Do your legs shake uncontrollably when you're in front of the group? Do you blush and start to sweat? Do you talk with your elbows glued to your side and your hands flopping around in front of your chest?  

If you said yes to any of these questions, don't worry, you're not alone and even better, there's a cure for that!  I've been a presenter coach for many years and I've seen all of this and more. The good news is that with a little bit of practice you will be on your way to become the next great speaker of our generation…. or at least ready to kill it at your next meeting or event.  

Below are three sure-fire ways to improve your presentation and delivery:

1. Make it personal

Just like on a sales call, you must begin by building rapport. A smile goes a long way but truly believing in what you're presenting will always engage an audience. The best advice I can give you is to make the presentation your own. More importantly, you should always share your personal connection to the content. If you don't have a personal stake in the message you're about to deliver, then why should the audience? The simple fact is, your audience wants you to be successful, so open up and let them know who you are and why you're excited to speak to them. Many have asked me, "but what if I have to present something that's boring or with very dry material?" Well, lucky for the audience, you wouldn't be presenting something of no value so you must find a way to make it about them.  

Tip: Whether you know the audience or not, take a few minutes before your meeting to do some meet-and-greet, introduce yourself and ask some of the attendees questions about your topic. It's an easy way to break the ice and calm your nerves and you'll undoubtedly receive some stories or examples that you can weave into your presentation. By doing this, your presentation will become more meaningful to the audience and shows you're genuinely interested in them.

2. Meaningful gestures

Firstly, you must know that everyone gets nervous before going "on stage." The key is to be ready and that means time and preparation are hugely important. Confidence will be your best friend, and with confidence you will begin to relax and that’s the first step to overcoming nervous twitches. If you suffer from any of the symptoms above follow this advice: move it and lose it! Now, this doesn't mean to move frantically - move with purpose. Shaking legs can be walked off, so engage the audience by moving away from the podium and toward them - use the space between the front of the room and the audience as your stage.  If you suffer from awkward arm and hand movements, use your hands as props as if you're playing charades. Don't overdo it.  Find a few that work for you, but don't let your gestures outshine your message. That's the key to meaningful gestures.  

Tip:  If you're talking about increasing sales, place your hand out in front of you and move it four steps over and up. If sales are declining start with your hand high and drop it low. If you want to emphasize a point do so while holding up your index finger (like, Aha!). For simple inspiration, imagine not speaking the same language as anyone in the room - how would you get your point across with simple movements or gestures.

3. Never let them see you sweat (literally)

Nothing is more distracting to an audience when they're mesmerized by how much a person can sweat in a matter of minutes. It's always a sure-fire way to throw you off your game when you become self-conscious of the copious amounts of perspiration soaking into your shirt.

Here are three tips that have helped rid myself of this drippy situation:

1. Get to the room early and turn the thermostat down. People may complain about the temperature but most will wait until a break to address it. That gives you plenty of time to get into your groove or even finish before the room warms up again.
2. Wear a dark sport coat or blazer. It won't stop the sweating but it will cover the signs of sweaty armpits.  
3. Up the antiperspirant. After a few applications, you'll no longer sweat and you'll even save on dry-cleaning! 

Ultimately, if you believe that what you're presenting will have a positive change on your business or the people in the room, then speak with passion, share your personal stories, engage the room and you will see all eyes on you with light bulbs going off in everyone's head.   

About the author

Daryl Spreiter has been with Salesforce.com since 2007 and is now working for the Salesforce Foundation.   He is an innovative leader with an ability to inspire and educate our employees through transformational learning programs. He is also responsible for ensuring our go-to market teams are well-equipped with the right content, training, knowledge and core curriculum necessary to effectively position and sell the Salesforce.com Cloud product solutions. Daryl has an open, curious spirit; is a great collaborator; and someone who is human-centered in the way he approaches problem solving.

For even more helpful expert advice, download your free copy of the e-book below: