Doing a presentation can cause even the most confident people to get nervous and even doubt themselves at the moment. However, there are ways to combat those feelings of ineptitude and gain confidence before your presentation.
Here are 15 ways you can boost your confidence before a presentation.
1. Create appealing slides and use professional special effects.
You’ll want to have beautiful slides with great effects, fonts, and proper vocabulary that will capture the audience’s attention as well as keep them informed. You can use a Venn diagram template to make your PowerPoint presentation more professional and precise. Whether you’re presenting to young children or colleagues, your slides should appeal to your audience.
2. Develop better speech and communication skills.
Create a habit to improve your speech and language skills daily so you can give a flawless presentation. You can sign up for speech therapy online if you understand you have speech delay, communication problems, aphasia, or even autism spectrum disorder or Parkinson’s disease. A speech-language pathologist or SLP can provide the necessary voice therapy to develop great speech habits and skills. Speech therapy can benefit those with communication disorders or just boost your public speaking skills.
3. Practice your presentation until you can do it effortlessly.
Your presentation will be as good as you practice it. As everyone knows, practice makes perfect. To ensure you make a great presentation, take a couple of minutes every day to practice it from start to end and ensure you get every part right.
4. Wear clothes that make you feel good.
Ensure your clothes are comfortable and your style. There is a level of professionalism to maintain during the presentation, however, if you don’t feel comfortable, you won’t be able to think straight, and you may even lose sight of what you’re talking about.
5. Practice straight and assured postures and body language.
Your posture can say a lot about you. For example, if your shoulders are hunched forward, or your head is looking down while presenting, you will seem and feel uncomfortable and unconfident. However, if you present yourself with great pride, your audience will notice this, and you will feel much better. This will reflect on how you present yourself to others and the information you offer.
6. Practice eye contact with others.
Making eye contact with people can help you engage with others more comfortably. It can also help you see what others are interested in hearing from you.
7. Compliment others—use the golden rule.
Complimenting others will help you feel better. There is something about making someone else’s day better that makes us feel good about ourselves.
8. Arrive early and get familiarized with the stage and gadgets.
Getting familiar with audiovisuals, stage, internet connection, and all your surroundings will help you feel more confident in what you’re presenting and recognize that you have everything you need to get through the presentation.
9. Drink water with lemon to prevent dry mouth.
While giving a presentation, you’ll notice your mouth will get dry, and your voice may be affected. You can help yourself to a glass of water with a splash of lemon to cut refresh your throat.
10. Smile and be courteous to others.
Smiling can instantly improve your mood as well as others. Some people’s days simply get better when a stranger smiles or makes any kind gestures at them.
11. Find your motivation.
If you’re doing a presentation you’re not fond of, it’s going to show. So offer yourself a motivator, be it intrinsic or extrinsic, to keep you going.
12. Exercise on the morning of your presentation.
Exercising will release endorphins that will make you feel better throughout the day. Doing this before a presentation can give you just the boost you need.
13. Jam to your favorite songs prior to the presentation.
Much like exercising, your favorite tunes can put you in a good mood and thus increase your endorphin release in your brain.
14. Practice mindful breathing.
Mindful breathing can help you stay in control of your mind and body as you present. A few deep breaths before you start your presentation will start you off on the right foot.
15. Accept yourself as you are.
Lastly, you’ll want to accept that you are most definitely going to get nervous, you may react a bit differently than others during your presentation, and that it’s okay to make mistakes.
You got this!
