How do you handle fear from public speaking when pitching the product or giving a presentation?
A few days ago, I asked several people for a video testimonial.
Many of them:
– were shy about appearing on camera
– felt insecure because English isn't their native language
– and even more were discouraged by the fact that they had to sign a release form to allow us to publish the video
Considering that we spend our whole lives selling ourselves (whether it's pitching a product, giving a presentation, or persuading someone), maybe it's worth facing this fear.
👉 How do you make sure you give a convincing speech/presentation, and how do you face the fear?
Experienced advice is welcome. It could significantly increase our chances of success and help people remember us in a positive light.
I have a few tips:
Write down on paper the structure (problems and solutions you want to talk about)
Practice in front of the mirror or camera (to replay it later and notice mistakes)
Hire a coach or watch TED X presentations (learn from the best speakers)
Attend small events dedicated to negotiations and debates (e.g. Toastmasters)
Be confronted by friends (they can prepare simulated questions so nobody can surprise you later)
Breathing techniques and non-verbal communication – once I interviewed a voice coach for Slovak Forbes and she advised the following techniques/practices:
– practice non-verbal communication (upright posture)
– adequate eye contact
– making grimaces (e.g., alternately pursing your lips and smiling broadly) to activate the jaw muscles
– imitating different sounds
– yawning is a great help because it stretches the muscles in the throat – the larynx is lower than in the starting position and relaxes.
Replies
Sprinto
Read aloud : anything & everything - from Shakespeare to Product Hunt Blogs (btw at times, exercise caution on the content though)
Consider joining a local theatre group: it will train you in voice modulation, breath control, and expressive pauses.
Observe professional speakers: news anchors, for example, can be great to study for clarity and confidence (again exercise caution on how-much you consume them).
Learn a rhythm instrument: drumming, tabla, or similar. This can help with pace, rhythm, and steady breathing while speaking.
Practice mouth opening exercises : singers sometimes use a simple “two-finger” mouth-opening routine to loosen up and reduce stammering. Try and talk loud doing so.
Mind-map your ideas: instead of writing them linearly, sketch them out on a whiteboard. Rearrange them, then practice explaining them aloud, adjusting as you find weak spots.
Be Shameless: Embrace discomfort - being willing to feel awkward and push through it is the most valuable practice of all.
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@cheerst 4 – that one is a real challenge to me :D I am terrible at music :D
Sprinto
@busmark_w_nika
thats okay you can skip point 4 !
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@cheerst Thank you, I feel less stressed, probably your suggestions work :D
@cheerst numbers 1 and 6 are GOLD. Not everyone can or even wants to join a theater group etc. But speaking aloud at home or mind mapping ideas and practicing talking about them forward/backwards/sideways? These are things people can do even in their spare time. Hell, you can speak alous or practice answering questions about your pitch in your car or the shower etc. This is good advice and might try it myself.
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@cheerst @mixxsylabs Do you have any ambitions to become an actor? :D
Sprinto
@mixxsylabs @busmark_w_nika lol nope, not me ..hahahah
@cheerst @busmark_w_nikalol. Strangely enough I guess I already am because my day job involves doing voice overs etc
I went from absolutely never wanting to be on stage to delivering 3 TEDx talks and several keynotes. In fact, I now enjoy public speaking. English is not my first language.
Following are the key things to remember:
1. People don't remember facts. People remember how you made them feel. No one remembers your life-changing tips, hacks, insights or frameworks.
2. Stories win over facts. If you have to share facts, build a story around it.
3. No one knows you made mistakes during presentation. Only you do. Everything is in your mind. If you know you made a mistake; ignore it. Just continue with a smile.
4. Always talk as if you are talking to one person in the audience. Ask questions to individual. Instead of asking "How many of you love cats?", rephrase is to "Tell me, do you love cats?". Audience feels like you are talking to them, not everyone.
5. Don't try to be someone else. Just be yourself on stage.
I hope someone will find this useful.
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@kaustubhkatdare 3 is my favourite :D But it is better to know and say facts than nonsensical things :D
Are your TED X talks somewhere recorded and available online? :)
@busmark_w_nika - all three are online; but none of them have a good audio/video quality. If you are curious, I can share the links.
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@kaustubhkatdare yes please :D
@busmark_w_nika
The audio quality is super bad. Hope you can tolerate it.
@kaustubhkatdare Fully agree, especially point 5: be yourself.
I’ve been told to “add more energy” to my delivery, but when I try, I just speed up and lose clarity. I mistake energy for pace.
English is my first language, and I still mumble and mispronounce words. But like you said, most people don’t notice unless you make it a big deal. As long as there’s context, they’re with you.
