Public Speaking Tips

- Know the room.
Be familiar with the place in which you will speak.
Arrive early, walk around the speaking area and practice using the microphone and any visual aids.

- Know the audience.
Greet some of the audience as they arrive.
It's easier to speak to a group of friends than to a group of strangers.

- Know your material.
Practice your speech and revise it if necessary.
If you're not familiar with your material or are uncomfortable with it, your nervousness will increase.

- Visualize yourself giving your speech.
Imagine yourself speaking, your voice loud, clear, and assured.
When you visualize yourself as successful, you will be successful.

- Realize that people want you to succeed.
They don't want you to fail.
Audiences want you to be interesting, stimulating, informative, and entertaining.

- Don't apologize.
If you mention your nervousness or apologize for any problems you think you have with your speech, you may be calling the audience's attention to something they hadn't noticed. Keep silent.

- Concentrate on the message - not the medium.
Focus your attention away from your own anxieties, and outwardly toward your message and your audience.
Your nervousness will dissipate.

- Turn nervousness into positive energy.
Harness your nervous energy and transform it into vitality and enthusiasm.

- Gain experience.
Experience builds confidence, which is the key to effective speaking.