It feels very different giving a presentation to real-life people who are physically in front of you, after so many months of delivering online. Here are my tips to help you readjust and celebrate being back in the room:
- Nerves are normal
We have spent so long shut away from people, your nerves may catch you out. We all get the fear sometimes, and nerves aren’t something you can just switch off. But I can teach you very effective strategies for coping with your nerves so that they don’t destroy your presentation.
- A captive audience
You’re not competing with the distractions of home-working (kids/pets/window cleaners/covert Twitter scrolling) so use this opportunity to excite and inspire your audience. Get in the room, connect with them and take them with you on your journey.
- Body language
Now that they can see the whole of you, take the chance to show you’re relaxed, confident and authentic by using natural gesture and an open posture to help your audience relate to you and subconsciously know you’ve got their back.
- Speak up!
Whilst it’s accepted that body language plays a big part in how people relate to us, what you’re saying is also key. If you’ve spent the last year and a half on a headset, you need to remind yourself to project your voice, using all its different facets (pitch, pace, pause and intonation) to tell your story and excite your listeners.
- Find your fire!
It’s been pretty easy to click “share screen” for the past eighteen months, and a lot of us have fallen back into the PowerPoint trap. Now’s the time to review your presentation style: don’t rely on reading slides to relay information. Let’s get excited! Decide your message, find the story and INSPIRE your audience.
Face to face communication gives you many more ways to bring your presentation to life, using your whole body, face and voice to ignite your audience with your passion. Get in touch to book my Presentation Training and learn how to write and deliver brilliant presentations. Every time.