How To Best Prepare For A Public Speaking Engagement
Do you want to be a keynote speaker? Are you looking to improve your skills before your next public speaking opportunity?
As someone that has been public speaking for years, I have learned a number of things.
When I first started speaking in front of groups, I got extremely nervous.
My palms would sweat and my voice would shake; I had very little confidence on stage.
I have learned from every speaking experience that I have done and decided why not share what I’ve learned?
Preparing for a public speaking gig:
Your job as a public speaker is to show up with confidence and charisma.
You want to deliver as much value as possible to the audience.
In order to do this, you have to be in the right headspace. That means planning ahead.
Here are my top three tips to prepare:
- Review your slides: Go over your slide deck presentation a few days before the engagement. I don’t recommend reviewing your slides right before your talk because I think that will make you nervous. You don’t want to come across as scripted or rehearsed. You’re going to deliver the most value when you’re natural and comfortable. This means taking time to review the main takeaways that you want to deliver a few days before the gig.
- Get a good night’s sleep: Sleep is critical because speaking in public can be exhausting. It takes a lot of energy, so you want to be well-rested before the event. Make sure that you wake up feeling fresh so that you set yourself up for success.
- Drink water: Staying hydrated is very important. Talking for a few hours is going to dehydrate your body. Being thirsty and having a dry mouth is an easy way to kill your confidence on stage. Be sure to have a glass of water with you on stage so that you don’t have to worry about it!
When it comes down to it, you have to prepare well before any speaking engagement.
Taking the time to plan ahead is the best way to ensure that you show up on stage with confidence and clarity about the value you have to deliver.
After all, these folks are there to see YOU. So, you want to be sure that you’re ready to shine.
What do you think? Do you have any advice to do a great job at your next public speaking engagement?
Share your tips and techniques in the comments below!