Overcome Your Fear of Public Speaking

I used to dread speaking in front of groups.  It didn’t matter if it was a small group or a large gathering I absolutely hated it.  Speaking in public is the number one fear for the average person and the stress it causes can lead to many sleepless nights.

I knew this fear would hold me back personally and professionally so here are some of the actions I took to face this fear head on.

Know Your Material

 It is crucial that you know your stuff and that you have studied up on what you are talking about.  If you are creating Power Point slides give yourself as much time as possible to put them together.  Don’t make them too cluttered and whatever you do make sure you are not reading the slides verbatim to the audience.  This is just plain boring to the audience and it also makes it appear that you do not know your material.  You want to look like the subject matter expert that you are!

Get Organized

Know if you will be using a microphone.  Find out if you will be standing behind a podium.  Try to get details on the venue on where you will be speaking and the size of the audience.  So far the largest audience I have spoken to has been about 500 people.  But I will let you in on a little secret.  Speaking in front of 500 people or 5 is the same process!

To help ease my anxiety especially for longer presentations, in addition to slides I prepare a set of index cards that has the detailed information for each slide.  I write verbatim my introduction and commit it to memory.  You want to make sure you absolutely nail the start of your presentation so I don’t leave anything to chance.

Practice, Practice, Practice

This is by far the most important advice I can give you.  If time allows practice your presentation so many times that you know it backwards and forwards.  Make sure to time yourself.  This is crucial if you are speaking at a conference and have an allocated time slot.

Practice with your note cards until you find that you don’t need them or if there is a section of your presentation where you find that you need the cards don’t be ashamed to use them during the presentation.  Your audience probably won’t even notice especially if you are standing behind a podium. I have found 4″x 6″ index cards to be the ideal size.

Try to Relax and Have Fun

I know this is easier said then done but it is much easier to relax and just fall into the presentation if you know your material and have practiced like there is no tomorrow.

Remember that it is just a presentation.  If you mess up in a few spots who cares!  Many people in the audience won’t even be paying attention lol!  Also the worst thing that can happen is that you will give a bad presentation.  Trust me life will go on.  But if you follow these tips you will give a fantastic, killer presentation.  I follow these steps for big presentations and they have helped me immensely.

If you have anxiety with public speaking I would also recommend putting yourself in situations that force you to present in public.  Schedule meetings at work regularly that you facilitate, join Toastmasters, etc.  These will help you find your voice and hone your own unique speaking style.

Another trick I use for big presentations that have me stressed is to take either Passionflower or Holy Basil about an hour or so before “go time” to calm my nerves.  I would only recommend this once you know your ideal dosage amount.  I have found this to work wonders during my speeches and  it has really helped feel at ease during the delivery of the presentation!

Hope you find these tips helpful for your next big presentation.  What works for you when preparing for a speaking engagement?