Public speaking is a powerful way to grow your business. It allows you to reach a large number of people at once and positions you as an expert at the same time.
Public speaking can be a terrifying proposition, and for many people it is their single greatest fear. To overcome the fear of public speaking, we need to understand why we are afraid.
One of the best explanations comes from Scott Berkun in his book, Confessions of a Public Speaker.
According to Berkun, we cannot help but be afraid of public speaking. It is an instinctive fear that goes back to the beginning of time. We are programmed to be terrified of our most vulnerable positions.
To be all alone, in an open place with nowhere to hide, with no way to defend yourself and having a large group of creatures staring at you is about as vulnerable as it gets.
To overcome this fear, you might need some help from an organization like Toastmasters. Their purpose in life is to help people become better speakers. Toastmasters will teach you things like:
- It’s okay to be nervous; almost everyone is. You will be more nervous than the audience will perceive you to be.
- Don’t hold your breath. Breathe!
- Practice your presentation and know your material. Be passionate about the material you are presenting.
- Get the audience involved early on by asking them some questions. Establishing dialog with the audience will help you relax.
- If you lose your train of thought, stop and take a deep breath. Look upward as if you are contemplating a point. If you are still lost after a few seconds, look to the audience and ask them a question about the topic. This allows you time to gather your thoughts.
- Before the presentation, visualize the audience is a room full of friends who are there to support you, and they love what you are talking about. This will help you walk on stage with extra confidence.
