Some people are so scared of making presentations that they become a quivering wreck...! Their legs turn to jelly and they simply cannot make their presentation without shaking, worrying about their words, and finding their mouth drying up.



So great is this fear that most businesspeople have a single objective: to get off the platform as soon as possible. This book, based on a hugely successful course given to thousands of businesspeople, shows how you can speak with confidence to an audience of any size. Laced with humour and wit, the author emphasizes that you don't have to be a brilliant orator to be an effective speaker in business. Simply being "good" is plenty, because 95 per cent of all business presenters are so awful!

Buy this book now at just £6.99

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Your audience should be so familiar to you that you know what they want to hear from you. Often people who prepare presentations merely find out the numbers of people they are going to present to (so they can produce the right number of handouts). Presenters may also find out a bit about the audience, but rarely enough.

In depth audience research really helps you prepare your material well. What age and gender mix will you have? What backgrounds do these people have? How long have they worked in their industry? What kind of professional or trade magazines do they read? Do they have families? These sound like rather general questions, but they help you build up a much more detailed picture of your audience.

If you can find out as much information about your audience as possible - even talking to some members in advance - you will be able to prepare your material so that it focuses specifically on them. For instance, the examples you choose to highlight will be targeted more precisely.

With good audience research you know you will have material exactly right for them. That will make your presentation much better for the audience - and it will give you more confidence. The secret to a great presentation often lies in thorough audience research.

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You will often hear people say that you need to be nervous when you are presenting as it shows you are really thinking about it. Some people say that nervousness is normal when public speaking. Others tell us that you need butterflies in your tummy to perform well.

However, all these theories are completely and totally wrong. People who tell you that you should be nervous are merely saying that their own nervousness is acceptable. But it is not - for two clear reasons. Firstly, audiences do not like nervous presenters. Anyone who shows any kind of nervousness or lack of confidence loses the attention of their audience. To stay fully connected with the audience you must be free of any nerves.

Secondly, nervousness reduces performance. There is plenty of psychological research in a whole host of different situations that shows your ability to perform any kind of task is reduced if you are nervous about that task or lack any confidence in your ability to perform it. Nervousness makes you a worse speaker - not a better one.

So, ignore all those people who tell you that you should be nervous. It is not true. You need to be fully confident. One way you can do that is to turn any negative thoughts you have about your presentation into positive ones. For instance, if you think "I'm always nervous when presenting" turn that into "Lots of people are nervous when presenting and they get through it, therefore so can I". There is always a positive for every negative you come up with. Just convert your negative thoughts into positive ones and your confidence will grow, resulting in an excellent presentation.

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In spite of the fact that showing slides using PowerPoint can actually reduce the effectiveness of a presentation, millions of people seem to think that you can't present without it. So alongside the growth of PowerPoint has been the development of a series of add-on devices that help you make presentations.

The most common device is a hand-held remote control which allows you to go to the next slide without having to be near the computer. Most of these remotes also include a laser pointer so you can point out specific parts of a slide.

However, remote controls have two significant negative factors about them. Firstly, people who have a remote in their hand close down part of their natural body language. They reduce their gesturing to a point where they look stiff and abnormal. Audiences frequently report the presenter did not look comfortable - but they cannot analyse why. Take the remote out of their hand and the presenter immediately starts being "normal" again.

This happens because the presence of anything in your hand while presenting (including a flip chart pen) will reduce your gesturing. You do this because you subconsciously are aware of the remote or pen in your hand and you do not wish to accidentally let go and throw it towards the audience. So, your body closes down your natural gesturing to compensate. If you have to use a remote pick it up and put it down as you need it. Or get a one-button remote and keep it in your pocket, placing your hand against the pocket to move the slide on.

Equally, do not use the laser pointer. Presenters rarely point with such devices with any degree of accuracy. They know what they are pointing at, but the audiences rarely do. Also, holding a laser pointer still is next to impossible, meaning that any nervousness is shown obviously to the audience. And audiences do not like nervous presenters. Laser pointers should stay in night clubs and never be used in presentations.

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Audiences love interactivity during presentations. They want to be involved in some way. Whether it is just being asked for a show of hands, or taking part in some practical exercise, research shows that audiences want to be involved in one way or another.

When planning your presentation it is a good idea to include interactive features. Get your audience involved early on. Simple things like a show of hands can help, but the more actively involved your audience becomes the better. So, ask them to pair up and come up with a "list" of things. For instance, let's say you are talking about environmental issues, your audience could pair up and devise a list of things they could do in the next 24 hours to help the environment. After a few minutes you ask them to shout out a few of the things they have written down. You simply then connect the items called out to what you were going to talk about anyway. As far as the audience is concerned you have used their input to help shape your presentation, which makes it much more engaging for them.

