The information found in this eBook is of a general nature. It is not intended to be a comprehensive treatment of Public Speaking.

For more information and help with Public Speaking you can go to my website

www.publicspeakingscourse.com

I do hope you enjoy reading it and gain some valuable skills from it. If you found it useful then I’d appreciate it, if you would share it with your friends.

Cheers Vic Matthews.

B.A, B.C.Studies, B.Optom

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PUBLIC SPEAKING TIPS How to overcome your FEAR of Public Speaking It’s very normal to be anxious about speaking in public, the fear of public speaking can be palpable. Shaky hands, knees knocking and our voices quivering are all common symptoms of the fear that we experience when asked to speak before an audience. So take heart, you are not alone.

Everyone experiences this fear, not just you (some are better at concealing it than others) – consequently don’t think that you are a failure, you are not. You are a mortal just like the rest of us.

There are more antidotes which claim to cure public speaking anxiety than you could possible learn in a lifetime. Everything from self-hypnosis, to personal psychotherapy, from deep breathing to holding your breath, or pushing against a wall or even wearing an elastic band around your wrist. You name it, there is somebody out there

advocating a fail proof method. Some are credible, some ridiculous and some with merit and some with none whatsoever.

I am little old fashioned, so I prefer working with the known and the obvious. So in this eBook I will introduce you to a few obvious but essential principles you need to apply in order to speak well in public.

TIP 1: PREPARE YOUR SPEECH

If you fail to prepare, then you have prepared to fail. What I mean is that’s not simply a matter of stage fright, rather it’s what work you have done, writing your speech before you give it, that is of extreme importance. Speech writing or preparation is vital.

Anyone can write a speech but not everyone can write a good speech. Your speech must be cogent and structured in a form that is designed to be spoken as a speech and not an essay.

So when you write your speech you should spend time, assiduously and meticulously structuring it. Make sure you have an introduction, body and a conclusion.

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Also ensure that your speech is logical, that it moves forward seamlessly.

For example; a logical structure for a speech would be like the one below

John wants good eyesight

For good eyesight the retina needs Vitamin A

Vitamin A is found in carrots

Therefore john eats carrots, which are rich in vitamin A, in order to have good eyesight

An illogical arrangement of the same information

For good eyesight the retina needs Vitamin A

John eats carrots

John wants good eyesight

Vitamin A is found in carrots

Therefore John eats carrots

The difference is clearly apparent, it’s the same information set but the sequence of information in the first enables the audience to follow you, you take them with you.

The latter is confused, on account of the shambolic arrangement of information and as consequence would lose the audience’s attention.

I can guarantee to you, that every enthralling speech that you have heard or has been given was fastidiously prepared beforehand. It was no accident, the speaker did not arrive at the podium and say the first thing that entered his or her head. On the contrary hours were spent vetting, scrutinizing, editing and re-editing their speeches before they were given.

Speech writing is fundamental skill which can be learnt and will make the delivery of your speech easier. Consequently because it’s well written, then it’s easier to deliver. So the preparation you have made will certainly reduce your stress levels when speaking in public.

If you would like to write captivating and entertaining speeches, then my online Public Speaking Course can help you. It has both a comprehensive eManual and Video Classroom Lessons which will empower you to write stunning speeches and deliver them with style. The course will take you step by step through the speech writing process, from start to finish. Revealing the Rhetorical techniques used by accomplished speakers which will elevate your speech from good to brilliant.

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE

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TIP 2: PRACTISE YOUR SPEECH

Those who are not afraid of speaking in public, before an audience are the exception to rule. Speakers who were born for the stage are rare, but if you are like me and the rest of humanity, then speaking in public can be nerve racking (and for some crippling).

There are all manner of cures being peddled for overcoming public speaking anxiety. An interesting one is self – psychoanalysis. The basis of this cure is founded upon self -examination of your past, in order to determine why you are afraid of facing an audience. The method is looking for the reason why you are afraid of failing or appearing stupid, or suffer from self- doubt or lack confidence. It could be that your mum or dad, told you that you were hopeless and that you would never succeed or perhaps you were put down by your teachers or friends at school or whatever. The theory contends that once you have understood the source of your fear, you can deal with it and as a consequence never be afraid speaking in public again.

