Public speaking fear can be a major obstacle if you want to progress your career. Here are some public speaking tricks and a recommendation if you are searching for a public speaking course. Use Humor, Tell Stories, and Use Effective Language. Inject a funny anecdote in your presentation, and you will certainly grab your audience’s attention. Audiences generally like a personal touch in a speech. A story can provide that. Don’t Read Unless You Have to. Work from an Outline. Reading from a script or slide fractures the interpersonal connection. By maintaining eye contact with the audience, you keep the focus on yourself and your message. A brief outline can serve to jog your memory and keep you on task.
Conquer your fear: Easier said than done, but understanding how your nerves affect your ability to speak publicly is a good start. Knowing what might happen will help to calm your nerves and carry on if they start. Firstly, the more prepared you are, the better and less nervous you will be and the better you will be able to deal with any mishaps. Do not drink caffeine beforehand it will heighten your anxiety. But do take water in case you get a dry mouth. Eat something beforehand, a low sugar level won’t help to dispel any nervous thoughts and will also affect your concentration levels. Remember that the audience is not there to see you. They are much more interested in what you have to say. They also have no interest in you failing; they are your friends not your enemies. Remember that you are speaking as a service to your attendees, this helps focus less on you and more on the content. Don’t tell the audience you are nervous. Nearly everyone suffers from some anxiety about public speaking; it is rarely as obvious from the outside as it feels. If necessary, use breathing and relaxation techniques before you begin to help settle any last minute jitters. Read more details Overcome fear of speaking.
Use humor and emotion. It doesn’t matter what you are talking about. There is always a place for emotion or humor, or both. I once gave a presentation about data analytics at a conference — boring! So I made sure to weave in plenty of humor to spice things up. I find self-deprecating humor to work the best. And if you are starting to get emotional, so what? Use it. The audience may not remember everything you said, but they will remember how you made them feel.
What people say ? I bought this book to help prepare for some upcoming speaking engagements. Public speaking has never been my thing , no matter how many times I have done it. I agreed with points the author makes: Prepare, prepare, prepare (and how to), show up early, smile. However he brings up other pointers that I was not aware of and will definitely incorporate in my routine (don’t want to give away too much). It’s an easy read and he shares his emotions and embarassing situations. What was really interesting to learn is, even with all his experience, he still uses these strategies for every speech! Thanks for writing such a practical book. The Amazon book can be purchased here: Public speaking course ebook.
Make mistakes intentionally: This is another trick I encourage you to try. Once I “accidentally” dropped my notes on the floor, and while picking them up, I warned the audiences that the presentation will be more confusing after this. I heard some laughter from the floor. The idea is to gain control of your audience. If you can make them laugh and be more interactive with you, your presentation will have that casual feel to it which will make it more memorable than others. Ultimately you will find it easier to do.
Mike Acker is a communications coach, speaker, and author with over 19 years of experience in speaking, leadership development, and organizational management. Known for his authenticity, humor, and engaging presence, Mike specializes in fomenting personal and organizational awareness, allowing clients to create their own personal growth track. His approach is earnest, informed, and holistic, leading to a more satisfying balance in work and life. His expertise in communications and leadership has attracted politicians, business entrepreneurs, educational leaders, and executive managers. Source: https://thepublicspeaking.school/.
