For many the thought of presenting, whether in a pitch, a client status meeting or an internal meeting, brings them out in a cold sweat. And we’ve all sat through sessions where the presenter reads from a script or mumbles through lines on a PowerPoint, which does little to engage the audience nor to sell themselves or their work.
Given that the way we present can hugely influence people’s impression of us both as individuals and as a company, it’s a wonder we don’t spend more time perfecting our personal presentation skills. Individuals and teams that are able to deliver relaxed, well-structured, logical and powerful presentations always stand out from the crowd, meaning that having skilled presenters as part of your armoury can give your company that all-important new business edge.
The good news is that whether you’re a presenting novice or a more seasoned presenter, there are a range of techniques you can use to help you overcome your nerves, slow down your breathing and avoid the fear of ‘standing up in front of people’, enabling you to consistently deliver powerful and effective presentations.
Preparing yourself physically, vocally and mentally, allowing sufficient time for thorough rehearsals and using notes that allow for flexibility rather than reading from a rigid script, will all help in delivering a stand out performance that will benefit both you and your business.
Trained actress and new biz supremo Catherine Allison works with Gunpowder to offer bite-size sessions, half day and full day workshops to help individuals and agency teams perfect their presentation skills for client-facing meetings, pitches and beyond.
Get in touch here for more information. That wobbly pitch voice will be a thing of the past before you know it.