The Adventures of Public Speaking

For some people even the thoughts of speaking in public to an audience makes their whole bodies shudder. Be not afraid! Glandore has put together some proactive tips and advice on how to overcome your fears, and work with what you do have.

Grab Their Attention

How about opening your topic with a little story, an interesting fact, or a shocking statistic. This should hold your audience and get them hooked in early, and will allow them to trust what you’re saying. It’s also a great way for your audience to identify your personality early on.

Structure

There should be at most, three sections to any good presentation. Grab the audiences attention, the main bulk of your topic in question and a clear, strong conclusion. Make sure you know exactly what you are talking about, so that you can ad-lib as you need to, so your words will roll off the tongue more naturally.

Practise!

Rehearse as much as you can. You will notice a lot more mistakes you are making by doing this. Try doing some rehearsals in front of a friend or family member, or even a mirror! Time yourself. Check and see what you can cut out, and put yourself in the position of the audience – is everything relevant to the topic?

Get Familiar With Your Audience

Try and make some small talk with anyone attending on the way in. It will feel like you know them a little more if you do so, and make the room feel more familiar.

The Stage

Get comfortable with the stage. Maybe go in an hour earlier and have a look around the space. Look at where all the lighting is and know what area you will be standing in. Find a good focus point in the room, if you find that you are easily distracted.

Creative

Get creative! Show some visuals to engage the audience and give them something to look at. Do a hands – up session. This will keep everyone more interested and they will enjoy getting involved. Ask rhetorical questions when appropriate. This will also get people thinking more.

Relax

Nerves can sometimes be very overwhelming. Do some breathing exercises once you arrive at the location. Move your body around. Do some stretches. Laugh out loud a few times. The last thing you want is to come across rigid and hunched down. Be yourself as much as you can. It’s ok to stutter and make a little mistake here and there. It’s all part and parcel of public speaking. Body language is a great way of expressing yourself. Have a look here at some great tips on how to hold yourself during public speaking and what not to do.

Goodbyes

Make sure to sign off and end your presentation with a big thank you and a cheerful goodbye. This is the one time where your audience have one last glimpse and will take your personality away with them, so make sure to say goodbye and thank them all for attending. You could also share some useful links and display your contact details so that you come across as approachable as possible.