Be prepared and practice         

The day of your presentation should not be your first time running through the material. Practice on your family and friends to build your confidence.

Know your introduction well

By the time you get past the first few minutes, your body will realize you don’t need to be ready to fight or flee and the adrenaline rush will subside.

You are sharing information, not performing    

Your audience wants you to succeed and is interested in what you have to say.

Know your audience

Anticipate who will be listening to you and pitch your material accordingly. This will keep them interested and attentive throughout your presentation.

Breathe deeply and drink lots of water

An increased heart-rate, heavy breathing, sweating and an upset stomach can dehydrate you quickly. Control these responses by replenishing lost fluids, but be sure you don’t drink too much water right before the presentation. Avoid caffeine, as it actually can make your symptoms worse.

Eat a banana

Bananas contain potassium which is an excellent mineral for helping to control muscle tremors and an upset stomach.

Know your facilities and arrive early    

Eliminate as many of the unknown elements as possible. Get comfortable in the room, familiarise yourself with the equipment and take a minute to take a few deep breaths after you set up and before you begin.

Have a backup plan

Part of keeping calm involves planning for the unexpected. Bring a print out of the PowerPoint to use on the visualiser or have a back-up plan if something goes wrong with the equipment.

Use personal stories to get things started

Identifying with your audience will help you relax.

Focus on your audience and your topic, not yourself         

Get your mind off your nerves by thinking of making your audience comfortable. Greet them as they enter the room. Chat with them and get to know who they are.

Ignore mistakes and do not apologise

You are the only one who knows what you planned to do or say. For the most part, until you point it out, your listeners won’t know you made a mistake.

Remember that most of your symptoms don't show

Nobody can see your stomach doing flip-flops.

Use your nervousness to generate enthusiasm and energy           

Adrenaline can give you the rush of energy you need to give an engaging and energetic presentation. Channel that energy to add inflection to your voice and move around the room.

Rationalize your fears  

If you find your nerves difficult to control, try making a list of your fears and consider whether they are rational. You can then find strategies to overcome what you are afraid of.

Try positive self-suggestion    

Visualize yourself giving a great presentation. Concentrate on what you have done well in preparing for your presentation.

Get feedback from a trusted person

Invite someone you know and trust to the presentation. Not only do you have a friendly face in the room, but you can also ask them for feedback. Get them to tell you three things to keep and three things to improve for next time.