Does the idea of speaking in front of people make you faint? Would you rather visit the dentist every day for a month instead of giving a keynote speech? Does the thought of speaking in front of a roomful of strangers induce a powerful need to flee the country?
The good news is you are not alone. The even better news is you can learn to be a better public speaker. Here are eleven tips to help you speak in public with confidence and poise.
- Nobody wants you to fail. It is a better visual than people in their underpants. Nobody paid for this conference or workshop to see shoddy speakers. They want you to do well. Take your confidence from that idea and run with it.
- Be a "goalie." Know the goals of the presentation, why you are there and what you need to accomplish. You were invited for a reason - make the organizers glad they invited such an asset to participate.
- Use your opportunity wisely. Respect yourself and your audience by being prepared, do not just fly by the seat of your pants. Do not waste their time or yours.
- Use stories. Stories that illustrate your point will be remembered long after the nametags are dumped in the garbage and hotel rooms are emptied. People remember and pay attention to good stories.
- Practice! This cannot be understated. You should know your presentation so thoroughly you could do the whole thing (PowerPoint included) without notes. You should not have your eyes glued to your note cards; they should be a gentle reminder once in a while. Remember, if you fail to prepare, you prepare to fail.
- They want solutions. Your audience is looking to you to provide answers to their problems, not to watch you boast about your company. Give them what they want.
- No Death by PowerPoint. Show pictures, charts, cartoons, or short videos. Bulleted lists are a surefire way to douse enthusiasm: yours and the audience's. Reading verbatim from your slides is BORING.
- Respect time limits. This is where your practice will be key - run your speech a few times to get pacing and timing down so that you fit into the time slot allowed. Do not go over. Do not go under. Like Goldilocks, you want it just right.
- Backups. Make sure your presentation is backed up and that you have access to copies in multiple places. Email it to yourself. Put it on a memory stick. Whatever you need, just in case.
- Get there early. You will need time to get the lay of the land, meet the organizers and their teams, check A/V, and fend off potential problems. If you're comfortable with the room, you will be able to deliver a more relaxed address.
- Learn a new language. Body language is the top factor in how people will react to your speech. Above your words, above your pedigree, body language trumps them all. During your practice you can videotape yourself and catch physical habits like hair touching, shuffling, slouching, and lack of eye contact with your audience.
This is just the beginning of your career as a great public speaker. The best way to get better is to practice so get out there and get speaking.
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