Other things you can do include "brainstorming" sessions, where groups of people come up with ideas, or a question and answer session where you ask the questions and they answer them. There are various practical exercises you might do, depending upon the kind of presentation you are giving. For instance, if you are launching a new product get the audience to use it and then give some feedback.

Whatever you do, though, if your presentation includes several elements of interaction between you and the audience, it will be much better received than you just talking.

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Presenters often feel let down if they don't get applauded each time they speak. Equally audiences, especially in business presentations, don't know whether to applaud or not. However, for some presenters they just know they should applaud.

So how can you turn your presentation into one that makes it obvious you should be applauded? The answer to that is provided by the UK television entertainer Paul Daniels who has produced a course on speaking in public that will inevitably lead to applause.

For more details on this public speaking course please click here.

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Audiences simply hate it when presenters are monotone or when their talk is at one level. What audiences love is a roller coaster ride; they want your presentation to have highs and lows, shades of dark and light, humour and seriousness.

To achieve this you need to plan the flow of your presentation well. For instance, don't include a series of serious points. Instead, separate them between something lighter. Similarly, don't put all the drama in one place, have it scattered throughout your talk.

One way of ensuring your presentation has these highs and lows audiences love is to include several attention grabbing features scattered throughout your talk. Start with something that really grabs attention, then move to a serious point before doing something that is attention grabbing. Having several things that grab attention which feature throughout your talk is much better than having a single attention grabber at the start.

Things you can use to grab attention include: quotations, questions, statistics, controversial statements, props, physical activities, demonstrations, video clips, audio clips, magic tricks and stories or anecdotes.

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Presenters often go to pieces when their technology fails. Either their laptop will not connect to the projector. Or the projector won't display the screen at the right resolution. Sometimes the slides contain video clips that will not play. Or the remote control for advancing the slides gives up working. In any meeting you will be very lucky indeed if none of the presenters have technical problems.

Whenever you use technology you significantly increase the chances of something going wrong with your presentation. When this happens you feel stupid and this dents your confidence. The way to say confident when presenting is to rely on as little technology as possible. If you can get away with no technology, so much the better. Indeed, you will actually feel more confident.

However, technology is sometimes essential so how can you remain confident knowing in the back of your mind that it might go wrong at any moment? The answer is to think like a police driver. They have practised for when things go wrong. For instance, if they hit a huge puddle at fast speeds they know what to do to get out of the resulting skid because they have practised this dozens of times.

Presenters need to do the same. In your practice session make things go wrong - or get an assistant to do this. Then practice your escape solutions several times. If something goes wrong in your live presentation, your pre-practised solutions will come into play and you will not feel stupid, so your confidence will remain high.

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Thousands of presenters start their presentation with a single hand clap. They do not even realise they are doing it. They just get themselves ready to present than face the audience and clap their hands together.

This is behaviour that signals to the presenter themselves that the presentation has begun. In a sense it "anchors" them to the start of their talk, signalling that from now own they are "making the presentation", whereas everything up until that point has been preparation. Just take a look at presenters at the next meeting you attend and you will see several of them start with this anchoring hand clap.

However, there is a problem with this hand clap. It can be distracting for the audience; it also signals a degree of nervousness. Furthermore, if it is a loud hand clap, the audience may not hear your first words if you do it at the same time as starting your talk.

But it is a good idea to "anchor" yourself at the start of your talk. The best way to do this is with your feet. Move to the centre of your "stage", towards the front of the area you will speak in. Stand firmly in the centre, placing your feet about the same width apart as your shoulders. Look into the audience and smile. You will discover that the solidity of your feet will mean that you feel anchored and so will not need the hand clap. Your audience will also perceive you as more confident and will therefore want to listen to you.

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Writing a presentation and getting it right is often time consuming. You need to go over the drafts several times, change the word order, edit the slides; gosh it is all so frustrating. Well, here's an easy way to solve the problem.

Firstly get a digital voice recorder such as those made by Olympus. Then, prepare the outline of your talk using your favourite method, such as mind mapping, making notes or simply scribbling down your ideas.

Then, switch on your voice recorder and simply chat about your notes. Talk about your subject and say the kind of things you would expect to say to your audience. Then play back your recording, noting down any adjustments you wish to make.

Next, create your slides to support what you say. Then, go through your sides saying out lout what you would say, again recording your own voice. Check this and make some notes on any changes you thing necessary.

After you have made your changes, record your talk again. Then get yourself Dragon Naturally Speaking Preferred and run your recorded talk through it. An hour or so later you will have a Microsoft Word document of what you said. With just a little editing you will now have your written presentation.

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According to several surveys, public speaking and making presentations is one of the most frightening things people can do. Indeed, in one study people were less scared of dying than they were of giving a talk. In that study death came third on the list of frightening things - public speaking was the number one fear.

