# Caroline Hopkins Presentation Skills Coach

> Love Presenting


## Posts

### Get their tails to WAG

Who would have thought, back in March when we first went into lockdown, that come November we would still be meeting online – and in the middle of a second lockdown?

And the reality is we are likely to be working like this for some time to come now.

What has become clear over the past months - is that the principles of good presenting are the same whether we are online or in person.

I believe the key to being a great presenter is to make it interesting… a bit like that teacher in school who made it interesting… we all loved that lesson didn’t we?

Well, we are just bigger kids now.  And we still want it to be interesting.

So how can you make your presentations interesting.  Add some zing in your zoom and twinkle in your Teams meetings?  Some 'Wow' to your Webex…

I have an acronym to help you make your talk interesting: It’s WAG.  Imagine if everyone in your audience had a tail – what would make it WAG?

What does WAG stand for?

W is for WIIFM What is every member of your audience is asking themselves when you speak?  WIIFM?  Whats in it for me? Make it useful and relevant and address their WIIFM

A is for Active – get people doing something – involve them in your message

G is for Gripping – use stories, open knowledge gaps, arouse curiosity

So first, W for WIIFM: Imagine your audience were wired up to a WIFometer – what would make it peak?

My background is coming up with ideas for big PR campaigns – so this is an area I love helping people with… coming up with ideas to make the presentation interesting – but it usually comes down to how much you stop and ask yourself ‘Why will they be interested in this?’ and then thinking about
Think of a Presentation you may have coming up or could create: What’s the WIIFM?
A for Active You know that feeling when you’re sat in a presentation and time just drags.. well, guess what – time isn’t dragging for the presenter at all because they are active – they’re doing something… presenting.  And this is the fundamental paradox of time – when we are active it flies, when we are passive it drags.  So, What’s the solution: it’s to keep involving your audience by making them more active
Think of that Presentation you can give: What will keep people ACTIVE?  
G is for Gripping: how can you be sure your audience are so gripped by what you are sharing that they don’t turn their video off/or start checking their emails on your calls?

There are many ideas I work on with clients – but the one I want to remind you of is the simple STAR technique: Situation, Task, Action, Result

STARs help you to grip people because our brains are wired to keep listening until the story has resolved and we have ‘discovered’ what happened ‘in the end’.
Think of that Presentation you can give – what story can you tell?  How will you create a STAR?
Take a moment to think of a good story or parable that illustrates something you want to get across in your talk… you can always start with the moral of the story – and use the STAR to tell in a minute.

Our new reality means we are going to be presenting online for sometime to come… and we need to engage people: our colleagues who are working remotely; our existing customers who we want to serve - and new ones we want to attract.

So next time you are preparing to present online – remember to ask ‘What's in it for them?’ (think of the wifometer), consider how to keep people Active, & what will keep them Gripped…. So that if your audience had a tail, it would start to WAG.

 

If you want to improve your online presentations or public speaking skills you can book a 'Discovery Call' with Caroline Hopkins to find out more about how she can help you to enhance your skills during lockdown.

### The '5-Minute Method' To Preparing Content

How would you cope if you arrived at an event to be told the speaker hadn’t turned up, and asked if you could fill in for them? Oh, and by the way, you’re on in 5 minutes.

This may not have happened to you … yet…but let’s face it, it could happen at some point in your career and how brilliant would it be to know you’d be able to handle it - without running from the room hysterically or pretending you’ve passed out?

For most people the thought of having to give a talk – any talk, not just one at short notice – can feel really, well, unpleasant – all that adrenaline to manage – and the thought of not having any time to prepare it - is really the icing on the adrenaline cake.

This is when my ‘5-Minute Method’ can be a lifesaver.

Here’s how it works:

Step 1:             Identify your main point – the key message you want to get across?’

Step 2:             Find a ‘Three’ to support your message.  It can be three words, three phrases, past/present/future – why/what/how

Step 3:             Think of your Open & Closing sentence

 	A starting sentence to engage your audience
 	A closing sentence to sum up what you want people to do, know, or remember

Now you have the structure, you can use this to prepare something to say whenever you need to… and better still if you have semi-prepared something you can adapt it to suit the situation you find yourself in – whether it is being asked to comment in a meeting or say a few words at an event… whatever it is.

I would suggest that you are always be semi-prepared – so you would be able to cope ok – because if you are semi-prepared, you will have had a lot longer than 5 minutes to think about what you can say – but can sound like it is an impromptu ‘few words’.

It’s like that semi-baked bread you pop in the oven – it’s all there - ready, just needs a bit of heat.

So next time you have to “say a few words” You will have a few words to say…

If you want to improve your online presentations or public speaking skills you can book a 'Discovery Call' with Caroline Hopkins to find out more about how she can help you to enhance your skills during lockdown.

### What Are You Really Afraid Of...

There are probably a few things you're afraid of.... when it comes to speaking in front of audiences - your colleagues, your customers, your wider industry - but what really causes your adrenaline to spike even more than say, the casual address to a small team?

Adrenaline is a good thing when it gives our performance a lift, but when it tips into crippling nerves or prevents us speaking in the first place, it is a problem. And those occasions when there is more at stake, when you feel more self-conscious, or don't feel as confident about your message are the times when many of us tend to be fearful.

You've no doubt heard of 'fight or flight' and understand why the body creates adrenaline to protect us in times of real or perceived threat, but most public speaking or presentation opportunities are NOT threatening until we sabotage our performance with too much adrenaline.

So what can we do about it:

 	Understand the mind-body connection in taking our adrenaline from frisson to full-blown flight
 	Start early to manage your adrenaline by getting your thinking straight
 	Be less self-conscious - focus on them

In this short article, I'm going to focus on the mind-body connection, but you can access other ideas in my book: Help! I've Got A Presentation Coming Up or from other free articles at my Resources section of my website.
The Mind-body Connection & how the adrenaline 'frisson' becomes full-blown fear
The adrenaline cycle starts with a thought that you are under threat. This thought releases adrenaline, which the mind then interprets with another thought: the threat must be real because your body is reacting. So this releases even more adrenaline, which confirms the threat thought... and on and on it goes. Thought of threat - adrenaline - confirmed threat - more adrenaline - confirmed thought - more adrenaline ... until we require extraordinary levels of courage to speak through the intense fear we are now experiencing.

The solution is to stop the cycle early on by overriding the first threat belief by telling yourself something else. You need to accept that you are getting all these adrenal responses, but stop the next thought being one of threat. Instead, mentally run through your adrenaline checklist: notice and 'check' each symptom without being bothered by it, but simply registering it as a positive sign you are ready to speak. It goes: Heart-rate: on; palms: sweaty; mouth: dry; (maybe have a sip of water here); face: warm, possibly slightly red etc...

Try it next time you have to speak and start to notice the adrenaline kick it. Having the 'pre-launch checklist' has been a real game-changer for many of my clients and before long, you will learn to experience adrenaline as the natural performance enhancer you need.

If you want to improve your presentations or public speaking skills you can book a 'Discovery Call' with Caroline Hopkins to find out more about how she can help you.

### What They Don't Teach You At Wargrave Piggott School

I know, it doesn’t have quite the same ring as ‘Harvard Business School’, but with schools returning this month, it made me think about my own schooldays when one of things I realise we were never taught was how to become a good public speaker or give presentations.

I did leave school knowing how not to do it – which was to stand at the front, with a bright red face, trembling voice, feeling like a fool.



Many people have told me they had a similar experience of feeling awkward or embarrassed if they were asked to ‘come up to the front’ to address the class… or worse, the whole of assembly, which could cause serious (and lasting) damage to your mental wellbeing.

What I have learned since leaving school about giving presentations?  Well, what I would tell my 15-year-old self is:

 	Speaking To Yourself is normal. The trick is to switch your inner voice to sounding like the mates who like you (ie. sound supportive and ok about things) than the ones who are mean  (who sound belittling and ridicule you).
 	Be Prepared.  Mentally prepare something in advance if you can, rather than having to make it up on the spot.  Remember that the number '3' is useful when you have to structure a talk quickly - if you can, think of three points rather than just one.  Watch my video on the '5-Minute Method' about how you can structure a talk in just 5 minutes.
 	Keep A Healthy Sense Of Perspective.  This isn't life or death (even if it sometimes feels it might be).   It is just speaking for a brief moment in time - you will get through it ok, particularly if you have done the previous two steps.  Think about what the worst possible outcome of this talk/embarrassment/adrenaline rush could be... and then realise that even if the worst possible thing happened, you'd manage to cope with it.  Then think about what is the best possible outcome - and what you can do to make that outcome even more likely to happen.

Would my younger self have listened to these pearls of experience?  Who knows?  But I would have definitely spent less time as a red-faced adult in the world of grown-up presentations if I had only learned it all back then.

If you would like to improve your presentations or public speaking skills you can book a 'Discovery Call' with Caroline Hopkins to find out more about how she can help you.

 

 

### Don't Panic, It's Only A Presentation

"Can you speak at our event next week?".  An innocent request, but those eight little words would once strike dread into me.

For years I lived in fear of having to speak in public.  The more senior I became in my company, the higher the expectation was that I would be good at presenting.  But I wasn't.  I was terrible... and usually terrified.  Each time, I re-lived the same horror movie and the panic just got worse.

