The Things That Stop Most People Presenting in Public & How to Overcome Them

Gerald R. Ford said "If I went back to college again, I'd concentrate on two areas: learning to write and learning to speak before an audience. Nothing in life is more important than the ability to communicate effectively."

Public speaking is the number one skill that's guaranteed to position you head and shoulders above the competition, yet it's frequently overlooked, according to female speaker, Patricia Fripp.

My own take on having the ability to give presentations is that it's probably the single most powerful thing you can learn to do that gives you the ammunition to say "If I can do that, I can do anything".

If you've ever marvelled at the abilities of a great presenter, the clever use of words to draw pictures, the confidence and charisma that exudes from the platform and the awe in which they are held, you'll agree with the above statements.

So why is it that when it comes to attending training courses, presentation skills are not the automatic first port of call? Could it be to do with that oft quoted (probably misquoted) statistic that speaking in public is feared more than death? Let's not go into an examination of quite how ridiculous that would be if it were true. After all, how many of you would really swap places with the guy in the coffin if you were asked to speak at a funeral?

There's no doubt that public presenting can get the old palms sweating, but given the benefits you'll get when you know you can do it well, it really shouldn't stop you. Let's examine the causes of nerves so you lay your fears to rest and get this most important of abilities added to your arsenal of talents, shall we?

First, examine why you're nervous. There's always a reason for nerves so examine what the reasons are so you can deal with the cause and go a long way to eliminating the symptom. Note that I say "go a long way to eliminating", the chances are that you'll always feel some nervousness which is when you need to remember that nerves are your friends because they keep your senses sharp & show that you want to do well.

Even seasoned performers suffer from stage fright, some had it so bad they could barely perform. Fortunately, the thought is usually worse than the task. Once you get started, you'll often find that your nervousness will disappear. I liken it to knowing that you're about to tackle a drive round London's Hyde Park Corner or Paris's Arc de Triomphe in rush hour. Thinking about it really freaks you out but when you're in the middle of it, you're too busy concentrating on not hitting anyone that it's only afterwards you get to think "Wow, I made it in one piece."

Some of the most common reasons I've found for people suffering from nerves are these:


Worry about forgetting what you're going to say

Worry that the audience will think you're a fraud

Worry about saying the wrong thing and offending somebody

Worry that someone will ask a question to which you don't know the answer

Worry that you'll get a dry mouth or get tongue tied

Worry that you'll finish too soon or run long

Some of the less common ones I've heard were "I'm worried in case there's a fire alarm halfway through my talk" and "I'm worried that the hem on my trousers will unravel in front of everyone whilst I'm speaking."

I could dismiss all these are "silly" or "invalid" and tell you that none of them will ever happen, but the fact is that they often will. (Yes, even the trouser hem thing's happened to me!). Looking down the list, you can see that there's a lot you can do to avoid these situations occurring: being well prepared, stating your qualifications in your introduction, knowing your subject matter inside and out, timing yourself several times during rehearsals, and so on (sorry, I don't have a magic bean to disable fire bells during speeches).

But so what if any of them still come to pass? What's the worst that can happen? Well it's not life or death, you know. You have to learn to keep your fears in perspective. And remember, the audience wants you to succeed. Nobody enjoys a bad speech.

Do what you can to be prepared and don't let fear of speaking stop you from gaining that most revered of all skills, the one that will impact every area of your personal and business life. Give yourself the very best opportunity of succeeding and you'll find the rewards are massive.


Do you have a major presentation coming up? For guidance and support call Liz Kentish The FM Coach on 07717 787077 or coach@lizkentishcoaching.co.uk



Author Bio
Maria Davies is the UK's most successful female sales presenter who trains others to overcome their public speaking fears and use presentation skills to increase the audience share for their product or service by around 91%. Find out more about forthcoming seminars, worldwide e-trainings or speaker bookings at www.laddersofsuccess.com

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Be More Persuasive

I heard on the news that Oprah Winfrey’s school for girls in South Africa has an oratorium. Why? It’s because she feels that leaders and influencers need to have good speaking skills. Whether you’re speaking to 1 or 100, I couldn’t agree more.

