I'm not but need some help

[Racmactac]

Tomorrow I have to do a really important presentation and I get really really nervous.

Any tips ? Anything you have found helpful ?

Imagine every single person in the audience is naked.
Look everyone in the eye at some point during your ppt
Don't mutter or mumble or rush
Understand that actually, everyone wants you to be good
Know that everyone is on your side.
Prepare, prepare prepare
practise, practise, practise

it's always better to say less than you need to.
Have cue cards, but make sure you look at the audience
Speak slowly and clearly-don;t rush

They have no idea what you are going to say, they won’t know if you miss a bit, forget a bit or say it slightly differently to how you imagined. So just say whatever comes out, but confidently

Rule of three - tell them what you're going to tell them (introduction), tell them (presentation), then tell them what you've just told them (summary), and remember the majority of the time they're there because they want and/or need to hear what you're presenting, so you're not going into a hostile environment but a welcoming one.

Thanks for the tip about reading it out loud. Have just done it to the children and they told me I was stumbling over words so more practice needed.

Lots of practice! Much less stressful when you know you know your stuff. Don't be afraid to take comprehensive notes, better to risk being a bit rote than take a few bullet points and be nervous you'll go blank.

Also remember your body feels nerves and excitement very similarly: the shaking, tummy butterflies, the nervous poo beforehand, that feeling in your chest... they're all things we get when nervous OR excited! Some performers find it helps to say outloud 'I'm excited!' to reframe the nerves as something a little more positive.

Most of all, enjoy. It's nice having a captive audience hanging onto your every word! Enjoy the attention and being seen as someone who knows stuff.

And volunteer for more! I was terrified but had to do it weekly at one point in a new job and quickly grew to love and be proficient at it.

If you're easily put off and don't really want to look people in the eye, you can look just over someone's shoulder and it will appear as if you are looking at someone. Choose at least 3 points to look at - right, middle and left. Project your voice to the people furthest away. Don't put everything you're going to say on the slides (if you're using slides). You can tell the audience at the start whether you'll take questions during the presentation or at the end (if you're nervous, at the end is probably best). Good luck!

I pretend I'm acting out a play and playing the part of a confident speaker. Deep down im worrying but it helps me fake my way through it.

Have a killer attention grabbing opening sentence and practise practise practise it so you can nail it.
Breathe, use pauses and speak really painfully slowly.
Think about your body language and make it "match" what you are saying.
Definitely remember the audience won't know if you skip a bit.
Good luck

I've had to do these for audiences of 500+ in a past life. I convinced myself that everyone in the audience was on my side and none of them wanted me to fall over. I really don't think anyone in an audience wants that.

Practise, again and again, in front of a mirror out loud and TIME yourself. Be a couple of minutes shorter than your allotted time. Everyone wants to get the hell out of dodge and go for coffee break, no matter how good you are. They will love you for a shortened, even by a minute or two presentation.

If there is any possibility of introducing a bit of levity or humour into the presentation (and make sure it is a natural thing, yep tough I know), it will work wonders.

Other than that, being nervous is normal. Very normal indeed.

Break a leg.