You’re standing on stage, you’re about to present and suddenly you realize that you’re not feeling all that confident.
This is a common scenario for many people who have to speak in public, but it doesn’t have to be this way. In fact, there are a number of ways that you can feel more confident with public speaking.
Being confident when you speak in public is essential because it helps you gain the attention of the audience. The first step to being confident while speaking in public is to know your topic well. You should also have an outline and know where you are going with your presentation.
Here are five tips to help you:
1. Engage with your audience
If possible, ask for feedback from people who attend the event or meeting where you are presenting. This will help you get an idea of what people liked about the speech and what they did not like about it.
2. Practice makes perfect
The more times that you practice your speech, the better prepared you will be when it comes to delivering it in front of an audience. Practicing with friends or family members can also be helpful because they can provide honest feedback about how well-delivered your message was and how much they understood of what was being said by looking at their body language and facial expressions as you deliver your speech.
3. Know when to pause
Pausing is an important part of giving a speech since it gives listeners time to process what has been said so far before moving on to something else that needs attention as well.
4. Start small
If you’re new to public speaking, start by giving a talk to your family or close friends instead of an entire audience or even co-workers at first. It will be easier for them to give you feedback and support if they know you well — plus, it’ll give them something fun to look forward to on weekends!
