This scenario may sound familiar as you have heard the stories from others. You have been asked to speak to your peers at an upcoming industry event and now the story becomes very personal. You are initially honored, but immediately question your ability to pull it off.
Your content is solid, but you have no idea how to share it effectively. This is your target audience and you feel immense pressure to perform well. This is a defining moment in your career and you cannot afford a flub. The event is two months away and you are already losing sleep due to anxiety.
Not only will you be standing up in front of thousands, but the video will be shared widely on your corporate website, YouTube, LinkedIn, and will be online for years to come. You start to freak out.
Now what?
Choosing the right coach is the solution to improving your performance. Everyone knows the basic presentation skills, but it is the little nuances that make an enormous impact.
A few small tricks to help you look, feel and present at your best:
- Choose a blue shirt as it photographs and looks sharp on video.
- Keep your hand gestures to a minimum as to not distract from your message.
- Ask for specific details about demographics, crowd size, lighting, time of day of the talk, etc. from the event organizers to help you prepare in advance.
With a bit of practice, more tips and feedback from your speaking coach, you will become a rock star on stage in just a few sessions. You can do this. Nightmares are not required!