1. Identify

Pick someone who totally embodies what you want to become – in terms of beating your fear. If you lack confidence then you may want to pick someone who oozes it and has no problems with public speaking. This can be someone you know, or someone you have watched speak before, even an actor. If you have trouble with the tone or quality of your voice you may want to pick one of the public speaking greats, or even a President. Each person is individual, but the more you respect your role model the more successful you will be in this exercise.

2. Study
Now you have chosen your role-model it’s time to put a bit of effort in and spend time studying him or her. Try and watch videos of them in action (try YouTube or perhaps rent something they appear in). Notice their mannerisms, how do they talk? What is their body language like? Try to notice all the tiny details and remember them, write them down if you have difficulty in doing theirs.

3. Become One
This is the hardest part, but once you master it you will find it easy to emulate almost anyone. Some people find it easier to do this exercise with their eyes closed. See your role model in front of you, add small details to make them more 3 dimensional and life like. Then imagine yourself stepping into their body and take on all of their positive characteristics. Feel your body language mimicking theirs. Adjust your quality of voice and feel your confidence shoot up. Try and feel exactly how your role model would.

4. Keep Practicing

Keep visualizing yourself as the role model until you really believe you are them. It is important not just to ‘copy’ them but to actually be them to take on their attributes that you want to have. This might take a while but once you feel this way you will be able to overcome your fear of public speaking.

If you don’t feel it working for you perhaps change who your role model is. It’s okay to think outside of the box, your role model can be an athlete, or musician – even your grandma, as long as they totally embody thing you want to have. Good luck!

We have all heard of the statement “don’t beat around the bush” this applies when giving effective speeches. The first thing you can do is review your own speech. Go over what you have written and underline anything which may detract from the main topic or point your are trying to make. Many people with an obvious fear of public speaking do this, often driveling on, or going off topic – don’t make that mistake! Also be weary of repeating yourself, sometimes it is okay to repeat a specific phrase or word – if you are doing it to emphasise a point. But in most occasions repetition should be avoided as it will dilute your speeches importance and make the audience lose interest.

Another way you can better your speech is to insure you use evidence to back up your points. It’s often good to make a short, concise statement, then follow it up with relevant evidence to support it. By doing this you will keep the audience engaged in the topics and re-enforce the point you are trying to make.

It is okay to tell the audience exactly what you want them to get out of the speech. By being direct and taking the initiative, you are planting a seed in their mind as what you want them to come out with after the talk.

Eye contact plays a major part in the effectiveness of your speech. Those with a fear of public speaking will often give away tell-tale signs by either looking at the ground, or letting their eyes dart around the room. Eye contact should remain steady, always look up, never down. Try and keep focused and don’t let your eyes wander around the room aimlessly. If you feel uncomfortable looking at people in the eyes then pick a spot in the centre at the back of the room and pretend you are talking to someone there.

Another effective public speaking tip is to insure your speech has a beginning, middle and end and flows together properly. This will allow you to get your information across to your audience.

If you combine the various principles explained in this article then you will be well on your way to producing a great speech and should have the tools you need to speak with ease and confidence, no matter how big the audience.

1. Presentation – do you have something interesting, inspiring, and useful to share with audiences? Be mindful of your voice (keep it deep and low pitched), your personality and attitude (positive), your tone (soft, loud. Encouraging as needed), your style, your vocabulary.

2. Connection – how quickly do you get to the core of your audience’s problems and challenges? Skip what is between their ears and go straight to their hearts.

3. Passion – do you love what you do? Develop a niche or specialty that you truly enjoy … and are good at.

4. Network – enhance your speaking career by networking with 50 or more other speakers. They become your referral sources. Join the National Speakers Association – a 4,000 member organization that holds conferences and has local chapters to help you with your marketing skills and networking. Call 480-968-2552 (Arizona)

5. Products – write a book, booklet(s), create audio tapes, video tapes, CD/ROM. Having products will catapult your speaking career and make you more valuable to your clients. This “passive” income is like having frosting on the cake.

6. Value added – become known as a value added speaker. Provide handouts, attend the cocktail reception before your program, stay after your speech, offer follow-up teleclasses, offer your consulting services, be a facilitator.

7. Hire a Coach – The Olympic Games remind us that a world-class athlete is surrounded by a number of people whose function is to keep him/her on track. No serious athlete or professional speaker would expect to progress very far without a COACH.