| |
| |
|
Public Speaking Information |
|
|
|
The Best Practical Tips for Overcoming Stage Fright
As one who does some speech coaching, I have heard all of the crazy ideas on how to conquer stage fright, but I think in more basic ideas. Actually, just a few. Here they are: 1. Know your stuff! The best thing you can do is to be overwhelmingly, thoroughly, and completely prepared and in mastery of your material. Much of the fear comes from wondering if you will make a mistake, or if the audience will know more than you. There is one sure way to beat that and that is by knowing your material inside and out. 2. Focus on getting through the first five minutes. That is where the problem lies. Rarely do you see someone who seems fearful all the way through his or her presentation, do you? No, they settle in and get comfortable after a while. Don't look at it as a fifty-minute speech. Look at it as a five-minute speech. 3. Breathe! Fear is a bodily reflex and one that you can overcome. When you get afraid, you start to breathe in short, fast breaths. Before you speak, or while you are being introduced, you should sit quietly and breathe slow, deep breaths. 4. Tell yourself that the world won't fall apart if you do a rotten job. Face it; unless you are delivering the State of the Union Address, the world will keep right on revolving if you don't do well. Even as a professional speaker there are times when I don't do as well as I want to (Very, very rarely though - keep those bookings coming!). People usually appreciate it anyway and you'll keep right on going. 5. Understand that you are your own worst critic. I had some friends who used to play in all the hot clubs in New York City and I would occasionally go with them to watch them perform. Afterwards they would say, "Oh man, we were terrible tonight!" I hadn't thought so. The audience hadn't thought so either. Most people aren't going to come to your presentation with the goal of picking you apart. So you shouldn't pick you apart either. Obviously, this is mainly for the one giving the occasional talk, not the professional speaker. 6. Understand that most of the people in the audience would be scared to death to give a speech too, and are glad that it is you and not them! For the occasional speaker, it is okay to say, "Excuse my nerves, I am not used to this." When I hear that, I root for the guy, not cut him apart (Unless I paid big bucks to be there.) 7. Make 'em laugh. That is the best way to start with a crowd. I have a joke that I start 95% of all of my speeches with. It is a guaranteed laugh and always settles the crowd in. Sometimes it has nothing to do with my topic and I just say, "What does that have to do with my topic? Nothing, but I just love that joke!" Then I go into my speech, and we are all a little more relaxed because we have laughed together. About The Author: Chris Widener is a popular speaker and writer as well as the President of Made for Success, a company helping individuals and organizations turn their potential into performance, succeed in every area of their lives and achieve their dreams. To see Chris "live" at the upcoming Jim Rohn Weekend Event as he speaks on the subject of Secrets of Influence go to http://Chris-Widener.InspiresYOU.com/ or call 800-929-0434.
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Speaking On Your Feet Your ability to communicate effectively will account for most of your success in life. As we move farther into the communication age, we are becoming more and more dependant on being able to communicate and interact effectively with others. Moving Key Audiences to Take Action? You know, those really important outside groups of people whose behaviors can help or hinder any business, non-profit or association manager in achieving his or her objectives? Are you persuading those key stakeholders - especially those whose behaviors affect your unit the MOST - to your way of thinking, then moving them to take actions that help your department, division or subsidiary succeed?Oh, as a manager, you say you're covered in that regard - your public relations team is racking up some juicy print and broadcast placements, and you say those kinds of exposures are what your PR program is all about?At the risk of becoming a skunk at this picnic, I suggest you consider broadening your public relations field-of-fire to where it best belongs, on your unit's key external stakeholder behaviors rather than the occasional publicity placement.Here's why. Time Management I'm late, I'm late, for a very important date. No time to say "hello", "goodbye", I'm late, I'm late, I'm late!Have you ever felt like the White Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland? Rushing from one thing to the next with no time to rest or relax? If so, perhaps what you need is some time management. What to Do When an Audience Member Disagrees With You Some people enjoy drawing attention to themselves by trying to trip you up on a fact or statistic during your presentation. A few will find something you say threatening to their secure view of the universe and want you to know that " You are dead wrong!!" When this happens it is important to remember that you won't be able to please everyone in your audience and you shouldn't try. Poised for Success: How Developing Self-Awareness Can Improve Your Presentations There are a number of factors that determine how your audience will judge you and subsequently your message, one of the most visible being your posture. Posture is a reflection of your attitude and may at times betray your misgivings or uncertainties in difficult situations like an important presentation. 