Standing at the front of a room to deliver a presentation can be daunting, right?

We’ve all been there! You’ve put the work in, you’ve double checked your headers and footers. You’ve even practised your pun-tastic jokes to break the ice. Yet you still wake up in the middle of the night having dreamt that you were either semi-clothed or sacked by your boss for dropping the ball.

Well never fear, because our CEO is here! We caught up with Kieron Goldsborough, who has five top tips to help you avoid that P45 and build on your client relationships. Go forth and prosper.

1. Understand your audiences

Who are you presenting to and what role do they play in the project? Consider what motivates them and what they will want to take away from your presentation. Remember that you are not only there to present, but also to continue developing your client relationship – make it clear that you understand them and their needs, whether that is a marketing or business objective.

2. Craft your story

It sounds simple, but ensure you have a start, middle and an end. Structuring your presentation will not only make it flow easier, but it will allow you to guide your client to (hopefully) a fitting conclusion which clearly answers the brief you have been given.

3. Listen

Whether you are presenting or receiving a presentation, listen to what is being said in the room. What is being said and who is saying it? What words are they using? What isn’t being said can often be more important than what is revealed. There are lessons to be learnt from all presentations but more importantly there could be a lot of information shared back with you that could be integral to the development of your client’s campaign going forwards.

4. Don’t be afraid to challenge

Remember that you’re there as an expert. If you’ve done the work and crafted your story correctly, you should be able to defend the place you have arrived at. Equally though, don’t take bad feedback negatively – make it constructive to improve your campaign.

5. Enjoy it

Too often the pressures that come with client presentations see nerves get the better of people. You’re working in partnership with your client and you are all striving for success, so embrace your presentation and use it to enhance your relationships.

However daunting your presentation might seem, use it as an opportunity. Not only can you express your knowledge and expertise to your client, but you can enhance your working relationship while taking any lessons learnt from the experience into developing personal skills too.