Fact: most people would rather die than present in public. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, 75% of people rank fear of speaking in public as their number-one fear.

In second place: death. For many people, presenting arouses fear of failure, of forgetting their content, of appearing nervous, of being ignored or judged by their audience, of encountering the unexpected, of technology, of going on too long or drying up.

And too many presentations are lifeless, pointless and go on far too long. Yet the ability to stand up and give a presentation, a speech, a lesson or a toast in a way that captures your audience's attention and actually makes them think, feel or do something as a result is one of the most effective ways to stand out at work and in life.

This book is a shortcut to making you shine on stage when you are under the spotlight or presenting on screen. It is a supremely practical guide to giving presentations that will take away the fear factor by providing the tips, techniques and tools to create and deliver presentations you'll enjoy giving and your audience will want to hear.

Think of it as a friendly and experienced coach who can help you focus on the things that really make the difference in presenting so you can project the real you to the world in a way that feels comfortable and smart. The Work Smarter series:Our books provide shortcuts, tips and life-hacks for the development of essential business skills.

The books bring together accomplished industry experts who have learned their trades at the coalface. They teach the skills ambitious businesspeople need in order to tip the playing field in their favour.

It is the pirate equivalent of business advice; the antidote to conventional wisdom; 'smarter' practice over 'best practice'. .