In my company, we would all cluck in sympathy with anyone who was about to undergo a similar trauma: "You've got to give a presentation! Oh, no!  Poor You!  How long? followed with a feeble "Well, good luck!".

It may be like that where you work.  But why?  Why do we accept our fear and dread when this is a skill like any other that you can learn, master and enjoy (and connect people with your ideas, your products or services).

Last week, I spoke at the Professional Speaking Association North West Speaker Factor competition and shared my three tips for becoming a confident and successful speaker.  You can watch my talk here (it's just five minutes long).

Don't get fearful - get good at it... because once you learn to love presenting, it's an affair that will last forever. And remember Don't Panic, It's Only A Presentation.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgpSa7m9zoI[/embedyt]

### Presentation Tips For Introverts

If you tend to prefer your own company, do not crave attention or seek the airtime in meetings, and find social small talk a challenge, the chances are you are an introvert. While this is not a drawback to success – many of the most successful people on the planet are introverts – Bill Gates, JK Rowling and Steven Spielberg to name a few, it can be a handicap in business situations where the skills you need to succeed don’t come naturally.

As an introvert, you probably prefer listening to talking, especially when it means talking about your ideas or opinions, and this can be a drawback when it comes to giving presentations or speaking in front of groups.

So, here are a few tips that will help next time you are asked to speak to groups:
1. Challenge your self-doubt and negative self-talk
Introverts often suffer from self-doubt and negative self-talk, which stops you from speaking up. One way to shift your negative self-talk is to write down a list of your negative thoughts beforehand and for each of these, identify a positive thought that is equally true, that would be more useful for you to focus on. Do this as part of your mental preparation.
2. Be yourself – play to your strengths
Rather than trying to imitate the energy of a natural extrovert, you will have more success by cultivating your own style of speaking. You will be far more compelling if you speak with authenticity and engage people by drawing them in to your message than trying to fake a high energy delivery that feels uncomfortable.
3. Prepare well – in these key areas
There are 3 areas that will boost your confidence and impact as a presenter, and help you to speak authentically and make things interesting for your audience:
 

 	
Content


Try to make your content engaging so that you feel confident that you will have something of interest to share. Introverts are often better at writing than speaking, so write down what you want to say and then edit it down until you have a simple structure. A good way to structure your content is to prepare your opening statement, 3 key points and a closing statement. Use stories and rhetorical questions to involve the audience emotionally and intellectually.

 

 	
Delivery


Practice beforehand so that you feel more confident that you know what you want to say.   The more familiar you are with your content and how you will deliver it, the better it will sound on the day. As the saying goes, the best way to sound like you know your stuff is to know your stuff. Remember you are not aiming for perfection, rather to be warm and authentic.

 

 	
State


Try to relax yourself by using this simple I-SPY routine beforehand, to mentally and physically calm your state, which goes:

I = (mental affirmation) “I am excited to be doing this because... (finish off with a good reason)”

S = Shake out your tension by wriggling your toes, circling your angles and shaking out your arms legs, rolling your shoulders and head

P = check your Posture, to feel confident and convey presence

Y = Yawn to release any remaining tension in your face and throat

 
4. Be Less Self-Conscious
Most introverted presenters are really focused on themselves and their performance. If you shift your focus to the audience by thinking about how you are serving people in the audience through your presentation – how they can benefit from hearing what you have to say – so that you become more ‘Other’-conscious and less 'Self'-conscious.

Finally, remember to keep practicing. Take up opportunities to build your skills in small steps so that presentations and speaking in meetings is something you feel confident about. It is a good idea to try ideas in less important situations – and build up to more significant ones.  Before long, you will find you are presenting with more confidence and feeling comfortable being yourself: an introvert with something worth sharing.

 
Like more help from Caroline?
Let me know how I can help you with your next presentation by getting in touch with me here.

I have helped many people, who were once nervous and rambling to become confident and engaging public speakers.  Giving presentations, like driving lessons, is a skill you learn so you can get somewhere... and with my help you will get there in no time.

 

### How Olympic Winners Overcome Fear Of Presenting

Nicola Adams became the first British boxer to retain an Olympic title for 92 years by winning gold in the women's flyweight final at Rio in 2016.

Speaking after her fight, she said  “I am always nervous…you need that to give you the adrenaline”.

The same principle applies to giving a presentation.  You perform better with adrenaline or energy than without it.  The key is how you manage the adrenaline.
The Adrenaline 'rush'
The problem for many people is that as soon as they experience adrenaline – quickening heartbeat, rush of blood, sweaty palms - they focus on their fear and spend the presentation battling nerves.  When you reframe your response to adrenaline, you can channel it into 'performance energy'.

If you have prepared well, created interesting content and know your stuff, you will be in a great position to manage your adrenaline.
What are you saying to yourself?
Adrenaline triggers your 'self-talk' which can be positive or negative.

When Nicola Adams was asked about her imminent fight, she said: "Another gold-medal fight - I can't wait. This is what I've been training for for the last four years. I'm excited..." which is also what she would be saying to herself to get into the right state when her adrenaline gets triggered.

Fear is emotional, not rational. You need another emotion to replace the fear – like passion, pride or desire to help others – which are also linked to a surge of adrenaline.  Like Nicola Adams, you need to get excited, not afraid.

Steve Jobs of Apple always created his ‘passion statement’ before giving a presentation which went “I am excited to be giving this presentation because….” So that he could connect with what engaged his passion as a channel for his adrenaline.

Try it next time you have to stand and speak. Rather than interpreting your adrenaline as fear, think of it as passion. Remind yourself why you are excited to be speaking to these people and how listening to you could benefit them.

Think of Nicola Adams about to go into the boxing ring telling herself all the reasons she “can’t wait” despite her nerves. You’ll be a knockout.
Like more help from Caroline?
Let me know how I can help you with your next presentation by getting in touch with me here.

 

I have helped many people, who were once nervous and rambling to become confident and engaging public speakers.  Giving presentations, like driving lessons, is a skill you learn so you can get somewhere... and with my help you will get there in no time.

 

### Any Questions? How To Manage Difficult Questions In Presentations

For many people, this is one of the things they dread most about giving a presentation: how to handle difficult questions.  Here are a few tips to help.

Before your presentation:

 	Anticipate likely questions

As part of your planning, think about the questions that are likely to come up.  If you were in your audience, what questions might you have?  In particular, the most important questions to anticipate are the ones that you hope nobody asks you – so that you can think about a good response while you are in a calm state, rather than having to think on the spot about your answer during the presentation.

 	Prepare your answers

Having anticipated the likely questions (and you can probably predict most of the questions), think about how you will answer them.  For certain questions, you might like to use ‘STAR’ answers.  STAR is an acronym that will give you the structure to illustrate your answer, as follows:

Situation: the context in which you have experienced this situation

Task: why the question can be a challenge in this context

Action: how you/others have dealt with this challenge

Result: good results as examples to follow, and bad results as examples to avoid

 	Cluster question types in ‘categories’

If you have anticipated questions and prepared good answers, you can then cluster questions into catetories and allocate an appropriate prepared answer for that type of question.

During the presentation:

Having prepared for questions, you can then manage the Q & A session based on your prepared answers.  But, what if you can’t answer a question?

The key thing is not to bluff your way through.  Most people know when you are doing this and it comes over really badly.  Better to go for the honest option: say you don’t know, offer to find out and get back to them.

Alternatively, if you think you should be expected to know this answer (but don’t!) open the question out to the wider audience by asking if anyone else has experience of this question and what they would suggest as the answer.

Another key point on questions is that you need to decide beforehand if you want to take questions as you go through or receive them at the end of your presentation – and then let the audience know early on what you want them to do.  Both can work equally well, depending on your presentation and your personal preference, and you can then manage expectations.

Finally, bear in mind that when you ask for questions, there may be silence.  This may be because there are no questions, or people are thinking about what they will ask, or simply don’t want to ask the first question.  In this case, you can get the ball rolling while people are thinking by asking the first question yourself.  Simply say, “One question I am often asked is…” then give the answer to your first question.  You will often find other people follow this first question with other questions.

The important thing is not to put pressure on yourself that you must be able to answer everything.   If you have anticipated, prepared your answers and know your subject, you will be able to handle most questions.  And if there are some you can’t answer, remember the wise words of Confucius “He who knows all the answers has not been asked all the questions”.
Like more help from Caroline?
Let me know how I can help you with your next presentation by getting in touch with me here.

I have helped many people, who were once nervous and rambling to become confident and engaging public speakers.  Giving presentations, like driving lessons, is a skill you learn so you can get somewhere... and with my help you will get there in no time.

 

### Why People Stop Listening To You

Have you ever noticed that people’s attention isn’t always focused on you when you are giving a presentation or speaking in meetings?  Even if they are looking at you, it doesn’t mean they are still listening.

Being aware of the main reasons people stop listening can help you to counter them and become a far more engaging and dynamic presenter.

The key reasons people stop listening are:

1. The presentation (or a section of it) is too long

Keep things short and punchy.  The neuroscientist, Dr John Medina wrote about the ’10 minute rule’ in his book on ‘Brain Rules’ as the optimum time people can listen passively before their attention moves elsewhere.  His advice is therefore to keep things in 10-minute chunks before hooking your audience’s attention back with a story, joke or by somehow interrupting the flow of your presentation.

