Peter lunn reveals the art of presenting

Most of us will have to get up and make a speech at some time in our career -  whether it's saying goodbye to a departing team member, holding a training seminar or making a presentation - and yet appearing in front of an audience isn't a skill that comes naturally to everyone.

There are, however, techniques that can help overcome the fear of public speaking. Peter Lunn, the hair industry's inspirational business coach, gives some pointers which can help improve your public speaking.

• Preparing
  
  Keep the structure simple: a short, punchy opening, a middle section that makes three main points, and a strong ending. This structure is easy to remember and helps to keep you, and those listening, on track.



• Double trouble
  
  Fear of failure, combined with a fear of rejection, can make public speaking a terrifying experience. Everyone in hairdressing needs to be able to present to some degree, even if it's carrying out client consultations or holding team meetings. If you can improve your presentation skills you will increase your power of influence. These skills can be acquired and learned, so don't be afraid to try.



• Introduction
  
  Firstly, make eye contact and smile. Start with an important statement. Ice breakers and humour are essential if you want to keep your audience relaxed in preparation for your content.



• Body language
  
  Presenters who look nervous do not inspire confidence. You must appear in control using your voice, facial expressions, gestures and body language. It communicates authority and confidence.



• Content
  
  Speak in questions like "How would you feel..?" or  "Can you imagine...?"  Don't be afraid of audience questions, it means people are interested. Always repeat the question to make certain everyone has understood and heard correctly. Conclude with a summary of the content and an opportunity to convey the message one last time. Aim for a strong finish to leave a lasting impression. This comes with experience and should be related to your presentation.



• Back to basics
  
  Keep it simple. The fear of not impressing forces people to add more, which can complicate, confuse and lose the message. If your audience thinks you are over-confident or patronising, they will resist you no matter what the message.



• Speak from the heart
  
  Be honest, humble and most of all truthful. Share your thoughts, feelings and experiences that make you interesting and different.



• Use your voice
  
  Project your voice to the back row so that everyone can hear. Avoid focusing on someone in the crowd you feel comfortable with or you will exclude the remainder of the audience. Your voice must express the emotions relating to your message, for example, excited and happy or important and concerned. Use volume and pace in your voice; it's important to introduce pauses after a strong point for additional impact.



• Use your eyes
  
  Force yourself to make and hold eye contact with the audience - it personalises the message and strengthens the relationship. Observe the audience's reaction and body language to measure how well you are doing. If you see heads nodding, smiles and people making notes, these are all positive indicators and you're doing well.



• Set a time limit
  
  Aim for quality not quantity. If you're expecting audience interaction and questions, build in time for them. With each of the main points, introduce it, develop it, and then reinforce it. This also helps to hold the audiences attention.



• Getting started
  
  Know and believe in your subject. This way you will appear more confident and less reliant on notes. You will also come across as natural, and, most of all, believable. If you need a prompt, write a few bullet points - but the golden rule is not to read out your speech when you're up there on stage.



• Visualisation
  
  Practice your delivery. Watch yourself in the mirror or on DVD, especially the introduction as this is the most important part of your presentation. If you can get through this successfully, you will be well on the way.



• It's not just talking
  
  Think about how you can reinforce your message. Wherever possible use visual aids, props and reference points such as newspaper articles, quotes and statistics. If you lose your way, just recap. You can play for time by saying "I've just talked about..." to give yourself a moment to collect your thoughts.



• Movement across the stage
  
  Daring to move forward into the audience will bring down barriers and encourage participation.



• The end
  
  Finish confidently. Whatever you do, don't shrug and say:  "Well, basically that's it". End on a high and you'll make an impact.



• Finally
  
  Analyse your performance and make improvements. Practice makes perfect and your confidence will grow.

More expert advice on the hairdressing business from Peter Lunn

• How mystery shoppers can help your business
• Getting the best results from your salon team
• Creating an energised salon team