This fact spurred professional speakers Andy Lopata and Peter Roper to write this book, And Death Came Third to help people overcome their fear of public speaking. The book is a down to earth and practical collection of ideas and advice to help you make presentations without any fear. Because it is written by two of the UK's leading professional speakers it comes with years of experience of standing on the platform to give speeches and presentations.

Altogether and excellent book and one that will certainly reduce your fear of public speaking, enabling you to gain more business from the meetings you attend.

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Microphones are designed to help your voice, not replace it. No matter how good the microphone, without effective vocal technique, your voice could remain unheard. Proper breathing, plenty of lubrication and vocal exercises are needed to ensure your voice remains in tip top shape. With a good voice, even poor microphones can be effective.

Microphone basics
A microphone is a simple device that converts your voice into electrical signals. There are two main types, condenser and dynamic. If you are given a choice, go for condenser.

Microphones can pick up sounds from one direction (unidirectional) or all around (omnidirectional). If given a choice, go for omnidirectional.

Microphones are fragile. Treat them with care.

Wherever possible, use radio mikes; sound degrades when using long cables.

Microphone tips
1. Preparation is the key - always practice with the microphone before using it 'live'. Conduct a sound check in the conference room.

2. When using handhelds, hold them firmly in your non dominant hand, about 20cm from your mouth.

3. When using clip on mikes (also known as lapel mikes, lavalieres or tie mikes), clip them on to your clothing on the side closest to the audience (preferably also the side that is opposite your dominant hand).

4. Don't shout; talk at your normal level.

5. Always assume the microphone is on…! But check it is on before speaking…!

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Confident presenters exude confidence. Most presenters, however, stand in front of their audience and are somewhat nervous. Some even shake and are visibly lacking in any confidence when public speaking or making presentations.

Confident people share one common factor - they "feel" confident. They actually have a feeling of positivity and success. It is not just a psychological thing, confident people actually say they "feel" their confidence. In other words, they don't just "think" confidence; instead it has a physical manifestation.

You too can share that physical feeling of confidence and therefore remove all your nervousness when you make your presentation or speech. It starts with attitude; visualise, think about and concentrate hard on how successful your presentation is going to be. See the audience smiling at you in your mind's eye; hear them applauding. Imagining success and being positive about your presentation is essential in starting off the hormonal changes in your body that will help you feel confident.

In the days prior to the presentation also make sure you get plenty of physical exercise. Active people tend to me more confident than those who are inactive, due to changes in cortisol levels in the body. Equally, avoid caffeine-containing drinks. They can alter your body chemistry and affect your confidence as well. Finally, in the two or three days before your presentation, cut out alcohol completely. You may think it is making you more confident, but actually it is making you less confidence. You will only truly feel confident without alcohol in your system.

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Presenters are often stiff and serious. Partly that comes about because of nervousness, but also several people believe you need to be "formal" when presenting. However, audience research paints a different picture.

Audiences want presenters to be informal, chatty and personable. They also want the presenter to smile. A smile is one of the main ways you can instantly connect with your audience. By smiling you show them you are relaxed and they feel relaxed as well.

Smiling also creates a change in the hormonal balance in your body. It triggers the production of "endorphins" - hormones that make you feel more relaxed and happy. So, smiling helps the presenter as well.

When presenters do not smile, they feel more nervous, the audience does not connect to them as well and the message is more difficult to convey. When presenters do smile it makes the whole presentation so much easier for you and the audience. Start your presentation with a smile every time.

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People in your audience get what you say by listening to you. Even though many presenters try to "hide" behind their slides, it is what you say that is most important. Your audience has come to listen to you, not see how good you are with PowerPoint.

This means that the words you use are important; they are the elements of your presentation that are going to create the most impact, so you need to choose them carefully. But where do you start?

The first thing to do is prepare your outline for your talk and then spend some time literally saying it out loud. As you hear yourself speak, you will select various words to describe what you are trying to get across. If possible, record yourself doing this "first run" and then play back what you said.

Make a note of words that could be loosely called "jargon", words that you repeat and words that could not be understood by an intelligent 12-year-old. Then seek alternatives for those words. Your speech needs to be completely clear and the words that are jargon, complex or repetitive are the ones that get in the way of that clarity.

Do not think that you will patronise your audience by speaking at the 12-year-old level. Most books are at that reading age, for instance. Most newspapers and magazines, including business ones, are at a lower reading age. The need for such a level of language is because your audience is not poring over the fine details of your subject; they are not fully concentrating on the subject either. This means your language needs to be at the level their brain can absorb without effort.

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Dale Carnegie was one of the classic authors of information on public speaking and coping in social situations. His excellent book "How to Develop Self-confidence and Influence People by Public Speaking" has now been re-published and is one of the "must haves" for any presenter's bookshelf.