2. A lack of audience participation creates ‘sleep’ mode

A bit like computers, we quickly go into sleep mode if we are inactive for too long.  As the presenter, you are very engaged and active – but for your audience, things are very passive and inactive.  So you need to keep involving people either through questions and rhetorical questions (similar to a one-to-one conversation) or by actually getting them to do something to engage their energy.

3. Confusion or lack of understanding about what you are saying

If you confuse people and they have no opportunity to clarify what you mean, they will switch off.  Therefore, you need to check understanding as you go through – particularly if you are presenting concepts or ideas that are new to people.  Do this by checking people understand and encouraging people to ask questions rather than switch off.

4. The presentation meanders or has no structure

Don’t fall into this trap.  Have a good introduction, which identifies a benefit to your audience of listening to your talk AND explains what you will cover.  Then keep your structure as simple as you can before summarizing what you have covered with a powerful close.

5. The speaker’s voice is monotonous

Get feedback from others if you think this could apply to you.  Add drama to your delivery by building in variation in your voice when you rehearse.  Think contrasts to enhance your impact: louder/quieter, speed up/pause, high pitch/low pitch.

6. People are not interested in your subject – no clear relevance to the audience

This can be because you have pitched the subject to the wrong audience or you have not made it clear how people will benefit from listening.  The first of these can be avoided by doing your research before your presentation to findi out who will be in your audience and what matters to them.  The second can be avoided by making clear in your opening remarks and throughout your talk, how your presentation is relevant to their situation.

 

Using these ideas will help to make your next presentation really engaging – so that everyone is hanging on your words right to the end.
Like more help from Caroline?
Let me know how I can help you with your next presentation by getting in touch with me here.

I have helped many people, who were once nervous and rambling to become confident and engaging public speakers.  Giving presentations, like driving lessons, is a skill you learn so you can get somewhere... and with my help you will get there in no time.

 

### AIDA – A Four-Step Recipe For Presentation Success

How can you be sure you have content that is going to have the desired effect on your audience when you are preparing your next presentation?

AIDA is an acronym that has been used by the advertising industry for many years now as the requirements for a powerful advert - and it is just as relevant to use to make your next presentation more engaging.

It stands for:

A         Attention

I           Interest

D         Desire

A         Action

Here's how you can apply it when preparing your next presentation:

A = Attention

You automatically have people’s attention when you start a presentation – the trick is to keep people listening by having an interesting opening.  You want to stir people.

So, when you are planning your content, think about what will hook people’s attention to keep them wanting more? It may be a question that makes people think, a prop or problem that arouses their curiosity or a story that they will find entertaining.

I = Interest      

Keep things interesting throughout your talk so people don’t switch off.  You can do this by involving your audience, even if is by asking them rhetorical questions – and keep it varied.

This can be through your tone of voice, stories you share, props you introduce, exercises you give the audience to consider or actually do (maybe in pairs and then debrief their experiences).  You can also vary things by sharing the stage with another presenter.

D = Desire     

This is based on your understanding of your audience and what they want.  What is their desired outcome from listening to you?  You need to make reference to this outcome or desired situation throughout your presentation and importantly, how your proposition or call to action can help them to achieve this outcome.

A = Action      

Be specific about what action you are proposing and HOW people need to act if they want to achieve their desired situation.  This is your ‘Call To Action’ – don’t bury it.  Be very clear about it.  Particularly at the end (or towards the end) of your presentation, you need to state your case or proposed solution and be direct about the next steps you want people to take.

 

So next time you are preparing content for an important meeting or presentation, think AIDA - so your message can sing out!
Like more help from Caroline?
Let me know how I can help you with your next presentation by getting in touch with me here.

I have helped many people, who were once nervous and rambling to become confident and engaging public speakers.  Giving presentations, like driving lessons, is a skill you learn so you can get somewhere... and with my help you will get there in no time.

### Don’t Be Caught Out At Your Next Presentation

You’ve probably heard it before, the key to successful presenting lies in the preparation.  For most people, this means getting their slides and talk ready – and perhaps arriving on the day to check through their equipment.

But there is a way to make your preparation even better, so you can feel really confident that you are ready on the day.

It comes down to knowing the answers to a few quick questions that you ask each time you are giving a presentation, that you have ready as a written checklist.

One of the worst presentations I ever gave – when I completely bombed in front of the audience – was when I worked in PR years ago.  I was asked to present our agency’s ideas for a high profile campaign for a large charity.  I had met the director of fundraising a couple of weeks before and he invited me back to present our campaign.

I was young, inexperienced and although I felt competent doing my day job, I was a poor presenter. I didn’t ask any specific questions about the presentation, but instead returned to their offices a couple of weeks later with my proposal and desktop visuals to meet the client again… to be told by reception “please go through - they are all waiting for you in the conference room.”

I walked in to a room of around 35 expectant faces.  My already frail confidence was sent into a tailspin as I walked to the front of the room, grinned feebly at the group, hoped they wouldn’t notice my face had turned deep tomato-red, and started with a shaky voice.  It was without a doubt the worst presentation of my career because I wasn’t prepared for it.

Creating a written checklist that gives you confidence in your preparation, and can help avoid any unexpected surprises on the day.  It also conveys to whoever has asked you to present that you have things covered.

The 3 key concerns to have on your checklist relate to:

 	The audience profile (ie. who am I presenting to and why are they there? What is their likely interest and experience?). It is essential you know this before starting to prepare your content.


 	Logistics for the day (timings, contact details, parking, running order, intros, room layout, soundchecks, a/v resources)


 	What you need to prepare/by when (a briefing for your intro? Format of your slides? Handouts? Marketing materials? Q&A session? A/v support)

Just a few questions that will save you stress, worry and give you confidence that you are prepared.

 
Like more help from Caroline?
Let me know how I can help you with your next presentation by getting in touch with me here.

I have helped many people, who were once nervous and rambling to become confident and engaging public speakers.  Giving presentations, like driving lessons, is a skill you learn so you can get somewhere... and with my help you will get there in no time.

### Do You Get In A State When You Present?

There is a world of difference between getting in the right state and getting in 'a right state'.

If you find yourself getting in a state that isn't the one you would like to be in there are 3 areas you can change to help you:

1. Change your focus - what are you saying to yourself about this?  What are you imagining will happen?  When we fear something we almost exclusively focus on what we don't want to happen.  The first shift in state starts by managing your mental focus onto what you do want to happen.

2. Connect your emotions to a positive memory - think of a time where you felt relaxed, confident and calm and  fully revisit that experience in your mind.  Remember how it felt, what you were saying to yourself and what you were doing.  Then bring that feeling of confidence and calm into the current situation.

3. Adjust your posture - when we are feeling anxious, our posture is very different to when we are feeling confident.  Simply adopting the posture of confidence will impact on your mood.  How do you stand, walk, express yourself differently when you are confident?  If you can get into the 'confident you' posture when you are feeling less confident, it will help to shift your mental focus and reconnect you with a positive memory.
Like more help from Caroline?
Let me know how I can help you with your next presentation by getting in touch with me here.

I have helped many people, who were once nervous and rambling to become confident and engaging public speakers.  Giving presentations, like driving lessons, is a skill you learn so you can get somewhere... and with my help you will get there in no time.

### What Terry Wogan Taught Us About Presenting

Terry Wogan, who died back in 2016, was one of the most popular radio broadcasters of all time.  During his many years as a radio and TV broadcaster, people would often speak of him as if they knew him personally, which was quite an achievement given his breakfast show had around 8 million listeners each morning.

What shone through to me though was his ability to connect so strongly with people he had never actually met.  How did he achieve this?  His advice was:

"Remember, you're not talking to 'an audience', you're talking to one person"

Every one of us as presenters can learn from this advice.  When we speak in public, if we can imagine we are 'talking to one person' (even if there are thousands of individuals) it completely transforms the intimacy and rapport we create with our audience.

Next time you speak to a large group, consider what adjustments Terry Wogan might make to your delivery to create the feeling that you are having an intimate chat rather than being the 'sage on the stage'.  It will make you far more engaging.

 
Like more help from Caroline?
Let me know how I can help you with your next presentation by getting in touch with me here.

I have helped many people, who were once nervous and rambling to become confident and engaging public speakers.  Giving presentations, like driving lessons, is a skill you learn so you can get somewhere... and with my help you will get there in no time.

### "What Should I Do With My Hands?" (& Other Presentation Dilemmas)

I am often asked this question and it is interesting, because if you think about the last time you were in an audience – I'll bet that the presenter’s hands are not what you remember most: it’s whether you felt moved, involved, or interested in what they were saying.

And really the hands 'issue' is a symptom of not feeling confident, particularly when you want to come across with credibility, authority and influence.

