Audience phobia

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Audience phobia
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Your hands shake, and drip with sweat. Your voice
cracks. You think that your legs will collapse.
Your heart beats abnormally .... Do you know
these symptoms? This is audence phobia, or
stagefright. Often people will not speak up
because they have a fear of speaking in front of
groups of people - even those they know well.
They think that the people in the audience will
be laughing at them. You should know that every
person is nervous before a public
presentation. Mark Twain said There are two
types of speakers those that are nervous and
those that are liars The good news is that
stagefright is common and nobody has died of it.
Fortunately, there are some techniques or
strategies for overcoming this fear.
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• dry mouth
• tight throat
• sweaty hands
• cold hands
• shaky hands
• fast pulse
• shaky knees
• trembling lips
• Give me a hand!

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What happens when we stand and speak to the
audience...

• our heart throbs
• adrenaline speeds up
• our pulse rate raises to 130 beats
• we do not realise how fast we speak.

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Strategies for reducing stage fright
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Any time
You can apply this technique any time

• Concentrate on how good you are.
• Pretend you are just chatting with a group of
  friends.
• Picture the audience naked (Yes, dont laugh,
• it helps some people say)

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In advance
Do this well before your presentation

• Know your room (place where you will stand,
  screen, etc.)
• Memorise your opening sentence.
• Anticipate hard and easy questions.
• Prepare safety devices (cue cards),
• i.e. small cards with difficult words
• Practise, practise, practise (especially
  difficult bits).

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Just before your speech
Its only a few minutes before your speech

• Breathe deeply and evenly for several minutes or
  try
• diaphragmatic breathing
• Yawn to relax your throat, just like when you
  are sleepy.
• Trembling legs lean on a table, sit down or
  shift your legs.
• Take quick drinks of water.
• Do isometric exercises (tensing and releasing
  muscles while
• sitting or standing ).

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After you have started
You have just started speaking

• Look at the friendliest face in the audience.
• Look into peoples foreheads.
• Concentrate on your message - not on the
  audience.
• Speak to one or two people in the room.
• Use eye contact. It will make you feel less
  isolated.

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Other tips
Do not complicate, make sentences short and clear
The KISS principle Keep it Simple Stupid
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Remember! Remember People are with you and
want you to succeed! And rarely you will look
and sound as nervous as you feel.