Roughly 75% of Americans have suffered from glossophobia: the fear of speaking in public. July is Freedom From Fear of Public Speaking Month.
Speaking is one of the best ways I know for you to get your message of inspiration, hope and game-changing strategies out to your audience, while growing your list and attracting new clients.
Here are 3 tips to help you powerfully prepare for your next presentation:
Tip #1: Pare down your talk
Many entrepreneurs make the mistake of putting too much content into their talks.
In our enthusiasm to share all that we’ve learned and discovered, there’s a tendency to over-deliver, which can often end up leaving our audience members over-FULL. (Yes, I’m speaking from personal experience!)
Deliver your 3-5 main points with brief stories, anecdotes and client examples to illustrate your point and a quick tip to give them something of value–and then STOP.
Think of your talk as an appetizer, and you are there to whet their appetite of what’s possible.
You want your audience members to walk away with a taste of your gifts and brilliance and leave with a hunger for MORE from you–which, hopefully, you have made it really clear to them at least one specific way they can take it further with you.
Tip #2: Practice, practice, practice
Obvious, yes? And yet, most people don’t practice enough for their presentations. Again, I’m speaking from personal experience.
One speaking expert says for every 1 minute of your presentation, you should ideally practice for 1 hour. So if your talk is 30 minutes, that’s 30 hours of practice!
Now you may be thinking, “Where am I going to find an extra 30 HOURS of time to practice?!”
However, if you create ONE signature talk (which I highly recommend) and deliver it over and over again to new audiences, then you’ll soon enough get your 30 hours in.
And it’s totally OK to deliver your first few talks to “practice” audiences, whether it’s to a group of family and friends or a “safe” professional audience.
If you’re short on time when preparing for a presentation, the 3 key parts to practice to avoid sounding nervous are your opening, your offer, and your closing.
Also, it’s totally fine to use notes or an outline during your presentation!
Tip #3: Pump yourself up
Feeling nervous about getting up in front of a group to speak?
Who doesn’t?!
Most of us feel that nervous, excited–even terrified–energy before speaking. Even thinking about speaking can bring up those feelings.
Here’s my favorite tip to channel your nervous/excited energy into CONFIDENCE right before you deliver your talk.
Take time to go to a private space (a bathroom stall is great) to pump yourself up. You want to get your energy moving, so that you bring your full-on enthusiasm to your presentation.
Jump up and down, put your body in the powerful “X” posture, and give yourself empowering self-talk such as: “I’m awesome and amazing! They can’t wait to hear what I have to say! I can’t wait to get out there and share my message!”
You may feel ridiculous doing this the first time. But, seriously, it works.
And if your talk isn’t yet fully polished, by pumping yourself up before delivering it, your audience will FEEL your passion, be inspired, as well as benefit from your valuable tips.
Put the polish and passion together, and watch out, that’s where the big magic happens in speaking!
About the author: Rebecca Massoud is a business soul + success coach, marketing mentor and founder of SHINE–Because It’s Your Time. She specializes in mentoring women entrepreneurs to attract and sign on their dream clients, so they can make a big income and an even bigger impact doing what they love. Rebecca teaches a 1-day workshop called SPEAK, SHINE, SELL where she helps you create your client-attracting signature talk. For more information, visit: rebeccamassoud.com
Stock image photo credit: Weebly
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