Another key point to remember is, people are too busy focusing on themselves and how they can benefit from the content to even worry about you.

Okay so I know “why the fear occurs”. My next step is to focus on preparation and clarity.

Research

Firstly, I research  my audience. What are they trying to get done? What content will benefit them and how can I help them? This is not about me; the audience are giving me their attention for the next 10, 30, or 60 minutes; I ask myself how can I best serve them?

I’ve been to many conferences where I’ve seen or heard of presenters organising their slides a few hours before their talk. This is not the optimal way to prepare for a quality performance. You would never see an actress learn their lines a few minutes before they shoot the scene, they would not be successful at their trade.

Practice and pitch

Next, I learn the content – practice and pitch. I practice the presentation a minimum of 10 – 40 hours. I rehearse each section individually and then the entire presentation.

I use a story board template which outlines the content and what information I would like to impart. The story board will guide you through the key points you want to cover, however, leave you with the ability to ad lib where necessary so you are authentic.

My presentation is slides on a screen; however, it has minimal words. If you use death by PowerPoint, the audience will be focused on the PowerPoint and reading the content as opposed to focusing on you. You are the thought leader with knowledge and experience, not the screen.

I have always prepared my presentation and then presented it to a few people; it ensures that I feel less anxious, as I’ve already presented in front of someone. You can also video yourself practicing the presentation and watch it back.

Visualisation

Finally, the night before I go on stage, as I am going to sleep, I lay in bed and visualised myself on stage presenting from the start to finish. Funnily enough this helped me, as my brain thinks, I’ve already conducted the presentation, so the fear of rejection is not as great – resulting in less of a reaction.

A few minutes before I go on stage, I shake out the limbs in my body, and I repeat to myself; “you can do this.” I walk on stage and smile; it helps me feel more relaxed and confident and when you smile, people smile back; it’s infectious.

In summary, preparation, clarity and practice are some of the key factors I recommend in overcoming your fear of public speaking. To overcome your fear however, you must face it and move into it. Use your fear as fuel to drive you to success.

If you have tips on overcoming your fear of public speaking, I would love to hear them, please comment below.

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