Are you an introvert business owner scared of speaking publicly? Here are some public speaking tips for introvert business owners to help you ace that next public speaking event you might have.
Public speaking is truly a great way to pitch your business in front of the right audience.
Aside from that, it is a great opportunity for you to grow your business.
Hence, you need to strive to do well in public speaking if you truly want your business to be successful.
Public Speaking Tips for Introvert Business Owners
It’s no secret that giving a talk in front of a live crowd can be quite intimidating and frightening.
For introvert business owners speaking confidently in public could be a major challenge.
Interestingly, some of the best public speakers are actually introverts.
Is that even possible?
Yes, it is.
Let’s examine how true this is.
Why Introverts Can Be Great at Giving Talks
Introverts are unique creatures.
As odd as this might sound, they are the type of people that are bold enough to seek out opportunities and take risks.
Their personality is actually contrasting.
On the one hand, they are brave and bold enough to risk losing for the sake of a great opportunity and reward.
On the other hand, they are afraid of interacting with people.
Well, maybe not “afraid” to be exact.
It’s more like getting easily stressed out and overloaded when you’re in front of a crowd.
But such a paradox of a personality might just be what is needed to deliver some of the most powerful and influential messages in history.
Some of the best talkers are stutterers and they might even get tongue-tied from time to time.
But that doesn’t stop them from taking on such a challenge and overcoming the odds.
And that is what’s great about introverts.
When they lean toward their inner traits they are actually digging to the very core of their problem-solving self.
That’s how they became quite successful in the first place.
Let’s dive into the reason behind this;
Introverts are the best guys at preparing for the worst
What’s the first thing in the mind of an introvert business owner who was asked to give a talk?
The big problem usually is how to speak confidently.
Sure the material you have to present can be worked out.
Sometimes the topic that the organizers have asked you to discuss is something you already know like the back of your hand.
So, how can introverts business owners become more confident when giving public speeches?
Effective Public Speaking Tips For Introvert Business Owners
Here are some practical tips to help you become better at public speaking as an introvert business owner.
Preparation
The first public speaking tip for you as an introvert business owner is to do a lot of preparation.
Prepare your talk like never before.
Remember that you might think you’re facing one of the worst things you will ever do in your life as an introvert.
Then you best prepare for it, right?
I bet you’ve seen those TED talks before and you’ve wondered how they deliver those great speeches.
The truth is those guys giving those talks are absolutely fabulous.
Their talks are mind-blowing; hats off to them.
But what you see on stage is actually just the tip of the proverbial iceberg.
What the majority of the audience never sees is the countless hours that the speaker has spent practicing that speech.
They never see the hardworking team of researchers and writers that hammered things to perfection so to speak.
The speaker practices the lines until it all sounds as natural as breathing air.
So the next time you have a public speaking event to do as a business owner, make sure you do a lot of preparation.
Work on Your Speech Delivery Skills
The next public speaking tip we have for you as an introvert business owner is to develop your public speaking skills.
Like the saying goes; practice makes perfect.
Chuck the idea that great speakers are born.
The majority of them are made.
The script is researched, written, edited, mastered, and then rehearsed to perfection.
The team has done their part and so did the speaker.
Introverted speakers have done their share of sleepless nights trying to memorize their talks.
They don’t just practice what they are supposed to say.
They also practice how they are going to say it.
Find the major talk points in your speech.
You can even take notes where you need to stress a point and where you are supposed to pause for emphasis.
Furthermore, you can even jot down notes on when you need to step off the podium to better connect with the audience.
You can also place reminders about certain bad habits.
Well, yes, we all develop bad habits when we speak in public.
For some, it is clearing their throat too often while others just make weird hand gestures or something to that effect.
Doing a lot of practice will help you become better at public speaking.
Be Your Own Critic
The third public speaking tip for you as an introvert business owner is to practice in front of a mirror.
When you’re in front of a mirror you have a virtual audience which is you.
When you’re in front of a mirror you can monitor the tone of your voice since the sound will just bounce back right at you.
In addition to that, you can observe your facial expressions.
Yes, some people don’t notice that they sometimes make odd expressions when they are speaking.
This is another facet of developing your public speaking skills.
Well, if your mirror is too small or you’re not getting the desired effect then try the alternative.
You can do a video recording of yourself as you practice giving your speech.
Actually doing both at the same time wouldn’t be a bad idea either.
Practice your talk in front of the mirror and make a video of yourself giving that speech.
This is also a great technique on how to conquer your anxiety.
Giving a talk in front of a mirror puts you face to face with your most vile critic—yourself.
In front of a mirror, you can gauge whether your delivery is energetic or not.
On the other hand, a recording of yourself giving your speech is also quite handy in this department as well.
So you review your recording and discover that five minutes into your talk you lose enthusiasm.
What do you do?
You make adjustments.
Analyze what happened.
Try to recall how you felt at that moment.
Did you run out of breath?
Did you feel that you were already talking yourself out of your speech?
Do you think that a PowerPoint or some other visual aid can help shift the mood at that point?
Maybe you can tell an anecdote or a joke that has relevance to the points you are making.
All that fine-tuning from practicing in front of a mirror and recording yourself will help you to become more confident.
Put on a Virtual Mask
Malcolm Gladwell is well-known for giving confident speeches and really memorable talks.
He is actually one of the best authors and public speakers around.
Would you believe it if you were told that he actually admitted to not being chatty?
Yes, he too is an introvert at heart and not a party chatter.
However, he enters a major transformation when he steps up on stage to deliver a speech.
Put a microphone in his hand and he instantly becomes a one of a kind storyteller.
What is his secret?
He puts on a virtual mask, which is our next public speaking tip for you as an introvert business owner.
Remember that the podium is no different from a stage and that is why public speaking isn’t really different from acting.
The bottom line here is that both are roles that people play.
Get into character 5 minutes before you step in front of a podium.
Start being that talking person on the script.
Consider the crowd of people in front of you not as an audience but as your co-actors working the scene with you.
This will ease the tension and help you relate freely with them.
Take Your Time to Know Your Audience
This is also another very important public speaking tip business owners should know.
Knowing is half the battle.
That is a punch line from the 80s cult TV and toy franchise called GI Joe.
What does it mean?
Half of the battle is won by knowing who the opposing side is.
Okay, so you’re not going into a fight.
Nevertheless, the principle can still work here when you’re trying to figure out how to be a confident speaker.
If you know your audience you will know exactly what to say to please them.
That means with proper research you can come up with material that they will find interesting.
You can communicate valuable information and they will pay attention.
As an introvert business owner, you will have this uncanny ability to be empathetic and be in tune with your surroundings.
You understand that giving that talk isn’t all about you.
You giving that talk means that you care more about what your audience gets rather than being the center of that attention.
And that is why the audience will gravitate toward you.
The bottom line at this point is to give them what they want.
You can also throw in some jokes, anecdotes, and figures of speech that they will understand.
Think of it this way; your public speaking engagement is your chance to serve your audience.
You’re not there to look for approval or seek attention (that’s just not you).
You are there to stand before a bunch of eager listeners.
Your role is to be a giver, a teacher, one that informs and enlightens.
Do a Calming Routine
Another useful public speaking tip for introvert business owners is to do a calming routine before they give a speech.
Public speaking coach Gina Barnett talked about this.
Before giving a speech, it is very important that both your mind and body are calm.
If you can’t get your mind to calm down then work on your body first.
Once you have calmed your body then your mind will follow.
Sometimes what you need to do is to eat a favorite snack of food to calm you down.
You can do this a few minutes before you go up on stage.
But you don’t really need to have food or coffee in your hand every time you are about to give a speech.
According to Barnett, there are physical routines that you can use to signal your body to stay calm.
Here are some of her suggestions.
Yawning
This triggers a natural relaxing response especially when you yawn naturally and take a long deep breath with it.
Stick your tongue out and start talking
Don’t do this when you’re out in the corridor with lots of busy people walking around.
You will look absolutely silly.
Do this in front of a mirror and try to extend your tongue as far as you can comfortably.
Sticking your tongue out triggers a calming physiological response in your body.
On top of that, it will also loosen up your vocal cords.
Create a sense of forwarding momentum
This is a very useful short exercise for being more confident.
Here’s how you do it.
Begin by standing up straight.
Refrain from arching your back when you’re doing this exercise.
With your back straight, shift your weight back and forth on your feet.
Begin by tilting your body back slightly to put your body weight on your heels.
After that tilt slightly forward to move your body weight to the tips of your toes.
Now, tilt back and forth shifting your weight from the toes to the heels and back.
Keep doing this until you find that spot where you can evenly distribute your body weight on your feet.
You know exactly how much you can lean forward to make yourself shift backward and forwards.
Now that you know your balance point or center, gently press your body weight onto the toes.
This slight shift in your weight causes you to have a sense of forwarding momentum that helps to trigger a fight response.
It tells your body that you need to move forward.
It will eventually trigger your mind to charge into whatever it is you’re about to do which is to give a talk.
Get that tingle going
Shake your limbs vigorously and as fast as you can.
You can start with your arms then proceed to your legs one at a time.
This will make your extremities start to tingle.
It will also stimulate blood flow and make you feel calmer.
That’s it on our suggested calming techniques.
Find the calming technique that works best for you.
Do it a few minutes before you give a speech to enable you to be your best self when delivering your speech.
Walk Amongst the Wolves
Furthermore on our public speaking tips for introvert business owners is this figurative saying;
Walking amongst the wolves.
This is a great way to get rid of the jitters and anxiety.
If the organizers will allow you, you should go out to the audience and mingle with your audience for a few minutes.
This might be quite challenging.
However, it will help you develop more confidence.
You don’t have to take a minute to engage in small talk.
You’re not there for that.
What you want to do is a little meet and greet.
You don’t even have to talk to all the people there; just the ones closest to you, and that’s it.
Walk up to someone, introduce yourself, shake their hands, look them in the eye, and thank them for coming.
Be as quick as possible so as not to allow them to ask you questions.
Quickly move from one guest to the next.
Just a quick meet and greet no long interactions.
It will only take 5 minutes and that’s it.
What does this do?
How can it help?
It allows you to gauge your audience.
It will also help you to realize that you’re going to deliver a speech to people, not wolves.
Smile
When getting to know your audience, make sure you have a smile on your face.
Again this triggers a physiological-psychological response that gets you calm and confident fast.
Smile during your short meet and greet and then keep smiling when you’re starting your talk.
Smile every now and then when delivering your speech.
You should do it at appropriate times.
Smiling also allows you to connect with your audience.
And getting that connection is a huge confidence boost.
Be Interactive
Even though you don’t want a ton of individual encounters with the audience, you should at least be interactive to a certain degree.
If your organizer will allow it, hand out a few slips of paper and ask people to write down questions that you can address in your talk.
Answer those questions at appropriate times in your speech. Some should be answered at the end of your message though.
Tell A Personal Story
This will make your audience warm up to you.
It can be anecdotal, inspiring, funny, or educational.
And it will also help you with speaking confidently.
Again the goal here is to establish that connection with the audience.
Don’t Rush
Talk slowly and take a moderate speaking pace.
Rushing to finish your talk will only make you feel more anxious.
There are times when you need to pick up the pace (put that note on certain parts of your talk).
Stay calm and well-composed when talking.
Take your time to make your words clear and understandable.
The last thing you want is your audience to be left clueless after your speech delivery.
Have Fun
Have fun when giving a talk.
Giving a speech publicly is not an easy task.
Nevertheless, you can still make it fun both for you and your audience.
Final Thoughts On Public Speaking Tips for Introvert Business Owners
That wraps up our public speaking tips for introvert business owners.
The importance of public speaking for business owners can’t be stressed enough here.
It is your chance to promote your business and expand your customer base.
It can be a daunting task for introverted entrepreneurs.
However, with careful practice, you can become a great speaker just like other confident speakers you admire.
These are practical tips to help you become more confident in public speaking as a business owner.
Apply them and be amazed at the new you.
Also, do well to check out other helpful articles that have been linked to this post.
You’ll be glad you did.
