How To Improve Your Public Speaking
By JD Esajian on May 3, 2019
In the real estate business public speaking is very much a necessary evil. You may not like doing it, but avoiding it is one of the quickest ways to squash a growing business. When people think of public speaking they usually think of standing on stage in front of thousands of people. Sure, this is an area of public speaking but there are many other smaller speaking roles as well.
Standing up in front of your networking group or speaking at an investment club meeting is just as important to you. Knowing how to communicate with your attorney, accountant and real estate agent can also be a smaller form of public speaking. The ability to get your point across on any platform without nerves and negative thoughts popping in your head is the simple key to speaking in public. Here are five tips to help improve your overall public speaking.
- Accept It: It is amazing how many people truly hate public speaking. Unless you have a speech impediment or severe social anxiety, there really isn’t much to worry about. All you are doing is speaking as you would to someone next to you but on a larger scale. The first key to improving public speaking is accepting it. If you really want your business to grow you are going to have to get out there and talk in public from time to time. Whether it is as a networking event, chamber of commerce meeting or a small local presentation you need to be willing to do it. You may be able to build a business without it, but eventually it will get stagnant unless you get your name and brand out there. Like anything else the more you do something the more comfortable you will be at it. Stop avoiding speaking in public solely based on nerves and perception. The longer you wait the more difficult it becomes.
- Practice: Very few people are gifted enough to walk up to a room full of people and speak eloquently without practicing. Depending on your experience there is a chance you haven’t had to speak in public for years. Like any other thing you want to excel at, you need to practice. Start by simply speaking in front of your spouse, kids or people in your office. If you have a small presentation coming up, ask your spouse to record you. This will alert you of any body twitches or repetitive statements you need to avoid. It sounds crazy, but it will also help you talk and get your mouth in the pattern of speaking. Even if you talk a lot there is a difference in small talk and speaking in public. You need to change your cadence, your volume and your rhythm. Something as small as reading to your child’s kindergarten class or volunteering to coach a sports team will help you get back in the mindset of public speaking.
- Notes: If you get right down to it, speaking in public is simple but it certainly isn’t easy. Anyone with a mouth can talk, but it doesn’t mean they can do it well. A common mistake that many speakers make is reading verbatim from their notes. They don’t lift their head up and almost exclusively read everything they have written down. This will help get you through any presentation but won’t leave you in the best light. You are better off making highlighted notes on talking points and topics, rather than writing a speech word for word. The audience wants to hear you talk as naturally as possible. They want you to sound like you are reading off a script, without sounding scripted. By making good notes, regardless of the event, you avoid a train wreck if you lose your place. Instead of having to start over, or skipping a chunk of your presentation, you can hop right back on where you left off without missing a beat.
- Start Small And Work Your Way Up: Once you have done your homework and feel you are ready you need to take action. Start by volunteering at a local networking meeting. These events are often informal and relatively small. Instead of making a full-scale presentation you may just need to speak for a few minutes. Even a few minutes will help build confidence and motivate you to do more. Another way to gain confidence is by recording YouTube videos. These don’t have to be overly long, but they will help get you in the mode of speaking and being seen. From there you can ask your real estate agent if there are any office events that would need an investor to speak. You can even throw your own event if you feel confident enough. With enough experience and confidence under your belt you can push to speak at almost any event.
- Don’t Take It Seriously: One of the most popular ways to calm your nerves is to imagine everyone naked when you speak. As silly as this sounds, it is a good way to make yourself laugh. As important as your presentation may be, never take it too seriously. If you fumble a word or make a mistake roll with it and poke fun at yourself. This is what the people at the event will remember more than any mistake you make. What is the worst thing that can happen with a public presentation? You mess up a few words, forget your place or can’t answer a question. These are all pretty minor in the grand scheme of things. Don’t take yourself or your presentation too seriously.
Public speaking on any level is a great way to build your brand and grow your business. If you have been avoiding it for some time, you need to change your mindset. Use these five tips to help improve speaking in public.