PUBLIC SPEAKING
You’ve just learned some simple, yet effective, techniques to help reduce and manage nervousness while giving a presentation. I challenge you to try them out and see if they work for you.
Remember to:
1. Have a conversation with your audience.
2. Make some new friends before your presentation.
3. SMILE! It just might prove infectious and make you feel a whole lot more at ease!
4. Learn from every presentation you give and you’ll see that it does get easier and easier.
BODY LANGUAGE
Crossed arms, as almost every salesperson knows, means the person on the other side of the table is defensive or not receptive. On the other hand, if that person leans forward and keeps his or her eyes on you, then you do have a receptive listener.
If you watch novice speakers, you'll probably notice how they keep their arms close to their bodies, indicating a lack of confidence. As they get more practice speaking in public, you'll see their arms move away from their sides and become active tools for conveying messages.
Arms wide open indicate trust and openness, as do open hands, while arms held high above the head show a sense of victory, and clenched hands indicate anger.
Top 7 Steps to Better Public Speaking
Do the following to put at ease when delivering a speech:
1. Your speech needs a beginning, middle, and end. You must grab your audience’s attention in the first minute…so begin with a starting comment, question, story, or humor. End your speech on a strong note by asking a question, providing a quote, tell a story or leave them laughing.
2. Every 5-7 minutes, back up your facts with signature (about you or others) stories. Stories are out there – everywhere. Find them in the stores, at restaurants, on the airplane, at home. People retain information better when hearing a story.
3. Practice your speech out load. Record it on to a tape recorder and/or video camera. Also do this when giving a program to a live audience. Do it every time!...