Practice — and technology — makes perfect!
Having the right tools to give great presentations is one huge key to success in the small biz and entrepreneurship world. Getting the right slide deck and presenting it effectively in front of key players in your industry can make a huge difference for your brand AND your business. But not everyone is a natural at giving presentations, and that’s okay — I’ve got some great tips to make it easy!
By applying all three tips below, hopefully you can make the whole process seamless.
1. Practice public speaking.
If you’re having trouble with the actual part where you stand up and give the presentation, that’s okay—a lot of people are uncomfortable with public speaking, even when it’s just in small groups or one-on-one with strangers. But there are tried-and-true methods to get better at it, some of which I’ve covered in a previous article.
The best way to get better is trial-by-fire, and I love a non-profit called Toastmaster International; it has local chapters all over the world that hold classes and seminars to teach you how to speak in public. By getting involved with Toastmasters, you can start in a small, supportive environment and grow your skills from there.
If you’re still struggling, it’s probably because you lack the specific experience of giving presentations. Learning basic public speaking tips and tricks is one thing, making sure you’ve perfected moving through your slides while talking is another. So make sure you find audiences to practice with—friends and family are great, but try to find audiences of strangers to practice on as well. Do you have business contacts or social media followers who might be interested in giving you feedback?