The fear of public speaking is one of the most common fears, and eventually most people have to give a speech to an audience. Whether it's for work, a seminar, at a wedding or awards ceremony, or for any other purpose, public speaking can conjure a sense of dread. With some basic preparation and by following some tips for managing your nerves, though, public speaking doesn't have to be such a frightening prospect.
Know the Subject
Whenever possible, speak about subjects in which you are interested and knowledgeable, as Toastmasters International, or TI, suggests. You'll be more comfortable, confident, engaging, capable of improvising if necessary and more focused during preparation stages.
Know the Material
Rehearse your speech repeatedly, as familiarity leads to comfort. As MIT's Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program, or UROP, addresses, speeches come off most naturally when not read, but given from a basic outline. Practice your speech from the outline you'll use. If possible, record yourself a few times to locate places in the speech where you tend to falter or use strange inflections. These parts of your speech may be awkwardly worded and require tweaking.
Know the Room
Comfort and confidence don't just come from knowing your speech well, but also from knowing your surroundings. Check out the room in which you'll be speaking ahead of time. If possible, practice using any equipment you'll use during the speech. Also, TI suggests greeting some of the audience ahead of time: It's easier to speak to a group you know than one you don't.
Write a Good Speech
If you're confident that your material is the best it can be, you'll be more at ease presenting it. Public speaking coach Lenny Laskowski offers some advice for planning your speech. Take up to a few weeks to write it, and be able to summarize the main takeaway point in one sentence. Consider the audience's familiarity with your topic and write specifically for them. Don't talk down to them or assume too much of them. Do thorough research, and use anecdotes and visual aids where helpful. Make sure your opening grabs attention. Also, while humor is beneficial, avoid forcing it or relying on cliche attempts; nothing is more detrimental to a speaker's confidence than failed attempts at being funny.
Relax
Envision yourself successfully giving your speech beforehand. This will help make it a reality, according to TI. Practice deep breathing while preparing your speech, and employ it before you go up. Breathe in and out deeply with your hand on your abdomen, focusing on its rise and fall. This has a relaxing effect, points out MIT's UROP. When you speak, concentrate on the points you're conveying, rather than your own emotional state, advises TI. Remind yourself that you undoubtedly feel more nervous than you look or sound to others.
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