Are you an introvert who struggles with speaking in front of a group? Introverted or not, many people are terrified of public speaking. 

The fear of public speaking (glossophobia) affects about 77% of the population. While many people find ways to manage their public speaking fears, others avoid it altogether because they think it’s physically impossible. 

If you’re an introvert, you’re likely afraid of public speaking or struggle with it to some extent. Read this guide from Twiz to learn how to master public speaking as an introvert. 

Practice Makes Perfect

In general, people tend to perform better when they’re prepared. One thing that makes public speaking so scary is the fear of the unknown. 

However, you can eliminate some uncertainty by practicing your speech ahead of time. And we don’t just mean practicing your speech once or twice before you deliver. Practice it ad nauseam, to the point where you could recite it in your sleep. 

Don’t just practice your speech in your head. Practice it out loud, so you get used to the sound of your voice. While it can feel awkward, we recommend videotaping your speech so you can see how you come across to others. 

You might find that you’re speaking too fast, pausing excessively, or looking at the ground too often. Watching your speech on video will help you pick up the small things you can improve. Booking more meetings can also help you practice public speaking. 

Calm Yourself Down 

Many people find that their nerves overtake them before they get on stage to deliver a speech. Here are some quick techniques to calm yourself down before a public lecture:

• Shake your limbs out to get your blood flowing 
• Yawn (It sounds odd, but it works!)
• Speak with your tongue out. You’ll sound strange, but this trick can help loosen your vocal cords
• Stand up straight and shift back and forth on your feet, putting your weight on the balls of your feet and then your heels
• Close your eyes and take deep, slow breaths

Think Positive 

Many people fall into a spiral of negative thoughts before giving a speech. It’s easy to think, “I’m going to fail at this,” or, “This is going to go terribly.” But thinking negatively about your speech won’t do you any good. 

Instead, imagine yourself crushing your speech, getting tons of laughs, and wowing your audience with your intelligent insights. While positive thinking may not help you deliver the most remarkable speech of all time, it can help you deliver the best speech of your life. 

Pick a few positive mantras you can recite before your speech. Here are some mantras to test out:

• “I am energized and excited speaking to this group.”
• “My message is important, and the audience wants to hear it.”
• “I’m comfortable and confident speaking in front of others.”
• “This speech is going to have great results.”
• “Giving this speech will help me scale my business.”

Address the Fears You Can Control

Many people feel a lack of control when delivering a public speech. After all, you never know how the audience is going to react. You can’t control everything, but addressing the fears you can control can be incredibly helpful. 

The Fear of Unexpected Questions 

For example, maybe you’re afraid of the audience asking random questions. However, chances are no one will throw you a massive curveball. Instead, focus on forming answers to questions the audience will likely ask to help you remain poised onstage. 

It’s also smart to figure out how you’ll address questions you don’t know the answer to. You’re not a robot, so if someone asks a question you don’t know the answer to, don’t feel like you need to make something up. 

Instead, plan what you’ll say. You can say something simple like, “I don’t know the answer to that question, but I can investigate it later.”

The Fear of Technological Difficulties 

Most public speeches involve some amount of technology. If you’re not tech-savvy, operating anything technological during a speech can be daunting. 

If you’re afraid your Keynote or PowerPoint presentation won’t work, save a back up copy to your flash drive or cloud server. If you’re using a technological device you’re unfamiliar with, get some practice with it beforehand. 

Fear of Forgetting

Many people are scared that they’ll draw a blank as soon as they start presenting. If you’re afraid that you’ll forget your speech, write notes. 

You can write bullet points on notecards if the speech is on stage. If you’re giving the speech over Zoom, you can use the “notes” section of PowerPoint or Keynote. 

Be Yourself and Focus On Your Content 

Not everyone is an enthusiastic, motivational speaker, and that’s okay. If being loud and boisterous on stage isn’t your thing, you don’t need to fake it.

Instead, focus on delivering stellar content to your audience. After all, the information in your speech is what the audience cares about most. Don’t worry about telling jokes or narrating a compelling story.

Instead, focus on delivering your content in a clear, concise manner.

Dress for the Job 

Wearing the right outfit can significantly impact your public speaking confidence. Even if you’re delivering your speech over Zoom, we recommend wearing something dressy yet comfortable.

Don’t wear anything too bright that will distract the audience or anything that will show sweat stains. Wear clothes that make you feel like yourself.

Time to Command the Stage 

Being introverted doesn’t mean you can’t be an excellent public speaker. The above tips will help you nail your speech and feel more confident in front of an audience. 

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