So here are a few of my ‘top tips’ to help you next time you stand up and speak in public or give a presentation:
1. Slow everything down
The adrenaline of presenting or speaking in public usually means we speed up our delivery, our breathing and our speech.  Time goes much quicker when you are presenting that when you are listening in the audience.  Remember to:

- use pauses in your speaking to add impact to your delivery, but also calm your speed

- slow your breathing by taking deep breaths
2. Gestures and movement
If you slow down your breathing and speaking, you can add energy to your presentation with gestures and movement.  A few pointers:

- try to 'open' your body language by opening your chest, keeping your arms and legs uncrossed and symmetrical

- have your hands in a relaxed place (by your side, held in front of you - wherever feels natural) and then use them to gesture as you speak before returning to the 'holding' position, just as you would in 1-to-1 conversation.  Use your arms as well as hands to gesture, and you can also gesture with your head by nodding agreement.

- use movement to keep the energy up.  You can do this by walking around (not pacing up and down but by using your movement to connect with the audience) and also by 'stage marking', where you use the space around you as a reference to what you are describing.

- get the audience moving, if you can.  Involve them physically, by having them pass things around, raise hands to answer your questions, even talking to you or each other.

- use facial movement, through your expressions to convey emotion - particularly if you are relating a story

It can be useful to rehearse your gestures and movement as part of your preparation, so you are almost choreographing your presentation as you practice what you are going to say.
3. Keep Connecting
This is the key to powerful presenting and getting the audience 'with you'.  Here's how you can establish and keep your connection going throughout your presentation:

- master your facial warmth - we are usually very serious when we're nervous, so you need to be aware of your face and relax it.  Smiling is the best way to relax your face - so try to smile at someone in the audience

- eye contact is very important, but don't just scan the audience like a searchlight.  The trick is to make eye contact with as many people as you can (keep the contact with one person for around 4 secs before moving to someone else) around the audience and remember to keep the warmth going through your eyes.

– don’t read slides and turn your back on your audience - again, a symptom of nerves, but try to avoid doing it.

While delivery is important, your audience is not going to be judging you on it - they are there to be inspired, informed or entertained by the message you have to share with them.  And while you don't want your message 'lost in delivery', you shouldn't lose your passion or authenticity by worrying too much about your hands.

 
Like more help from Caroline?
Let me know how I can help you with your next presentation by getting in touch with me here.

I have helped many people, who were once nervous and rambling to become confident and engaging public speakers.  Giving presentations, like driving lessons, is a skill you learn so you can get somewhere... and with my help you will get there in no time.

### Can You See Yourself Being Successful?

There is a saying in presenting, that you need to be in "the 'right state', and not 'a right state'!".

Whether we stand up to speak feeling positive and resourceful, or stand up with dread and trepidation depends on what we see happening to us in our imagination.

It sounds simple and it is - the trick is knowing how to manage our imagination to work for us rather than against us.

This is the basis of creative visualisation: being able to 'picture' your presentation going well before you even start.  We do this naturally when we are dreading something and we 'imagine' everything that might go wrong.  What you probably don't find yourself doing naturally is imagining everything going well (which is understandable if you don't enjoy speaking in public).

The good news though is that visualisation is a simple skill to learn and it is incredibly powerful in helping you present with confidence and manage your stress and worry in the days leading up to a presentation.

There are many ways to manage your mental preparation to be in the right state for a presentation or speech.

Try this quick visualisation exercise next time you need to present or speak in public.

Step 1: Close your eyes and imagine the scene of your next presentation as if you were watching a film of yourself giving this presentation or speech.  You are going to make this film the most positive version you could possibly deliver.  Notice how well you start, who is there with you in the room, what noises if any you can hear before you speak - make it as real and as positive as you can.  Continue to watch yourself and make any adjustments to your 'performance' that could make it even better.

Step 2: When you have reached the end of the presentation, slowly open your eyes and come back to the present moment and notice the room you are in now.  Take a deep breath in and out.  Now you are going to repeat the mental visualisation of your speech or presentation going well by repeating Step 1, but this time make even more improvements to your performance, as you close your eyes for this second time and watch yourself give an amazing speech or presentation.

Step 3: You are going to visualise your presentation or speech going well one more time and this time, rather than watching yourself, you are going to step into the 'movie' you have created and imagine you are seeing things through your eyes.  As you mentally rehearse your presentation or speech this final time, notice what sounds you hear and what you are saying to yourself as you make this the most positive performance you can imagine.  Notice what you see around you and any feelings you experience as you continue to enjoy this experience of your presentation or speech going really well.  Also notice how people's reactions are changing as you make improvements to your presentation.  When you have come to the end of your presentation or speech, notice how you are feeling, having had such a positive experience as you allow this feeling to relax and fill you with confidence about what to expect.  When you are ready, slowly open your eyes and come back to the present moment.

Creative visualization is such a simple and powerful tool to practice - and its effectiveness is proven in the world of sport for athletes and professional sportspeople who rely on it to enhance their performance and get into the right state (and not a right state like so many nervous presenters).
Like more help from Caroline?
Let me know how I can help you with your next presentation by getting in touch with me here.

I have helped many people, who were once nervous and rambling to become confident and engaging public speakers.  Giving presentations, like driving lessons, is a skill you learn so you can get somewhere... and with my help you will get there in no time.

 

 

### The 'Six Fears' Of Speaking (& how to overcome them)

An old friend was asked to give a presentation to a new client to talk about her ideas for their business. She knew that her company was in the running to get this job, she knew that this account would be amazing to work on and it would earn her huge prestige in her department.

She also knew that she hated presenting. Sadly, she was a quivering wreck on the day and the business went to another agency.

This experience is so common. How often do we duck opportunities to promote ourselves, our message or our ideas or miss out on new business or career openings because we hate the idea of speaking or presenting ourselves?

You have probably heard the statistics about fear of public speaking being greater than fear of dying. Although just knowing that you are in the majority can be comforting, why risk missing out on what could be an amazing result for you and your work because you fear or don’t know how to present with confidence and engage people?

What is it you are really afraid of?

In my work as a presentations coach, I come across many reasons that people don’t like or fear speaking in public, but I would say most of them fall into one of these 6 categories:

 	Fear caused by self-image (“I’m not the kind of person who can do this”)


 	Fear of separation (“I hate standing at the front with all eyes on me”)


 	Fear of the past (“Last time was a nightmare!”)


 	Fear of rejection/judgement (“What will they think of me?”)


 	Fear of exposure  (“I might just freeze-up"/”I don’t know what I’m talking about”)


 	Fear of your limitations ("I just can’t do this!"/"I'm not good/experienced/worthy enough")

Or all of the above! The good news though, is that for each of these fears and negative thoughts there are strategies to help.

One strategy that many clients find useful in addressing all of these concerns though is based on how we talk to ourselves. I know it is often described as ‘the first sign of madness’, but we talk to ourselves constantly and that is how we mentally set up our experiences.

‘What do you say when you talk to yourself?’

This is at the core of all of the 6 public speaking fears – that we are scaring ourselves with a constant commentary about why we CAN’T do this.

Whichever of the 6 issues above affects you most, try this 3-step exercise to help you manage your thinking:

 	Grab a piece of paper, put a line down the middle and in the left hand column, write down everything you are telling yourself about giving a presentation (this is the voice of your fearful self - whichever of the above fears is true for you will emerge). When you have a list, read through it and notice what energy and mood this creates.


 	For each negative thought you have written down, find a counter-thought that is equally true and far more resourceful to focus on. What would your biggest fan or greatest supporter say to you about this thought? (this is the voice of your powerful self). When you read down this list, notice how your energy and mood changes.


 	Destroy the left hand list by running a pen through it all. When you think about giving a presentation, remind yourself of everything you have written on the right hand column. Whenever you catch yourself having a negative thought, keep reminding yourself of these points.

OK, I’ll come clean… that “old friend” I mentioned at the start was me. I was the quivering wreck and I had to learn to overcome my fear. The client presentation we lost was the moment I decided I had to do something about my fears. But I did – by learning a few simple techniques to prepare mentally (like the one above) and by discovering a powerful process to create engaging talks - and that is why I now devote my work to helping others to overcome their fears and learn to present really well.

This is your chance to shine, to promote your ideas, your brand and your message – and to release the amazing speaker inside us all.
Like more help from Caroline?
Let me know how I can help you with your next presentation by getting in touch with me here.

I have helped many people, who were once nervous and rambling to become confident and engaging public speakers.  Giving presentations, like driving lessons, is a skill you learn so you can get somewhere... and with my help you will get there in no time.

### How To Deliver Confident Presentations… In 7 Simple Steps

7 Steps to Presentation Confidence
What do the best presenters do when they speak in public that makes them so confident and interesting?  How do professionals make it look so easy?  There are a few simple steps that they use, which can make the difference between charisma and chaos as a speaker.  By following these 7 steps you too can have far greater confidence that your presentation will go down well when you speak:
1. Know Your Stuff
Seems obvious, but the best way to sound like you know your stuff is to 'know your stuff'.  There is no substitute.  This means,

i) know your audience - who is going to be in your audience, what do they want from this, what will be most interesting to them and how much knowledge/experience do they have about your subject?

ii) know your presentation - rehearse so you are very familiar with your messages, your opener, your visual aids and your flow

iii) know the details for the day - everything from timing, other speakers, audio/visual facilities to where to park and unload

(Ok so that is sort of 3 steps here - but they are all about knowing your stuff so you can feel prepared on the day).
2. What To Do Immediately Before Speaking
On the day, you want to arrive with plenty of time to get set up and check everything is working. Having done this, you can spend useful time mingling with your audience to start to feel a sense of rapport with them.

