GREAT TIPS ON PUBLIC SPEAKING

One of the best tips on Public Speaking was actually given to me by my mother. She always told me to picture everyone in their underwear.

It was hard to do at first, but eventually I got pretty good at it. I always had to remember not to look to long at any particular person or run the risk of laughing, (or being charged with harassment.)

Am I still nervous when I speak. Yes. But with experience I have picked up many great tips on public speaking. These, along with my quick scan around the room, (to see what type of underwear everyone is wearing,) has has helped me to channel that nervous energy into positive energy.


Stage Fright is still the hardest thing to overcome for some people. I have found that the three tips on public speaking that best manage stage fright are;

• Visualization

• Practice

• Picture people as being in their underwear. (Or learning to relax.)

Some More Great Tips on Public Speaking

It’s a good idea to become familiar with the room or venue before you speak. Try walking around the room to get a feel for it.
Stand at the lectern and say a few lines from your speech.
Speak into the microphone to see if it works and to check for sound levels.
Sit in some seats around the room to get a feel what your audience will be seeing. There may be some seats that do not give members of your audience of a visual aid. Adjust as necessary.
Practice walking from where you will be sitting to the lectern. You never know when there will be obstacles just waiting to “trip you up.” Check out my bloopers and blunders for just such an instance.

Know your audience.

Who are you speaking to? What do they expect from your presentation? Are you doing a motivation talk, information speech or conducting a business meeting? If possible, try to talk to a few of your audience members as they arrive. You can ask a few what they hope to hear or why they came. It also helps to speak to people you know than to a group of strangers.


Body Language


Body language can be defined as unspoken communication when conducting face to face encounters. Often, body language tells the true story of what the sender is actually saying. Between 50-100% of our message is conveyed through this. For example, a simple roll of the eyes could me the difference between being hired or not for a particular job.


People want you to do well.

A great tip on public speaking that often gets overlooked. Realize that the audience really does want you do succeed. They want the presentation to be funny, interesting and stimulating. They are on your side not against you. Think about the times you have heard someone speak who was very nervous. You were probably nervous for them, why? Because most people don’t want people to fail. Just knowing this should help you to relax.

Don't Apologize.

That is, don’t apologize for making a mistake or being nervous. Most people never notice the small mistakes. Why? They usually expect a great presentation. They want to be entertained. When you do make a mistake, to you it is probably huge, but to the audience it could be perceived as part of the presentation. By saying sorry you are just drawing attention to it.


Turn Nervousness into Positive Energy.


You will probably be nervous the first time you speak. In fact, you may continue to be nervous each time you stand up to present something.
But don't worry. Your nerves can be your best friend. That anxiety that you are feeling can be channeled into energy that will make your speech shine.


Stretch


Stretching and some simple exercises help you to relax and gets the blood flowing. I have been known to do a few jumping jacks, leg stretches and even go outside for a quick run/walk around the block before presenting. (Just try not to work up to much of a sweat.)


These techniques and tips on public speaking can help you to calm your emotions and focus your energy.

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