How to Speak in Front of a Room Full of Strangers (from my interview with Elle Canada!)

“Professional public speaker Suzannah Baum shows us how to overcome the very legit panic that comes with addressing a group.”

I was SUPER excited to be interviewed by Elle Canada magazine as part of their Fearless Factor segment, in an article entitled “How to Speak in Front of a Room Full of Strangers.”

Here are 5 key steps that will help you manage your nerves, gain confidence, and be your awesome self on the day of your presentation. 

PUT YOUR AUDIENCE FIRST. Instead of focusing on how short you can make your speech so you don’t sweat through your silk blouse, ask yourself what your audience needs to hear in order to make your words meaningful to them. (Example: If you’re talking to Millennials about social media, find commonalities instead of relying on the “When I was your age” shtick.) This takes the pressure off you, says Baum, because the audience will be more engaged. Also, don’t wear a silk blouse.

DRESS REHEARSE LIKE YOU’RE ON BROADWAY. Your worst jitters typically come from not feeling prepared. Ergo, practise. A LOT. Use your iPhone to record (either with audio or visually) yourself saying your speech and then listen to or watch it. “You’ll be more objective when you hear it from this outside perspective,” says Baum. “Then you can go back and tweak the content into something stronger.”

DON’T FRET IF YOU STUMBLE. If you tear up during your eulogy for your grandmother or lose your place during your maid-of-honour speech, don’t apologize. Pause, take a sip of water and power on.

STOP WITH THE SHUFFLING. Too much movement is distracting to the audience. If you are a trembler, don’t hold a pen or papers. Slides can help distract them from your shaking hands. (They also appeal to the visual learners in your audience.)

THE FIRST MINUTE WILL BE THE HARDEST. After that, your brain takes over.

This article originally appeared in the April 2017 issue of ELLE Canada. Read the full article.

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ABOUT SUZANNAH

A presentation skills specialist, executive speech coach and speaker, Suzannah helps people who want to position themselves as leaders through more engaging, compelling presentations.

Suzannah is also the creator of the Create A Signature Speech That Sells program, a one-of-a-kind online speaker training program where she teaches both new and experienced speakers her unique step-by-step formula for creating structured, focused and audience-centric presentations.

Get access to the free special report, 9 Secrets to Bulletproof Your Presentations.

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