Public Speaking Skills To Improve Your Confidence

Do you feel shy when giving presentations? Do you lack confidence when speaking in public? This blog post will teach you how to improve your public speaking skills so you can feel more confident when speaking in front of others.

In order to improve your public speaking skills, you need to first understand why you feel shy or lack confidence when speaking in public. There are many reasons why people feel shy or lack confidence when speaking in public, but some of the most common reasons are:

-Lack of experience.

-Fear of criticism.

-Fear of embarrassing yourself.

-Fear of making a mistake.

-Lack of self-esteem and underestimation of oneself.

-Fear of rejection.

-Fear of being ridiculed.

-Fear of lack of understanding.

-Fear of being judged.

-Fear of failure.

-Fear of going too far.

-Fear of looking stupid.

-Fear of not having a good voice.

-Fear of not being understood.

-Fear of speaking too fast.

-Fear of not knowing what to say.

-Fear of being left out.

-Fear of not being heard.

-Fear of speaking too slowly.

-Fear of not knowing what to say.

All these are some of the things affecting people and preventing them from having public speaking abilities to present themselves at a conference, organization, or even on social media. Once you understand why you feel shy or lack confidence when speaking in public, you can start taking steps to improve your public speaking skills.

If you are looking forward to improving your public speaking skills, these are the 10 public speaking skills you must master:

10 Top Public Speaking Tips For Better Presentation

1. Prepare Adequately for Public Speaking

Preparing for a presentation is the most important step in the process of learning how to present yourself in public. When preparing for a presentation, you should be aware of the topics you are going to address. You should know what you are going to talk about and what your audience wants to hear. While you are preparing your presentation, you should also be aware of the format you are going to use.

All people feel some physiological reactions like pounding hearts and trembling hands. Do not associate these feelings with the sense that you will perform poorly or make a fool of yourself. Some nerves are good. The adrenaline rush that makes you sweat also makes you more alert and ready to give your best performance.

The best way to overcome anxiety is to prepare, prepare, and prepare over and over again. As you prepare, go over your notes several times. In order to become comfortable with the subject, practice extensive amounts of it over time. Furthermore, get some feedback. Practice videotaping yourself, or getting a friend to critique your performance.

2. Think Like Your Audience

Know how your audience will think because Your speech is about them, not you. Therefore before you begin to craft your message, consider who the message is intended for. Learn as much about your listeners as you can. This will help you determine your choice of words, level of information, organization pattern, and motivational statement you will use.

3. Learn The Topics Critically

You must be well-versed in the topic that you are going to speak about adequately but researching either online or offline. Know all the facts, figures, and statistics about your topic. If you have prepared a 10-page paper, learn at least 10 facts about your topic because this will help you avoid wasting time in the middle of your presentation and also avoid unnecessary stammering that might occur due to a lack of what to say.

4. Let Your Personality Come Through

I understand this is easier said than done but the true secret behind every successful public speaking is to be yourself and be true to who you are. Don’t become a talking head in any type of communication. You will establish better credibility if your personality shines through, and your audience will trust what you have to say if they can see you as a real person and authentic. You must be able to engage your audience, and it is also a must that you are comfortable and at ease when you are speaking.

5. Remember That It Is Not About You

It is very important that you remember that your audience is there to listen to you, not to hear how smart you are, to see how impressive you are, or to see who you are. If you are speaking about your new business venture or how you are going to help the environment, make sure that you are not speaking to a room of people who are trying to hear how amazing you are. So start your presentation with a clear and concise message. A good motivational statement starts with “I” or “We” and then moves to “You.” It is important to make a statement that is specific. Do not use a vague statement such as “I am going to help you.” Instead, use statements such as “I will help you.” or “I will help you to learn how to start your own business.”

6. Have Proper Body Movements.

Do not just sit still, Stand up, or move around in a slobby manner. Stand up straight with your shoulders back because you do not want any form of accident, especially in a physical one-on-one presentation. Breathe deeply and slowly, and make sure you do not speak too fast rather speak with an assertive tone so your audience can hear you clearly. Make eye contact with your audience and look at them as you speak.

7. Outline Your Message First Before The D-day

Writing down your message first will help you incorporate and focus on all the important aspects of your presentation. When you are writing down your message, make sure that you write down all the important points of your message, especially the most important points. Besides, the easier it is for you to write in bullet points, the easier it will be for you to communicate your message to your audience.

8. Practice Does Not Always Make Perfect

Good communication is never flawless, and the final audience is ready for it is not unreasonable. Therefore, placing the requisite amount of time into preparing a speech will help you deliver a better performance. You may not be able to shake your nerves entirely, but you can learn how to minimize them through consistent practice. So don’t ever feel the pressure to always remain perfect because we are all humans and mistakes is a part of our nature. Just give your best shot and learn from your mistakes and flaws so you can do better next time.

9. Dress For Success

The way you dress matters a lot both online offline and remotely. You dress for events like this so that your personality comes through and your audience can see who you really are. For example, people can tell who is a business owner, who is a teacher, and who is a doctor. So when you attend an event, you would be expected to wear a business suit for your business presentation. But the major things you should put in mind when picking a dress for your presentation are;

• Wear something you are comfortable and confident in, this is to avoid any form of public embarrassment from tight clothes that will prevent you from walking well or tearing up during your presentation.
• Wear vibrant colors that speak to success or represent your brand.
• Finally dress the way you want to be addressed, especially for the ladies, this is the period to avoid revealing clothes and for the men; avoid attires that make them look unkempt and dirty.

10.  Practice Self-Esteem Therapy

Self-esteem is not something every person is born with and it is okay, it doesn’t make you less of a human. you can practice self-esteem therapy every day by using different methods like;

• Stand in front of a mirror and say some words of affirmation to yourself e.g I am bold, I am beautiful, I am the best among the rest, etc… This method will gradually sink into your sub-conscious mind until your brain adapts to these words and you start to act like it.
• Surround yourself with positive people, staying around negativity affects the way you think and act which ultimately brings down your self-worth and esteem. If your environment is filled with antagonizing people then maybe you should consider relocating to somewhere new and refreshing.
• Visit a counselor or therapist to guide you through the journey, it might take a while but trust the process and do everything you are advised to do diligently.

Conclusion

Public speaking is something that almost every person will have to do at some point in their life. Whether it is in school or work, it is part of life to speak in front of a crowd. But this does not mean that public speaking is easy; it is not. Depending on how you are able to prepare for a presentation, it will be easy or hard for you to deliver your message effectively. AS LONG AS YOU PREPARE TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY, YOU CAN DELIVER.

So if you intend to take your public speaking to a professional level then these tips are sure to help you grow but if you need more tips and assistance kindly contact us today and don’t forget to subscribe to our mailing list to stay updated when every we publish new articles that will improve your skills.