Speaker jitters, performance anxiety, fear of public speaking, stage fright, etc. It has many names, but the meaning is more or less the same. This is the most common problem for people who suddenly find themselves at the center of attention of a crowd. They get anxious and their mind starts to go blank.
Pretty much anyone can get better at delivering a PowerPoint presentation by doing a few things right.
Don’t think about yourself when your delivering the message. Instead, think about the message and how the audience is perceiving it.
Prepare for the presentation, and remember your lines. Rehearse it, Practice it, Memorize it; until you’re comfortable with it. Make yourself feel like you’re giving the real presentation while you practice. Walk around and talk in the same tone as you would if you were giving a presentation in front of an audience.
Talk to a mirror and see how you look when you’re delivering the presentation. You should sound conversational and spontaneous. The audience should feel like they’re listening to someone in a conversation and not watching someone read a report to them.
Exercise is a great tool when it comes to calming the nerves. Arrive early, take a walk around the area where you’ll be presenting. Do some stretches and take slow deep breaths to relax.
Avoid alcohol and caffeine until you’re done with the presentation. You need your focus for the PowerPoint presentation.
Use your weakness to your advantage, stress can be a great motivator. Take that feeling of stress and put those emotions to work in delivering your PowerPoint presentation.
Don’t expect perfection, you’re allowed to make some mistakes on the stage. Its not the end of the world if you mess up. Don’t worry too much about your delivery.
Have fun on the stage, its your stage and everyone’s looking at you. Smile to them and they will smile back or at least feel better. There’s no need to be afraid of delivering a PowerPoint presentation.
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