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Buying a good birthday present need not be a big task however it can prove to be much more difficult than people think especially if they are not given any direction from the person they are buying it for. So how does one not spend a fortune but still deliver a gift that not only does the person like but also gets lots of enjoyment out of?

By addressing the issue of what is an adequate amount of money to spend on someone is generally a good place to start when it comes to buying a birthday gift as many people tend to believe (wrongly) that the more a gift costs the better the gift. Now for some people out there this is the case as they tend to define things by the price tag rather than the thought or the actual gift itself.

Surveys have shown that the actual cost does not make a big difference to a person so if one is operating under quite a tight budget do not be put off as there are plenty of good options out there to select from. Now a good amount of money to spend on a birthday gift for someone close is anything above forty pounds but below one hundred pounds.

Now if a person is blessed enough to be able to afford to spend more than one hundred pounds that is great and they can still take the advice off the gifts below but perhaps can spend extra on slightly more prestigious brands.

A gift that is absolutely ideal for a quality birthday gift that has been around for a while but is still a classic is a watch. Now this may not seem such a special idea but it really is as it is explained here. The main reason is there are many quality brands of watches out there on the market such as Fossil watches. These types of brands regularly produce new innovative and fashionable designs making them a good gift to go with a person’s wardrobe. Also these kinds of brands have lots of competition between themselves meaning that pricing is extremely competitive which gives a person plenty of options in terms of what they want to pay. Finally it is a gift that shows a lot of thought has gone into the idea and also it is a gift that a person cannot just use once or twice but use all the time for work events, work itself or social occasions.

Now if a person already has a good quality watch all is not lost as the term second watch is a very good idea. Normally a person will only have the one watch and it will either be formal or casual. Depending on what they have will determine which style of watch that is bought for them as their second watch. So if they have a casual watch for day time then one can buy them a formal design from Fossil watches that they can use for work and nights out.

Do you dread public speaking? Do you avoid situations where you might have to stand up in front of others? You are not alone! Research once found that people feared public speaking even more than death!

I was a particularly shy and quiet child. When I started work and had to speak in front of groups, I was filled with terror. I I learned ways to overcome my fear and present successfully. Now I work as a management trainer/facilitator, standing in front of groups on a regular basis. And I feel fine.  I want to share with you what has worked for me. If I can speak with confidence, so can you!

Step 1: Tune in to WII FM Radio

You will be presenting to a group of people. Why should they listen to you? They will be thinking:”Whats In It For Me?“ Put yourself in their shoes. What information do they need from you? What concerns do they need addressed? You may have different interest groups in your audience so give them what they are looking for.

Decide what you want them to do or remember as they leave the room after your presentation. Use that as a starting point to put structure into your presentation plan. Remember to KISS (Keep It Short And Simple)  – put the detail in a handout or softcopy so as not to confuse your audience.

Think about how you are going to hook them in with your opening sentence. If you feel your subject  may be boring, find some interesting angle to bring it to life. Tell a story, show a photograph, ask a question, give a surprising statistic – anything that relates to your subject. And when you close at the end of your presentation, end with a bang and not a whimper.

Step 2: Get Creative with your Content

Often when people have to present, they play it safe and build a series of text slides on PowerPoint. And then they hold a “Read With Me” lesson with their audience.  Also known as “Death by PowerPoint”. This is usually quite swift, as a person’s attention span is only 20 minutes even with a good presentation!

So think outside the box and make your presentation an enjoyable experience. Experiment with different ideas that relate to the topic. Tell personal stories. Use PowerPoint to show photographs or simple diagrams. Bring physical objects into the room and pass them around. Show video clips (YouTube is a great source) or play sound bites. Arrange your audience into small groups and get them to answer some good, probing questions.

Step 3: Get into The Zone

So, you have sorted out what you are going to say, and decided how you are going to get your message across.  In the few days before I present, I mentally “get into the zone” to banish the nerves.

For me, that means visualising myself in front of the group, presenting with passion to a delighted audience. I can see it, hear it, feel it. Any negative thought is forbidden. (Your brain is like a computer; tell yourself you can’t do something, and it will comply).

Then on the day, I put on my best clothes (to give me confidence) and my best smile.

Follow these three steps and find opportunities to present regularly. You will find your confidence will grow in other areas of your life too. As Susan Jeffries once said: “Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway!”

See my presentation skills audio guide, presentation planner and delivery tips checklist on my website for more help on this topic.