Get to Know the Atmosphere
Nothing beats being relaxed in making a speech than surveying the room first. You can arrive at the location a tad earlier than expected and look the room over. You can also practice your speech during this period.
Get to Know the Audience
To make yourself more comfortable, it is best to greet them when they enter the room. Think of them as your friends, not strangers.
Get to Know the Material
Of course, it is your speech and you should know it by heart. But if you are not comfortable with it, you can always revise it to your liking.
Take a Deep Breath and Relax
Deep breathing exercises and knowing some relaxation techniques will help you prepare yourself before making the speech.
Practice in Front of a Mirror and Your Friends
You should practice in front of a mirror to see your facial expressions. When you practice in front of your friends, ask them for their opinions regarding your voice, its intonations, if it is clear and confident, etc.
Make Your Speech Interesting
Your audience expects you to deliver a good and successful speech, so make it interesting. A dull and boring speech will surely lull them to sleep.
Do Not Apologize
Never apologize for something you think is wrong with your speech. This conveys the message that you are not confident in your speech and that you doubt yourself. On the same note, never show them you are nervous.
Give the Message
What you should deliver to them is your message, not your nervousness, so if you concentrate on getting your message across, your nervousness will fritter away as time passes.
Act Positively
Nervousness is a part of any speech, but this should not be seen once you are up there. If you feel nervous, turn it into a positive thing. Turn your nervousness into enthusiasm.
Learn from Your Audience
Learning from your audience is important as it is one way of getting feedbacks about your performance. The more experience you have, the more confident you will feel the next time you give a speech.
