Two Ways to Improve Your Speaking Confidence

Here's another question I received from you in the Niche Seminar Secrets Survey:

'How do I overcome nerves/become more confident as a speaker?'

As with the very old joke I quote in Niche Seminar Secrets, to get to Carnegie Hall, 'You Gotta Practise.'

Dale Carnegie would agree (I know the hall was financed by Andrew Carnegie but the coincidence adds a nice symmetry).

Essentially, practice is the thing. First, write your presentation to sound as relaxed and natural as you can manage, then practise speaking it out loud (not just in your head), amending and adjusting it each time so that it becomes more and more like your natural 'voice'. A natural presentation is much more pleasant for the listeners, since an uncomfortable speaker makes them feel anxious, too.

By the time you've got a really natural-sounding presentation you will probably have learned it well enough to do without the script. If not, practise some more! When the time comes to make your presentation, you should need no more than your opening lines, plus some key words to prompt you and help to keep you to a logical sequence, plus your closing remarks. Put these on cards and staple them together.

If you've signed up to my niche-seminar list you should have had your copy of Dale Carnegie's 'The Art of Public Speaking', which still makes great sense today. Sign up now if you haven't done so and I'll send you the download link, free of charge.

I know some people prefer to learn in other ways than by reading, though, which is why I've previously recommended 'Step Up and Speak', an 11-part audio and video course (plus extras) that I'm confident you'll find useful. It's modestly priced and can transform your confidence and performance as a public speaker.

Remember, the more convincingly you speak, the more your public speaking will boost your business.

There are also some simple ways to combat nerves, which I've described in some detail in Niche Seminar Secrets, including taking moderate exercise and a great technique called Thought Field Therapy that I can personally recommend - TFT helped me overcome crippling nerves and I demonstrate some simple methods in an appendix to the manual.

Few things eradicate nerves as well as knowing you're well-prepared, though, so I'd recommend you use Dale Carnegie's book and / or 'Step Up and Speak' to help you prepare, then practise, practise, practise.

Enjoy the experience and you won't need me to wish you 'Good Luck'!

Roy

PS. The One Dollar Trial of Niche Seminar Secrets continues, here: http://seminar-secrets.blogspot.com/2008/12/one-dollar-trial-with-difference.html