The fear of public speaking is deeply ingrained in the psyches of many budding entrepreneurs. But even if you’re confident in front of a crowd, you may still fall victim to some of the most common public speaking mistakes that plague young professionals.
Whether you’re a lawyer or an entrepreneur, practice avoiding these public speaking pitfalls before you stand up in front of a crowd.
Speaking too softly
It’s common for public speakers to rely on only the boom of the mic to express their message. Unfortunately, speakers might not realize they’re speaking too softly until it’s too late. Emblazon your presentation with passion and drive in order to make your message hit home. This includes projecting your voice, with or without a microphone. Practice by standing up straight, pushing out your chest, and speaking from your diaphragm, not your throat. This will ensure that you are heard whether you’re using a microphone or not.
Finishing on a dull note
This is a trap even the most experienced public speakers can fall into. Without a proper takeaway action, your audience members want to know what to do following your presentation. If your audience leaves wondering “now what?” then you need to go back to the drawing board.
Correct these common entrepreneur mistakes by asking your audience to take action after your presentation. Do you want your audience to change their lives? Improve their surroundings? Like your page on Facebook? Giving them an action item will give them direction following a powerful presentation.
Failing to rehearse beforehand
The key to public speaking is sounding confident and assured. If you’re stumbling over your words or stuttering on stage, your audience’s attention will assuredly falter. According to market research, what you say is not nearly as important as how you say it. It’s estimated that a presentation’s effectiveness is 38% voice, 55% non-verbal cues, and 7% content. This makes practicing your speech beforehand vital.
Practicing can help you ensure that your body is doing what you want it to do when you want to do it. Rehearsing will help you get your timing just right, stop nervous tics from happening, and identify points of emphasis throughout your presentation. These entrepreneur mistakes can be hard to correct, but they can be mitigated with practice.
Whether you’re a tech entrepreneur or an international public speaker, avoiding issues with public speaking are among the most common entrepreneur mistakes. The next time you want to wow a crowd, rely on Rafferty Pendery’s entrepreneurship blog for more information.
