As insurance agents we are constantly presenting. With all this practice we have come up with a few tricks to calm nerves and keep a clear head while being on the spot.
For most American’s, public speaking is major fear. Being in front of others in any form gives everyone some sort of discomfort. Next time you find yourself with this unpleasant task remember these helpful ideas to quiet those nerves.
- Become familiar with your nervous response. Everyone’s body reacts differently to the coursing adrenaline that comes with the jitters. If you get to know yours and come up with strategies on how to combat the symptoms, it will improve your presence. For example, maybe you find it hard to breathe when you first begin a presentation. You can plan to use only short easy sentences in the beginning that allow you to take breathes frequently.
- Create a preliminary routine that burns off your nervous energy. If you preform the same tasks right before speaking it will allow your mind to slip more easily into a helpful frame of mind. Make sure this routine includes some form of exertion to expel some of the jitters.
- Prepare for mistakes. Events of a presentation don’t always go according to plan. Make sure you are prepared to keep your cool through everything from technical issues to major audience interruptions.
