Public speaking is almost an essential for success nowadays—and definitely a major factor in creating a powerful brand. Those who take their courage into their hands and accept or seek speaking engagements outstrip their competitors in branding, authority and reach. Plus, public speaking can be an incredibly lucrative supplement to one’s income. With that in mind, here are 3 more tips for overcoming your fear of public speaking:
4-Start with a Story or a Question
It’s just like writing an article. You want to ‘hook’ your audience members straight away. Yes, by all means warm up the room a little, if you’re the only presenter and people are still filtering in, but once you start your presentation—grab ΄em!
Finding the right question—one that they urgently want the answer to and have perhaps been asking themselves—is a powerful way to get your audience’s attention. And telling a quick story or anecdote also engages their emotions.
These are two power-house techniques that you can easily build into any speech or presentation, so use them!
5-Make it Fun
No, you’re not giving a ‘lecture’ (no matter what the organizers want to call it): What you’re doing is interacting with a large bunch of like-minded people. Let them know you are human. Tell mini-anecdotes to illustrate points. Help them to identify with situations and solutions you talk about. Make it feel more like a conversation than a ‘lecture’, and help them to identify with you too.
6-Find the Right Tools—and Helpers
It’s important to use props and tools that work for you—not cause more stress and fear. If technology scares the socks off you, either go low-tech or take along someone to manage that slide show for you.
If you like using whiteboards, use one… even if all the other presenters are going with screen sharing and slide presentations. The important thing is not the fancy bells and whistles you’re using: It’s the story and the point you are getting across!
