When given the task to present in public, you need to prepare for it. You might take days or even weeks to decide what to say, and to think about your target audiences. You want to convince them to listen to you and believe in what you say. If you have to pitch to potential investors for your business, you have even more reasons to prepare well. You need to decide on every detail. You also have to use visual aids. If you’re going to use slides, you might need to invest in an AV display stand to ensure that the presentation goes smoothly.
If you have all the time to prepare, your presentation will surely rock. However, if you only have a few days, you will most likely panic. These are some tips to help you get through a dreaded public speech with only a few days to prepare.
Identify the goal of the presentation
You need to determine first what you intend to do and say during the presentation. Is it your goal to convince potential investors to spend money on you? Do you want to share knowledge about your expertise? Apart from knowing your goal, you also have to be aware of the other people in the room. You have to find a way to satisfy them with what to say. You will instantly come up with ideas when you understand your target audience.
Keep it simple
You don’t need to spend hours talking. Besides, you won’t retain people’s attention if you speak for too long. Even when you have enough time to prepare, you still need to limit your presentation. As long as the main points of the information are included, it’s good enough.
Focus on a question and answer session
If you really can’t come up with exciting ideas, it might be best if you decide to focus on a question and answer session. Give the audience more opportunities to talk while you listen and respond. As long as you know the answers, you have nothing to worry about.
Prepare a guide and talk
You don’t need to write a full script. It’s enough for you to have bullet points while talking. You can keep going once you see the keywords. Speak from the heart and the ideas will just flow. It also makes you sound more natural and authentic. If you have visual aids to help you explain things better, it would be great.
Relax and be confident
You don’t have enough time, and there’s nothing you can do about it. You don’t want to change the presentation and admit that you’re not ready. It could adversely impact your reputation. Just relax and keep the ideas flowing. Don’t set a high bar for yourself. Present your thoughts and see where it goes. Don’t forget to ask for feedback. You can use it next time if you decide to present again. Sometimes, the appearance of confidence is enough to trick people into thinking that you’re knowledgeable and well-prepared.
