By Carmen Ryden

Presenting and confidence are not naturally part of my vocabulary, or many others for that matter. But last year I decided it was time to make a conscious decision to present more confidently.

Several months ago I had to present at my local POWERtalk International club for the first time. This was one very scary moment for me. My topic was called the icebreaker speech, which meant I had to introduce myself.

Now this was a topic that was going to be a challenge, why? Because over the years I have experienced tears every time the attention was focused on me.

This meant I had to get creative!

Here’s six things I found that helped.

Tip Number One: Divert the attention

I call this, ‘Divert the attention’.  Now that didn’t mean not talking about myself, but I had to think outside the box.

I talked about me but didn’t get too personal. So what DID I talk about? Facts associated with the year I was born, traits of my horoscope, major news worthy events happening throughout my life, and the cost of a newspaper in 1976.

Tip Number Two: Plant your feet.

Also comes from personal experience. During that first speech my feet just wouldn’t stay still. In fact, I will never forget being told I looked like I was playing “Twister”.  This still cracks me up.

Over time I have managed to plant my feet.  Some suggestions for this may include taking along a small mat to stand on, bring some white sticky tape and make a spot to cover with your feet. Even try imagining the space you where you want to plant your feet.

Don’t get me wrong; I am not saying you should stand still if you have the confidence to “Work the room”. But if you are a twister like me, it takes time and practice to get the stance right.

Tip Number Three: Act confidently.

 

People can’t see how nervous you are; they can’t tell if your hands are sweating, your knees are knocking or your heart is pounding. Don’t tell them, keep it a secret!

Look confident and act confident.

Wear clothes that make you feel in charge. Listen to music to gets you in the right frame of mind, image you are 10 feet tall. Find what makes you feel outstanding and go for it!

Tip Number Four: Talk about something you love or are passionate about.

Of all the speeches I have done so far, the most positive feedback always comes when I present about something near and dear to me.

For example when I spoke about my eco store and showed pictures of my family, I was told my eyes lit up. Inside I felt excited and proud, and the nerves may have even been kept at bay.

Tip Number Five: Smile, joke and laugh a little.

 

 

Humour can go a long way, and a friendly smile might get the audience wondering why you are smiling.

A visual aid can add a humorous touch.

 

Tip Number Six: Less is more.

Keep to your time limit and stick to the topic. Remember to pause, breath and look at the audience.

Longer speeches may loose the audience in the early stages. A longer speech might also mean you’ve watered down your core ideas.

Leave the audience remembering your key points.

Try condensing your speech into a paragraph and the paragraph into a sentence and the sentence into 3 words. Sound Hard! Why not give it a try!

In summary

1. Divert the attention
2. Get your stance on
3. Act confidently
4. Talk about your passion
5. Smile, joke and laugh a little
6. Less is more

Now get out there and try these tips to instantly present more confidently!

Carmen xo