You're facing a high-stakes client presentation. How can you keep your nerves in check?
High-stakes presentations can rattle even the most seasoned professionals. To deliver with confidence:
- Practice your delivery to build familiarity with the material and reduce anxiety.
- Focus on breathing techniques to maintain composure under pressure.
- Visualize success to boost self-assurance and positive thinking.
What strategies work for you when the stakes are high?
You're facing a high-stakes client presentation. How can you keep your nerves in check?
High-stakes presentations can rattle even the most seasoned professionals. To deliver with confidence:
- Practice your delivery to build familiarity with the material and reduce anxiety.
- Focus on breathing techniques to maintain composure under pressure.
- Visualize success to boost self-assurance and positive thinking.
What strategies work for you when the stakes are high?
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To stay composed during a high-stakes client presentation: Prepare thoroughly to boost confidence. Rehearse your delivery to feel more comfortable with the material. Focus on the audience and delivering value instead of self-consciousness. Use calming techniques like deep breathing or visualization. Pace your speech for clarity and control. Confidence grows with preparation and practice, ensuring a poised and professional presentation.
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For high stakes, nerves are inevitable, but one can keep the nerves in check by: 1. Prepare adequately on the content/information to deliver. 2. Be knowledgeable on the product/topic. This will ensure that the person will comfortably answer any unexpected questions. 3. Practical and practice again on how to deliver the content
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To stay calm during a high-stakes client presentation: 1. **Prepare thoroughly**: Know your material inside out. 2. **Practice**: Rehearse in front of a mirror or trusted colleagues. 3. **Control your breathing**: Deep, steady breaths reduce anxiety. 4. **Focus on the audience**: Shift your attention to engaging them, not your nerves. 5. **Visualize success**: Picture yourself delivering confidently. Confidence grows with preparation and a positive mindset.
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1. Know Your Material: Spend time understanding your content so well that it feels second nature. This gives you the confidence to adapt on the spot. 2. Rehearse Your Style: Practice in a way that feels natural to you. Whether it’s speaking to a mirror or running it by a friend, find what works best for your comfort. 3. Ground Yourself: Before starting, take a moment to breathe deeply and remind yourself why you’re the right person to deliver this. 4. Visualize the Client’s Success: Imagine them understanding and benefiting from your ideas—it’ll shift the focus away from self-doubt. 5. Build a Connection: Smile, make eye contact, and remember they’re human too. Treat it as a conversation, not a performance.
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You’ve probably heard people say: shift fear to excitement. But how exactly do you do that? One thing that helps me every single time is when I pause and ask myself “Why am I nervous?” Each time the reason is about me (e.g. I could lose an opportunity to sell, I might be perceived as incompetent, etc.) I catch myself and shift my attention to the audience. I then move on to ask “How do I make it about them?” That unlocks my excitement because that way I connect with things like “They will learn x, y and z” or “They will see my perspective which they probably haven’t thought of.” When I think that I have something of value to offer, and put it at the service of others (not me), I feel much more confident and flow with the presentation.
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