After speaking in front of crowds for many years, I've learned a few techniques to help my fellow presenters which I thought I'd share.
I've taught classes numbering 7 to 700. These have taken place in a variety of rooms with and without sound equipment. When you're using your voice for four to six hours, standing in front of an audience, trying to keep their attention, the way you handle yourself will go a long way toward good evaluations and repeat engagements.
First of all, an average room will likely be a few dozen people. In a classroom setting you will usually not have a microphone, so I'll cover that specific topic later in this category. Lets talk about how you can relax when speaking in front of others.
In a survey some years ago people were asked what they feared most. Number two was death. Number one - speaking in front of others. People would rather die than speak in front of an audience!
Humor can help break the ice and get you and your audience to relax. Be careful though, if you have a canned joke and it bombs you may be more nervous than before.
Outside of a little initial humor, the best relaxation technique I've found is preparation. Knowing your presentation well is a key in being comfortable. You need to know the presentation forward and backward. When you do, you'll know what's coming next and your presentation will flow nicely. Having the logical points in mind will help you not wander around but keep your audience focused on a logical progression of points. For example, in teaching eBay it's logical to start with registering > setting up a Seller's Account > researching an item > choosing a category > etc. It will help you relax if you have these things in mind.
I have found that it is very helpful to meet a number of the attendees and talk with them before the class. This helps in two ways. First, you have a handful of people with whom you're comfortable and can directly address. Also, you can get the 'temperature' of the room by finding out their experience, interests, and perhaps some questions early on. I have been put in front of a large class without doing this, and it can be intimidating. If that happens, you should warm up by chatting a little and finding out why some of them are attending. Do they want to sell things they currently have in their homes? Are they looking to buy items to resell? All this will help them and you be more relaxed.
In my next post I'll deal with the subject of keeping your voice. Your suggestions and comments are always welcome.
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