Being nervous in front of an audience can be a good thing, business presentation coach Steve Dawson said in a free Straits Times (ST) Masterclass livestreamed last Thursday. It keeps the presenter focused and prevents complacency from settling in.

Mr Dawson, 53, described how while hosting the launch of a Women's Tennis Association event in Singapore a few years ago, he made two errors in the first 10 seconds because he was too relaxed. "I got on the stage and said, 'Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the World Tennis Association!'

"And the public relations lady on the side of the stage whispered, 'Women's Tennis Association'. So I got that wrong, and I said, 'Ladies and gentlemen, I apologise. Welcome to the Women's Tennis Association event sponsored by IP Global.'

"'IC Global,' the lady whispered," said Mr Dawson, a former ST technology correspondent.

The two-hour course on how people can ace their presentations is among a myriad of activities that ST has launched to keep readers engaged at home. The usual $128 fee for the course has been waived in support of the Government's call for all residents to stay home during the circuit breaker period.

Mr Dawson provided other tips. For example, when speaking to an audience, he said, a presenter should treat the audience like friends. This will steady the nerves. Body language is also important, he said. By smiling, a presenter is seen to be approachable, which will prompt more people to participate and ask questions.

Presenters should also be energetic, which can be achieved by using the correct tonality and intonation when speaking. But not too energetic, he cautioned. That would intimidate an audience.

For business presentations, Mr Dawson suggested using stories and short anecdotes that resonate. He described how actor Patrick Stewart spoke about his experience growing up in a violent home while addressing Amnesty International in 2009. Mr Dawson said that while the actor was nervous and stuttered throughout, he captivated the audience by describing his experience as if he were telling a story.

Mr Daniel Phang, 38, a business development manager at Add-venture Learning, said he found the tips useful. "Just seven minutes into the livestream, I realised that it was really, really good. I even mandated that my colleagues stop work and watch it."

Those who missed the class can join it at 2pm on Thursday.

Separately, Write Edge founder Nicolette Ng will give tips to Primary 5 and 6 pupils on their Primary School Leaving Examination composition writing test. Her session will be livestreamed tomorrow. To sign up for courses, go to stskills.sg