Tip #292: 5 Secrets To Boost Your Public Speaking Confidence

According to studies, public speaking it is one of the most feared things a person can do. Of course, this is something of a problem considering how most people are expected to speak publicly at some point in their lives - especially in the business world. Production meetings, addressing a team, client presentations and executing a presentation are just a few of the common public speaking venues held in the workplace.

Successful Public Speaking Starts With Your Preparation.

If there is one piece of advice I can provide you about public speaking, it is be prepared. Most people who are nervous about public speaking are nervous about being put on the spot, about making a fool of themselves. This concern is easily remedied as the proper preparation instills confidence, and confidence combats nervousness. With that in mind, here are five public speaking tips to ensure you remain cool, calm and collected.

5 Public Speaking Secrets That Will Guarantee Your Success:

1. Know Who Your Audience Is - The first thing to consider when speaking publicly is your audience. Understanding who you will be speaking to provides tremendous insight. For example, how familiar is your audience with the subject you are covering? If it is something they already know about, you can forego the need of an explanation or definition of terms. However, if it is new to them, a certain degree of background information will need to be explained.

2. Become An Expert On Your Topic - This is the cornerstone of public speaking preparation. You want to know what you will be speaking about inside and out. That way when you stand in front of the group, information will just pour out of you, as opposed to stumbling about in your delivery. Becoming a relative expert also allows you to field questions without trouble.

3. Work Through Your Self-Consciousness - Public speaking involves standing in front of a group, so it is natural for your self-consciousness to be at a high level. Concern over your hair, posture, voice or the clothes you are wearing could contribute to anxiety, which in turn could affect how well you speak. Practicing your speech and staying focused on the materials will help keep you from feeling self-conscious.

4. Prepare Yourself Mentally And Physically - For some, nervousness over public speaking will not only manifest mentally, but also physically. Physical signs of nervousness include an accelerated heart rate, sweating, shaking and stuttering. There are a number of calming techniques you can investigate that will even out breathing and relax your muscles. The more relaxed you go into a public speaking venue the more focused you will be.

5. Connect With Your Audience - The easiest way to work on connecting with your audience is to bring personal stories about your topic into your presentation or discussion. As I tell everyone, public speaking is nothing more than a one-on-one conversation in a larger proportion. So make eye contact, speak dynamically and most importantly, be approachable so your audience feels comfortable with you.

Summary: Bottom line, the best way to overcome nervousness about public speaking is to prevent nervousness about public speaking. If you are assigned a public speaking task, prepare, prepare and prepare again. The more certain you are about what you are saying the more confident you will be when put on the spot. Research the subject extensively and commit that information to memory so that it can be accessed immediately. Also, be sure to perform at least one practice-run before the real deal. It will amaze you how much this will help.