Are you interested in learning how to speak in public?

Do you want to know what it takes to get on stages like TED and share your insights and expertise?

Public speaking is one of the most important skills you must learn if you want to succeed in college or your career.

Giving an oral presentation can be a difficult experience. The task ahead will be made easier with careful planning and preparation. Proper preparation is vital to conducting a successful presentation. Preparation for a presentation includes creating a well thought presentation, practicing the presentation, and preparing for possible complications during the presentation.

In this course, we are going to cover the following:

Preparing for a presentation is vital to achieving a successful event. Before beginning the task, it is important to know what message you are trying to achieve with the presentation, such as information, inspiration, or a point of view. Paying special attention to the audience that will view the presentation is important to proper preparation. Determine their background of knowledge to the topic being discussed, their interest level, and their involvement in the presentation.

When preparing for a presentation, researching the topic is included in the process. This can be done using a number of resources online, in a library, or conducting interviews. "The speech that will be given during the presentation should be written, beginning with an outline, then creating a rough draft, and finally creating the final draft" suggests Dan Smith of KeynoteSpeakers.info, a leading professional speakers agency.

Before giving an oral presentation, preparing visuals for the event will help the presentation flow smoothly. People enjoy visual aids. Visual aids allow the audience to better understand what they are hearing. Determine at what point during the presentation the visual aids will be used and what forms of visual aids will be used.

Practicing for the presentation will help you prepare for the event. There are many preparation tips that can be used to help prepare. Practicing the presentation in front of a mirror can give visual help when practicing body language and personal appearance for the presentation. "Practicing the presentation in front of a friend will offer feedback and suggestions to help make the event a success" suggests John Rogan of MotivationalSpeakerz.com, a manager of a professional speaker agency.

There are numerous forms of visual aids that can be used during an oral presentation to capture the audience's attention. Visual aids can com in the form of handouts, pictures and illustrations, PowerPoint presentations, and videos. When using visual aids for a presentation, properly planning of when they will be used through out the event is important.

During a presentation, is it vital to remain calm and smile no matter how anxious you might be about the experience. Maintaining a relaxed composure will help portray a positive atmosphere, allowing the audience to remain confident with the information they are receiving. Practicing deep breathing during the presentation will help calm nerves and keep anxiety under control. "When people become anxious they tend to talk quickly with a shaky tone, breathing deeply will help control this" suggests Sean Adams of Motivation Ping.

Using body language through out the presentation will help convey the message the presentation is trying to portray. Simple hand gestures or facial expressions will help the audience remain engaged with what they are hearing. Walking slowly in front of the presentation area will keep the audiences eyes focused on the person speaking.

During the presentation, the audience is likely to have questions about the information they are receiving. Have the audience refrain from asking their questions until certain points through out the presentation. It will save time because many of the questions will be answered if they listen for a few more minutes. When preparing for the presentation, anticipate certain questions that will be asked. This will help prepare for how to answer them correctly.

Following proper preparation tips are vital to achieve a successful presentation. Practicing the presentation will help prepare for the presentation, allowing it to run smoothly. Visual aids are great to use to help the audience better understand the information they are being given.