Steps for Successful Presentation or Speech

For many people, public speaking ranks right up there with undergoing a root canal procedure or facing a tax audit.

That's too bad. Becoming comfortable in front of an audience is not as difficult as you might think. Plus, that skill is critical in today's competitive, customer service-oriented marketplace.

The biggest hurdle to overcome, of course, is the fear of getting up in front of people. If you can handle all those eyes staring back at you, you're on your way to becoming a comfortable and confident presenter.

Whole courses are devoted to public speaking. We can only touch on the fundamentals here. The rest is up to you. If you follow these tips, you will quickly become more at ease and confident in front of an audience.

Speak often - Hate to burst your bubble, but you won't overcome your fear by reading this column (or any other material). You have to get up and speak. But it need not be a formal event. Give a toast at a reunion or anniversary. Provide the reading at your house of worship. Make a presentation before a Scout group. You get the picture: Take advantage of any opportunity to stand up and say something.

Be prepared - This goes without saying. Do your research, write your notes, and prepare any necessary handouts or equipment. Rehearse your presentation as time permits. Confidence in your material builds confidence in you.

Survey the room - Spend a few moments before your presentation familiarizing yourself with your surroundings. Note any acoustical or other logistical issues (for example, outside noise) that you will have to overcome.

Test equipment again - Regardless of how smoothly your laptop and projector worked during your rehearsal, you must test them again. There's no better way to ruin a presentation--and give you a case of the jitters that'll last a lifetime--than to have equipment fail.

Greet audience members as they arrive - Talk with them for a bit and find out a few things about each person. You will begin to feel as if you're talking with a colleague as opposed to a total stranger. That feeling will carry with you as you approach the stage. An added benefit is that you may learn something that you can use in your speech. That's a very powerful tool to use.

Stand in front prior to introduction - Remain up front but off to the side. Scan the room to further familiarize yourself with that sea of faces and eyes. This allows you to get some early face time.

Remind yourself that those are friendly eyes and faces; they are not to be feared. After all, you got to know some of those people in advance. They are now nearly friends.

Start strong - Open with a powerful question or comment to grab your audience's attention.

Focus on your material - Develop and deliver solid information in a professional manner, and your audience will concentrate on that instead of you.

Don't dwell on nervousness - Odds are it won't show, and most of it will evaporate within a couple minutes. Also, don't worry if you feel "wooden" or not that dynamic. You are being judged on your content, not style. Gestures, body language, and vocal variety will come naturally over time.

Put that energy to work - Use any nervous energy to add life to your presentation. Imagine there's a small power plant inside you radiating energy. Tap that energy source to enhance your voice and gestures. If your audience senses you're excited about the material, they will be as well.

Avoid negative thoughts - Some audience members may appear to be uninterested. It's probably because they're dwelling on some pressing matter. (Others may be focusing away--usually on the floor--so they can concentrate on what you're saying. I do that frequently.) Don't let that bother you. Press on with your presentation.

Remind yourself who's the boss - You're the expert. That's why you were chosen to speak. Pump yourself up with powerful thoughts, such as "I'm the expert, and I'm going to wow them with this material." Remind yourself regularly as your speech progresses.

Overcoming your fear of public speaking isn't difficult. First, you must convince yourself that it is possible. Then, using the suggestions provided here, get out and speak as often as you can. You'll be amazed at how quickly you become comfortable in front of an audience.
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Owner of Supreme Communications, LLC, a marketing communications firm, I have more than 20 years of experience in customer service, sales, and marketing. Please visit my blog for columns to help your grow and prosper. You are welcome to join me on LinkedIn and Twitter. Feel free to view my YouTube videos. Additional columns may be found at EzineArticles.com. Do you like to travel, and help others do the same? Check out this exciting new opportunity.

Public speaking is an increasingly important skill in today's economy. Whether you work in the public sector, private sector, or for a non-profit organization, you can benefit from developing strong presentation skills.

Entire books and courses are dedicated to this topic alone. We'll briefly review some of the fundamentals needed for a strong presentation or speech.

Remember that you are the expert. Your skills, experience, or training make you the ideal person to present the information. And, your audience needs what you have to say.

View each presentation as an opportunity to enrich the lives of your audience. Imagine yourself a mentor, helping audience members as opposed to merely lecturing to them.

