fbpx
How I Overcame My Presentation Fears
Giving presentations is not one of my favorite activities. In fact, having to present in front of a big audience makes me feel sick and scared. But, I have had to get over my fear. I have to give a lot of presentations as part of my job so I have had to push myself to become the best speaker I can possibly be.
In the past, Classy Career Girl has given some fabulous tips on speeches.  I have studied other speakers and have meticulously taken notes.  Also, in every presentation I’ve given in the last year I wrote down what was good and bad and what worked and what didn’t. Another secret to improving my speaking skills was watching videos on TED which was the best presentation school for me. I learned so much and I have a notebook full of scribbles.

Here are my tips for overcoming your presentation fears.

1. Walking to the podium and back. This is as important as the presentation itself. You have to look confident and comfortable. Even if you don’t feel confident, fake it. Walk with a straight back and walk slowly. Don’t run to the podium and  don’t run to your seat when you’re done. You don’t want anyone else to know that you are scared or unsure. You want to create mystery and enigma so take your time because you are important and others want to hear what you have to say! (But, of, course don’t overdo it).
2. Stand up. When your name is called or after you’ve been introduced don’t stand up reluctantly. Instead, “jump” up as you’re about to do something fun and exciting.
3. Pause-pause-pause. Speak slowly and pause at the end of each sentence. That was especially difficult for me because I naturally talk very fast and hardly ever pause. To remind myself, I actually wrote the word PAUSE in the end of sentences in my notes.  Another thing I did was while talking to a friend I asked her to clap her hands when I was going too fast.
4. Be enthusiastic. No one wants to listen to something boring. If you are enthusiastic about your topic you will transfer your enthusiasm to your audience. I’m afraid you can’t fake this, so you better find something that you are passionate about to present about.
5. Don’t use Powerpoint. In most of the amazing talks that I have seen, the speakers didn’t use Powerpoint. You don’t actually need it and it breaks up the flow of your talk. An engaging talk doesn’t need props.

I would highly encourage you to study great speakers in your field as I have done. 

Today’s guest post is by Angeliki who is in the final year of her Ph.D. (Congrats Angeliki!). She lives and works in UK. 

 

Hi, I'm Anna!

I’ll help you create a career strategy and plan so you can finally have a job or business you love that supports the life you really want.

Learn More

You might also like…

30 Low-Cost or Free Marketing Ideas

30 Low-Cost or Free Marketing Ideas

30 Low-Cost or Free Marketing Ideas   Have you ever created a great offer and gotten so excited to sell it, but then have no idea how to market it? I know I have! When you have a product sometimes it can be overwhelming to figure out how to get the word out about...

$2K in 2 Weeks Business Challenge

$2K in 2 Weeks Business Challenge

The "Make $2K in 2 Weeks" Business Challenge   In today’s podcast episode, I’m giving you a peek inside of a recent training I did in my CLASS coaching membership. CLASS is where I coach women to help them find a job or business they love that supports the life...

How to Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile for Networking

How to Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile for Networking

LinkedIn Profile Optimization for Networking Most people could be utilizing LinkedIn SO MUCH MORE! If you have only just made sure your LinkedIn profile looks good and that is all, there are many career and business opportunities just waiting for you! We'll cover...

90 Day Planner