OVERCOMING THE FEAR OF PUBLIC SPEAKING

A great public speaker captures the hearts and minds of the audience, this article will provide some insight on how to overcome the fear of public speaking. There are those who twirl their toes at the thought of standing in front of an audience (big or small) to make a delivery. Well, if you are one of those people, blame the fear on your perception. 

You think it is hard – How the hell am I going to do this? 

You think you lack the ability to deliver well – I can’t do this. 

You believe the audience will criticize your efforts –What are they going to think about me? 

You believe you will mess up – What if I go blank on stage?

In some instances, you may be thinking all at once! What a torture. 

Everyone will not be excellent public speakers but as entrepreneurs, it is important to know how to engage an audience and articulate your thoughts in ways that will attract interest. Your audience may be an auditorium of students or it may be a boardroom of executives, you must be able to deliver in a satisfactory manner as you are the head representative of your business. 

Here are a few tips to help you command the attention of your audience as you seek to increase awareness and grow your business. 

Believe In The Value You Offer.

You will not be able to convince others if you do not believe in what you do. To be able to speak from a place of conviction, you must have a clear view of your value proposition and the impact your offer has on the target group and the wider society. Belief is the beginning of comfortable and persuasive expressions.

Do Not Overthink. 

It is not life and death. The reality is that half of your audience may be just as fearful as you are but you are doing it. Everyone has fears –  it is a natural emotion for humans. The way you choose to handle this emotion will make all the difference. 

Focus On The Message and Your Goal

What do you want your audience to walk away remembering? Ensure your message is clear, simple and memorable. Remind yourself you are doing the delivery for the purpose of the audience and not as a personal assessment. While you will definitely discover key learnings, the aim is to have the audience impacted by the value of what you offer. 

Be Knowledgeable About What You are Delivering

This is very important. As an entrepreneur, you are seen as the expert in the business you choose to make your own. You will not know everything but ensure that a prep is done especially when delivering speeches, as it is highly likely that you will receive questions. You must be able to address sufficiently. Being knowledgeable will also reduce your fear level as you will exude more confidence.