For some people the thought of having to give a presentation fills them with dread and fear.  By following these tips you will be able to build your confidence and appear more professional.

1. Know your audience!
Consider the make up of your audience. How many will be attending?  What experience do they have on the subject?  What will they need to know?  What will you need to cover to meet their needs?  What questions will they raise?  Are they for or against this?  For more details download our Know your audience matrix from the Members Resources 

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2. What is the purpose?
In addition to your thoughts about the audience, you need to have a clear purpose of the presentation.  Are you presenting information, or seeking the audience to buy a product?  Without clear purpose you may end up biting off more than you can chew.  Be clear on what you wish to convey - For example  - the purpose of my presentation is to update the team on our position in the market for Q1. or By the end of the presentation I will have a decision about getting additional resources.

3.Structure your presentation
Ensure the presentation has a clear structure. Just like being back at school, ensure the presentation has a beginning, middle, and end.

Beginning 'tell them what you are going to tell them'

Middle 'tell them'

End 'tell them what you have told them' (include a call to action here)

For more clarity on how to structure your presentation download our Structure your Presentation Aide Memoire from our Members Resources

4. Be prepared
There is a difference from being prepared, to being over scripted.  Make sure you know the structure and content of your presentation in order for you to flow naturally when speaking.  Depending on the length of the presentation you should rehearse everything you plan to say 3 or 4 times, (out loud as if doing for real).  If you have a long presentation then practice the opening and close of your presentation.  If you plan to use slides (PowerPoint) ensure you rehearse using these too, with a laptop, projector and screen.

5. Look professional
If you look confident and professional it goes along way to calm your nerves and enhance your credibility.  We recommend you adopt the presenters stance at the beginning of the presentation.  To see how to do this watch our video How to stand when presenting in our Members Resources .