5 TIPS TO MASTER PUBLIC SPEAKING

You just agreed to give a presentation on the benefits of virtual scribe companies.

It’s no surprise that you’re a little nervous about it as you’re new to public speaking.

There are plenty of resources out there for helping you get over that initial discomfort, but they can be overwhelming and hard to find.

In this article we'll share some tips and strategies to keep in mind when preparing for your next talk or event.

If you don't have any ideas for how to prepare yourself, check out these great tips from Toastmasters International!.

Get Prepared For The Worst-Case Scenario First - If Possible And Try Your Best Not To Show Panic At All In The Beginning:

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

When you're sitting down to present or deliver an important message to a bunch of people, you know what's going to happen, so do your best not to show any panic at all if things go south.

Even the most confident speaker is bound to make mistakes.

We always try to imagine, as much as possible, the worst case scenario we may encounter when presenting ourselves, our content, or even doing a group thing.

Don't think in terms of how bad things might feel in this situation and focus instead on how we could.

potentially handle those feelings in an appropriate manner.

Prioritize Your Audience And Understand Their Needs/Priorities:

For many events, your main concern should be connecting with other leaders, sharing information and being able to educate them.

Make sure to communicate the importance of taking care of their audience and how important it is for them to hear from you.

Acknowledge their fears, interests, desires and needs and provide support for each.

This will also help set expectations and create a sense of trust with your listeners.

Also, it helps create more space for follow up questions for your team and other attendees.

Remember That Everyone Has Differing Expectations Of What They Need From Them:

If you've ever experienced the dreaded "you forgot something" speech moment, take heart.

These days, everything will probably be easier than you expected for the majority of us.

However, the reality is that you need to remember to ask someone what their needs are.

Then provide them with the relevant information and move onto the key points.

Be honest with them and recognize where they are coming from when it comes to what they expect from you.

Knowing which expectations have been met and which haven't will ensure that people are engaged from start to finish.

Use Visual Language When Presenting:

Your eye contact is one way to convey how passionate you are about whatever your topic or subject is.

Having clear and concise visuals will also help people visualize a visual image when thinking of how awesome their presentations are.

If you're planning to use slide presentations or whiteboards, use bright colors and images that visually grab the viewer’s attention.

Create multiple options for different types of graphics, like GIFs, PNGs and infographics.

Some examples would be PowerPoint slides, infographic templates and audio files as well as images and video clips to accompany your messages/information.

Have Fun While Doing It (And Plan Ahead):

Be prepared to laugh your head off if your topic goes wrong.

But, have fun while talking to your audience in order to create lasting memories.

Ask them to hold up a poster that shows you and your team’s faces in action.

Or perhaps put together a special video clip using old family photos or childhood videos to show your kids how awesome you are.

One way to keep things fresh is by keeping track of which topics or speakers you’re excited to see in future, and bring up those with others in the room.