It’s not easy to get up and speak in public. Here are 10 basic tips that may help overcome the fear of speaking in public:

1. Be nervous. The trick is to use your nerves in a positive way. Everybody gets nervous…even actors and politicians who speak for a living.

2. As the Boy Scouts say, “Be Prepared.”

3. Arrive early.

4. Speak to some people in the audience. When you get up to speak, you should think about talking to them.

5. Use props instead of notes…if possible. Looking down at notes is distracting. It is also a problem if you loose your place. Having props lined up in the order you need them will remind you of what you want to say.

6. If you need to use PowerPoint, make sure you are familiar with it and the equipment that will be used when you speak. Practice.

7. If you use PowerPoint, don’t read what is on the slide. However, you can use it to remind you of what you want to say.

8. If you forget to say something, only you will know it.

9. Do not try to memorize your speech. Trying to memorize a speech and then forgetting it in the middle can be devistating.

10. The audience wants you to be successful. Nobody comes to listen to a speaker saying, “I hope he bombs.” If you have something worth saying, the audience will appreciate it.