It's OK to be nervous. Channel that energy to help you display your interest in and passion for your topic. Remember that for the most part your nervousness doesn't show, and that your confidence will grow the longer you speak.

A few ideas to keep in mind as you develop your materials:

• Consider your audience. Who are they, and what do they know about your industry or field? Use words and terms they understand. A person in the financial services sector, for example, speaks differently to colleagues than to retirees.


• Tailor your message to their needs. Talk about profits gained, losses curbed, increased job security, more comfortable retirement, and so on.


• Factor in your strengths. Perhaps you attended a workshop, conference, or seminar; worked on a special project; or developed a fascinating solution to a vexing problem.


• Plan for the audience's reaction. If your message is of a positive or neutral tone, offer your recommendations early. For bad news, provide more supporting evidence, and gradually ease into the material most likely to cause a negative reaction. Make sure your audience understands the reasons for your decisions and suggestions.


• Anticipate and address questions. A review from someone outside your department may identify volatile issues or questions. Find ways to incorporate explanatory information in your material. Follow up with an e-mail or memo as needed.


• Include a call to action. That may be to place an order or to accept your budget, plan, or other idea. Your presentation must have a purpose.

Try a process known as visualization prior to speaking. Imagine yourself successfully presenting your material. You will think of additional questions and objections to address, and be even more prepared.

Pump yourself up with power quotes and other motivational thoughts. You will enter the room confident and assertive.

Always use notes or a script. Don't risk forgetting important details and the embarrassment of having to send follow-up messages.

You must rehearse your presentation, especially if you're using equipment. We've all attended meetings that failed because a laptop simply refused to work with the digital projector. Iron out those bugs in advance to avoid ruining your presentation.
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Owner of Supreme Communications, LLC, a marketing communications firm, I have more than 20 years of experience in customer service, sales, and marketing. Please visit my blog for columns to help your grow and prosper. You are welcome to join me on LinkedIn and Twitter. Feel free to view my YouTube videos. Additional columns may be found at EzineArticles.com. Do you like to travel, and help others do the same? Check out this exciting new opportunity.

Public speaking and presenting are an integral part of the business world today. Whether leading staff meetings or speaking before civic and trade groups, business people give countless speeches and presentations.

As they prepare, most speakers focus only on the subject matter, and give little thought to the fundamentals of speaking. Study these tips for a more effective presentation next time.

Vocal variety - Vary the pitch and volume of your voice. A monotonous tone will lull people to sleep. Use volume or enhanced speed to emphasize certain points. But also back off on occasion. The sudden drop in volume causes listeners to take note. Pauses are useful tools as well. They signal that what's coming is important, and give listeners a chance to digest what you've stated.

Body language - Your body speaks volumes, even when you don't. Like your voice, body language should vary throughout your speech. No need to do jumping Jacks, but you also don't want to stand there like a 2 x 4.

Start by freeing up your hands. Keep them out of your pockets and detached from the lectern. Hands learn remarkably fast how to complement a speech. You'll quickly see that they tend to flow with your subject matter: palms open in a waving gesture. When making a point, you'll notice that you point somewhere as well.

Turn your entire body as you scan the audience. Move in a slow, uniform manner. Your hands will participate for a nicely choreographed action. If appropriate, move about the front of the room. This will help reduce the jitters and give your audience some visual variety.

Eye contact - Scan the entire audience regularly throughout your speech, and remember to include anyone at the head table. To avoid the "bumble bee" effect, give each person two or three seconds of eye contact. Instead of counting out the seconds--which can be distracting--try what I call the Phrase Method.

Let's say your comment is,

This new sales program allows us to generate a significant increase in sales with no additional staff.

As you're speaking, you'll unconsciously break it down like this:

This new sales program
allows us to generate
a significant increase in sales
with no additional staff.

You will naturally shift your attention from one person to the next as you deliver each part of the sentence, thereby providing the proper amount of eye contact. Don't fret over this. Concentrate on your delivery, and your eye contact will come naturally.

Every speech is comprised of several important components. These include research, preparation, practice, and delivery. As you build the skills discussed here, you will become a more confident and accomplished presenter.
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Owner of Supreme Communications, LLC, a marketing communications firm, I have more than 20 years of experience in customer service, sales, and marketing. You are welcome to join me on LinkedIn and Twitter. Additional columns may be found at EzineArticles.com. Do you like to travel, and help others do the same? Check out this exciting new opportunity.