2 ways to make public speaking + PRESENTATIONS easier in 2024

Jan 8

I love this time of year because I get to hear from and meet new people - people who want to become more confident, polished speakers.

Below are two tips I share with just about every client. Give these a try:

Draw on your comfort zone
I don’t mean STAY in your comfort zone. Find the little things that put you at ease with other people and incorporate them into your talk or presentation. For example:
- If establishing a relationship with your audience puts you at ease, chit-chat with people as they enter the room (or the Zoom or Teams room). “Hi, good morning! How was your weekend?” or “…did everyone have a chance to look at the agenda?” This creates connection with the audience and gives you more of a soft way in, vs. a harsh, “Okay, let’s get started…”
- Work in something tangible that helps you be comfortable. I’ve had clients who, when presenting live, prefer to keep a whiteboard marker in their hand, because they’re constantly writing on the whiteboard. I’ve had other clients who love to use flip charts, whether live or virtual, and they’ve taken to having a flip chart to capture notes for each meeting. For them, these little tweaks put them at ease - they were working in what naturally worked for them.

Stop and reflect on the audience BEFORE the presentation
We have more generations in the workplace now more than ever. This means not all your references will land. If you’re speaking to a sales team made up of people mostly 35 and under, your story about how you had to fax wire transfers back in the day will be met with a lot of blank stares.
- Always ask: What does your audience care about? Focus on that.

And…if you need a little more beyond these tips, book an hour of coaching with me, or schedule a call with me.