Speaking in public can be a really stressful situation. Almost everyone gets anxiety about public speaking, even the popular celebs. Being a confident and effective public speaker starts before you enter the room, so check out some tips on how to control your butterflies and give a better presentation.
1. Prepare
Preparation is the key for successful public speaking! Knowing your subject, preparing answers and your speech in advance will give you even more confidence. Plus, it will help you calm down. Don’t go for the whole eyes down, monotone reading-type affair help it.
2. Practice
This is another best tip for successful public speaking. If you need to do a presentation, for college or for work, rope in a few people you can trust and practice! They will surely give you an honest opinion and a trial presentation will make the real one seem less intimidating.
3. Calm and collect
When you are nervous you can find yourself rushing through your speech or speak too quietly. It may be difficult, but you need to speak up and talk at a slow, nice pace. People would like to be able to hear you, and it will help you to catch up in your mind as well.
4. Try to relax
I know how it’s really hard to do, but it’s important to relax. I often notice when a person speaking is feeling a bit nervous, because it’s not difficult to read their body language, right? Speak up, enunciate, and smile proudly. When you pretend you are feeling confident on the outside, you can end up feeling even more confident on the inside too.
5. Speak with confidence
As I said you need to be relaxed and confident. No matter whether the audience is 2,000 or only 2 people, public speaking is 10 percent what you say and 90 percent how you say it. Deliver your speech like you are the best public speaker, even if you don’t believe it.
6. Think of your audience
People are not thinking about you, they are thinking of your message. No one even really notice any small mess ups on your part. Think about your audience in a positive way! They are genuinely interested and they want to listen, so you need to concentrate on your message.
7. Remember that everyone makes mistakes
Maybe you hate public speaking, but just think, that’s only 15 minutes of your life, and then it’s over. Don’t be so critical of yourself, even if you mess up, and what? Every person in the world makes mistakes, and if you make your mistake, but you really put the work in, people will recognize that.
Hope these tips will help you in some way! Do you have any other tips for successful public speaking? Share your thoughts, please.