For me and it’s taken awhile, but it’s not about being perfect. It’s about being present. I’d rather improve naturally over time than force a performance that doesn’t feel like me.
@adam_martelletti - haha, yes. I've tried faking my energy, accent - but realised the mistake within 20 seconds on the stage.
It's true that no one cares about mumbles, fumbles and mistakes.
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@adam_martelletti @kaustubhkatdare Mumbling is also my case tbh. 😅 I do not articulate properly.
DiffSense
Public speaking is easy, just prep enough, knowing it will be recorded for all time, that is hard. Maybe easier for the genZ growing up posting on tiktok on a daily basis etc.
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@sentry_co you would be surprised how many 18yo are shy :D Now, just thinking whether we can see your pitch somewhere on the internet. 🤔
After I went on stage for the first time (during school), the fear was gone.
What I ensure is that I know the topic very well. Recently, someone asked me to address an audience on a topic i was not fully comfortable with and I politely declined.
Also, I note the points on 1 small flash card. Typically, you would have 5-10 points max and i note 1-2 words per point so that I don't miss any.
The real problem is when you have to really squeeze it in a very short time e.g. 2-3 mins. That's when you have to practice quite a bit. If it's 5 mins + then no problem.
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@manu_goel2And what about those uncomfortable topics? Aren’t you the one who embraces challenges? 👀 I mean... I would feel the same but sometimes I do something irrational and unexpected and go for totally unknow things lol :D
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@manu_goel2 aaa gotcha, so those uninteresting topics are out of the game. Neat!
Doraverse
From my perspective, most people fear public speaking because they’re afraid of being judged, making mistakes, or saying something that could reflect poorly on themselves or the organization they represent. Here’s how I deal with it:
1. Know Your Audience: The first rule is to understand who you're speaking to—their age, background, level of expertise. The better you know your audience, the easier it is to tailor your message to what they care about.
2. Focus on Your Core Message: What’s the key takeaway you want to deliver? Many people use overly fancy language or pack in too many examples, but their core message gets lost. When preparing your talk, constantly ask yourself: Am I staying true to my main point?
3. Be Yourself: Don’t spend hours trying to mimic how great speakers talk—just be you. You’re human, with strengths and flaws. It’s okay to admit you’re nervous or feeling awkward. People appreciate authenticity.
4. Train for Clarity, Not Perfection: The one thing worth rehearsing is speaking clearly—articulating each word at a steady, natural pace. Not too fast, not too slow.
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@hwiidg Fair points but I would be hesitant about 3 – a little bit. If you want to be great, you need to watch great speakers (not copy them 1 : 1), but pick up the best from them.
I think it's worth remembering that we are our own worst judges. It's good to ask ourselves a question: "What am I afraid of"?
That I am not good enough: then practice
That they will judge me: even if they will, people mostly care about themselves, they will forget rather quickly
Most important is to remember to have fun and enjoy the process.
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@aleksandra_trueme Yeah, sometimes we overexaggerate and overthink the whole image about us. People care about their problems, not ours :D
IXORD
I think it's a matter of practice, after a couple of serious speeches you already understand that there is nothing to be afraid of and you can confidently say what you need to say
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@ixord That's a sure thing. We are improving by practicing :)
@busmark_w_nika I’ve been public speaking since the 5th grade. I still crap my pants sometimes. I still feel the jitters every time I go on stage.
My advice is to get through the first few seconds or minutes. Let yourself adjust to the change in situation. Then remind yourself that they’re all just humans.
They feel. They eat. They cry. And yes, they poop too.
Once you break that barrier and realize we’re all just people, it gets easier.
A mentor once told me, “Imagine they’re all wearing diapers.” I laughed so hard when I first heard it. But over time, it started to make sense.
And most importantly, have the courage to be you. Authentically you. There’s something powerful about that.
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@chaosandcoffee Hahaha, that trick is well-known :D Or imagine them that they are naked :D
Speaking as someone with a technical background who's had to give several public presentations this past year, what's worked best for me is practicing at home and recording myself with my phone. Then I watch the recordings to see what I can explain more clearly or where I stumbled.
I'd also emphasize that memorizing at least the opening lines really helps me - the beginning of a talk is when you're most nervous, so having a clear idea of what to say upfront makes a big difference.
After that, everything flows more naturally and you can be much more flexible with the rest of your presentation
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@pedro_marchal How long did it take you to be more confident when public speaking?
@busmark_w_nika I'm still working on it, honestly. I've been presenting for about a year now, and while I'm more comfortable than when I started, I'm not fully confident yet. After my first couple of talks, the worst nerves started to fade
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@pedro_marchal It will fade over time :) and with the practice :)
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@cristian_stoian_urzica Interesting reverse approach. From where do you have this thought? 👀