Public speaking is considered to be the biggest fear in the world, death being the second! I’ll never forget my first time giving a speech. It was in Fort Benning, Georgia after I graduated Basic Combat Training for the US Army. I was awarded Soldier of The Cycle in my unit. I had to prepare a speech on, “what experiences helped mold me into a great Soldier.”
Currently, I am officially a civilian and still giving speeches monthly. My speeches now are more motivational, educational, and fun! I have compiled 10 Super Tips that have helped me get through the gut wrenching nervousness of, Public Speaking!
- Think of a speakers you admire or enjoyed listening to... Why did you enjoy their presentation of others? What stood out to you? Watch inspirational and motivational speakers. Pick up their habits and pay attention to their body language.
- Look and Feel sharp! You are the center of attention at that very moment, if you feel good it will reflect on your presentation. Make sure to get rest the night before so you have time to wake up early and review your notes and plenty of time to fin out where you're going. You also want to take time to eat something light before you present so your stomach isn't doing the talking for you. Layout what you want to wear the night before.. or.. Not sure about you, but I feel great in a new outfit too. Find a new suit or dress and get ready to own the stage!
- Arrive early to check out the room. Make sure you know exactly where people will be looking, if you have to move some chairs around feel free to do so. Make sure the tech team will be there to give you access to the projector, sound, WIFI etc. Let them know what you need to be successful. The better you know the room, the more comfortable you'll look while presenting!
- Use pictures as a road map to your presentation. The most important piece of what you will do is of course what impact you leave others with from your presentation. Make sure your speech is something people will remember and find of value! Leave an impact. Be amazing! You don't want to be the boring presenter that just uses notes on a powerpoint....unless you want a snooze fest! Some of the best presentations I've seen are from people telling a story and just using pictures in their slides. Pictures will give you great land marks for key points in your presentation. Do not read word-for-word directly off the screen! It reflects an unprepared presentation and lacks the flair you need to capture their attention.
- Slow Down!!! A huge indicator in nervousness is speed talking. Relax and slow it down a little bit! The amazing Mark Twain once said, “The right word may be effective, but no word was ever as effective as a rightly timed pause.”
Don't be afraid to throw a pause in there to let your message sink in, or use it to regain your focus. This will also help to avoid the nervous "Umms" and "Likes". - Be funny, but not too funny. Some presenters open up with a joke, I like to throw one in the middle and sometimes close with one. Just be conscious of what jokes you tell and keep the humor G Rated. Laughter is a great way to connect and engage with your audience! As I stated above, the greatest feeling while presenting is feeling the positive energy of laughter! Use a joke as an icebreaker. Make sure it's related to your core topic of course. By showing that you're human and invested in your audience will go along way with building trust and respect.
- Keep it within your allotted time limit. You never want to disrespect the venue or a fellow presenter by stealing their time. If the venue has given you 45 minutes, make your speech 35 minutes and leave 10 minutes for Q&A. Be sure to leave business cards or show your email to help answer any further questions.
- Practice, Practice, Practice… It turns out we write a lot differently than we speak. So writing your speech or presentation isn't enough. Rehearse in front of your spouse, dog, cat, or a mirror! Plan your work and work your plan! Harvey Diamond said, "If you don't know what you want to achieve in your presentation you audience never will." I've even used my iphone voice recorder to record myself giving the speech...it works great to just listen to yourself because then you're super focused on the content of what you're saying. Make sure people clearly can identify your topic, the problem you're helping them solve and the what they need to do after the presentation is done. Do you have a call to action for them after? What do you want them to do after you give them information?
- Be yourself! We are all human, you will make a mistake or two! When you make a mistake, don't acknowledge it, don't apologize, just move on. Chances are no one will even know you made a mistake or left something out. The best speakers are the most human and genuine speakers! People connect with people.
- FAKE IT 'TIL YOU MAKE IT! If you lack confidence that fine, be an award-winning actor and own it! You are on stage, all eyes are on you, that can be the scariest feeling in the world. At some point you have to take that deep breath and embrace the position you are in. ..remember someone asked you to speak because they saw something of value you could offer others. They believe in you and you should believe it too.
These few tips have worked for me through the 20’s of speeches I have led. I never stated I was a Rock Star! (Or even close!) If all else fails watch, Braveheart or Rudy and you should find inspiration!
“Cover Bands Don’t Change The World”
-Todd Henry
The main focus is to have fun, be informative, and be memorable! No one ever talks about the cover band. Everyone talks about the song!
Have a public speaking event coming up and want to get inspired? Check out our "14 Quotes to inspire creativity" to get your inspiration today!
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