If you haven't done so beforehand, confirm who is going to introduce you and check they have your details.  If there is a last minute change to plan and someone else is now introducing you, have something ready for them to use as your introduction.  This should be a couple of bullet points on a card that they can read out ending with the phrase "so please join me in welcoming (your name)" - this gets people clapping as you arrive on stage, which gets the energy in the room up.
3. Start Strong
Your opening is the most important part of your presentation.  It is also when any adrenaline will be at its peak, so you need to start strong by knowing your opening lines really well.  Learn your opener so you are word perfect and fluent on what you say at the start.

Remember that you also need to warm people up in your audience.  Most people's listening faces are blank and not very warm - not because they are hostile but because that is the default expression for most audiences before you warm them up.

So, warm people up by getting them to laugh or smile at something, physically do something together or just accept that, if you are starting with a serious or sad story, the audience will be looking tense until you take them to another state.
4. Keep Things Interesting
It goes without saying that people don't enjoy sitting in dull, boring presentations.  Tell stories, use props, involve people, - remember that 10 minutes is about as long as people can sit passively listening without needing stimulation of some kind.  Also, keep your voice interesting through pauses, good pace, pitch and phrasing.
5. Keep The Connection
Having got into rapport with your audience - keep the connection through your eye contact, facial warmth and conversational interest.  Don't read when you present - either your notes or slides - as reading diminishes your impact and connection and ultimately your credibility that you 'know your stuff'.  Also, make sure you can be heard by everyone - if you are mumbling or can't be heard clearly you will lose people quickly.
6. Have Something Worth Listening To
You've done your homework on who is in the audience - so give them something that will be relevant and interesting for them to hear about.  Speak with passion and enthusiasm for your subject, have a message, a clear structure and flow to your points and try to make it memorable.
7. End Strong
The second most important part of your presentation is your ending as this is what people will remember most.  So, finish with your call to action - what you want people to do, or know, after your presentation.  As they say in journalism, don't 'bury the lead' - remind people right at the end what you most want them to know, do or think as a result of your presentation.
Like more help from Caroline?
Let me know how I can help you with your next presentation by getting in touch with me here.

I have helped many people, who were once nervous and rambling to become confident and engaging public speakers.  Giving presentations, like driving lessons, is a skill you learn so you can get somewhere... and with my help you will get there in no time.

### Are You gnitneserp? Everybody's Doing It!

gnitneserp? Are you guilty?
If you're not sure, here are the main symptoms:

 	you don't engage an audience when you give presentations
 	you can't prepare your content quickly
 	you don't get the results you want when you stand up and speak in public
 	you scare yourself about this presentation days or even weeks beforehand

What is gnitneserp?  It's 'presenting' back-to-front.  Approaching it the wrong way around.

There are many versions of it… planning content by focusing on your interests alone; or firing up powerpoint to create your presentation; or reminding yourself how nervous you get whenever you think about presenting?

And the results are usually not great.  So what can you do to start the right way round?  Here are 3 top tips:
1. Win-Win Perspectives
Be clear on why you are presenting (ie. your 'Win') but before you go any further planning what to say, take a moment to think about your audience's interests (their 'Win').  Mentally imagine you are them, sitting in your presentation… What would be a good result for them?  What would make the time spent listening to you a good use of their time?  Sretneserp don't do this step.  They just consider what they are interested in.
2. Off-line Planning
A great tip here from Steve Jobs of Apple, who always planned in analogue first before moving to the computer to create his visuals.  Before going near a powerpoint, keynote or prezi, brainstorm off-line to develop good ideas, then create your visual slides or support (and you may well find you don't want to use slides at all to really get your point across well).  Again, sretneserp don't bother to think first, they just build bullets.
3. Positive Anticipation
This is often easier said that done - but with practice this becomes a great habit to adopt.  Try to imagine your presentation going really well and (especially if you usually tend to get nervous), actually look forward to it.  I work with many clients on their nerves and the key is to manage your mental state so that you don't get overwhelmed with adrenaline.  Unlike sretneserp who only remind themselves that they will be nervous or how the presentation will go badly.

So next time you have a presentation coming up, make sure your gnitneserp is the right way around.
Like more help from Caroline?
Let me know how I can help you with your next presentation by getting in touch with me here.

I have helped many people, who were once nervous and rambling to become confident and engaging public speakers.  Giving presentations, like driving lessons, is a skill you learn so you can get somewhere... and with my help you will get there in no time.

### Why Nerves Are A Good Thing In Presentations

Presentation Skills Tips for Nervous Presenters
If you get nervous before giving a presentation, you are not alone.  Most people will experience 'performance nerves', which is a sign that something important is about to happen which causes adrenaline.

The trick is in managing your attitude so that your nerves are channelled into performance 'energy', to get you in the right state (and not a right state). I have created a simple ABC to help you before giving a presentation, based on some of the ideas I use with clients to help them to convert nerves into excitement:
1. Accept the sensations of adrenaline
When we are emotionally aroused we release adrenaline.  People who give presentations without being emotionally aroused are usually terrible presenters - as you will know if you have ever sat through a 'confident' but dull presentation.  We need energy and arousal to present well. The problem comes from our interpretation of what that adrenaline 'means'.

When you are doing anything exciting - going to the airport for a holiday, meeting a loved one you haven't seen for a long time, going on a date (and if the date goes really well the adrenaline will really peak later on) - you will get the same surge of adrenaline that you get when you present.  The difference is that you accept this adrenaline without interpreting it or giving it any negative meaning.

The raised heart beat, the tingling sensation in your chest which spreads throughout your body, the feeling of energy that makes you 'buzz' and feel physically charged, the slightly sweaty palms, the colour in your face… all of these things mean you have adrenaline - and that is all.  You are not going to die through it, you will not have a heart attack, and when you are excited you just accept these feelings.

So how come when you are about to give a presentation, if you feel 'nervous', you decide these same sensations are scary.  IT IS JUST ADRENALINE.  The key is to say to yourself "Here comes the adrenaline rush, now what will I get first? Sweaty palms? Faster, louder heart beat? Colour to my face? All three together?" and just notice what happens.  Don't let it scare you.  Just notice your physical reaction, accept it and start your presentation.  'Feel The Fear and Do It Anyway' becomes 'Feel the Adrenaline and Do It Anyway'.

It takes a bit of practice - and may feel a bit uncomfortable the first time - but you will notice that once adrenaline stops being something you fear, so does giving presentations.
2. Be Prepared
There is a saying in presenting that "the best way to sound like you know your stuff is... to know your stuff."  The most crucial part of your presentation to know is your Opener - your first words - as this is when your adrenaline will peak and this is when you need to be strongest in your delivery and confident in what you are saying.

Obviously, you need to have a good presentation ready and to have learnt it so you know it well, but the key to converting nerves into excitement is to have a well-rehearsed opening statement so you can start strong.

One other quick point about preparing is that you can also prepare physically by deep breathing to relax your face and voice; and this also takes the 'edge' off your adrenaline as you are practicing your acceptance of it.
3. Challenge your negative thoughts
As Henry Ford put it "Whether You Think You Can or Think You Can't, You're Right".  Notice what you are telling yourself about this opportunity to speak.  Is it positive?  Does it put you into a resourceful and confident frame of mind?  Chances are, if you are nervous, you will be telling yourself all the reasons you wish you didn't have to do it.

So reverse your thinking.  Here is a simple 3-step process:

i) Identify specifically what you are telling yourself about this presentation?

ii) For every negative thought, find a positive thought that could equally be true (what would your biggest supporter tell you about this?)

iii) Every time you catch yourself returning to the negative thought, remind yourself of the positive (equally true) thought and focus on this instead.

So next time you are asked to give a presentation, practice your ABC (Accept adrenaline sensations, Be well prepared, Challenge negative thinking).  Because, why shouldn't presenting be as exciting as all the other things that give you an adrenaline rush!
Like more help from Caroline?
Let me know how I can help you with your next presentation by getting in touch with me here.

I have helped many people, who were once nervous and rambling to become confident and engaging public speakers.  Giving presentations, like driving lessons, is a skill you learn so you can get somewhere... and with my help you will get there in no time.

### How To Be More Interesting In Presentations

Presentation skills tips to be more interesting
When it comes to presentation skills, people often think that nerves is the biggest barrier to successful public speaking or presenting to business groups.

But there is something even more important to your success (or otherwise) as a speaker: it is having something to say that people will find interesting to hear.

How many times have you tuned out early on in someone else’s presentation because you simply weren’t interested in what they were saying (however confidently they delivered their presentation)?

And how many presenters have had you on the edge of your seat because, despite their obvious nerves, they had something to say which you found really interesting.

The first priority of any successful presentation or public speaking should be to engage your audience so they are listening.  Get this wrong, and you can have the most brilliant message, but no one is really paying attention.
3 simple steps to help:
Step 1. Know your audience
Sounds obvious, but if you don't know, you can't plan what they will be interested in hearing about.  So do some research to identify:

- Who will be attending? What is their likely level of experience and knowledge, gender, age, sector or interests?

- Why are they there?  What are they hoping to get from your presentation?

- What will make this presentation a great use of their time?  What can you help them to achieve by attending?
Step 2. Use the '10 minute rule'
Dr John Medina (author of 'Brain Rules') advises you follow the '10 minute rule', based on his extensive research into audience attention spans.  This means you need to vary your content or delivery after 10 minutes to keep people listening.  A few ideas I use when working with clients on their presentations are:

- keep things varied by doing something different (show a video clip, tell a story or joke to get people relaxed, do a demo or use a prop)

- involve people (eg. by asking questions, getting people to do something - an exercise, show of hands, volunteer, get them reflecting on how they will use this information themselves) - this way you avoid 'telling' people (which puts the audience in a passive state which makes it easy to switch off) and make it more two-way

- make it multi-sensory - by using interesting visual aids (pictures, simple diagrams or graphs) to enhance your message

- use your voice - vary the pitch, pace, pause to create more drama to your talk
Step 3: Get passionate 
Connect with why you are excited to be presenting.  Many of my clients want to overcome nerves, so we work together to transform their nerves into excitement and the best way to do this is to have a presentation you are enthusiastic to be giving.  Try to engage your passion for your presentation by completing this sentence...
"I am excited to be giving this presentation because I want my audience to benefit from (fill in here) that they will get from my presentation.  I am also excited because it gives me a chance to achieve my outcome of (fill in here), which matters to me.
So to sum up,

 	Know Your Audience
 	Use the 10 Minute Rule
 	Get Passionate

Three essential skills to remember to make your next presentation even more interesting.

 
Like more help from Caroline?
Let me know how I can help you with your next presentation by getting in touch with me here.

I have helped many people, who were once nervous and rambling to become confident and engaging public speakers.  Giving presentations, like driving lessons, is a skill you learn so you can get somewhere... and with my help you will get there in no time.

### 'Help! I've Got A Presentation Coming Up' Book

In my short book ‘Help! I’ve Got A Presentation Coming Up’ (the ultimate guide to stress-free presenting), I have drawn on my own experience as a nervous presenter and the lessons I learned to become a more confident and engaging speaker.

One of the turning points for me was when I realised I need to stop buying in to the myth of 'the natural': you know the one, that presenters are born not made.

For many years, I would admire (or envy, really) those people who made public speaking and presenting seem effortless.  I would beat myself up for being so awful at it as I stammered and blushed my way through each important presentation.

What is covered in the book?

In the book, I cover some simple ideas and templates to save you time and worry when you have a presentation coming up.

There are 4 sections to cover everything you will need to give a powerful presentation, including:



 	How to create content quickly using a simple structure template
 	Ideas to engage your audience and get into rapport straight away
 	Exercises and practical tips to manage your nerves so they work for you on the day
 	Understand audience attention cycles and how to make things memorable for them


Click here to get your copy: https://www.lovepresenting.com/buy-the-book/
 





 

 


 

### It's Never Too Late To Conquer Your Fear Of Public Speaking

People of all ages can experience nerves when they’re in the spotlight giving a talk. If you’ve lived with a fear of public speaking for most of your life, you might think it’s too late to address the problem.

However, this isn’t true. It doesn’t matter what life stage you’re at, by signing up to presentation skills training courses, you can conquer your anxieties.

Opening doors

Once you feel more at ease talking in front of groups, all sorts of new opportunities may arise for you. For example, you may find it easier to impress your employers and to progress in your career.

Also, you might suddenly feel more comfortable in a whole range of social situations.

Getting over your worries can be an enlightening experience. You could feel like a huge weight has been lifted off your shoulders and all of a sudden the world is a more open and hopeful place.

Reducing your stress

Life is hard enough without having to go through undue worry about giving talks. By taking advantage of special courses, you stand to bring your anxiety levels down more generally. You might find everyday life at work less worrisome and feel more at ease with the world.

Bringing your stress levels down is great news not only for your mental wellbeing, but also for your physical health. Excessive anxiety is associated with a range of medical conditions, including raised blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes. It can also lower your immune system and leave you more susceptible to illness.

A time and place that suits you

There has never been a better time to address this problem. Thanks to the internet, you can learn remotely at a time and place that suits you.

You might also be interested in our Presentations Mastery online programme. This is broken up into three weekly sessions, as part of a group of seven other learners.

You can rest assured that you’ll benefit from plenty of support too.

Be proactive

The important thing is that you don’t resign yourself to the idea that you will never feel comfortable giving presentations. No matter your age, you can overcome this fear. When it comes to public speaking nerves, it is a case of carpe diem. The sooner you take action, the sooner you will be able to reap the rewards.
Like more help from Caroline?
Let me know how I can help you with your next presentation by getting in touch with me here.

I have helped many people, who were once nervous and rambling to become confident and engaging public speakers.  Giving presentations, like driving lessons, is a skill you learn so you can get somewhere... and with my help you will get there in no time.

### Presenting With Confidence Is A Simple Formula

There is a very simple formula to become a great presenter:

 
C = K + E
(C) Confidence = (K) Knowledge (knowing what to do) plus (E) Experience (practice)

Knowledge by itself will not work until you apply it.  Experience by itself will not automatically give you confidence or competence as a presenter.  You may simply live through the same nightmare every time you stand up to present.

Many poor presenters have a lot of Experience, but still don't have the knowledge about what will engage their audience.

Many presentation skills courses and training is wasted because people don't apply their learning.  They just have Knowledge.  So you need both: knowledge and experience.

 
What often stops people is fear.
People often avoid learning to present well because they have a mental block that it is something they can’t do.  They are not a ‘natural’ like so many other presenters they meet, who do it effortlessly well.

This is simply not true.  Most ‘naturals’ have learnt to do this.  They have learnt through starting with knowledge about how to engage, involve and manage their audience as a presenter and then they apply the knowledge.  Their first attempts are usually not great, but within a short time they can do it well.

So don’t let fear or the belief that you are not a natural hold you back – because you can learn to do this very well, in a fairly short period of time with a bit of practice.  And then it is a skill you will keep forever.  Like all the other ‘naturals’.

 
Like more help from Caroline?
Let me know how I can help you with your next presentation by getting in touch with me here.

I have helped many people, who were once nervous and rambling to become confident and engaging public speakers.  Giving presentations, like driving lessons, is a skill you learn so you can get somewhere... and with my help you will get there in no time.

### What Makes Public Speaking Scary?

If you dread standing up in front of a group of people and delivering a presentation, you’re by no means alone. Almost everyone feels some level of nerves when they are in the spotlight like this and many people feel considerable fear.

If you’re not careful, your wariness of giving talks could hinder your professional and personal lives, and raise your stress levels. To combat this, you can make the most of presentation training courses.

Biggest fears

Writing on the subject of the fear of public speaking on Business 2 Community recently, Lisa Swan said: “There’s an old piece of advice regarding public speaking - those onstage should get over their nervousness by imagining the audience naked. But unfortunately, many would-be public speakers are the ones who really end up feeling exposed.

“Being afraid of public speaking is one of the biggest fears people have. Some people who have no fear about blathering on and on to their friends suddenly clam up when scheduled to say a few words in public.”

Afraid of making a mistake

According to another writer, one of the reasons why people are often averse to giving presentations is because they are worried they will make a mistake.

About this, she remarked: “People are terrified of making some sort of mistake, whether it be saying the wrong word or phrase, stumbling over their words, or even cursing without realising it until it is too late. They also get nervous and worry they will have some pregnant pause where they can’t remember what to say next, and flop onstage.”

Errors like this can put speakers off and prevent them from getting through their material.

Going viral

Another factor that may serve to increase people’s anxiety concerns the phenomenon of internet uploads.

Lisa Swan remarked: “It used to be that most mistakes a public speaker could make would easily be forgotten, as long as the speaker handled it with aplomb. These days, though, with phone video cameras everywhere, a person making a bad mistake speaking could be filmed and end up becoming a viral sensation, with thousands or even millions sharing their humiliation.”

The sound of your own voice

Some individuals are deterred from getting up and speaking in front of audiences because they don’t like the sound of their own voices, the writer went on to suggest.

She stated: “A cliché about those who like to talk a lot is that they love the sound of their own voice. Well, many would-be public speakers don’t like the sound of their own voices. Or they may like the way they sound in normal conversation, but they speak too fast or too slow when speaking in public, or too loudly or too softly.”

Taking action

Rather than letting your fears continue to have a negative impact on your life, it might be time to take action. To find out about our presentation courses Manchester and presentation skills courses Chester, just take a look around the rest of our website or get in touch.
Like more help from Caroline?
Let me know how I can help you with your next presentation by getting in touch with me here.

I have helped many people, who were once nervous and rambling to become confident and engaging public speakers.  Giving presentations, like driving lessons, is a skill you learn so you can get somewhere... and with my help you will get there in no time.

### Presenting Badly Can Be A Killer Disadvantage

You may have heard about a book that was written by McKinseys called ‘The Killer Mind’ which was published by the management consultancy back in 2001.

Presentation skill was described as ‘the killer skill we take into the real world.  It gives us an almost unfair advantage’.  We would all agree that this is often true, but what about the reverse situation, when people present… but don’t do it well?

