- Metonos LLC
- Posts
- Conquer stage fright and promote your brand with outstanding public speaking
Conquer stage fright and promote your brand with outstanding public speaking
7 key mistakes to avoid when starting your speech
Joseph Saig
August 20, 2024
Greetings, Weekday Heroes! Welcome to CONQUER THE CLIMB, a newsletter focusing on providing valuable insights, strategies, and tips in sales and marketing.
If you’re new, you can subscribe here and join the climb.
Be brave. Take risks. Nothing can substitute experience.
This quote is attributed to Brazilian lyricist and novelist, Paulo Coehlo, who often explores themes of self-discovery and the human experience.
The quote encourages us to embrace life’s challenges and uncertainties, emphasizing that the experiences we gain are invaluable and cannot be replaced by anything else.
Over the course of my career
I have worked with many outstanding professionals, but one lingering and common challenge persists.
The fear of public speaking.
The very thought of standing in front of a crowd makes people become as frightened as my old dog, Oreo (RIP), who would cower under the bed the instant she heard a thunderstorm brewing.
Fear of judgement
In 1998, during my junior year of college, I enrolled in a public speaking course. The semester concluded in a final project, where each student was required to deliver a presentation close to their heart.
As an avid soccer (futbol) enthusiast inspired by the ‘98 World Cup, I chose to analyze the underwhelming performance of the United States Men’s National Team.
I meticulously crafted my speech, believing each point was thoughtfully woven into the presentation (my perception). However, as the final days approached, I found myself grappling with a growing sense of anxiety.
On the day of the presentation, I approached the podium with my notes in hand, silently hoping for a miraculous fire alarm to delay my turn.
But suddenly, just as I was about to begin, an unexpected wave of calm washed over me. With newfound confidence, I delivered my speech with fervor, channeling the energy of Dwight Schrute accepting the Salesman of the Year Award.
I got a B.
My speech fell short of expectations.
I struggled to deliver a compelling opening to engage the audience, key points lacked coherence, and the closing remarks failed to reflect on the main purpose (the reality).
What I learned
Public speaking is not scary.
The fear that my speech would go down in infamy, with classmates mocking me for generations, was nothing more than a mental construct. I had allowed my anxiety to grow into something far bigger than reality.
Presenting with confidence is essential to business growth. When we avoid situations that put us in the spotlight or make us the focus of conversation, we limit our potential.
7 crucial mistakes
In my professional career, the biggest mistakes always happened at the start of my presentation.
I never grasped the power of a strong opening until I studied master presenters. The way most business professionals begin a speech (like I used to) has the opposite effect on what they are trying to accomplish.
Starting off poorly cost me the audience’s attention and engagement for the rest of my talk. I chose what was easy, not what actually works.
To help you prepare for your next presentation, here are the 7 mistakes at the opening of a speech I’ve repeatedly made that you should avoid.
Mistake #1: “Thank you for the kind introduction.”
Why? Generic and predictable. Many speakers use this phrase, making it feel overused and unoriginal.
Mistake #2: “I’m thrilled to be here today!”
Why? Wastes valuable time. Squanders the opportunity to start with something special.
Mistake #3: “Here’s what you will come away with after my presentation.”
Why? Delays connection and fails to build rapport or engage emotionally.
Mistake #4: “Who here is from (city, state). Please raise your hands.”
Why? Assumes participation and unless the data is collected and used, the question is useless.
Mistake #5: “I apologize.”
Why? Sets a negative tone and creates and defensive atmosphere by suggesting the audience should expect something subpar.
Mistake #6: “How’s everyone doing?”
Why? Creates awkwardness. If the audience doesn’t respond enthusiastically, you appear less confident.
Mistake #7: “Can you hear me?”
Why? Starting off with a sound check can give the impression of being unprepared and unprofessional.
I wouldn’t call my early attempts at public speaking trial-and-error experiments - it’s more like I didn’t know better.
Public speaking is your underrated and underutilized marketing tool
Learning these lessons paved the way for a brighter career and business growth. After countless keynote addresses, panel discussions, and power talks, public speaking has become a major contributor to many of my achievements by helping:
Build personal connections
Establish my industry authority
Elevate my brand alongside other industry leaders
I love talking to an audience. The bigger, the better!
I advise all leaders and aspiring leaders that fear the stage, simply remind yourself of Paulo Coehlo’s quote, “Be brave. Take risks. Nothing can substitute experience.”
Everyone has a starting point.
~Joseph
(hit reply - it’s not going into the email abyss. It’ll land right in my inbox)
Resources
The Empowerment Library is live!
Communication is the backbone of business. It allows us to form connections, influence decisions, and motivate change.
Public speaking is one of the most important and most dreaded forms of communication for many business leaders. That’s why the first Empowerment Library program developed was tailored to anyone who wants to promote their brand, expand networking opportunities, and be remembered through public speaking.
Resources to deliver an impactful speech
Here’s a sneak peek at what’s inside:
Section 1 reveals how to overcome the dreaded stage fright and develop your authentic speaking style
Section 2 sets you up for success by structuring your speech for maximum impact, using rhetorical devices to your advantage, powerful opening hooks, and best practices for delivering a memorable speech.
Section 3 showcases the art of delivery by understanding and adapting to your audience, perfecting body language and nonverbal cues, using visual aids to your advantage.
If you’re serious about winning over an audience and making a lasting impression, join the program here.
Diamond View Podcast
The Evolution of Customer Success Management: From Vantiv to Salesforce and Beyond
In this episode, we dive into the powerful and transformative concept of Customer Success Management (CSM).
CSM has significantly blurred the lines between traditional siloes like marketing, sales, IT, and customer support, raising important questions about organizational design, role responsibilities, and compensation.
Diamond View: The Evolution of Customer Success Management
Tune in as we explore these fascinating developments and their implications for the future of customer relationship management.
Subscribe on your favorite podcast app, watch our ugly mugs on YouTube, or follow us on LinkedIn for updates.