As a long-time speech coach with Toastmasters International, my goal is to help speakers remove their fear and show up empowered before saying a single word.
Iin anticipation of your turn to speak, what will you do? What will help align those butterflies in your stomach? What are the swiftest ways to get nervousness under control?
The following are few devices to help you show up as your best speaker-self from my book Confidently Speaking. More to come with the next post!
Wait In The Wings
To wait in the wings and stand while you wait gives you a chance to connect with your audience in advance. As you stand in between the curtain and the stage you'll find an opportunity to hold eye contact along with a smile to put you in the right mood. This tacit, positive interchange sets everyone at ease.
Stand Before Speaking
Stand the benefits begin. Standing helps regulate your heart. Clambering over people from a seated position, arriving red-faced and huffy-puffy brings only a glimmer of praise. When you cleanly traverse the wings to the center of the stage you receive full and well-earned ovations. Ahh! The nectar of public speaking!
When you await your entrance along the sidelines of the stage, you are equal to your introducer.
Arrive Early
If you are speaking at a place where you know only a few members, arrive early. Be there as they arrive and introduce yourself.
To remember a name, repeat the name. To make more sales, my manager used to tell me, “Everyone likes to hear the sound of their own name. Say their name.” People appreciate hearing about themselves.
A brief connection with your audience in advance makes your journey on stage easier. Additionally, you can learn details about your audience which now you can add extemporaneously, making you an irresistible presenter!
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More to come from Confidently Speaking, The Speaker’s Guide To Standing Ovations. By: Christine A. Robinson, DTM.