Unlike most individuals, I don’t suffer from speech anxiety. I’m among the 25% of women who enjoy public speaking, presenting and any form of entertainment that happens on a stage. I celebrated the art of presentation as a young student and then mastered it in undergrad as the Director of Marketing for Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE).

Over the years, I’ve learned that the most difficult part of a presentation is interacting with your audience. Even as a professional, I don’t always know how the message will be received or what questions may come up. This is why I practice my principles and tailor my presentations per audience research. 

Here’s a list of principles that have helped me to excel in my career:

Know Your Audience

Knowing your audience by the first name is great. Knowing how to read the room is more effective. Most presenters come into the room with their own objectives in mind and forget to access the audience. How receptive is your audience? How engaged do they appear? Did they just eat lunch? Is the room dark? Is it a small meeting and everyone is seated casually? Reading the room helps you to engage and deliver a successful presentation. 

Know Your Information/Data

In college, we were taught to read, read and memorize in order to prepare for tests. In the conference room, it’s even more critical to actually understand your content. I tend to deliver a better message when I can teach the information that I know. Having a clear understanding of the content will leave you with more confidence and less anxiety. 

Expect The Unexpected

Scheduling run-throughs with a manager or team member can help anticipate surprises and answer questions like: Where will the presentation take place? What's the flow of the room? Who will attend? Who could attend? What technology is needed or offered? Will participants need handouts? Is my presentation engaging? What can be a possible distraction? And so on.

The key to maintaining control over your presentation is to be prepared.

Don’t Be A Flower Mouth

Speak coherently. Take moments to collect yourself, breathe and speak up. It’s okay if you have to focus and speak slower to get your points across. Your presentation will have greater significance if your audience can hear and understand what you're saying.