Presenters make the common mistake of putting everything they’re going to say into their PowerPoint slides. They fail to realize that people will either listen to them or read the slides. A good piece of advice to follow is the 6 by 6 rule, meaning that you should have no more than six bullet points that are no longer than six words each.

Even seasoned presenters can forget key talking points. We’ve all heard the saying “practice makes perfect”, so here’s a twist: practice your speech in front of friends who aren’t in your industry. You get to have a live audience, and since they’re not familiar with the concepts, you can focus on your content and delivery instead of your embarrassment over mispronouncing a product or medical specialty.

If your shoulders are slouched and your hands are in your pockets, people are going to think you’re nervous. Straighten your spine, gesture calmly at the crowd, and put on a big smile. You may feel like hiding behind the podium, but the crowd doesn’t have to know.

Eye contact helps you connect with the crowd and remember that they’re people just like you. They’re more interested in hearing your message than in passing judgment. Don’t linger on one person for too long though. Give it a few seconds and then move on to the next person.

Once you’re in front of the crowd, no matter how many times you practice, you are going to make a mistake or two. And that’s okay! The only person who knows your presentation is you, so the audience will likely not notice your blunder. They will catch on, however, if you don’t recover quickly. Take a pause, readjust, and remind yourself that mistakes aren’t the end of the world.