Fear? Not if You Use These Public Speaking Tips to Lead a Meeting

Studies show that most people fear speaking in public more than death. As Jerry Seinfeld put it, that means if you’re attending a funeral, you’d rather be in the casket than giving the eulogy.

For most of us, it’s easy to get nervous at the thought of standing up in front of a group of people. Being the center of attention and delivering a speech is no easy process, especially once you start getting in your head about it.

But public speaking doesn’t have to be scary or intimidating. Keep reading for our top public speaking tips to lead your next meeting.

Know Your Audience

One of the most important public speaking tips is catering to your audience. When leading a meeting, stay on topic and avoid getting side-tracked. What is your audience there to learn?

Additionally, make sure your presentation is appropriate for the audience and setting. There’s nothing wrong with being quirky or funny, but only under appropriate circumstances. That being said, if you’re too dry, you’ll put your audience to sleep.

Know Your Speech Inside and Out

Whether you’re leading a meeting or giving a conference presentation, it’s important to know your speech backward, frontwards, and sideways. The more familiar you are with what you’re going to say, the less likely you’ll be to get lost or stumble over points.

Make notecards highlighting the points you want to cover. Then, practice your speech over and over again in front of a mirror.

Keep It Simple

Public speaking tips encourage the speaker to keep things simple. Don’t go too far into detail about the point you’re trying to make unless someone asks for further clarification. The more straightforward your presentation is, the more engaged your audience will be.

Take the Attention Off Yourself

One of the best ways to decrease your nerves during a conference presentation or speech is by deflecting the audience’s attention elsewhere. You can do this in a number of ways.

First, create visuals for your presentation through PowerPoint, poster boards, and other visual aids. Your audience will be looking at your visual presentation rather than at you.

Second, focus on connecting with your audience. Ask them questions regarding the topic. This might include:

• Their opinions
• Their insight
• Their issues
• Their suggestions
• And more

Lastly, one of the best tips for public speaking is to maximize your audience’s engagement by encouraging them to ask questions. After each topic, ask your audience what questions they have for you.

Use Reliable Software for Online Conference Calls

Nothing interrupts an online conference presentation like a bad connection or unreliable software. If you’re in the middle of leading a meeting and the video starts to lag, it can completely derail you.

Do some research to identify the best software and programs for online conferences. Check out Instant Conference Call to see if it would be a good fit for your presentation.

Looking for More Public Speaking Tips?

We hope these public speaking tips help you deliver your presentation with confidence and clarity. And remember, it’s always much worse in our minds than in reality. You’ll find that once you get started, public speaking isn’t all that scary.

For more personal or professional advice, stick around a little longer and look through some of our other blog articles. Our website was created to help people like you improve every aspect of their lives.