Public speaking is one of the quickest ways to establish credibility as an entrepreneur. It’s also one of the biggest phobias most human beings have. So for the moment, let’s forget about giving a planned, formal presentation to an audience.

Public speaking encompasses many other opportunities to establish credibility. Think about it. We’re formulating opinions of fellow entrepreneurs every day, based on those experiences. When and where?

At committee meetings, volunteer groups, boards, public forums, with co-workers, with a boss, with customers, networking events, luncheons, trade shows, and informal meetings. (OK, you get my drift.) Just remember that a big part of an entrepreneur’s brand and image are influenced by how a person presents him/herself in each of those settings.

There are two different ways we make that impression. One way is through the choice of words and the delivery of a well thought-out position. The second, and more powerful influence is the speaker’s level of passion, conviction, and sincerity. To give you a great example of the power of conviction and passion, consider this excerpt from Tony Robbins’ The Power to Shape your Destiny . “When two people meet, if there’s rapport, if there’s a feeling of mutual respect and trust… if one person is more certain than the other, that person will eventually influence the other person’s feelings.” Pretty powerful stuff, if you think about it. By having a stronger sense of conviction, belief, and passion, you can persuade someone. Because you must establish trust and rapport, of course there is the need for sincerity. Think of what happens when sincerity is NOT present. The minute someone starts bragging or arrogance creeps in, we tune out. We assume that in future dealings that person will be looking out for them self. Call me old-fashioned, but I know there are some powerful people out there who are humble and genuinely interested in the well being of others. So those are the type of people we should choose to surround ourselves with and rely on.

That said, as long as you’re sincere and have conviction I believe you’ll have more credibility and will be more persuasive than the passion-less person who might put together a more articulate argument.

Here are a few tips for being persuasive:

Tip #1: Be sincere, be genuine, and don’t worry about how you’re going to come across. (I think this also helps to relax us, making it even easier to formulate our thoughts.) As long as we speak from our hearts, we’ll be powerful.

Tip #2 If you’re fearful of speaking, start small. But do practice. Start with your introduction or “elevator speech”. Practice on coworkers, friends, significant other, kids or the dog. Anybody who will listen!

Tip #3: Be likeable. Smile, and let your passion shine through. Of course, you don’t want a silly grin on your face the whole time. But the idea is to make yourself approachable. You want to connect with your listeners.

Tip #4: Appreciate your listeners’ time and don’t drone on. There’s an old quote that says, “Be accurate! Be brief! And then be seated!” I can remember being at a networking meeting where everyone had 30 seconds for a quick introduction. Most took more than their share of time. What was fascinating is that I had several people come up to me afterwards, simply based on my brief introduction. They appreciated the fact that I kept it short, I sounded confident yet approachable, and I whet their appetite with just one tidbit of info that had them asking for more.

Tip #5: Believe it! I’ve seen people speak with so little conviction that I wondered if they truly believed what they were proposing. If you don’t believe it deep down in your heart, no one else will. Just remind yourself of the wonderful value you’re offering, and how much your listener needs the information you’re about to share.

I’ve covered just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to being a more persuasive communicator. But even a modest improvement in each of the five areas above will result in a dramatic change in your results. Try it!


Looking for a keynote FM speaker? Call Liz Kentish on 01778 561326 / 07717 787077 or e-mail coach@lizkentishcoaching.co.uk



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About the Author:
Pat Price has worked with numerous clients to generate more business and boost their marketing effectiveness. She is a professional speaker and president of The Price Group, Inc, a full-service marketing firm serving small to mid-sized organizations. To receive Pat’s free Marketing Tips! newsletter, go to www.PatPriceSpeaks.com/Resources.php . She can be reached at 630.717.8332 or through her website at www.ThePriceGroup.biz.