5 Tips to Help You Speak Confidently

Jenna sighed as she looked at the calendar reminder on her phone. In two weeks, she had to do a presentation to 50 of her colleagues on her department’s new strategic plans and initiatives.

As the project manager, this presentation was critical to gain buy-in and support. But public speaking was something that always made Jenna incredibly nervous. Her mind would go blank, her hands would shake and she was sure she would forget important details.

She knew she needed to overcome her presentation anxiety if she wanted to advance her career. That’s why she had signed up for a short public speaking skills course. She was hoping the course would give her practical tips and strategies to help boost her confidence when presenting.

Recent research has shown that 75% of adults are afraid of public speaking. This means that many professionals like Jenna are faced with the same predicament of anxiety about public speaking. But with the right techniques, anyone can learn to speak confidently in front of a crowd.

Here are five key things Jenna learned in that course that can help you too:

1. Know Your Material Inside and Out

Research shows that being an expert in your content is the number one thing that builds confidence in presenters.

Jenna practiced her presentation repeatedly until she didn’t need any notes. She knew the material so thoroughly, that she could now look up and connect with her audience instead of down at her slides.

Knowing what you are talking about with confidence makes your audience easily trust what you are saying.

2. Make Eye Contact

It is important to make eye contact with multiple people in the audience, not just one person, to establish trust and rapport. This shows you are confident about what you are saying.

Looking at slides the whole time loses engagement. Studies show maintaining eye contact with individuals for 2-3 seconds strengthens bonds with listeners.

3. Use Body Language to Your Advantage

Your audience keenly follows your body language. Standing up straight with open hands and arms conveys energy and approachability to your audience. Avoiding “fidgetiness” like playing with her hair or clicking a pen will keep you poised.

Proper body language boosts self-assurance by 85% according to psychological reviews.

4. Customize your Voice

Jenna discovered varying her tone, pace, and volume kept people invested. Pausing intentionally added emphasis. Her warm, personable tone matched her friendly personality to put others at ease.

Knowing when to pause, increasing the pitch, and regulating the pace of your speech makes your audience hooked to your message. They can get your message clearly without the danger of misinterpretation.

5. Use Visual Aids Wisely

 When giving a presentation or speech visual aids e.g. slides should enhance your messaging, not replace it. By sticking to key bullet points and showing data judiciously through graphs and tables, you could maintain focus on high-level discussions.

Relying less on slides also frees you up to connect more authentically.

In Conclusion, being armed with these techniques will help you run your presentation with confidence. With practice and understanding of how to properly use your voice, body, and materials, anyone can learn to speak confidently to their colleagues, customers, and other audiences.

Are you having trouble connecting with your audience? Enroll in our upcoming public speaking certification course today.