Mel’s Ten Tips for an Amazing TEDx Presentation

Getting up on the TEDx stage and delivering your talk is not your normal daily occurrence. And yet you must convey to the audience the impression that you are completely relaxed and natural! And this is why we practice so much.

1. Dress comfortably but not sloppily. You don’t want to be concerned by your collar, your belt, your shoes during the talk. You have more important things to worry about. Your presentation.

2. Be sure you are well groomed before you get on stage. Your talk is not the time to worry about your hair, your lipstick, your fingernails. Confident about how you look? Great. This will translate to being confident about your talk!

3. No Pockets!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! One of the most common signs of nervousness and lack of experience is when a speaker sticks his/her hands into his/her pockets. Keep your hands where everyone can see them. If you show up with pockets, we will glue them shut!

4. Own your stage! Walk slowly to the red circle. Plant yourself firmly in the center. This is where you belong. You are ready. You have earned it. Look around. Wait two or three seconds. Smile if you feel like it. Breathe if you feel like it. Once you own your stage, you can begin speaking with greater confidence.

5. Keep your eyes on one or two people or areas of the audience. You are speaking to them, not to the video cameras, not to the ceiling or floor.

6. Present, don’t recite. You have given your talk fifty or a hundred times. You know it better than anyone else. You have been chosen because you are the right person to present it. Present your talk. Don’t recite it (except for the first paragraph, if you must).

7. Don’t get behind in showing slides. If you forget to show one during rehearsals, then you will probably forget to show it during your presentation. Consider this: perhaps you don’t need it. Show pictures, text only if you absolutely need. No bullets!

8. Handling your hands. It’s okay to move your hands as much as it is natural for you to do so. As long as you don’t do it to excess. It’s okay to walk around a bit. As long as you don’t do it to excess.

9. The Words are Important. Enunciate. Pronounce each and every word. Make it easy for the audience to understand you.

10. Play with your delivery. Go fast, go slow. Speak high, speak low. Go from calm to excited and back. Pause. Mix it up. Keep your audience engaged. Just remember to pace yourself and finish on time.

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