Last week, I was invited to be part of an event where we heard two presentations.  The first presenter was not good.  She clung to her lectern, turned her back on her audience and read her slides out for us.  As a former incredibly nervous presenter – I felt huge sympathy and compassion for her situation – but she was representing a big law firm and did no credit to them or herself with her performance.  It was a very dull 15 minutes and I remember nothing except for the mental ‘to do’ list that I was thinking about as she spoke.  It sounds damning – but that was probably what everyone else in the audience was also doing instead of listening.

The next presenter was fantastic.  She had great content to share with us, she stepped out onto the platform with energy and started with a question that immediately got us listening.  By the end of her 15 minutes, she had a small crowd around her wanting to find out how they could buy her workshop or employ her services for their business.

I experience this all the time – business presentations that we sit through out of politeness without any benefit to the speaker – and it often comes down to either nerves or lack of knowledge about how to do it well.

Presenting well is a skill which we can learn.  Few people are natural at it.  Like any skill, learning it comes down to having a bit of knowledge, the right level of practice and ongoing experience.  It is so worthwhile... because once you learn to love presenting, you will have the 'unfair advantage' forever.
Like more help from Caroline?
Let me know how I can help you with your next presentation by getting in touch with me here.

I have helped many people, who were once nervous and rambling to become confident and engaging public speakers.  Giving presentations, like driving lessons, is a skill you learn so you can get somewhere... and with my help you will get there in no time.

### Presentation Tips; Presenting At Short Notice - 5 Golden Rules

5 Tips for presenting at short notice.
If you have to give a presentation at short notice the following tips will help you:

1. Don’t Panic! (but do prepare).

The essential preparation you absolutely need to do to be able to present well (even at short notice) is:

 	create a simple structure based on your key messages which is easy to remember
 	familiarise yourself with your words, stories and flow
 	check you have all the details you need (time and place, timing for your slot, audio/visual support requirements, other speakers, audience profile)

2. Focus on your outcome.

Why are you doing this?  What will a good result be for you and the audience?  Why are you excited about what you will be presenting?  What makes you feel passionate about this subject or message?

When you start to feel apprehension, remind yourself of the outcome you want to create by giving this presentation, for you and your audience.  How will listening to you benefit them?  What can you share that will make a positive difference to their lives?

3. Keep it Simple.

Your audience will be grateful if you keep it short, simple and relevant to them.  You need to decide on your central message, 3 key points that support your message and a powerful opening and close.  Simple.  Easy to learn, easy to remember (for you and the audience).

4. Make it Memorable  

You can add interest to your simple structure through examples and stories that demonstrate your message in action, statistics or facts which add credibility, and memorable props that will help people to remember your message.

5. Manage your State

Before your presentation, you need to get in the right mental state and feel energised about your opportunity to stand up and speak.

Challenge any negative thoughts you are having by finding corresponding thoughts that are more resourceful for you to be thinking and set up a good experience.  For each negative thought, ask yourself 'What is the more positive thought that I could focus on (that could also happen)?'.  Thinking about what you want to happen is more likely to reassure you and set you up for a good experience than focusing on undesirable outcomes.
Like more help from Caroline?
Let me know how I can help you with your next presentation by getting in touch with me here.

I have helped many people, who were once nervous and rambling to become confident and engaging public speakers.  Giving presentations, like driving lessons, is a skill you learn so you can get somewhere... and with my help you will get there in no time.

### Treat Your Presentations As If You Paid For Them

If you had to pay to give presentations (like ad space), would you be satisfied with your Return On Investment?
I spend a lot of my time sitting in presentations and one thing I notice again and again is how little thought goes in to 'crafting' a good message that delivers a clear call to action.

It's as if our measure of success for giving a presentation is that we filled the time, delivered our slides and (for nervous presenters) ...we didn't die!

But imagine how it would be if we had the same approach to our advertising.

Imagine if you had an ad agency who gave you a long, rambling, dull advert which simply filled the page or 30 seconds TV/radio slot.   Would you be happy?  Would you consider it a good result, because they filled the space.

Because this is what we are often doing when we present.  We fill the time and consider the job done.

My challenge to you is to set the bar higher.  Next time you have a presentation to make, think about what you want the audience to do as a result.  Be clear on your message - keep it to the simplest message possible - and tell your audience how this affects them  (and what they can do about it after your talk).

Don't just deliver boring bullet points on your slides, bring your slides to life.  Set yourself the challenge of having no bullet points - just headlines that make a point and interesting visuals that illustrate your point (charts, pictures, cartoons... whatever works best to make an impact for your headline). I guarantee you will get better results.

Your audience will thank you for it... because none of us want to sit through rambling, boring time-fillers.  Your audience is  just being polite by facing the front for so long (they learnt how to do it at school!), but mentally they turned the page.

Have a go...  Think about a presentation you have coming up (or even one you have already delivered).  Ask yourself:

1. What is my core message?  If I only had a minute to speak, what would I want the audience to know or do?

2. Who is my audience?  Where are they now?  Where do they want to be?  How can my message help them get there?

3. What can I present that will really bring this message to life and have the most impact on them?  (think props, pictures, audience involvement - NOT bullet points on endless slides).
Like more help from Caroline?
Let me know how I can help you with your next presentation by getting in touch with me here.

I have helped many people, who were once nervous and rambling to become confident and engaging public speakers.  Giving presentations, like driving lessons, is a skill you learn so you can get somewhere... and with my help you will get there in no time.

### Presentations - The "Killer Skill"

"Presentation is the killer skill we take into the real world.  It gives us an almost unfair advantage"
This quote, taken from the McKinsey Mind, has never been more relevant, especially if we are serious about achieving our business aims, our career goals and building our personal confidence.

There are some great presenters out there, giving killer presentations... but some are badly misfiring.

People talk of 'death by powerpoint' - but sit through a really dull presentation and death starts to become an appealing option.

 

But why?  Why are people still giving poor presentations?

I think it comes down to 3 'N's:

                     Nerves

                 (k)Nowledge

                      Nuff time  

 (if the '3 R's have been allowed to get away with 'wRiting' for so long, I plead the same right to abuse phonetics).

Nerves create 2 kinds of ineffective presenter: those people whose presentations are affected by nerves (and this group has my greatest sympathy, as a former nervous wreck on the podium); and those people whose absence of nerves causes them to think they are good presenters who don't need to improve (and these are often the really dull presentations).

Knowledge is the absolute key though.  Knowledge can help you to understand exactly how to create interesting content, how to practice so you know your stuff and how to deliver with impact and charisma.  Knowledge also can solve the issue of having 'nuff time - because when you know how to prepare well, where to go for good visuals and props, how to create a simple structure to your talk, then you will be able to do it all far more quickly.

Knowledge is also the starting point for confidence.  When we have knowledge and start to layer on experience, we set an upward spiral of confidence in motion: we learn - we apply our learning (by presenting) - we survive the experience and decide to have another go - we present again - we learn more with each presentation - our confidence soars.

So, the secret for you is to get the knowledge first.  The rest (managing nerves and time) will be resolved when you have knowledge.

Which means you can start to develop your unfair advantage... your killer skill... your love of presenting.
Like more help from Caroline?
Let me know how I can help you with your next presentation by getting in touch with me here.

I have helped many people, who were once nervous and rambling to become confident and engaging public speakers.  Giving presentations, like driving lessons, is a skill you learn so you can get somewhere... and with my help you will get there in no time.

### The Power Of "YOU" In Presentations

'You' is one of the most persuasive words in the English language and no one understands this more than Barack Obama.

As one delegate at a rally commented "I just never heard anybody speak like him before... it's like he's talking to you and not a crowd".

Early in his campaign for presidency the New Yorker magazine did a piece about his campaign strategy: 

Obama now tries to make a more personal connection with his voters.  In the past he has been accused of making his campaign more about himself than about those who come to his rallies.  Now the word YOU is mentioned as much as the word I.  

He has learnt the power of 'you' in really connecting with his audience... and so can you.

The secret for you is to involve your audiences by finding as many opportunities as you can to incorporate ‘you’ whenever you stand up to present.

This will change how you phrase things and also encourage you to ask more questions of your audience.  Most importantly though, it will keep the focus on your audience when you prepare what you plan to say.  It will help you to give a presentation that answers the most fundamental question for your audience as you speak: 'What's In It For You?'
Like more help from Caroline?
Let me know how I can help you with your next presentation by getting in touch with me here.

I have helped many people, who were once nervous and rambling to become confident and engaging public speakers.  Giving presentations, like driving lessons, is a skill you learn so you can get somewhere... and with my help you will get there in no time.

### The Comfort Zone Paradox Of Presenting

Jerry Weissman, the coach & author, coined the phrase the ‘comfort zone paradox’ to describe a fundamental truth of presenting.  Put simply, what feels wrong, looks right (and what feels right, looks wrong).

While this is a useful tip to remember, it is also really hard to do – particularly if you are nervous, when you are most likely to revert to instinctive body language and cling to yourself for comfort!

The key thing to remember is that a confident posture – as the audience perceives it – is one that expresses openness... open chest, open arms, open palms... this is what conveys authenticity and credibility.

The problem is that what feels better, or ‘natural’, is to clasp our hands together, clutch our body somewhere and even round our shoulders.  (If we could, we would probably go fully foetal!)

So you have to try and remember the paradox.  What feels wrong, looks right.

