10 tips for public speaking
Feeling certain nerves or anxiety before presenting in public is normal and even positive. The problem comes when the level of stress paralyzes us, the dreaded stage fright that can ruin our presentation. The best way to get through it is to prepare, prepare and prepare. Follow these 10 tips, you will gain confidence and you will be closer to success.
You can also follow more tips on how to present in our blog and posts like this one.
Learn from the best
Before your presentation, do some research on what makes good speakers so good. Look up the latest TED talks and pay attention to the habits and behaviors of the presenters and try to imitate them.
Know your subject well
Improvising is not a good idea. While going with the flow and being spontaneous is recommended, trusting that your presentation will turn out well without an ounce of preparation is something even the best speakers won’t do. Investigate, know the subject deeply, decide what you will say and how you are going to say it. Knowing what you are talking about is one of the best ways to eliminate nerves.
Practice, practice and practice over and over again
Once your presentation is put together, review it as many times as you think is necessary. Practice your speech in front of a mirror, and then practice in front of a family member or friend. Each time you repeat your presentation you will feel more comfortable, and the idea of performing it in front of an audience will be less intimidating.
Know your audience
Who are they? What are they going to look for? What do they expect of you? What can you offer them? Thinking of a speech is not enough, you have to think about it according to a certain audience.
Create an impressive start
The first minute is the one that will determine whether they listen to you carefully or that they simply sit there waiting for your intervention to end. Creating an impactful opening will be sure to grab their attention.
Prepare a plan B
What if the computer doesn’t recognize the PowerPoint presentation?”, what if someone constantly interrupts? What do I do if the projector doesn’t work? Try to anticipate what could go wrong and have a plan B ready, it will save you from more than one awkward situation.
Use visual resources as support
Having a good PowerPoint presentation and providing material to the audience will help convey the main concepts and take some of the pressure off you, as the audience’s eyes won’t always be on you and you’ll have something to go on if you go blank. .
Remember that the slides should not have a lot of text, since in that case no one will hear what you say. If you spend the entire presentation reading, you convey a lack of confidence and knowledge. Use visual resources as extra support.
Neither too much nor little, measure your times well
Typically, people can pay attention to a talk for about 20 minutes. That is the ideal time, in which you should be able to say everything you need to. If you have to get over it but your speech is fluent, going too long won’t make a difference, but if you stretch out and just bore your listeners, things won’t turn out quite right.
Add your personal opinion
Anyone can “copy and paste a theme” and repeat it in front of an audience. What will make the difference in your presentation is what you can contribute from your experience and personal knowledge. Try to include, occasionally, some thoughts and opinions of your own, plan them but try to make them seem spontaneous.
Speak clearly
Monotonous expositions bore listeners, to avoid this it is best to create rhythmic speeches that are fun to listen to but also fun to pronounce. Talking at an excessively fast speed is one of the most indiscreet indicators of nervousness. Try to speak slowly and clearly, even a little slower than normal.
