Trust us: even the most iconic public speakers feel a little nervous before they begin a presentation or talk. However, there are simple techniques that anyone can master that will make you a better public speaker in no time!
Wait Before Talking
It all starts will slowing down. “A lot of people start talking right away, and it’s out of nerves,” Simon Sinek, a popular TED talker, says. “That communicates a little bit of insecurity and fear.” While its fine to start off strong, you don’t want to speed through everything. First, take a deep breath and collect your thoughts before beginning. Meanwhile, in the training stage, learn how to breathe properly and possibly even notate where you’d like to take a breath. These noted breaths can slow down your public speaking, making it much more understandable.
Film And Train Yourself
One of the best ways to become a better public speaker is to film yourself speaking. After all, how else to better get an audience POV than becoming the audience? While watching the video, don’t only notate what you do wrong, but also what you do well.
Meanwhile, also make sure not to only focus on the words coming out of your mouth, take a look at your posture and eye contact. Professional speakers recommend looking right at the audience and adding hand gestures to important parts of the presentation. These tips will capture attention when you need it most. “It’s like you’re having a conversation with your audience,” says Sinek. “You’re not speaking at them, you’re speaking with them.”
Take It Slow
Remember: slowing down is not just for the beginning of the speech. Whenever you feel like rushing or the creep of nervousness, take a breath and slow down. Now, in your head, you might think taking a moment might lose the audience’s attention. However, Sinek says that the listeners are a lot more forgiving than we tend to believe. It’s actually the opposite: rushing causes listeners to lose focus because they cannot focus on the speech.
So, take your time! Make sure you’re speaking at an even tempo. If one word does not fall, almost rhythmically, one after another, you’re likely speaking too fast or too slow.
Be Thankful For Supporters
Of course, everyone has their “haters” who will shower the speaker with disapproval and upset expressions. Rather than focusing on those people, a presenter should show how thankful they are for their supporters. Not only will it encourage them to continue, but the one on stage will feel a lot more confident in themselves until finishing the speech with a blast. There’s no reason to give attention to those who don’t like it.
And when getting the applause from those who enjoyed the show, be sure to say thank you, loud and clear. “They gave you their time, and they’re giving you their applause,” Sinek recommends. “That’s a gift, and you have to be grateful.”
Obviously, you shouldn’t forget that practice is better than any life hack. Before performing on stage, if that’s your goal, try to perform in front of friends and family or join the local public speaking club.
Sources: Entrepreneur, MSN