How to Use Support to Develop Powerful Presentation Skills

In helping clients build confidence with sales presentations and overcoming performance anxiety, I have noticed that many of them relate to getting and effectively using support to improve your presentations. We often feel as though we need to tackle everything on our own, and we neglect to take advantage of the support available to us.

Public speaking is by nature a social activity and the best way to improve is with the help of others. In addition, most people make the mistake of thinking that because they have prepared and practiced a presentation that they are ready to give it. In reality, the best way to be ready is to practice in front of and involve others.

I’ve prepared a list of quick tips for how to use the support of others to improve your speaking skills:

Preparationnn • Ask the meeting planner or whoever coordinates your presentation about the set-up of the room, and who will support you with technology so you don’t need to worry about those things.
• Rehearse in front of some colleagues and friends and ask them for feedback, including what you did well.
• If you feel do better with two people presenting, ask if you can get a co-presenter.
• Collect information about your audience. The more that you know and can help them, the more they will help you during your talk by giving you supportive, positive energyn • Let the key people in your life know that you are embarking on something challenging, and let them know how they can help you reduce stress in other areas of life.

Performancenn • Make sure your audience is with you by asking questions and getting them involved.
• Assign someone in the audience to help out in case of technical failure or to let you know when you need to wrap up.
• Use other people’s humor. If you’re not great at telling jokes and using humor, tell stories or use cartoons or images that other people have developed. Just make sure it fits your style.

Post-Presentationnn • Collect detailed feedback, and build your confidence by focusing on what you did well.
• Meet your audience members by announcing that you will stay around after your presentation.
• If you start doing a post-mortem (telling yourself everything you did wrong- this is not helpful) get engaged in a conversation.
• Go out to celebrate with someone you enjoy spending time with. You did something difficult and you deserve a reward!

With the right support from friends, coaches, colleagues, or others, you will find a dramatic increase in your speaking abilities and confidence.