I'm having a presentation in a few days, and am not used to giving before a bunch of people. pretty scared. Any help?

I’ve never been a fan of speaking in public or in front of a group of people although I’ve had instruction on it (several times). The more I did it the easier it got but I never became completely comfortable with it.

Something that I was always told, by many different people, was that when you are in front of the group and feeling overly tense and nervous, imagine that everyone in your audience is naked and that might make your experience a little more lighthearted and easy to get through.

Best of luck on your presentation. :o)

Go into that presentation like you own everyone and everything in that room. I don’t know if that helps or not, but that’s how I think right before I have to give a speech or presentation.

@Bluefreedom I find that old tip very wrong. Wouldn’t imagining everyone naked make you more nervous because of the immense erection that you now have in front of the entire population?

I was wondering how long it would take for someone to suggest imagining the audience in their underwear or naked. Answer #1. Whadya know?

@Mtl zack. I guess that could be a problem especially if it is a male giving a speech to a room full of other males because that would indicate an even bigger problem, right? Or not, depending on someone’s persuasion? j/k

Just get comfortable with what you are presenting. Maybe practice with a friend and go over it until you don’t have to think about it. *But not thinking about it usually makes you speed up, which is not the best idea…. so watch your speed, take your time and even if you are scared try to be confident in what you are saying. I have a friend that drinks a glass of wine before her public speaking to help ease some nerves.

I think the “imagine the audience naked” thing is ridiculous.

I do a lot of speaking and presentations, and have to do so under stressful circumstances many times, and here’s what I found helpful:

1) Know your material backward and forward and be prepared for any questions that may pop up. Confidence in your subject matter goes a long way

2) Don’t memorize too much, or read off of slides verbatim. Dependence on those is what normally trips people up. Try to have in your mind, big bullet points that you know you could expand upon, even if whatever presentation technology you’re using fails.

3) Act not like you’re presenting or selling your idea, but like you know something no one else in that room does and you’re there to simply ‘teach’ them what you know. This seems to take away some of the onstage aspect of it, and neutralizes your role a little.

Good luck!

I have nothing to add except my best wishes for your success :)

Funny, I have trouble giving presentations in the morning but not in the afternoon. Be sure to well rested, somewhat well read and make a joke or two about re presentation. Remember that most people don’t like giving them and most people think they are really boring. Stay light and open up the presentation for questions. If you don’t know an answer don’t try to lie or spin it unless you have spin down. Want a good movie to watch with quick dialouge? Thank You For Smoking is great. Cheers.

I agree… Thank You For Smoking is a great movie to use as a sort of preperation for a presentation.

Speak slowly. What feels like it’s almost unnaturally slow, sounds right to the audience’s ears.

A good practice techniques is one that choirs use. Practice your speech in your head, but say “buh” for the syllables. This helps give you a sense of timing.

It can be helpful start out with an introduction that tells the audience why you’re talking to them and what’s important about what you have to say. “I’m here today to discuss 4th quarter trends in Medicaid utilization of our hospital. Compared to 2007, utilization is up 4.5% present, while our funding is down by 10%. In 1st quarter 2009, we will be called upon to arrive at viable solutions to this problem.”

If you’re using a powerpoint, use as few words on the slide as possible, keep the slide clean, and reduce the temptation to use funky fonts or clip art. Know your material, and keep in mind what’s important about what you have to say. It’s okay if what comes out of your mouth is abstract (conceptual), and what’s on the slide is concrete (numbers).

Look up often, do not bury your head in the podium;
Speak up, speak clearly, and slowly;
Smile often and look out into the crowd;
Don’t forget to pause occasionally, for effect and to allow for note taking;
If you are speaking from a written piece, make sure it is printed in larger than normal font so you can see it easily.

It really helps to have a friendly face in the crowd that you can look at for reassurance. :) You’ll be fine, it’s not nearly as bad as we make it out to be. It sounds cliché but remember they want to hear what you have to say, that’s a compliment and you haven’t even opened your mouth yet!

Most important to me, as was stated previously, know your material frontwards and backwards. I also like to use some sort of “follow-along”. Don’t use it as a crutch but as a tool. For instance, there are times I will use a power-point but I don’t do the power point word-for-word. I let the screen show a slide but then I talk about the slide rather then reading whatever words the clumsy folks in development put there. Or, I use a simple flip chart with one or two ideas on a page. I can add to the ideas as I talk or flip through if not as germane to the audience as I had thought when I created the chart. For me, these tools help take the focus off of me and onto the subject at had.

Oh, and don’t forget handouts. Handouts of a powerpoint can be useful. Product info sheets are helpful. I like to throw something silly in the handout packet too. I can always find a cartoon on-line that helps express a single point I may want to get across. I’ll make copies of the cartoon (with credit, of course, to the artist/writer and web-link) and stick in the packet. Good for easing the mood.

Don’t dread it, enjoy it.

www.presentationzen.com has great advise about powerpoints—no more than 20 slides, 1–2 page summary of the presentation, good graphics.

@Sueanne_Tremendous: Lurve for using ‘germane’ this early in the morning and also for the idea about something silly in the handout – brilliant! (I’m totally copying your idea for a board meeting tomorrow!)

my cousin was a member of toastmasters, and says that it gave him the confidence to stand up before strangers and speak to them, because he got a lot of practice at the meetings he attended