How to calm presentation nerves

Sweaty hands, shaky voice, butterflies in your stomach, dry mouth, and then, to top it all, your mind goes blank. We’ve all been there. Even the most seasoned of speakers admit to feeling nervous before a big presentation – it’s normal. As Mark Twain so wisely pointed out: ‘There are two types of speakers: those that are nervous and those that are liars.’

Nervousness causes physiological reactions which are mostly due to a surge in adrenaline, but the trick is to avoid showing it. Accept your fear rather than trying to fight it and transform all that nervous energy into something positive. Public speaking is a skill that be mastered and a fear that can be overcome. But how? By taking control and preparing in advance.

Know your material. Know your audience. Know your venue

Research your subject and make sure you know your material inside out. Talking about something you know will give you confidence.

Then do some research on your audience. Who are they? What are they expecting? Tailor your presentation to meet their needs, giving them the information they want. And remember to prepare responses to anticipated questions. On the day, if there are other talks before you, go along and get a feel for the audience. Are they relaxed? Do you need to be formal? You may also pick up some information from other speakers that you can mention in your presentation.

Research your venue. Work out exactly where it is to avoid getting lost on the day. Find out the schedule of events and, if possible, test the equipment beforehand.

Prepare

Structure your presentation so it is well balanced. Back up your speech with data and visuals. Add stories to add context. Then structure your presentation to give yourself triggers or cues as to what is coming next. Use key phrases in slides that will help to ease you into the next section. And keep it concise, nobody will be interested if it goes on too long.

One of the best ways to prepare is to watch other presentations, either online or live. This will give you an idea of what works and what doesn’t. It will also make you realise that we are all human and we all make mistakes. And those mistakes are not the be all and end all; we can still do a good job. Understanding that perfection is not possible stops us from worrying about slipping up on the day.

Practice

Familiarity builds confidence. If you want to sound natural then practicing is key. One of the greatest orators of all time, Winston Churchill, claimed in his memoirs that he averaged an hour’s preparation for every minute of a speech. So practise, practise, practise, then practise some more. Record it, video it, practice in front of friends and family, do a dry run with colleagues. Repeat it until you are dreaming about it.

Use your imagination

Richard Branson says, ‘When you need to speak in front of a crowd, close your mind to the fact that you’re on a stage with hundreds of people watching you and instead imagine yourself in a situation where you’d be comfortable speaking to a group. For example, imagine that you’re in your dining room at home, telling a story to friends over dinner. I know it sounds a little corny, but try it. This trick has certainly removed some of the anxiety for me.’

Be positive

Visualise your success. Sports psychologists have proven that an athlete’s ability to vividly visualise their success creates a higher win rate, so mentally walk yourself through your presentation. Picture yourself speaking with confidence and your audience reacting positively.

Replace negative thinking with positive affirmations, ‘I am a good speaker’, ‘I am prepared and confident’, ‘I can do this’. Henry Ford once said, ‘Whether you think you can or think you can’t — you are right.’

Be physically and mentally fit

Don’t have a late night or drink alcohol the night before – eat healthy food, do some exercise and get an early night. And don’t overdo it on the caffeine in the morning.

Arrive early and give yourself time to adjust to your surroundings. If you can, speak to audience members or other speakers. Chatting can help to relax nerves and creates a bond with the audience. Plus, having a few friendly faces to focus on is never a bad thing.

If possible, do some light-stretching beforehand, or go for a brisk walk, this will get rid of some excess energy.

Practice deep breathing, it is one of the best relaxation techniques. Inhale through your nose counting to three and exhale through your mouth counting to three.

Memorise your opening lines so you can get off to a strong, confident start.

Keep calm on the day

During your presentation it’s important to keep those nerves at bay. Here’s a few tips:

Drink water. Have a glass of water with you and take a sip when you need to think or calm your nerves.

Smile. Smiling is a natural relaxant that emits chemicals in the brain that calms the nerves and makes us feel better. Plus it wins over audiences.

Make eye contact. It will keep you focussed.

Speak slowly. It will calm you down and make you easier to hear.

Move around. This will get rid of some of nervous energy. But don’t be manic – pacing up and down quickly or constantly moving will make your presentation hard to follow and could be annoying to watch.

Stop Thinking About Yourself (S.T.A.Y.). Remember that the audience is there to find out information from you. They want to hear what you have to say, so focus on on their needs and getting your message across – not how you are feeling.

Remember, you will never look as nervous as you feel. Good luck!