It's true. More people are afraid of public speaking than drowning or dying.
I'm constantly amazed at the look some people have when they're asked to make a quick comment in public.
TERROR.
And yet it's relatively simple to ease yourself when you're about to speak in public.
Having been a professional speaker for over 20 years, I've picked up a few things here and there.
I'll share something with you that will make public speaking so much easier, especially if you're speaking in a casual or semi-formal environment.
What I'm about to tell you will shake away the initial terror sweats and help you work into your talk. This works great, especially at the beginning of the talk, because that's usually the point where people are most terrified.
The trick is so deceptively simple, you'd think what's the big deal. But it actually works in almost every situation
Let's say you're going to speak about the biggest fears people have when speaking in public.
As soon as you begin speaking, you ask the audience a few questions to kick off your talk.
For example, "Thank you very much for that warm welcome! I really appreciate it. So let me start by asking you this question: If you had to guess, what would you say is the biggest fear people have?"
People start shouting out: Spiders, heights, public speaking etc.
Then you continue, "Ok, good. And what are some good ways to conquer these fears -- any ideas?"
And then people shout some suggestions on how to beat these phobias.
Great. You address those points and continue (or even ask one or two more questions).
... And then you work your way into your talk...
Because people are usually the MOST nervous when they begin talking, those 30 or 60 seconds you've spent asking questions and fielding answers will help settle your nerves a bit because you don't have to continually speak.
The speaking and stopping, and audience interaction, will allow you to relax and catch your breath.
From there, you'll find it a lot easier to continue.
See? Real simple idea but it works.
(And then later in your talk, if you're feeling uneasy or need a mental break, throw in a question or two to calm yourself. Works like a charm.)
