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Power Up Your Presentations!

Women in business can make a real impact when presenting to others – whether it be a one-minute lift pitch or a full sales talk.

Presentations can be large Powerpoint affairs with lots of people or just meeting someone for a informal explanation, either way our nerves can get the better of us and we can find sweaty palms and blank spaces where our brains used to be!

Did you know that fear of presentations is bigger than our fear of death? And in today’s economic turmoil winning business through your presentation can make all the difference. Sometimes you only get one chance to make a good impression and a few simple tips can help you win the business.

Help is at hand with these top tips -

1. Listen to what is going on in your head – what are you saying to yourself? If you imagine yourself doing badly, chances are you may – luckily the opposite is true! Take time to imagine the presentation going well, you may even imagine someone you know who is good at them – imagine how they sound, the way the stand and practice these in front of a mirror!

2. Think positively, eliminate any negative talk you are saying to yourself. Fix on one positive thought and stick to it!

3. Power breathing can reduce nerves, before the presentation take time to breath in slowly for 5 seconds and let out for 10. With practice the out breath can be longer, and this can eliminate the ‘fight or flight’ response ( nerves and panic!) and make you calm and confident.

4. Planning, Preparation and Practice – lots! And if you are reading from notes, make sure they are on small pieces of card that you can easily handle.

5. Be aware of your body language and relax. Most confident people stand tall – just by putting your shoulders back can make you feel more confident. Practice this in other situations before the presentation.

6. Know your Opening off by heart. Once you have made that good impression, the audience will be with you and the rest of the presentation will flow.

7. Keep the structure simple, with not too many key points and link material. Most people can only process between 5 and 9 bits of information in their head, so decide what are your most key messages and build the presentaion around them.

8. If you are having a question and answer session hold this before you close your presentation – you need to be the last person speaking so you can end on a positive.

9. Make sure your visual aids are just that, they are there to help the audience focus and remember your key points. So they need to   be easily readable and eye catching.

10. You should only be speaking when you are facing the audience, so no talking to the flipchart or screen.

11. Make sure your audience can hear you by speaking clearly and put energy into your voice.

12. Know your ending off by heart and make it strong. What is the last thing you want them to remember?

And finally, if you are enjoying the presentation, so will your audience!

Featured Books

Presentation Skills For Quivering Wrecks!

Sucessful Presentation Skills

Business Shopping

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Produced by Susan Lock and Sue Roberts

Business Women's Cafe ; women in business and female entreprenuers networking online!