How to Get Over Stage Fright and Give a Great Speech
James Malinchak
The fear of public speaking can manifest itself physically in the form of butterflies in your stomach, sweaty palms and stuttering words. Some may even freeze on stage unable to continue. With practice and patience you can over come these fears and before mastering the techniques for effective public speaking, you must overcome the fear of speaking in front of large crowds. Knowledge of techniques will be futile you have a terrible fear of public speaking. Having said that, it would be best that you should cope with your stage fright first. So let me share some tidbits that you can use to diminish your fear. - The audience is unconsciously rooting for you. They want you to be successful on stage. - Eradicate all self-defeating thoughts - Do not expect too much of your speeches. If the audience does not respond as expected, do not be anxious. It doesn't matter. Think about it when it's all over. - If you bomb, people will forget about it more quickly than you can say, 'I am glad it is over and done!' - Nobody died from crowd hostility because of poor public speaking. What I am trying to point out is that nothing is to be feared in public speaking. In reality, it is all in the mind. All are self-imposed anxieties and self-made destructive scenarios. No one will really care if you fail. However, once you get over with your limiting fears, you can then give successful presentations. No one really hates poor speakers but everyone loves great speakers. There is nothing to lose but everything to gain; keep this in mind. Now, considering you already have the confidence to speak publicly. You can fine tune your speaking delivery with these techniques that will surely make your presentations more memorable. - Start with a great introduction. No matter how unexciting your content is; if you can deliver an attention-grabbing, interest-worthy introduction, people will tune in and listen. In public speaking, first impression is essential. If you start in an uninteresting way, you will pay dearly for it. The audience will be bored and remain uninterested unless you do something dramatic. - Be Dynamic and Theatrical Be always enthusiastic and appear passionate about your topic. Move from place to place if the stage allows you. Use hand gestures and voice inflections to drive a point. You should consider yourself a performer on stage. No one wants to see a still robot speaking on stage. Fervor should start with you, the speaker. Be theatrical. However, do not overdo it to the point where your message is taking the far backseat of your delivery. - Share exciting stories and fascinating facts Support your key points with stories and amazing facts that generate allure and get your audience interested in your speech. Research the history, anecdotes and fun statistics that have to do with your topic and integrate them into your speech. - End the speech with a bang Make your speech memorable with a great ending. Be creative. Make the emotions fresh by giving the audience a brief summary of what you have just shared.
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