Routines To Follow Before A Big Speech

After seeing me give a keynote last week in Seattle, a client asked me for my go-to stage prep tips—a question I get asked often this time of year. (Yes, even the most practiced public speakers still actively prepare for getting on stage. There’s no autopilot button for this!) Here’s what I shared with her: Physical Prep— >> Breathe: Diaphragmatic breathing. In through your nose, fill your belly, exhale slowly. It centers your body and gets your mind focused. (Also calms jitters). >> Posture: Stand tall. Feet shoulder-width apart. Chest open. Shoulders relaxed. Helps project confidence… and helps you physically own the space (think Executive Presence). >>Chew gum: Yes, really. Chew gum before you get up there. Releases tension, reduces dry mouth. (Just be sure to spit it out before you start speaking!). Mental Prep— >> Reframe nerves: Instead of “I’m nervous,” tell yourself “I’m excited.” That adrenaline? Let it FUEL you. >> Visualize success: Picture yourself delivering your message with confidence. Imagine the audience responding positively. Set the tone before you even start. >> It’s not about you: The key. Focus on them, not you. It’s not about being perfect—it’s about making a connection with the audience. Shift the spotlight to them in the first 20 seconds by asking a question or inviting them to move their body. You’ll get a second to catch your breath and actually take in the stage, lights, and audience at hand. One last thing? Thank the backstage crew for all their help. Because having a working mic and flattering lighting really matters—and you most definitely couldn't do that part without them.

19 years ago, I used to get incredibly nervous before speaking on stage. Racing heart. Tunnel vision. Dry mouth. Today, half of my job is being on stage. Here’s my 7-step pre-stage checklist for how I conquered stage fright: (Before you step on the stage) Step 1: Set One Clear Intention Nerves often come from scattered thoughts.  So anchor your mind with a single, positive goal: • For a pitch: “Get the buyer to sign and stay firm on numbers.” • For a presentation: “Connect with the audience and deliver value.” Avoid negatives like “don’t mess up.” Your brain clings to “mess up.” — Step 2: Pick a Focal Point Choose a random spot in the back of the room (or bring a grounding object, like a pen). Right before you begin, mentally send all your nervous energy there. It gives your brain somewhere to “put” the anxiety - and frees you up to focus. — Step 3: Breathe Mindfully Most people shallow-breathe when they’re nervous. This just worsens anxiety. Do this instead: • Close your eyes • Breathe in through your nose, out through your mouth • Push your belly out with each inhale (deep belly breathing) — Step 4: Release Muscle Tension Anxiety makes us clench everything - jaw, shoulders, stomach. This kills blood flow and increases anxiety. Instead, start at your head or toes and relax each muscle group with one breath: • Relax your face and eyes • Relax your jaw and neck • Loosen shoulders and chest • Relax arms and hands • Relax your stomach and abs • Continue down to your toes You’ll feel calmer and more grounded instantly. — Step 5: Find Your Center Before going on stage, shift your focus to a spot 2 inches below your belly button. This is your physical center - used by athletes and performers to stay grounded. As you breathe, imagine calm radiating from that point. During your talk, return to it anytime nerves creep in. It’s your internal anchor. — (While you’re on stage) Step 6: Repeat Your Process Cue This is your personal “how” mantra. • Interviewer: “Smile and ask great questions.” • Speaker: “Keep it warm and engaging.” • Performer: “Smooth and steady.” Keep repeating it silently throughout to stay focused and intentional. — Step 7: Direct Your Energy Feel the nerves rising? Don’t fight them - redirect them. Use your focal point from Step 2. Mentally “throw” your anxious energy toward it. It’s like dropping a heavy backpack: instant relief. __ Save this post and come back to it before your next big moment. Whether it's a presentation, interview, or performance, these steps will help you show up as your most confident, centered self.

