Rehearsal

Rehearsals will be crucial to the success of your presentation, so plan. Keep in mind that you can't get the timing right if you don't rehearse; you'll usually find that at the first rehearsal, the presentation overruns and you need to decide where to make cuts, you must be clear about what is to be cut and why. This is also your chance to make sure that you've covered the subject sensibly, and that the different sections are in a logical order. Check that your notes and your visual aids are consistent. Too often, people practise the talk itself, but leave preparation of the visuals until the last minute; they may even look slightly surprised in front of the audience when they see the final version on the screen for the first time. You need to know exactly what the enlarged image looks like and where to find the detail. Allow a minimum of three full rehearsals and more if you can possibly manage it.

Final rehearsal checklist You are about to go through your presentation for the last time before you give it to your audience. Use this checklist to make sure that you've considered every aspect which will affect your success: · Are you sure that the different sections are in a logical order? · Is there a strong introduction and conclusion? · Are you well familiar with and confident in your visual aids? · Are you at ease with the equipment? · Is the timing now right, that is, a little shorter than the time you've been allowed? · Have you decided what would be left out if there were a timing emergency? · Can you be heard clearly? · Will you be visible to the audi­ence throughout the presentation? · Are you using notes effectively? · Have you planned answers to likely questions?  

Nerves

You may be thinking that the question you’d most like to ask is how to do away with nerves before a presentation. In that case, you will be disappointed, because the single most important message about nerves is that they are a good thing. Be grateful for your nerves and don't try to get rid of them, but don’t let your fear take over and turn into panic. The fear of public speaking is one of the most common problems plaguing inexperienced speakers.

Advantages of nerves

Nerves are beneficial because, firstly, they produce a flow of adrenalin which lifts your brain power and may help you to remember information you didn't even know you knew. The same adrenalin has another useful effect: it brightens your performance, adding an edge to it which creates a sense of excitement in your listeners and also, interestingly, in you.

The second advantage of nerves is that they help you to build a rapport with the audience. Audiences sense your nervous tension and are compli­mented by it. You obviously care about them and want to do well - otherwise, why would you be nervous?

On the other hand, the speaker’s overconfidence may produce a casual, laid-back approach, which the audience perceive as a lack of concern for them.

Controlling your nerves

So you need to be nervous, but not overcome by nerves. Obviously, the best way to achieve this is to make sure that you have plenty of good, accurate information to give, and that you've rehearsed your talk carefully with the appropriate visual aids. You must have confidence in your material and your ability to convey it to others.

To help control your nerves make sure that you breathe properly. It is important to breathe deeply from the diaphragm without hunching your shoulders. To achieve this free your shoulders, breathe deeply a couple of times, and as you do so, shake your shoulders gently to make sure that they're relaxed, let your arms flop by your side. You're easing the tension in your shoulders and arms, which will communicate itself to your whole body, you'll both look and feel more comfortable.

Voice

Remember that your voice is an instrument you will use in your presentation. It's a good idea to start this section by thinking about your own voice.

Дата добавления: 2015-10-21