Preparing yourself
Be prepared. Before you speak, prepare what you are going to say and talk about prior to the presentation. If you are doing an oral presentation and you are not allowed to take a paper with you when you speak, do not memorize what you have to say. You may find yourself concentrating more on whether you are saying the right words than saying the words clearly and loudly. Instead of memorizing what you are going to say, get an overall view of the topic and go over it to remember the general tenor and contents rather than exact words. Remember the main focus, the important topic points and practice talking about these without a script.
Go over the talk you are to give. Practice delivering the talk as much as possible. If you are struggling to pronounce a word, or you keep forgetting to hit on a specific topic, then focus on that aspect, so that you do not forget it and will be able to speak to those areas of concern perfectly.
Giving the presentation
Once it is time to actually speak and use your voice skills, relax. It sounds silly to make yourself chill out when you are just about to talk in front of people, but being relaxed will help the most. Stay relaxed when you are talking, and act as if you are just having a friendly conversation with a friend. Or, if about 20 eyes are on you and you feel like it is impossible to make your speech seem intimate, picture every person in the audience as your friend. Don't picture the audience in their underwear. While funny in a movie, it's not helpful in real life, as it can distract you from getting on with the talk in a sensible and clear manner. Moreover, it won't actually reassure you and may cause you to laugh inappropriately or simply forget what you're there for.
Bear in mind that confident presentation is all about your attitude. If you are relaxed and confident, you will speak perfectly. On the other hand, if you are slouching, nervous and worried about the presentation, this will show in your performance and can cause you to stutter and blank out. Try the following things to help you overcome the jitters: Project your voice to the back of the audience. Enunciate the words so that you can be heard clearly; this will alleviate any tendency to mumble. Talk at a moderate speed; talking too fast increases nerves, makes it hard to understand what you're saying and adds to the impression of nervousness, while talking too slowly will sound odd. Look at the audience as you are speaking. This connection helps to make those watching and listening feel like you are involving them in the presentation. Maintain good posture. Not only does this look good but it helps you to breathe better, feel better and will help you to project your words with greater clarity. No slouching; you can't hide once you're up in front of people!
Keep in mind that most of the time the audience is on your side and wants to hear what you have to say. Stay still and focused. It is awkward for audience members having to watch somebody who is constantly shuffling their feet or swaying their arms; they will feel embarrassed empathy for you rather than being intrigued by what you have to say.
If you have prepared, tried your best and remembered the major speaking skills, then you will be ready. Most of all, do not worry. Speaking in front of others is much easier than you think when you're prepared and you're willing to apply the basic skills of good speaking. You will do not do just okay... you will do brilliantly!
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