Perhaps self diagnosis is applicable and carries merit in some cases. Nevertheless in my opinion the theory misses the point. For there are plenty of us who had fabulous parents and great school teachers, all of whom supported our awkward passage to adulthood, but yet we still experience a debilitating attack of nerves when on stage.

In my opinion there is one cardinal RULE in public speaking which is preeminent if you are to overcome your anxiety (and psychoanalysis pales before it). The rule is ‘practise’. Hours of self – analysis is no substitute for rehearsing your speech before you give it.

There is not one successful performer who does not practise their art, every day and spend hours refining and perfecting their performance. Every great singer or actor knows their script so well that they could repeat it in their sleep. If want your speech to be well received, then you too must practise, there is no substitute for practise.

There are plenty of opportunities to practise public speaking, you can enlist your family or friends to be your practise audience or if they are not available an imaginary audience in your lounge room would suffice. Moreover if you are fortunate enough to have Toastmasters club in your local area, I can assure you that you’d be warmly welcomed there, it is the ideal place to practise your speech.

Finally, If you have a well crafted speech which you’ve spent time preparing so that its easy to follow and listen to and if you practise it then I am convinced that you are well on the way to conquering your fear of public speaking. The combination of just these two aspects: speech preparation and speech rehearsal will place you on a solid footing for the day you deliver your speech. You will be pleasantly surprised, in the days preceding your speech event and at the time you deliver it, how your confidence in yourself has grown and your nervousness

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placated because you know your topic and your speech, inside out. It’s a great feeling.

The course that I offer takes you step by step through both the speech preparation process and its delivery. Teaching you techniques and skills that will lead you to the point of confidence in yourself and your talent as a public speaker.

TIP 3: RELAXATION vs MEMORIZATION

To overcome the fear of public speaking, no small emphasis has be placed on relaxation techniques, especially breathing exercises. Advocates of this technique, variously offer a set of breathing exercises which they aver will calm your nerves before and during your performance.

Although it sounds good in theory, there is a not so obvious flaw in their solution. The flaw is that in order to speak well in public we need every unit of cognitive/brain power available, but our brains are not capable of doing two things at once (except if you are female, of course). Imagine trying to concentrate on breathing correctly while concurrently concentrating on the delivery of your speech. Obviously one of the tasks is going to be done poorly. We cannot do both well.

Admittedly the anxiety which we experience on stage, can be so great that all our remaining mental energy is consumed by

it. This not a good place to be. So obviously we need to be relaxed as possible, freeing up our cognitive power in order for us deliver of our speech clearly and confidently. But how is this achieved?

Firstly have a speech which was written to be spoken and not read.

Secondly practise it plenty of times before you give it.

Thirdly memorize it. You are probably thinking ‘you have got to be kidding!’ How can I possibly memorize my speech it’s too long, it’s too hard? In response, I contend that you are underestimating your ability of your memory. Jewish and Koranic scholars memorize large portions of their sacred texts and can recite them verbatim. So can you.

Keep reading !

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE

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This explains, how to memorize your speech and to recall it on the day of your speech event (but still with the assistance of your notes). As well as a

Video Classroom: The Video Classroom gives you the chance to watch and listen to the method used for writing a speech. And then to actually hear firsthand, the voice variety techniques, which will make your speech interesting to listen to.

Audio download lessons: Similarly, the audio lectures will allow you to listen to the method used for writing a speech and again hear the vocal variety techniques, from the convenience of your portable device.

eManual: The eManual takes you step by step through both the speech writing and delivery process. It has been written succinctly to avoid being bogged down in too much detail and yet comprehensive enough to cover the essential principles. Furthermore there are plenty of exercises for you to practise contained within the course.

But is that it also has facility to

, then to have them reviewed by your peers online. No other course on public speaking offers this service. This is the closest thing to attending live coaching sessions, without the inconvenience of having to travel to a distant location, so that you can learn from the convenience of your own home.

http://www.publicspeakingscourse.com/

CLICK HERE TO BE DIRECTED TO OUR

ON LINE PUBLIC SPEAKING COURSE

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