Losing your fear of public speaking comes with time and practice. Still, if we’re going to start out in the business world, we need to be clear about how to face those fears and how to project self-confidence.
Here are some tips. They won’t make your fear go away, but they will help you hide it and feel a little more confident:
- Have a plan: You should know in advance exactly what you want to get across. Drawing up a plan and rehearsing it will make you more confident when you present.
- Master the subject you’re going to talk about: That way you’ll be in control of the questions your listeners ask and you’ll feel confident answering them.
- Know your listeners: We need to know our audience. That tells us how to approach our talk and what words and language to use. Adapt the content to the audience.
- The message should be clear and complete, never confusing: Avoid jargon. That way you make sure everyone gets your idea. Using technical terms shows you’re well informed, but it doesn’t help you sell a product or an idea.
- Stay calm at all times: Above all, hide your nerves, avoid awkward silences and show that you’re convinced of what you’re saying.
- Use non-verbal language: Non-verbal language is just as important as verbal language. Talk with your hands and your posture, and don’t stand still for too long. This helps keep people’s attention from fading.
- Make the meeting participatory: Nobody likes monologues unless they’re comedy. Get your audience involved. Ask them what they think of an idea, and invite them to share similar experiences. Make them part of the meeting.
- PowerPoint presentations or videos: One way to make a meeting more engaging and visual is to support it with images or a video, so that your words are complemented by pictures.
As I said earlier, these tips can help you be better prepared and hide your fears and stage fright. With time and practice, you’ll speak in public naturally.
Further reading
- How to make sure your business meeting is a success
- Common mistakes made by Hispanic business owners
- Got a good idea? 10 tips for putting it into practice
Featured image: Official GDC, CC BY 2.0, via Flickr.
