Stage fright. Glossophobia. Those pesky little butterflies in your stomach.

They all mean the same thing for a majority of individuals: public speaking can be a dreaded task.

We’ve compiled a brief list of tips that can help keep your heart rate at a steady pace and the sweaty palms to a minimum… giving you the freedom to rock your next presentation! Your audience will be holding up their lighters and asking for an encore in no time. 

If you’d like more personalized SquarePlanet wisdom to really learn the in’s and out’s of giving an effective presentation (alongside an air guitar session and some killer tunes), join us on October 14th at our Chicago Ideas Week Lab: School of Rock (Your Presentation)!  Tickets are available here.

Until then, here are 6 quick tips to rock your next presentation:

1. Practice, practice, practice

Like riding a bike, learning to play an instrument, or speaking a new language, understanding how to effectively present and engage your audience  simply takes practice.

2. Don’t just read. Tell a story

And a lot of them. Reading from your Power Point, off your notecards, or even monotonously reciting a word for word monologue bores the audience. If you don’t have their attention, then what’s the point? (HINT: there isn’t one). Stories enhance your presentation because they have the ability to not only unite your audience, but captivate them. Don’t just be a speaker… be a storyteller. 

3. Synthesize

The most important part of your presentation? The content. Take a moment to establish the most important part of your presentation. Think of it as a thesis statement for your presentation. What do you want your audience to take away from what you’ve told them? 

4. Don’t overkill facts

Sometimes, one amazingly powerful statistic will awe your audience. However, a number overload has the ability to overwhelm and confuse everyone in the room. Make sure every statistic you put into your presentation has a purpose – and that it entertains, awes and intrigues. Not one that muddles or bores.

5. Have a conversation

When developing your content, rehearsing your presentation or giving your speech, imagine that you’re at the dinner table or in a coffee shop. Not only will this put you at ease but it will make your audience more relaxed, too. In the words of the Head Honcho and Chief Word Guy Brian here at SquarePlanet, “this is not a monologue, this is a dialogue.”

6. Have fun!

Giving a presentation means you have a truly unique opportunity to connect with a group of people. At SquarePlanet Presentations and Strategies we believe you should maximize opportunities when they come knocking, and we want to help you do just that. Our School of Rock (Your Presentation)! will show you how to tackle the nitty gritty of public speaking while enjoying it along the way.