Standing up in front of a room full of people terrifies many people, even if those people are our own peers. But resisting public speaking engagements can hold an entrepreneur back, since workshops, presentations, and pitches are the perfect way to network and land support for your efforts.
Fortunately, there are a few things we can do to not only overcome that fear, but become a respected public speaker.
Here are some great tips to help you improve your speaking skills.
- PRACTICE
You don't have to be in a formal setting to practice public speaking. You can practice alone in front of a mirror, with friends, or with family members. Practice they say, makes perfect. what you practice every time will eventually become a part of you.
- PREPARE
You can combat those public speaking fears by putting as much time as possible into the preparation process. Do your research and memorize your speech so that it will feel natural once you're in front of the group.
- RESEARCH YOUR AUDIENCE
Your speaking engagement will be far more effective if it's tailored to your specific audience. Spend time learning as much as possible about attendees and gear your speech accordingly.
- USE TOOLS
PowerPoint has become an essential part of presenting. When used effectively , it can be a great way to keep your speech entertaining.
- KNOW YOUR ENVIRONMENT
If possible, visit the venue before your speech and familiarize yourself with the environment.
- GET EXPERIENCE
As with anything in life, the more experience you get with speaking in front of people, the more you'll improve.
- WATCH OTHERS
You'll get great ideas for your own presentations by watching others who are good at it. As you attend conferences and workshops, pay attention to the techniques some of the more seasoned professionals use.
- START WITH A BANG
You'll loosen up the audience and create a rapport if you can kick off your speech with something entertaining, like a joke or an interesting story.
- PUT THE AUDIENCE TO WORK
You can take some of the pressure off of yourself by getting the audience to join in. Have everyone try an exercise or ask a few people to tell a personal story. Encourage Questions As your speech progresses, audience members will inevitably have questions. Find ways to get them to feel more comfortable voicing those questions, such as rewarding them with prizes. Focus on the Audience As you stand up in front of a roomful of people, it can be easy to assume everyone's full focus on you. This is too often not the case. Put your focus on your audience instead of you and you'll gain confidence.
- DRESS TO IMPRESS
What you wear will make an instant impression. Dress to fit the role you're trying to portray. Avoid Filler Words.One of the biggest complaints audiences have of speakers is the overuse of filler words like "um"
and "so." Try to moderate use of those words. Focus on Individuals A powerful technique recommended by
professional speakers is to make eye contact with members of the audience. Try to find a few friendly faces and rotate between them as you speak. Walk and Pent-up energy can be the death of a powerful speech. If it helps, feel free to roam the front of the room to expend some of that energy.
Breathe When you're feeling that intense stage fright setting in, use breathing exercises to force your mind to relax.
- USE PROMPTS
Some people write their entire speeches out beforehand, but this can force you to spend the entirety of your presentation reading. Instead write short phrases on index cards that will prompt each new idea as you move through your speech.
- PARTNER UP
In your early days as a speaker, don't feel that you have to do it all alone. Participate in panels and group presentations where you can share the burden of presenting with a colleague or business partner.
- RECORD YOURSELF
One of the best ways to improve is to record your presentations and watch them later. As difficult as this can be, it's a great way to pinpoint a few things that need improvement.
- ASK FOR FEEDBACK
As you speak to various groups, allow audience members to anonymously complete a feedback form and use that feedback to improve.
- BRING THE RIGHT TOOLS
Be sure you arrive at the site with all of the tools you'll need to conduct your presentation, including wireless clickers and projector adapters for your laptop.
- PRACTICE ARTICULATION
If your audience members can't understand you, all of your hard work will be for nothing. Work on speaking loudly and clearly.
- FINISH WITH A CALL TO ACTION
Your speech should end with a call to action. What do you want audience members to take away from your presentation? What should they do now?
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