A decade into my sales career, and I still get just as nervous for big presentations as I did as a new AE. The difference is that now I have a proven preparation method that guarantees a smooth, confident delivery. Here’s how I prepare to ensure I perform at my best: Two days before: - Review prep materials/research to determine what is top of mind for attendees The goal is to identify the top outcome they want to drive and the biggest pain they want to solve. - Identify my one takeaway that ties back to my audience’s “top of mind" If the audience only remembers one point, what do I need it to be? - Build a talk track to emphasize my primary takeaway They'll forget what they hear while remembering what they feel. I build my talk track around the question, " What do I want them to feel that is associated with my main takeaway?" One day before: - Practice until mostly smooth, with minimal reliance on notes The timing here is extremely intentional: sleep reinforces learning. One night’s rest between practice and presentation allows my brain to cement the flow. If I'm 80% polished the day before, simply sleeping and waking up gets me to 95%. Brain science is cool. Day of: - One more walkthrough, with emphasis on tonality (where I want to pause for emphasis, etc.) At this point, I've mastered the material. I know what I want to say. I just need to polish how I want to say it. Then, I enter the call with the confidence that stems from preparation. Regardless of your experience or comfort presenting, you should never outgrow the need to practice and prepare. Next time you have a big presentation, try this framework. I bet you'll deliver a more confident and impactful message.

If you’ve got a presentation coming up, here are five practices that have helped me before I walk up to speak. I think they’ll help you as well. 1. Go to the back of the room to see what the back row will see. Often, those in the back are showing their resistance to you or your message. It’s why I remind myself to “shrink the room” by trying to connect to those far away through the content and/or specifically addressing them. It’s why seeing the room from their vantage point helps remind me to make the back row feel seen. (This photo is an example. After my sound check, I walked to the back of the room and snapped this photo glancing at it a few times before the event began.) 2. Get to know the name of the person or persons running your audio/visual. Production people are a key partner with you in your presentation. I’ve seen other speakers ignore or show very little gratitude to the production team. Instead of seeing them as a vendor, see them as teammates. After all, a disengaged production team can break your talk. 3. Introduce yourself to five people in the audience before your presentation. See if there’s a way you can tie one or more of them into your talk by referring to them by name. 4. If possible, avoid videos in your presentation. I know, I know. We’re a video-driven culture. I get it. However, I’ve lost count how many times I’ve seen a fantastic talk derailed because the video or audio didn’t work. In fact, it’s funny to me to hear the response of production teams when I tell them I have no videos. Almost always they say, “Thank you!” 5. Have a pre-determined ritual before you walk up to speak to deal with nerves, and to remind you of your why. For me, I write Bible verses on pieces of paper and put them in my socks as a reminder of Who I ultimately represent and Who is with me. I also take a deep breath and whisper to myself, “I’m not here to impress. I’m here to help.”

🫣 The fear of public speaking is real - here are ten things I do to feel more confident before stepping out onto the stage: 1. I don't just practice until I get it right, I practice until I can't get it wrong 2. I rehearse standing up and speaking out loud also practicing my gestures and movement 3. I make sure to stand on the stage at least once ahead of my presentation so I feel as comfortable as possible 4. I arrive early to make sure all my tech is working 5. I learn my presentation as a story -> not as a script 6. Take a deep breath before going on stage and remind myself of my motivation for doing the presentation 7. I research the audience to anticipate potential questions I might receive 8. I have 3 key points for each slide that I can talk about - even if the tech fails 9. I ensure my content and session abstract are aligned so I am meeting audience expectations 10. I smile, it tells your brain your are doing something exciting instead of scary and helps the audience warm to you as a speaker Do you get nervous about public speaking? What would you say works for you to combat this? Let me know in the comments below! ⬇️ 🤖 p.s. I had some fun testing out different AI tools to create this image - I used OpenArt AI, ChatGPT and Canva AI ----- 👋🏼 Hi I’m Rebecca. My passion is helping people build their confidence through the power of public speaking. ➡️ Follow me to become a more confident speaker