Monday, February 04, 2008
Fear Of Public Speaking And How To Conquer It
The fear of public speaking ranks pretty high on any list of what people fear most. I've seen it rank higher than death and even skydiving.
As a teenager I had the worst fear of public speaking imaginable. I won't bore you with the details. But it is enough to say that during the last 19.5 years I have earned a living as a professional speaker. Heck - I've even been nominated to the Speaker Hall Of Fame five times.
The bottom line is - if I can do it, anyone can do it. From time to time, if you're in sales, you're going to give sales presentations to different groups both large and small. Selling to groups is like selling to individuals - only the size of your audience is different.
There's no need for you to suffer any anxiety - like I did.
Here's a list of 9 things you can do to make your stand-up sales presentations stand-out:
1. Do everything you can to make your sales presentation a conversation with your audience which means you have to get them involved. The easiest way to do this is to ask open ended questions.
2. Focus on what you want them to remember instead of overwhelming them with nauseating details. Less is always more when you're speaking and selling.
3. Beware of the dreaded monotone. The only way to tell if you speak in a monotone is to record yourself. Treat yourself and listen to what your audiences are listening to. This is so simple yet it's so scary and intimidating to most people - only a small minority of salespeople actually record and listen to their sales presentations.
4. Have some fun. Forget about being perfect, it's not worth the effort. Enjoy yourself, enjoy your audience and just be yourself. In the speaking business, that's referred to as being authentic - the real thing!
5. Most people are tired of seeing PowerPoint presentations. So - skip the PowerPoint and tell stories and share experiences which are more meaningful and ultimately more memorable.
6. Don't cling to the podium. Move around as you're speaking to your group. You'll come across as being more relaxed doing it this way. It's also a great way to eliminate your fear of public speaking. Just think of it as a conversation with a group of people.
7. It should go without saying, but I'll say it anyway, inject passion and enthusiasm throughout your sales presentation. It's the biggest energizer on the planet and you don't want to leave home without it.
8. Finish strong and leave them wanting to hear more from you. Prepare this and don't think about winging it.
9. The four best ways to start and end your presentation are: Start with a quotation. Start with a compelling statement. Start with a rhetorical question. Start by telling a meaningful short story. Any fear of public speaking you may have will be vaporized by your preparation.
When you start your sales presentation you want to grab them. When you end your presentation you want to WOW them.
A big No-No. Never read your presentation. Never!
If you incorporate these speaking tips into your stand-up presentations, you'll be sure to stand-out!
Your fear of public speaking will always take a back seat to a prepared and rehearsed sales presentation.
Special note: If you want to sharpen your presentations skills you should add this CD to your personal business library: 17 Ways To Make Your Stand-up Presentations Stand-out.
There's no need to suffer with your fear of public speaking especially when you're selling products and services that require stand-up sales presentations to small and large groups.
Order your copy today - you'll be glad you did.
Start selling more today and everyday . . .
