We've all been there. Sweaty palms. Flapping butterflies. Dry mouth. Racing heart. What is it that we're so scared of anyway? The fear of rejection? Fear of being judged? Concerns over boring the audience? Making a mistake? Having all eyes on us--or in the case of webinars, audio conferences, etc.--all ears? A combination of the above?
One of our colleagues at BeaconLive is a former adjunct professor of public speaking. She says these fears are perfectly normal and even the people who do it every day often suffer from some form of anxiety. The key, she says, is leveraging the anxiety--actually using it to your benefit--rather than letting it get the better of you.
Our colleague was nice enough to share some strategies and techniques for managing your virtual stage fright before, during, and after your presentation.
What to do before your present on your virtual stage:
1. Understand your nervousness. Accept it, even. You're going to feel more nervous than you sound or look (in the case of video conferences). Remember: almost every presenter feels nervous. And here's something to consider: anxiety can be useful. That burst of adrenaline will keep you alert and on your game. Not a bad by-product.
2. Don’t procrastinate in preparing your presentation. Waiting until the last minute is a sure-fire way of turning those butterflies into rabid bats.
3. Select an appropriate topic, one that's not only appropriate for your audience, but also one you feel qualified giving. The more comfortable you are with the content, the less you're going to struggle to remember what to say. Yes, you will have notes in front of you, and, in the case of webinars, you'll have some visual support, but you won't (and shouldn't) have everything scripted out word-for-word. You want to sound natural.
4. Know your introduction and conclusion. Don't memorize them, but be familiar with them. In the case of webinars and audio conferences, you may want to have the intro and conclusion scripted out and in front of you, just in case (this is the only exception to #3).
5. Rehearse in the environment in which you'll be giving the presentation. That doesn't mean your kitchen at 1:00 a.m. or your car on your way to work or at the local Starbucks. It means rehearsing in the actual room and with the actual technology you'll be using on the day of the event (e.g. phone, computer, etc.).
6. Use deep breathing techniques. It works during labor. It works during yoga. Trust us--it's amazing how a few deep breaths can center you and calm you.
7. Channel your nervous energy. Take a walk before you give your webinar, audio conference, or video conference. Or "tense up" the muscles throughout your body and release them. Start at your feet and work your way up to your face. The act of tensing and releasing helps your body relax.
8. Visualize your success. If you've ever played a competitive sport, you've probably heard this piece of advice before. Why? Because it works. It's amazing what the power of positive thinking can do.
What to do as you present on your virtual stage:
1. Don't focus on your anxiety. Focus on your message and connecting with your audience.
2. If possible, seek out and respond to positive support from your moderator, operator, someone else in your office who can "sit in" with you during your virtual presentation, or even your audience through polls, Q&A, or some other interactive method.
3. Remember to smile--yes, even for (and perhaps especially for) virtual presentations. People will hear the warmth in your voice. If you need a reminder, make a smiley face at various places on your cheat sheet or slide deck printout. Ditto if you tend to be a fast talker. Write in visual cues on your printed webinar slide deck or associate a certain image/color on your slides that will remind you to s-l-o-w down.
What to do after you present on your virtual stage:
1. Schedule your next event and/or look for other presentation opportunities. The only way to get better is through practice.
2. Focus on your accomplishments and what you did right rather than reviewing everything you did wrong.
3. At the same time, be sure to review audience feedback. But don't dwell on the negatives (and don't let your head get too big on the positives, either). Pick one "flaw" and work on improving that during your next virtual presentation.
Most of all, whether you suffer from anxiety or not, don't forget to have some fun along the way. The old saying is true: life's too short, so enjoy your virtual presentation journey.
So now you have the strategies for managing your presentation anxiety. Let's put these strategies to work with a BeaconLive webinar. Ready to learn more? Contact us today and let's set up a time to chat about your webinar needs.