Boost confidence for public speaking – Overcome Stage Fear

You surely need to boost up your confidence before stepping on to the stage or public speaking. You might feel some nervousness before giving a public speech or presentation, it is natural and even beneficial, but too much nervousness may lead to degraded performance.

To have better presentations you may follow these tips:

• Know your material
  Always have more knowledge about the topic than you’d include in your presentation. Use humor, personal stories and conversational language – that way you won’t easily forget what to say.
• Practice Practice Practice!
  Always rehearse out loud, with all equipment you intend to use. Revise/review as necessary. Work to control filler words;
  Practice, pause and breathe. Practice with a stop watch and keep margin for any ups & downs.
• Know the audience
  Observe some of the audience as they arrive. It’s easier to speak to a group have an idea of their mentality.
• Know the room
  Arrive early, walk around the speaking area and practice using the microphone and any visual aids.
• Relax
  Begin by addressing the audience. It buys you time and calms your nerves. Pause, smile and count to three before saying anything.
• Visualize yourself giving your speech
  Imagine yourself to be sitting in front of your own presentation observing what you are speaking, your voice loud, clear and confident. Visualize the audience clapping – it will boost your confidence.
• Realize that people want you to be successfully entertaining & performing
  Audiences want you to be interesting, stimulating, informative and entertaining. They’re hooting for you.
• Never apologize
  Don’t ever say sorry for any nervousness or problem – the audience probably never noticed it. But your apology will highlight it.
• Concentrate on the message – not the medium
  Focus your attention away from your own anxieties and concentrate on your message and your audience.
• Gain experience
  Mainly, your speech should represent you — as an authority and as a person. Experience builds confidence, which is the key to effective speaking.

All the best!

Regards,
– Vaibhav Munjaal