Does the thought of speaking in front of a group evoke fear, make you sweat, get your heart pounding? It's okay, the average person ranks the fear of public speaking higher than the fear of death. The truth is, this fear could be hurting your professional and personal life.

The words "public speaking" cause fear and anxiety in the minds of otherwise competent and confident people. However, there are tips to help you conquer your fears. There are even ways to help harness your energy in a positive way.

Keep reading if you want to learn how…..

1. Start Small

If you're new to the world of public speaking, start small. Find a few friends and family to practice on. Begin by speaking to smaller groups and build up from there. The size of the audience makes no difference. If you know your topic, you're pre-speaking fear will quickly evaporate.

2. Practice And Prepare Extensively

Nothing takes the place of practicing and preparing for your speech. Write out a script of your key points, but don’t read from the script word for word. Prepare for your speech so well that you could answer any possible question thrown at you.

Rehearse several times before the big talk. Time your presentation and always have back up material in case time is left over.

3. Don't Memorize

Mastering the art of public speaking comes not from memorizing word for word your entire speech. The real pros know their material by remembering key points and prompts on sub topics and examples to cover.

4. Eliminate Fear Of Rejection

“What if my audience hates my speech? What if they boo me off stage?” Try to eliminate all of your fears of rejection. The audience is there to listen to you for a reason.

5. Find a Friend

Prior to your public speaking on stage introduce yourself to a few members of the audience in the front row. During your talk look these people in the eye to ease your nerves and connect with your audience.

6. Watch Yourself In The Mirror

For beginners, practice your speech in front of the mirror as if you were speaking directly to someone. If you really want to learn how to improve public speaking skills then…

Pay attention to:

Your facial expressions
Your gestures
Your body movements
How welcoming you appear
When you have gentle expressions and a calm demeanor when you speak, you will be more welcoming to your audience.

7. Engage the Audience

Creating a monologue presentation puts the entire task of informing and entertaining the audience on you. Make your talk a two-way interaction with questions and participation to reduce boredom and speak with ease. Having the group involved also gives you time to reorganize your thoughts if things are going off track.

Make public speaking part of your marketing function and boost your business success.

Your fear will evaporate over time and you will wonder why you didn't start sooner.


8. Make Your Nervous Energy Work For You

Learn to channel your nervous energy into positive energy. Being nervous is a form of adrenaline. You can use it in a positive way to help give an impassioned presentation during public speaking events.

9. Avoid Talking Too Fast

Talking fast during a speech interferes with your breathing patterns. If you talk too fast you will breathe less. Feeling short of breath will make you panicked and more susceptible to fear. Practice slowing down when you speak, and you will be more calm and relaxed.

10. Focus On The Material, Not The Audience

Focus on delivering your material in the best way possible. Don’t worry about audience reactions.

Culled from http://m.af1234.com/Af1234/details?id=4386

CC: Lalasticlala, Mynd44

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