The 3 Top Keys to Public Speaking Calmfidence® (that have nothing to do with actually speaking)

Public Speaking is more than just the old cliche of getting up behind a podium with sweaty palms hoping you don’t stumble over your words.

In order to truly go into any public speaking situation (including interviews, auditions, speaking on camera, presentations, etc.) chock full of Calmfidence®​, you need to dig deeper than just your ‘speech’.

The following keys are necessary to embody before you even step foot in front of your audience – big or small.

Key #1

Intention /  Value

  • What is your intention? To sell or to help? Set your mind on helping your audience reach their goals, not on selling your idea or product.
  • What are you giving? Always focus on creating more value. What will they gain?
  • Focus on benefits and solutions – BE a solution
  • Be of service to your audience
  • Empower them
  • Esteem others
  • Build confidence
  • See them for what they can be, not what they are
  • Look to inspire
  • Have empathy
  • Remember the saying “people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care”
  • A presentation is a gift you are given to help change or improve others lives in some way
  • Remember everyone likes to buy, no one likes to be sold
  • People make decisions with their emotions and then justify it with logic
  • Education is ¾ encouragement, encouragement is instilling in another that something can be done
  • Remember no one is ready for a thing before they believe they can acquire it
  • The action your audience takes is your reward for what you have given them

Key #2

Belief / Mindset / Visualization

  • If you don’t love what you do, you will live in fear of being found out
  • You must first be convinced without a shadow of a doubt in your message, product, or service. It’s the only way you can convince others to believe.
  • If you don’t think your product, service, or idea is the best thing since sliced bread, if your belief is weak in any way, your presentation will be just so-so and it will be impossible for anyone else to catch your fire.
  • A successful presenter has no time to think of failure, they’re too busy thinking up ways to help others succeed!
  • Control your mental dialogue – be focused yet flexible.
  • It is scientifically proven that our minds cannot hold positive and negative thoughts simultaneously. Immediately exchange any negative thoughts with even the smallest of positive ones.
  • You get what you focus on, good or bad.
  • Only focus on strengths.
  • Put old beliefs about public speaking and presenting behind you. Do not allow yourself to think of them.
  • Leave negative experiences or setbacks in the past, don’t hang around with your failures, don’t think of them, don’t talk about them. Give them no power.
  • You control your presentation to the exact extent to which you think it out, visualize it, see it, and believe it.
  • It’s amazing how easily and vibrantly we can visualize what can go wrong, what we don’t want to have happen, what we don’t want to feel. Yet we forget that we can just as easily use that same power to visualize good outcomes, strong performances, things going our way if we make a conscious effort to do so.
  • The most successful athletes visualize every shot all the way through.
  • Pre-Pave. Visualize from start to finish every presentation exactly as you want it to go and only in a powerful positive light using your emotions to feel it and live it ahead of time.
  • This conditions your subconscious, which will enable you to be almost on “autopilot” during your actual presentation. You subconscious will kick in and work your plan, after all your subconscious has already done it before successfully in your mind.
  • Pre-paving with visualization can give you an enormous relief from worry and pressure. You will be amazed.
  • You can call it: Pre-paving, visualization, meditation, centering, guided imagery, mental planning, call it what you like, but just do it!!!
  • As scientific conditioning experiments have proven, the mind does not know the difference between what we visualize in vivid detail and actual performance.
  • Doing this work ahead of time will make you: energized, happy, connected, ready to help, and more calm.

Key #3

Passion / Enthusiasm / Charisma

  • Feeling passionate about your subject/work is one thing, looking and sounding passionate is quite another. If your audience can’t see, hear, and feel your passion, you’ve lost them.
  • Surveys show that passion is ranked number 1 when people rate an effective presentation.
  • Old pros often forget this fire. They become too relaxed, too “been there done that”; the fire in their belly is gone, nervous energy is gone. Their audience will wonder why they are even taking the time to present.
  • During a TV interview the legendary actress Helen Hayes once said to me “when I stop getting nervous, put me in a coffin because I will be a dud!”
  • The energy you give out will equal the results you will receive. No energy – no audience!
  • You must work yourself into the passion zone before you step in front of that audience. Use music, motivational podcasts, visualizations of past successes; review a “gratitude list” in your mind as to why you are grateful for your work, and this opportunity to help others.
  • Set yourself on fire and let others watch you burn.
  • It’s a balance between fire, passion, emotion and logic and facts.
  • When thinking about your audience remember, “motivation lasts a moment, inspiration lasts for years”.
  • Compelling is not enough, you must be positively compelling.
  • Transfer your passion and confidence to others, picture it happening.
  • A Charismatic person = someone who is positive and makes others feel important by sharing something of value.
  • Watch television presenters on TV by turning the volume down, the best ones will grab your attention with no audio at all.
  • Studies show the average adult attention span is 15-30 seconds before they wander away in their heads for a moment. Expect your audience to take mental exits, yes, even if you are fascinating. But remember that your level of passion will make it fun to bring them back.

Check back for the next 3 Calmfidence® Keys to a successful speech, audition, or media appearance.

180622_PatriciaStark-0179-Edit-Edit-400x229

About The Author

Patricia Stark works on both sides of the camera & stage as a Media Trainer, Public Speaking Trainer, and Certified Body Language Specialist. She appears regularly as a Guest TV Communication Expert & Lifestyle Expert and sought after keynote speaker. To book an engagement with Patricia contact us here.

Our Mission

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL