Did you know that around 77% of people have a fear or anxiety when it comes to speaking in public settings? We understand that while tackling a public speaking event can be overwhelming, you can overcome presentation anxiety in some ways.
Below we’re going to provide you with some valuable tips that will help ease those pesky speaking nerves and deliver a speech that will leave the audience speechless.
Read on now and prepare to start making presentations you’re proud of.
1. Be Prepared
Regarding your presentation skills, one of the most important things you can do to overcome your anxiety is to prepare for the occasion. The more prepared you are for public speaking, the higher your confidence to deliver will be.
We recommend creating an outline for your speech that will help you remember your talking points. On the day of the speech, you can reference your outline and jog your memory of what you’ve rehearsed in case you forget something.
2. Grab Their Attention
When making a presentation, you’ve got to ensure you capture the audience’s attention. Once you’ve reeled them in, you can move forward with driving your significant points home.
It also helps if you research some buzzwords that will help the audience visualize the topics you’re speaking on while presenting. If your presentation includes a slideshow, take the time to carefully select vivid imagery that will spark the audience’s imagination.
3. Practice, Practice, Practice
Above, we discussed being prepared, but outside of doing your research for the presentation, you need to practice delivering it. First, we recommend presenting your speech in front of a mirror.
Once you become comfortable with that, it could help to present in front of family and friends. When you do this, ask them to provide useful critiques that will help you to further prepare for the day of the presentation.
The more time you spend practicing your presentation, the more prepared you will be, which again can aid in building confidence to deliver the presentation.
4. Don’t Sweat the Mess Ups
Even when you take the time to prepare, it’s not uncommon for speaking anxiety to affect you still and cause you to mess up. Instead of letting these minor mess-ups affect your entire speech, don’t sweat it.
Things happen, but you don’t have to let it derail you. Instead, take a deep breath, reference your outline, and continue to move forward with your presentation. It also helps if you stop taking yourself seriously and assuming you have to be perfect each time you give a presentation.
5. Involve the Audience
If your anxiety is getting the best of you, get the audience involved. During those moments, it’s the perfect time to accept questions.
As the audience is asking the questions, use this moment to collect your thoughts and get back on track.
Presentation Anxiety: Ways to Overcome It
Thousands of people deal with presentation anxiety, but it doesn’t mean you have to continue avoiding making presentations. If you need help, involve the audience and learn to avoid sweating making mistakes during your presentation.
If you want to know more about overcoming this type of anxiety, check out some of the other posts in our blog section.