10 Tips for Better -- and Less Scary! -- Public Speaking The fear of speaking in public is well-documented, often discussed, and probably overrated. The great news is that speaking in front of a group can be an entertaining and energizing experience for even the most fearsome among us. How to Present Your Proposal at an Executive Meeting What's the worst reaction you've ever gotten when you made an important presentation? Probably, it would come in second to the one I just heard about. A woman-ironically she was interviewing me for an article about "Knockout Presentations"-told me the story of her disaster. The Little-Known Speechwriting Secrets That Won George W Bush The US Election He's been accused of "mangling the language, destroying its meaning by avoiding the use of verbs, twisting nouns into verbs, and endlessly repeating phrases until they become zombified" (Source:'Bush and Blair accused of mangling English' by Kate Kelland, Reuters.com. Five Tips for Overcoming Public Speaking Nerves Your mouth is dry, heart palpitating, and knees knocking. You go into panic, facing a dreaded public speaking assignment. How To Make A Blue Ribbon Presentation Every Time You can make a Blue Ribbon presentation each and every time if you follow these 14 rules.1. How to Give a Speech Without Dying Two of the top fears of most people are dying and giving a speech. In fact, there is so much fear of public speaking, you might think that people regularly die while giving speeches. Let Your Appearance Speak for You, Not Against You! Every 7 seconds another baby boomer turns 50. What does an aging workforce mean? It means that the average age of your seminar attendee if getting older. Conversationally Speaking "Would you like to say a few words?" How many of us dread that request? The thought of speaking off the cuff can terrify even veteran speakers. But what about the ability to give a prepared speech and sound natural?As a speech coach, I see hundreds of people who are wedded to their words. What is YOUR Speaking Expertise? Why do you have to be an expert when getting speaking engagements?The first thing you need to do before engaging into a speaking career is to define what you are an expert in. I have seen so many speakers that get relegated into the mediocre list just because they say they can talk on anything and "what would you like to hear?" Although I am not advocating sticking with one topic, I am advocating that you are an expert in a field that you choose. Lessons in Love for the Shy at Heart One of the biggest regrets of my life is that I was cursed with the shyness gene. Shyness is an often misunderstood condition that can leave the afflicted alone and miserable. How VALUABLE is Your Speaking Topic? What information can be used immediately by the audience and what is to follow?Can you tell the audience in 30 seconds or less what you do and also give them three things that they can use immediately? The chances are that you probably cannot. If you do not have a practiced and enthusiastic response to how valuable your topic is, then you are likely not going to win over the audience. Etiquette - An Essential Ingredient to Your Success As a Public Speaker Sadly, the public speaking circle has its fair share of individuals who think they have a right to be treated better than anyone else. Conventions of public speakers are quite a sight. Conquer Presentation Anxiety: Olympic Athletes Show Us How Whether going for the gold or giving a presentation, the beast of performance anxiety rears its ugly head. Your hands are clammy, your knees wobbly and your heart is pounding. For Speakers: Ten Tips on How to Increase Your Fees One of the most important tools speakers use is their FEE SCHEDULE. Here are ten tips to help you increase your attractiveness and income, while communicating exactly what you offer and clarify your fees for your programs, products, and services. Top 7 Ways to Succeed in the Business of Speaking How attractive are you as a speaker? No, your looks, but your consistent ability to provide a quality presentation, attract clients, and be irresistibly attractive to meeting planners and speaker bureaus? Below are some useful tips that I learned while owning a national, professional speakers bureau for 13 years.1.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2007 |