This book will show you how to overcome the natural fear of public speaking, to become a successful speaker and even learn to enjoy it. His invaluable advice includes ways to: develop poise; gain self-confidence; improve your memory; make your meaning clear; begin and end a talk effectively; interest and charm your audience; improve your diction; and win an argument without making enemies.

Priced at just £5.99 this 256-page paperback will set you on the road to highly successful presenting.

Buy it now from: http://www.presentationbiz.com/book/carnegie

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You need to be heard – if your audience cannot hear every word you utter, why are you bothering to talk to them? More importantly, why should they bother to try and listen? You need to check out the acoustics of each room well in advance. You will need to decide whether or not you will need microphones and sound equipment.

Equally you’ll want to establish if there are any echoes or 'dead' areas where sound cannot be heard effectively. You should practice in the room in advance, with an assistant who can help you establish your audibility around the room. You should also take into account the fact that when the room is full of people they will absorb your sound, so you will need to be louder than when rehearsing. Hence, rehearse at this additional volume level, so you feel right when coming to the actual speech.

Never, never start your talk with words like: 'Can everyone hear me?' or 'Can you hear me at the back?' Firstly such questions are wasted - if everyone can hear you, why are you asking. If they can’t hear you, how can they answer? Secondly, asking such questions indicates a lack of proper preparation and that already puts you at a disadvantage with your audience. Asking if you have the right volume sounds a good idea, but in practice it always works against you; you should know you have the right volume the moment you open your mouth, because you have done all the acoustic preparation in advance.

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Presenters who exhibit any form of nervousness are less likely to get their message across. It's not because they are less effective as presenters - which is true - but due to the fact that the audience becomes nervous as well. They feel for the presenter and start worrying. The result is the audience doesn't listen to what the presenter is saying, instead focuses on their nervousness.

Confidence is therefore an essential component of giving a good presentation. If your are confident and show the audience you don't have any nerves they will start listening to what you are saying and so you will be able to get your message across more easily.

Presenters must therefore take steps to remove their fear of public speaking and show they are confident. Otherwise all the audience will remember is how nervous the presenter was.

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Presenters who move often make the mistake of looking down at their feet. They appear to believe that if they wish to move, they must look at their feet to check they are working OK. But how often do you look at your feet when you take a stroll, or walk to the water cooler in the office? Normally, people do not look at their feet when they have to move around. So why do most presenters do it when they walk across their platform?

You need to move when presenting; audience research shows that presenters who move are more liked and more trusted. So you do need to move, but where should you look when walking across the stage? The answer is to look at your audience, not your feet. Be aware of what your feet are doing, but don't check them. If you move a lot and you keep looking at your feet you will lose the connection you have with your audience.

However, you need to be aware of your feet. Ideally they should always be facing the audience. This will force you to remain connected to them. Even when walking across the stage it is best to walk almost crab like, with your feet still facing the front. That way you can maintain eye contact more easily - and remember no-one in the room is looking at your feet so this abnormal walk will not be noticed. All they will see is a focused, interested and connected presenter. And that's who they like.

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One of the most important things to write for your presentation is the opening - your audience will make up their mind as to whether or not you are worth listening to within the first 15 seconds. Hence the first few things you say are essential to get right. They need to be attention grabbing, focused and point the way ahead for your talk. This will then encourage people to stick with you and listen to the rest of your speech.

If you are doing a presentation on a big stage you can have theatrical openings which are real attention grabbers. However, most presentations are given in less space and without the benefits of theatrical equipment. For these presentations you need to use something as an attention grabber that will work no matter what size of room you have.

Some time-tested and audience-researched openings you might consider include:

1. A quotation - a few words from someone famous or well known in a particular industry

2. A controversial statement - a single sentence that people in your audience will find uncomfortable or which they will disagree with.

3. A statistic - impressive numbers can often be attention grabbing (increase in numbers of sales, for instance).

4. An anecdote - a personal story that's connected to the subject and which makes a point is the favourite of audiences.

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Many people are scared of making presentations. Indeed, speaking in public ranks as more frightening than dying...! There are several books and courses in dealing with confidence for public speaking; indeed, The Presentation Business works in this area.

However, for many people reading a book is not enough. And they don't want to go on a training course because they know they will have to speak in front of a group of people.

For these individuals and for many others self hypnosis is a viable alternative. You don't have to be an expert in self hypnosis to do this, either. That's because hypnotherapists have produced audio products which people can use to direct them through from fear to public speaking confidence.

One of these products is available for the next month at just $8.95. After that, the price goes up. So you need to act now to get this excellent downloadable audio on boosting public speaking and presenting confidence. Many customers of The Presentation Business have already used this downloadable audio to great effect.

It comes with a 90 day money back guarantee so you cannot really lose.

For more information visit Hypnosis Downloads.

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