You have to try (despite your better instincts) to open your body – even when your adrenaline is pumping at full pelt and wants you to go into some strange yoga contortion – and stand tall.  Think open.  Think palms.  Think tall... and remember the paradox.  If it feels wrong, it probably looks right!
Like more help from Caroline?
Let me know how I can help you with your next presentation by getting in touch with me here.

I have helped many people, who were once nervous and rambling to become confident and engaging public speakers.  Giving presentations, like driving lessons, is a skill you learn so you can get somewhere... and with my help you will get there in no time.

### How Sticky Are Your Presentations?

Sticky content – the foundation of great presenting...

Many people believe that their nerves prevent them from presenting well.  One question I sometimes ask my clients is "how would you be different as a presenter if you could guarantee you wouldn’t be nervous?"  You would be calm, but would you be interesting or memorable?  What would make you sticky?

In their fantastic book, ‘Made to Stick’, Chip and Dan Heath identify the 6 factors that make ideas (and presentation messages) ‘sticky’, which means they are understandable, memorable and effective in changing an audience's thoughts or behaviour. The 6 guiding principles are based on SUCCES:

Simple - based on a clear core message
Unexpected - to get and hold the audience’s attention
Concrete - so that people will understand and remember
Credible - to help people believe the message
Emotional - so that people care and will fully engage with the message
Stories - use stories to encourage, inspire and direct action

In my experience, interesting content trumps good delivery every time. If the message is clear, relevant and most important of all – I understand the benefit to me by listening - the delivery can be second-rate and the presentation will still achieve good results.

Obviously, the ideal is to have great content AND great delivery but so often people neglect the quality of their content because they are fixated on their performance in delivering it well.

Another advantage of creating powerful content is that you are far more likely to feel excited about telling your audience. (I try to get my clients to get to the point where they are so excited about their message that they can’t wait to present it. Nerves? What nerves?)

So next time you are about to give a presentation, stop and check you are being sticky enough...  it will make all the difference.
Like more help from Caroline?
Let me know how I can help you with your next presentation by getting in touch with me here.

I have helped many people, who were once nervous and rambling to become confident and engaging public speakers.  Giving presentations, like driving lessons, is a skill you learn so you can get somewhere... and with my help you will get there in no time.


## Pages

### Speaking From The Heart

I hope you enjoy my 'Speaking From The Heart' newsletter, which will be landing in your inbox each month with tips and ideas to help you when you give presentations.

Let me know if I can be of any further help to you at any time with coaching or training - especially when you have an important presentation coming up that we can work on together, so you can feel confident and shine on the day.

Best wishes

Caroline Hopkins
Tel: 01925 393155
caroline@lovepresenting.com

### Improve Presentation Skills Online Training



### How To Love Presenting Online

How to give winning pitches & presentations online 
Presenting online can have its own particular challenges - how to engage people so they keep listening, how to convey a confident & competent image, how to handle the tech while also focusing on your content.
We are likely to be presenting online for some time to come.  You can learn how to give winning presentations via zoom, Skype or MS Teams that will help you get great results online.
Working 1-1 with Caroline, you will feel confident and experienced at running meetings and presentations online.
There are 4 key areas we will cover:

 	
Setting up your online space (lighting, camera, sound, backgrounds)

 	
Using online tools to interact and involve your audience - how to create an engaging talk or session for your team

 	
Preparing for online presentations - using slides, learning your talk, managing your nerves

 	
Delivering online – understanding how to present your content; applying all the ideas we have covered as we go through the session



By the end of the session you will feel very confident about speaking and presenting online.
Please contact us if you have any questions about any aspects of this programme or would like to arrange training for an in-house group.

### About Caroline Hopkins

About Caroline Hopkins

### Wedding speeches

Giving a speech at a wedding can be a daunting experience.  You want to get the right balance of entertaining your audience, honouring the bride and groom and feeling confident that you came over well.
I can help you to prepare, rehearse and deliver a confident speech that you feel proud to have given. In a couple of sessions, you will feel far more prepared and excited about the Big Day.

### Conference speeches

Conference speeches can be a nerve wracking experience - but it doesn't have to be!
Speaking at a conference, industry event or company away day is a great opportunity to shine in a large group, but for many people it is also very daunting.  I can help you to prepare, rehearse and deliver a great presentation that you will feel excited to present rather than anxious.
When there is a lot riding on the outcome, one to one coaching will give you extra confidence that you are going to do a great job.

### Sales pitches

Training to supercharge your sales pitches.
Your sales pitches are often what it all comes down to - when it's just you and the client in the room (or on the Zoom call).  If you have an important sales pitch coming up, I can help you to prepare, rehearse and deliver a winning presentation - either with 1-1 coaching or you may want to run an in-house workshop for a small group.
Your pitch needs to effectively articulate the needs of your customer's, demonstrate your understanding of the issues and explain how you are the best solution to meeting their needs.  I can help you to increase your success rate at pitching by a few simple changes to how you present on the day to feel confident and win over your audience.

### TED Style Talk Coaching

Ted Style Talk Coaching with an award-winning presentation skills coach.
Your TED style talk or important conference is on the horizon. How do you guarantee you will get it right? With live speaking you only get one chance.  I can work with you to really nail the content, rehearse the delivery so that you feel confident, excited and inspired about giving your talk.
 Work with me so you don't dread, but instead look forward to your talk and actually enjoy giving it.  I have a tried and tested formula that guarantees you will perform on the day.
 

### In-house Workshop

The In-house workshop can be delivered face to face at your premises or via Zoom. The programme gives your team the skills to give powerful, effective and interesting presentations time and time again.
For a small group (up to 12 people), we can run the Presentation Mastery programme in-house. Over three sessions your team will acquire new skills to deliver polished presentations.
Please contact us to find out more.

### Speak At Your Event

Book me to speak at your event. I was a former nervous wreck and now I specialising in helping people through a three step process that is guaranteed to work.
If you are hosting an online summit or conference, I can run an interactive workshop, deliver a keynote or facilitate a session.
Please contact us on 01925 393155 or email: caroline@lovepresenting.com to discuss your specific needs so we can tailor something just for you.
Let's talk.

### Lunch & Learn Online

A Lunch & Learn Online session is the most convenient way to learn new skills.
A variety of sessions create the opportunity to share ideas and skills across you entire organisation with the maximum convenience as there is no travel or time taken up getting to the session.
We can tailor something to your specific needs, or I can run one of my keynote talks as a lunch and learn.
Please contact us on 01925 393155 or email: caroline@lovepresenting.com to discuss your specific needs so we can tailor something just for you.
Let's talk or get in touch here.

### Presentation Masterclasses

The Presentation Skills Masterclass  is a shorter version of the Presentation Mastery programme. Condensed into a single masterclass to boost an entire team's confidence in presentation tactics without leaving the office (or home!).
Masterclass sessions can be created to meet your specific needs and give you the opportunity to address presentation gaps across you entire organisation with the maximum convenience as there is no travel or time taken up getting to the session.
Please contact us at caroline@lovepresenting.com to discuss your specific Presentation Masterclasses needs so we can tailor something just for you.
Let's talk.

### Presentation Skills Training Manchester



### Public Speaking Courses in Liverpool & Online



### Book to Speak



### 1-to-1 Coaching Online



### Presentation Mastery Online Programme



### Buy The Book by Caroline Hopkins

Buy the book Caroline Hopkins' Book on Amazon.
Help! I've Got A Presentation Coming Up is the ultimate guide to stress-free presenting. By the end of this short book, you will have everything you need to prepare, rehearse and deliver a great presentation that gets results. It is the perfect guide for anyone who needs to give business presentations or speak in public and wants to gain more confidence and audience engagement.

### Site Map

As a leading presentation skills coach, Caroline is the North West Regional winner of the Professional Speakers Association Speaker Factor' competition 2020. Welcome to LovePresenting.

 




1-to-1 Coaching Online
About Caroline Hopkins
Book to Speak
Buy The Book by Caroline Hopkins
Conference speeches
Contact Us
Cookies & Privacy Policy
Help! I’ve Got An Important Presentation Coming Up
How To Love Presenting Online
Improve Presentation Skills Online Training
In-house Workshop
Lunch & Learn Online
Presentation Masterclasses
Presentation Mastery Online Programme
Presentation Skills Training Manchester
Public Speaking Courses in Liverpool & Online
Sales pitches
Site Map
Speak At Your Event
Speaking From The Heart
TED Style Talk Coaching
Terms & Conditions
Wedding speeches

### Terms & Conditions



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### Contact Us

To find out more about how we can meet your presentation needs, please fill in the contact form below with a brief message about your specific situation and we will come back to you to arrange an initial session, to find out more. Further details about the Presentation Mastery skills training programme can be found here or you can buy Caroline's book directly on Amazon by clicking here.

Caroline is an E-certified member of the Professional Speakers Association.

### Help! I've Got An Important Presentation Coming Up

What if everyone in your organisation loved presenting?  
We can help.  Caroline Hopkins is a leading public speaking coach and trainer who can come into your organisation to speak at your event, run a workshop or masterclass to transform the quality of people's public speaking skills, or help you with 1-1 Coaching for your next big presentation or sales pitch. Invest in yourself and choose to work with a  published author  and the Past Winner of the Professional Speakers Association NW Speaker Factor competition.