What do you do if you're a mid-career professional struggling with public speaking anxiety at trade shows?

I think everybody is nervous and anxious on different levels based on experience (or inexperience for most of us) when it comes to public speaking. Fear is healthy and keeps us in check. To keep it from becoming overwhelming I learned the essential tactic of rehearsing front to back. Not only speaking my content out loud, but also using video and audio recording to tighten up my presentation. Bring in a "friend" to listen and critique me and practice as many times as it takes until one sentence leads me memtally into the next and the next. Content is king for the audience and will get you legitimacy. Performance comes eventually.

Get over it quick. Join a local public speaking group and practice. Read one or two of the many books on public speaking anxiety. Seek any group you can gain access to for experience like your church or synagogue, volunteer organization etc Set goals for yourself such as introducing yourself to strangers at parties, gatherings etc . Practice in the mirror . Role play with work associates, family and friends. There are a lot of resources available as it is a common fear so research them and try the ones you are comfortable with and , more importantly, try the ones you are most uncomfortable with.

Fear only exists in the mind and with practice you can overcome anything, if you're willing to put the effort in. You will make mistakes, pick yourself up, learn from them and build confidence. Also, remember that your voice matters, and with practice, it can inspire and influence others.

I remember that we’re all HUMAN! Empathy goes a loooong way. It’s always nice to have a support system there too, if possible. Seeing a friendly colleague in the audience helps remind me people are rooting for my success.

It has been helpful for me personally and people I support to reframe the anxiety. Feel into it. There isn’t much difference in the sensations on the body between fear/anxiety/nerves and excitement. Those butterflies and increased heart rate… tell yourself you are excited! And allow those sensations to be transmuted to serve as fuel to command the stage and captivate your audience.

Training, training, training. Like any sport: Do it with a professional trainer. Prepare carefully, follow the instructions, analyse video feedback. Second, start small: your team, your club, clients you know, Sunday mass. The trainer will help you to find holding points: what to do when you have a weak moment.

Practice, practice, practice - use every opportunity to express your point of view in internal and external meetings - this helps to develop a personal stance.

Practice your thoroughly prepared presentation and yes-record it! Listen to the person you hear in the recording- yes, that IS your voice and how the audience will hear you. Listen for unnecessary words - the words that are all too easy to slip and say. My personal pet peeve is- um in every sentence. If at all possible video yourself too! The video will be the biggest revelation to yourself. It will show you what you need to change in your presentation. Practice positive body language in the 2nd video you do of yourself. Ask yourself if you delivered the message you want the audience to take home with them- would YOU sit through another speaker giving this content? You can do this!

When practicing, note your spots for breaks to catch a breath. Your anxiety may raise when it is time for you to give your presentation. Speaking too quickly or rushing through can lead to an out of breath feeling. The breaks feel longer to the speaker than the audience. Set those pauses to breathe at impactful moments and your presentation will be even better!

I used to be terrified of public speaking, I have learned to visualize the experience of my giving a successful speech or talk and the after effects of that experience and it helps me keep calm. Having confidence in my knowledge of the subject matter is key. If I know it well, I can speak to it with ease. I recently joined Toastmasters so I can continue to improve my skills and have a little fun in the process.

Learn your product offerings inside and out! Knowing what you are speaking about will give you additional confidence when trying something out of your comfort level. Practice presenting the information to anyone who will listen until it is memorized, so you can focus on making connections instead of what you will say.

Polling the audience or starting with a story about your personal experience is a great way for the audience to connect with you early. In my experience this also eases my anxiety as I feel more connected to the audience as well. Other effective tasks are adding a QR code to your presentation and jokingly demanding you won't move on without everyone getting their phones out and scanning the link. ??

Have one - important not more - beer before speaking. Of course it doesn't have to be alcohol, there are some good relaxation methods e.g. also in yoga.

If you are an introvert, you can still be good at sales talks at an exhibition, even better than the "typical" salespeople. I have seen introverts rising after coaching and presenting their company in the best possible way. You shouldn't compare yourself. Focus on being an expert, not a salesperson. Showing your expertise can help you engage with your counterparts on a higher level and bring even more results.