Public speaking on one of the most universal fears. Most people do not like having to speak before and audience of strangers or colleagues. But the tips below can help you conquer that fear. So keep reading, put these tips into action and practice everyday. Your confidence and speaking skills will soar!

Feeling nervous before speaking in public is very common. To help overcome the fear of speaking in front of others practice the speech you will be giving several times in front of your family. This will allow you to work out any kinks in your speech. Additionally, this will give you the chance to speak in front of others.

Love your topic. To help you be able to talk confidently when speaking in front of others, choose a topic that you know a lot about. Include tidbits of information that is not commonly known to keep your audience engaged. Finally, speak in a conversational tone to help you remain calm and composed.

If you have to speak publicly, try to keep it at twenty minutes or less. This is the average attention span of most individuals, so speaking for longer than this is going to risk boring them. If you have to speak for longer than this, find some way to change gears in the middle to liven things up.

When you arrive at the podium take a deep breath and engage the audience with your eyes and smile. Take a moment to calm your nerves and use your nervous energy as a way to energize your speech. Allow your audience to feel your excitement for what you are talking about.

Deep breathing can help curb your anxiety. Taking deep breaths will allow you to relax yourself before speaking. Breath in and out very slowly, counting to four or five on each inhale and exhale. Do this approximately five times to feel a positive difference in how calm you feel.

It is normal to feel nervous when giving a public speech. However, no matter how nervous you feel, you cannot let others notice. If you find yourself nervous, try to imagine yourself giving the speech to someone you know. It will calm you down and allow you to successfully give your speech.

Always wear comfortable clothes for a speaking engagement. Even if you must wear a suit or formal dress, be sure your clothing fits properly and does not make you feel too hot. Choose modest clothing for speaking in public, and make sure all fasteners and buttons hold securely so that you do not experience wardrobe malfunction.

Engage your audience prior to delivering your speech. Smile cordially at them when they are seating themselves, and shake hands with them if possible. You will be more effective if you have already made a positive impact on them.

As you see above, there are many ways to deal with the fear of public speaking. You should look at the tips from above above and find the ones that are suited to the aspect that drives your fear of public speaking. So keep these tips in mind, practice as often as you can and reap the success.