Almost everyone feels a bit nervous about delivering a presentation before a group. Some people would rather undergo a root canal than experience the anxiety of giving a speech.
Follow some basic guidelines for preparation and delivery, and you can transform your nervousness into positive energy that achieves the results you desire.
The secrets to successful presentations are simple, based on common sense. Many people, however, fail to employ them.
Step One: Purpose
What’s the purpose of your presentation? There are many reasons to make a speech or announcement, and you need to clearly define your goal. Do you have to deliver bad news to your department? Do you require a decision from your superiors on a problematic business situation? Do you have a solution and want to convince people? Are you trying to sell a solution or product?
Most presenters try to persuade their audience to buy into specific ideas. They must sufficiently inspire and motivate listeners to take action or give the green light to act on suggested solutions.
You need to lead your audience through the decision-making process so members can go through it with you. Unless they believe they “own” the decision, they won’t act upon it.
It’s critical to avoid spelling everything out for them. Let them “see” what the problems are and which decisions are needed. They will then be happy to engage in finding solutions and enthusiastic about acting on them.
Step Two: Know Your Audience
Your audience is not merely composed of the people you’ll face when you deliver your speech. It also includes those who may be influenced or affected by your proposal. Before you think about what to say, you must determine who your audience is and what they’ll need from you to buy into your argument.
Make sure you’re selling the benefits of your solution