Tips on overcoming nerves when delivering a presentation?

Question

At various times I have to deliver business presentations and once I have got over the first minute or so I am ok.

However in the weeks leading up to the event I worry about it and then in the minutes before I am extremely nervous (I know this is fairly natural).

During the start of a presentation my voice clearly shows the nerves and at my level I don't believe I should worry so much.

Any tips would be great.

;o)

Answer 1

Nerves are a good thing, the tip on seeing the people in front as naked is a very good hint, it will make your face smile and that will make you a warming speaker...

Answer 2

When i give presentations, i also get nervous. Things that help me are,

Preparation - I know the topic and presentation inside and out. Therefore I'm confident that i won't get tongue tied as i have confidence in the notes.

Mingle - This is not always possible, but before the presentation, if you're able to, have a quick chat with the people you present to. This just breaks the ice a little.

Don't go straight into the presentation - Say a few casual things before you get into the topic. 'Hi, How are you doing?' etc. Have a sip of water, take a look around. This helps you just relax a bit.

Have Confidence - You know the topic and you've prepared well. You can relax, the presentation is the easy part, all the time in preparation was the hard part.

People get scared with public talking because they feel exposed, open to criticism and worry that they're going to 'fluff' their lines, well, let me tell you, you are going to fluff your lines, and make mistakes, but it's the preparation that will save you. And so what, you make a mistake or fluff your lines, just apologise and get it right and reinforce the correction.

Answer 3

The nerves are inevitable and the time to worry is when you don't have any!
The first minute of any talk is crucial; in that time you either keep or lose your audience.
My coping strategy was to have my first sentence or two committed to memory and rehearsed.
When I arrived at the speakers position, I always made sure my visual aids were in order (or working) and that my notes (bullet points only) were in the right position. That took no more than 10 seconds. Then, however nervous and tense, I would try to smile at my audience before launching into the prepared opening sentence/s.
Over time, the need for the sentences disappeared, but the preparatory routine never changed. That gave me time to collect myself. I also never forgot the smile.
Often, mostly, someone would smile back...magic and deeply reassuring.
Try to remember that most of the audience will be on your side and feeling glad it is you and not them up there. That good will lasts for about a minute - hence the need for a friendy and confident-sounding start.

Answer 4

Hi there,

There have been lots of good tips for you here. All that I can add is that if you actually know your subject inside out then you can't go far wrong. Don't try to blag it... you will be found out!!!! For example, if someone asks you a potentially difficult question you will know the answer straight off and this gives you confidence in you and other people confidence in you!!

Confidence (or at least appearing confident) is one of the most important things. Much like chatting up a girl in a bar!!

Good luck!!

Answer 5

I used to do stand up comedy and I now speak in front of groups, large and small. One of the things I did when I first started was that I knew my material COLD. I practiced and could say it in my sleep, including pauses for laughter (which thankfully usually came).

You are lucky because you have the benefit of knowing that you are going to do well. If you are a bundle of nerves in the weeks leading up to the speech, write down in a notebook or on a pad of paper all the speeches you have done that have been well-received. If you have pictures of yourself giving speeches, put those in there to remind yourself that you have done this successfully before.

It honestly took me about five years of teaching and speaking before I became completely natural on stage. Part of what I learned was that you just have to be yourself. People are nervous and feel like they should have a certain persona. But the people who are just themselves are the ones that the audience connects with. If you make a mistake and point it out in a light, self-deprecating manner, people are even more on your side. You probably find that after the first few minutes you relax and become more like the real you. You just have to settle into being you from the get-go.

A little thing I do before I go on is I bounce on the balls of my feet. That gets my energy level up (some speakers do karate moves and all sorts of silly things -- I try to be inconspicuous). Here is the most important thing I have learned about speaking in public: You have to put the energy and as touch-feely as this sounds (and i HATE touchy-feely but this is true) the love out to the audience before they will respond to you. So if your concern is that you are giving the audience energy and love and your best effort, you will forget about your nerves a bit and the audience will come around to you a lot faster. And that is when it really gets fun!

Barbara
www.therealestatebirddog.com
www.nobledeeds.com

Answer 6

Most of the tips answered so far are good. Above all remember that these people don't know what you are going to say, so you always have control. If it's a group where you know everybody then the odd wake up call to an individual who appears to be drifting off or asks a dopey question can be interjected in an amusing fashion such as "pay attention 007!".

Answer 7

If you're given a presentation, you have to look at it who you're talking too, 1st their probably glad it is you instead of them 2, if your teaching them something that have no idea about they are not going to be focused on your nerves etc, they are going to want to learn and listen, remember that you have to be a leader and take that approach as when you think of yourself as being professional, you look at your audience as you students and that they are looking at you for direction not your body language, you could start off buy saying "I'm don't do well when the I have to speak in front of large groups, so bare with me", you would be amazed at what your audience will say and help you adjust. I had to do just that when I worked for a Major corp, and had to show my presentation in front of 20 people and people who had phd's, boy were they a bunch of great people and knew I was nervous, they started off joking and telling me about there times in the "spot light", that helped and once I realized that I wasn' the only one who had a problem, I felt at ease and my presentation went well then you couldn't get me to shut up, lol
oh good luck and don't worry and get your self worked up over it, remember set the eg.

Answer 8

I have the same the problem as you!!! The way I've been dealing with it (and it works) it's by having a small gum under my tongue, deep breathing before and the idea of the minutes (10 max) for the adrenaline to go through your body.

I've tried everything and it didn't work! I always looked like I didn't know what I was talking about for the first 10 minutes. The last few have been quite good, to the point I actually enjoyed it! Good luck

Answer 9

i recently went for an audition on xfactor! that was nerves..i threw up before a few times! i know your pain lol! i like to think that everyone in there are lovelly people and they all are behind me and want me to succeed! they are your friends if you will! that helped! the thing is,nerves go back to caveman times and thats to say that when you percieve a threat(a sabretooth tiger is going to get you for example)lol anyway your body goes through the motions of lightening itself by either throwing up(you cant run with a full belly) or pooing shall we say politely! all lightening so you can run faster! and your nerves are the same to a greater or lesser degree,so just think that you percieve this as a threat and your body is reacting naturally,its you survival instinct kicking in! once you understand its all natural and indeed the stronger your survival instinct is the nerves you feel,you can just go with it! its all good. its all about how you think about it! try to smile and open with" hello everyone,i hope you are all well "and just feel the love! it'll be like talking to family! no one wants you to be nervous,they all want you to do well,we all do! good luck! ps i didnt get on factor! (believe me it was for the best)!

Answer 10

I've always found that the key is to know your presentation inside out. If you do know it that well, you don't need to think about the presentation which alleves alot of that stress.

I don't think that there is any way to completely get rid of the stress. May famous performers still throw up before a performance.