Have you been in this situation before? You’re doing an English presentation and you look at your audience – all you can see is people with very serious faces or blank expressions! This makes you nervous because you think that you’re not giving a good presentation. These negative faces can make you doubt yourself and they can negatively affect your presentation. Today, I want to give you some useful tips to help you overcome this problem.
Solution
The solution to this challenge is simple but very effective: don’t look at those people! Instead, pay attention to the people who are smiling at you! By looking at the happy faces – the people supporting you – you can give your confidence a boost and you will be able to give a better presentation.
When you see people who are interested and smiling, it gives you instant, positive feedback. This positive energy can help you relax and feel more comfortable in front of your audience.
Step-by-Step Strategy
So, what’s the strategy? Well, in the first minute or two of your presentation, look around your audience and try to find friendly faces. If you see a serious or grumpy face, that’s OK – don’t look at them again! In your mind, put a big X over their face!
During your presentation, keep returning to the smiling faces – your little group of fans! Look at each of them for a few seconds and then move to the next one. If you look at the same person for too long, it can be uncomfortable for them. Even 5 seconds is a lot for some people!
As you look around at the positive faces, use their energy to help you stay confident and strong during your presentation.
Things to Remember
This technique will only help you if you have thoroughly prepared your presentation! Make sure that you do the work and practice your presentation many times before the presentation day!
Also, remember that everyone’s faces are different. You might see a neutral or serious face in your audience but that doesn’t mean that they are not enjoying your presentation – they might just be listening carefully and thinking about what you are saying.
Summary
To sum up, when you’re giving an English presentation, don’t let the unhappy faces affect your confidence. Focus on the smiles and support in your audience to help you do your best. Remember, you have done the hard work and you know that you have a great presentation.
And the next time you are watching a presentation, try to encourage the presenter by smiling and nodding your head! It will give them the confidence to keep going and to give a great presentation!
Next Step
Thank you for reading! If you found this helpful, don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel for more useful English language advice and my Podcast for regular English listening practice. Don’t forget to leave a comment below sharing your experiences of giving presentations in English.