4 Tips to Keep You From Hating Public Speaking

You either love or hate public speaking. There is no in-between.  Either way, being prepared and having confidence will allow you to be more relaxed when presenting.

Write it

If you read your speech word for word when delivering it, you will come across as wooden. The best way to sound like yourself and allow your personality to come through is to really know your speech.

Instead of writing a full speech, write an outline of what you want to say. If you’re using a PowerPoint during your speech, use your bullet points there to help keep you on track and to jog your memory.

You can put your speech on index cards to have handy when presenting. A short speech – three to five minutes long – should fit on one index card.

Practice, practice, practice

I can’t say it enough. Practice, practice, practice!

Practice in front of a mirror to see how you look when presenting. People listen to speeches with their eyes. You must look professional and sound confident.

Have someone film you when you are practicing. This video will show you if you say ‘um’ too many times, which can be annoying for your listeners. Once you know, you will find yourself making a conscious effort to not say ‘um’ anymore.

Relax

Public speaking can be one of the best methods of marketing your business. To create a good, lasting impression, you must be yourself when presenting. Add a little humor to your speech. Make sure the information you are sharing in interesting. Know your stuff…then if you lose your place, you can still continue on because you are the expert in what you’re talking about.

Ask for help

If you find you are afraid of public speaking, but need to get out there to promote your business, then ask for help. There are plenty of coaches that can help you gain confidence and present an amazing speech. One coach I highly recommend is Bob Manard of Speak4Results. Bob coaches business owners and executives through how to write a speech and how to comfortably present it.