You've been asked to give an important presentation. A lot is riding on how well you can deliver. The problem is, you're not sure where to begin. The last class you took on presentation skills told you to tie your hands behind your back and blend in with everyone else. Is that really a good approach? The answer is a LOUD and RESONATING NO WAY. If you want to WOW your audience, you have to STAND UP and STAND OUT!
Here are 5 Presentation Secrets designed to help you see an immediate and dramatic improvement in your presentation performance.
Secret #1 - Manage Your Anxiety So That It Doesn't Manage YOU! Most of
nervous symptoms you experience before a presentation are exactly same as those you feel when excited. To body adrenaline is very simply-ENERGY. If we call it energy or excitement it is good, if we call it anxiety, it is bad. The first step toward successfully managing your anxiety is to remove negative label and rename that feeling you have right before you step up to podium, EXCITEMENT. Tell yourself that you are excited about opportunity to speak in front of this group. "Excitement" is a much more manageable and positive emotion than "anxiety." Then use your excitement to energize you and help you communicate your enthusiasm to your audience.
Secret #2 - When It Comes To Your Delivery Style, Be More Of Who You Really Are! Everyone has their own innate "style" of presenting. Your style is made up of many different aspects of your delivery, including your body, voice, face, way you use language, level of formality, etc. The trick, within your style, is to be more of who you really are, which means knowing and then capitalizing on your greatest delivery strengths.
Many presenters focus too much attention on their words. With words only accounting for 7% of your power as a presenter, spending too much energy on words alone is a big mistake. Your nonverbal delivery style-also called your presentation personality--accounts for 97% of your power as a presenter. To improve your chances for success, focus on real source of your power-your nonverbal communication such as eye contact, facial expressions, gestures, posture, movement, proximity, clothing, vocal variety, rate, loudness, and silent pauses.
Secret #3 - Give Audience All Enthusiasm You Want Back! You can't expect an audience to be enthusiastic about a product or program you aren't excited about. Presentation author Doug Staneart concluded, "Your audience will have just about as much excitement about your presentation as you do, and no more." Enthusiasm is very catchy. Most audiences will match your level of enthusiasm pound for pound.
According to Lamalle Report on Top Executives of 1990s, one of most important factors in determining financial success by those earning over $250,000 is being enthusiastic and having a positive attitude (46%). Apparently, along with being incredibly enthusiastic, successful people never underestimate power of positive thinking.
Why does having a positive attitude matter so much? Research solidly indicates that expectations influence behavior meaning if you expect to succeed, it is likely that you will and if you expect to fail, you are more likely to be unsuccessful. Expectations create outcomes because we work toward outcome we expect, even if it is failure. Henry Ford said, "Whether you think you can or think you can't--you are right."
Enthusiasm has amazing ransformational powers. As you release your energy using positive nonverbal behaviors (gestures, movement, loud voice, etc.), you will begin to relax. And, your audience will quickly become excited. It works like magic! Watch how easily you can transfer your enthusiasm to your audience.
