Being anxious seconds before a speaker or presenter steps on stage is normal, and their nervousness and anxiety can get a little out of hand at times. There’s no denying that speaking in front of a crowd, may it be small or big, that has their eyes and ears all on you is tough. Even the best speakers in the world still feel a little anxious when speaking in front of new faces.
One can’t just simply avoid public speaking. We will all have the opportunity (and sometimes we are even required) to voice out our thoughts and share our ideas whether it be through team meeting, eulogy, telling a story in front of people, speech at your best friend’s wedding, or in a podium. Point being, good public speaking skills is an essential aspect in your life.
No matter how well-prepared you are and how well you rehearsed your presentation, you will still get that jitters before going live on stage. To get you through that and help you flawlessly deliver your speech/presentation, here are 9 tips that will help your public speaking and/or presentation skills flow seamlessly:
1. Practice
It may sound cliche, but there’s no denying that “Practice makes perfect.” You’re always a step or two closer to getting something right when you keep practicing, learning from your mistakes and becoming more fluid. But remember, perfect is often boring. Practicing your piece means getting prepared in front of your audience. You don’t have to memorize everything, you just have to wholeheartedly understand and ingest the information to be able to deliver it clear and concise.
2. Relax
If you have a stage fright, remember that fear is your friend. Don’t get rid of it, cope with it along with your nerves. Take deep breaths coming from your stomach before your presentation and shake the jitters away. Some speakers has their own pre-presentation shenanigans; some put on earphones and dances to overcome and shake off their nerves while others prefer doing their breathing mantra. Nonetheless, the goal is to make yourself feel less nervous and more confident.
3. Stay focused and be flexible
Don’t be a victim of mental block — keep yourself from distractions and stay focused. However, let yourself loose a little and be diverse. Being flexible means having the knowledge to answer any questions or concerns, and not just the coverage of your presentation. Be open to any kind of questions even if it’s three steps away from your topic, but still try to correlate it if possible. All these being said, do not cram, be prepared.
4. Keep your visuals simple and straightforward
Unless you’re at your brother’s wedding, this isn’t necessary for your toast. Don’t clutter your visual aids with overloaded information such as graphs, text, diagrams all in one slide. Also, choose the appropriate color, typeface, font size and the likes. Keep your slide simple and only providing the necessary information in one slide.
5. Less text, more talk
Again, keep your visuals straight to the point. Moreover, don’t put everything in your slides. Don’t just read it word-for-word without explaining what it means to the audience or; don’t put the explanation on the slide itself and then just read it. Indicate the most important notes in your slides and then elaborate it on stage. Just make a point per slide and don’t give out too much. Let your audience focus their attention on you and not on the screen.
6. Engage with your audience
Interact with them and have them participate as much as you can. Conduct a Q&A portion after your presentation. Humour them if you can. By doing so, you’ll feel less isolated, more confident and in connection with your audience members. Also, it will make you comfortable with your audience and likewise. It’s a great way to make them remember you and leave your mark to them. They are more likely to remember your presentation and how great you were at delivering speech/presentation.
7. Tell a story
To make your presentation really stick with your audience, frame a story around it. People love stories and it catches their attention all the time. Make your point wrapped in a story and correlate it, this will make it more memorable.
8. Start strong and end stronger
How do you start off your presentation or speech? An intriguing question or just a simple yet mind-boggling statement marks a good start. However, don’t be that type of presenter/speaker which starts off great but bores toward the end. Yes, your point is in the body of the presentation but most likely, your audience will remember how you started and ended your speech. Engage with them until the very last seconds and til your last words.
9. Be yourself
The most important tip of all, just be yourself. Yes, you’ve seen and reviewed TEDx videos but that doesn’t mean you need to copy how they speak to feel confident and remarkable. It will only distract you and lose your concentration. If you’re a bit goofy, weird, nerdy, don’t be afraid to show it. Different is interesting and it’s what makes something distinct from the others.
Public speaking shouldn’t be associated with a frightening task or that it should be avoided. It’s a good way to stir up your career and boost your self-esteem. Develop this particular skill and have the ability to lay your ideas on the table by following these tips. Good luck on your next speech and/or presentation!
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