5 Tips to Make Public Speaking Easier

Public speaking, even just the thought of it, can raise your anxiety level. Many people panic at the thought of the crowd, the lights and the dreaded Q&A session. It can be a lot to deal with. Studies have shown that 75% of the population has some level of anxiety regarding public speaking.

But allowing these worries to silence you can be crippling to the future of your business. As a small business owner, you need to be seen as a smart and articulate professional. You can sound smart when presenting, even if you feel butterflies in your stomach.

Here are five tips to help you come across as smart and eloquent when presenting.

Practice Makes Perfect

Practice your speech in front of family and friends. This type of repeated practice will help you become more comfortable in your delivery and you can revise it and work out any kinks before the actual presentation day.

Posture

Work on your posture. Your spine should be relaxed, whether you are standing or sitting. Your body will project an image of confidence and comfort.

Speak Loudly

Project your voice. Speaking loudly is different from speaking forcefully. Speaking loudly takes practice but being heard in the far corners of the room is an asset. Speaking forcefully, or shouting, can wreak havoc on your voice and will put your audience on edge.

Don’t be Afraid of Silence

Pausing can add thoughtfulness to your presentation so don’t be afraid of silence. Keep some notes on index cards in your hands to put you back on track if you lose your train of thought.

Look for a Friendly Face

Look for the smiling face in the audience. This kind of positive reinforcement can eliminate some of your nervousness. Have a friend or colleague sit up front so you can make eye contact with them.

As you move on in your speech, don’t forget to look around the room and make eye contact with others. As your comfort level grows, this eye contact will make you look sincere and comfortable and increase your likeability with the audience.

Public speaking gets easier the more you do it. Public speaking is a great way to promote you small business, so use these tips for your next speaking engagement and you’ll see that it is much easier than you thought.

Becoming an Amazing Speaker

It’s been said that people would rather die than get up and speak in front of an audience.

But if you’re a small business owner, speaking is a great way to get the word out about your business and to grow your business.

In talking with a speech coach, he told me three best practices that good speakers share.

Love what you do

When you truly love what you do, talking about it becomes easy. And the passion you have for your job shines through when you present. You can’t help but engage the audience with your enthusiasm. When you are in your element, talking about something you love, you will find presenting is easy.

Be Yourself

Each person is different so don’t try to be someone else when you are presenting. Let your unique personality shine through. People enjoy doing business with a ‘real’ person, not a phony. Be genuine and your audience will love you for it.

Tell a story

Use stories to get your message out. Telling stories about customers, their problems and how you helped solve their problems allows your audience to ‘find themselves’ in your stories and they can then easily relate to your message.

Practice, practice, practice

Even though you know your presentation, it is important to practice it. Practice will make you feel more comfortable when you present so you’re less likely to have a ‘brain fart’ on stage. Keep a small index card on hand with key points of your presentation, just in case you have that moment. They will get you back on track.

Are you ready to get out there and speak about your small business? 

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.