St. Elias Centre, we have everything you need to nail your big presentation. Our modern multi-purpose event centre has a full-sized theatre stage, podium, and can accommodate any type of AV and light equipment necessary. We also have friendly on-site support who can help you set up so that your presentation goes smoothly. To find out more about our venue, contact us today.