The word presentation has almost taken over from public speaking as a general term. Plenty of occasions arise, such as:

• Making a marketing or sales proposal.
• Launching a new product or service.
• Speaking at a seminar or conference.
• Running a training session.
• Presenting your business plan.

Please add two other examples from your own field. Try to think ahead. If your career plans work out, what sort of occasions for speaking in public will arise?

You can see at once the importance of presentational skills for you. Quite apart from the impact they may have on your business in terms of bottom-line results, presentations are also high-profile events for you personally. To some extent you will be on trial and you will be judged. In some contexts your career or progress may even depend on your performances.

Therefore your aim should be to develop your presentational skills, so that you can present with confidence and effect on all the occasions that are likely to arise. Those skills include the abilities to:

• Profile the occasion, audience and location.
• Plan and write the presentation.
• Use visual aids (if appropriate).
• Prepare your talk.
• Rehearse (with others if necessary).
• Deliver on the day.

All of these are important, for each contributes to your overall effectiveness as a presenter. You may not be able to control or manage some of the factors – locations, for example – but you should ensure that everything that can be done to promote success has been done. You will then approach the day with your natural apprehension balanced by a growing confidence and expectation of success.