Displaying items by tag: public speaker tips

Nerves are normal. Even the most experienced speakers feel them. It’s your body’s way of preparing you for something important. But nerves don’t have to control you. With the right tools, you can channel that energy and walk into your talk with focus and clarity.

The first thing is to breathe. Proper breathing grounds you. It slows your heart rate and helps you stay calm. Before you speak, take a few steady breaths in through your nose, and out through your mouth. Keep it slow and even. This tells your body you’re safe.

Next, reframe the nerves. Instead of thinking of them as fear, try to see them as excitement. The same adrenaline rush that makes you anxious is the one that sharpens your mind and gives you presence. Tell yourself it’s your body getting ready to perform.

Preparation also plays a huge role. The more prepared you are, the more secure you’ll feel. That means knowing your message, not just memorising your lines. If you understand your core points and know where you're going, you’ll feel more confident even if you get thrown a curveball.

Finally, focus on the audience, not yourself. Nervous speakers often go inward, worrying about how they look or sound. Shift your attention outward. Think about the people in front of you. What do they need? What will help them? That simple shift makes a huge difference.

At Presenter Studio, we work with clients to turn nerves into confidence. Public speaking doesn’t have to be scary – it can be a space where you shine. Learn how in our full course at https://www.presenterstudio.com/business-presenter-training/presentation-skills-training

When you're asked to speak for thirty minutes, the goal isn’t to simply talk for thirty minutes. The goal is to deliver something of value.

One of the biggest mistakes speakers make is feeling they need to use every second they’ve been given. They go on too long. They repeat points. They fill space just for the sake of it. But audiences don’t measure the quality of a talk by its length. They remember how it made them feel. What it made them think. And whether it gave them something useful.

If you can land your message in twenty minutes instead of thirty, do it. If you can leave the audience with one great idea instead of five forgettable ones, that’s a win. Brevity shows confidence. It tells your audience you respect their time. It leaves space for questions or discussion. And it helps your key points stand out.

It also helps you stay in control. The more you ramble, the more likely you are to lose your thread or drift off course. By keeping things focused, you keep the energy in the room where it should be.

At Presenter Studio, we teach speakers how to structure talks with clarity and impact. Our training helps you make your message land – in less time, with more confidence. Take a look at the course here:  https://www.presenterstudio.com/business-presenter-training/presentation-skills-training

Your body is part of your message. Whether you’re standing on a stage or presenting in a meeting room, how you move and hold yourself has a huge impact on how your audience sees you.

A strong physical presence starts with having a central place. This is your home position. It’s where you deliver your core points and where you naturally return to between moments. Standing grounded in one place communicates clarity and confidence. You don’t need to pace. You don’t need to fill the space. Stillness can be powerful.

That said, movement can help if it’s intentional. You might walk to one side of the stage to make a new point or to involve a different part of the audience. You might move to the other side for contrast or to tell a story. Keep it to two or three main locations. Movement should add energy, not create distraction.

If there’s a podium, don’t feel trapped behind it. Consider standing just beside it instead. This small shift can help break down barriers and add warmth to your delivery. The podium can sometimes act as a shield. Stepping out from behind it makes you feel more present and more human.

What you want to avoid is drifting. That means wandering around without purpose or fidgeting on the spot. It breaks focus and dilutes your message. Practice using your body to support what you’re saying, not take attention away from it.

For more ways to feel confident in your body and voice, explore our full public speaking course at https://www.presenterstudio.com/business-presenter-training/presentation-skills-training