If you don’t give presentations very often, you might find the task intimidating. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Communications maven Kathy Dempsey has given roughly 200 talks over her career, both face-to-face and online. In-person audiences have ranged from 10 people seated
in a semi-circle to conference rooms with hundreds of attendees. She’ll share her pro tips on avoiding butterflies, speaking effectively, and keeping people’s attention.

Listen to learn:

 Why preparation means everything
 What to know about your audience ahead of time
 How to start the presentation on a good note
 How to make the microphone your friend
 Tips for speaking slowly and clearly
 The power of eye contact
 How to connect to crowds when you’re presenting online
 Things you should avoid doing

To be clear, this session is not a tutorial on using presentation software (PPT) or platforms (Zoom, GoToMeeting, etc.). It will concentrate on personal preparation and
professional delivery. It does cover both in-person and online sessions.

Whether you’re about to give your 1st or your 21st presentation, in a small boardroom or a big ballroom, you’ll find some tips here that will make it less nerve-wracking for you
and more enjoyable for your audience.

Presenter: Kathy Dempsey wrote the popular how-to book The Accidental Library Marketer and founded her own marketing consultancy, Libraries Are Essential. Her work is dedicated to helping
librarians and information professionals promote their value and expertise in order to maintain respect and funding. Kathy was the Editor of Marketing Library Services newsletter for 30 years. She was the
Founding Chair of the Library Marketing and Communications Conference, which just celebrated its 10th anniversary.

Today, Dempsey presents webinars for numerous organizations, and she has a course available on Niche Academy (Library Marketing Made Easy). This subject matter expert strives
to make marketing concepts more understandable and achievable. Online, she continues to battle the myth that librarians are unnecessary.