I often get asked: how can you become a more confident and convincing public speaker and how can you improve those skills? It’s a question I’ve dedicated my career to answering, helping individuals navigate the nerves, connect deeply with their audience and communicate with undeniable clarity.
I’ve coached many and I understand that even excellent speakers can grapple with anxiety or structuring their message. But those challenges don’t have to prevent you from achieving your full potential on stage.
Drawing from my extensive experience as a certified ILM Level 7 coach and accredited practitioner of the iMA method, I’ve put together ten actionable tips for this article. My approach, based on the ‘iMA colours’ framework, is all about understanding and adapting to different communication styles to build immediate trust and engagement. If you’re looking for structured support, I also offer public speaking courses in London designed to help you develop these skills in a practical, engaging setting.
These strategies will guide you in using your unique expertise, crafting powerful stories, eliciting strong reactions and presenting with authentic confidence. If you’re looking to refine your public speaking, these are the insights I believe will help you reduce anxiety, overcome common hurdles, and deliver performances that truly resonate.
1. Only Talk About What You Know
Everyone has areas of great knowledge, expertise and interest. It’s a person’s specialist knowledge and insights that make them interesting to listen to. Speaking to an audience gives the speaker a great opportunity to share what they know and a chance to inform others of what they know or think. This is a common occurrence at seminars, conferences and academic institutions but less often the case in charities, governmental organisations and businesses. People are often asked to speak and present to an audience on behalf of the charity, organisation or business and in effect are speaking someone else’s words. The end result is less effective than if the originator was the speaker. Only speak about what you know, it makes it a far, far better experience for both the speaker and the audience.
2. Always Tell Stories
Human development has largely relied upon story telling. The spread of information has been the backbone of human knowledge and human existence. As humans evolved, we told more and more stories. We are surrounded by stories; idol gossip when talking with friends and acquaintances, social media stories, newspaper and magazine stories, books, news stories, rumour, anecdotes, plays, movies and television drama. Right from a very young age people have been told stories and they are a significant part of the fabric of our lives.
This is why when speaking in public, it is far better to tell two or three memorable stories/anecdotes than ply your audience with facts and figures. Every speaker wants to make an impact. To do that you need to fully engage those you are speaking to and make what you say memorable. People can remember stories and are able to retell, something that is far more difficult to do with facts and figures.
3. Cause A Reaction
Aiming to cause a reaction is the best way to motivate oneself before speaking. The aim, before speaking, will be to have as big an impact as possible. There is no point speaking at all unless your audience has some takeaways. You are going to be telling two or three stories which are memorable and easily repeatable, and then delivering a key message which makes your audience sit-up and take note. You want a positive reaction to your revelation, but occasionally, when you get a distinctly negative reaction, that can be good too; you have caused a reaction!
4. Don’t Use Slides
Speaking is speaking it is not showing electronic images. For anyone to have maximum impact as a speaker they need to be the centre of the performance, meaning that they are stood in the centre of the stage, with no other distractions for the audience. When using slides, you are changing the state of the room by darkening it, which is not a good idea, and then you have to move from your central position to accommodate the screen, which means that you are standing to the side and are no longer the centre of attention. By moving to the side your impact is reduced as is the audience’s ability to focus on the message that you are trying to convey. Members of the audience take in information at different speeds, so you are always struggling with some people who think the slides change too quickly while others think that the slides are changing too slowly. You can’t win. Or at least not while using slides. The additional issues are how much information is retained using slides? And the fact that while people are thinking about what is said on the slide they will stop listening to you and are instead listening to themselves inside their own heads. Your impact gets diminished, your message lost and a prime opportunity is missed. To find out which styles of people work at a fast pace and which people prefer a slower pace take a look at the four iMA styles.
5. Cheat Your Confidence
The vast majority of people in the audience are not wanting to swap places with you, they are very glad that they are sat where they are and you are stood where you are. That is already a moral victory for you and one that should help to give you confidence and calm your nerves (more of that in a while). Audiences are there to hear you speak and they want you to do well. They are concerned about how long your presentation will be, if they will be engaged and although they want you to do well they are also concerned that you may not. The best way to overcome that issue is to transmit an air of confidence to the audience. You may not be feeling all together confident to begin with, but by cheating your confidence to the audience you will shortly turn desire into reality. By looking and seeming confident the audience will buy it. When that moment comes, you will feel it and your confidence will grow and your adrenaline will settle.
How to cheat your confidence is actually relatively straightforward. It is all in your body language. Standing as straight as an arrow, with your feet at “five to two” looking into the eyes of the audience and smiling. Making sure that you are centre stage and a standing back a little. Once you feel the acknowledgement of the audience, take a step forward. By this time, you are feeling as confident as you were pretending to be a minute earlier.
6. Overcome Your Nerves
Our bodies are wired for a “fight, flight, or freeze” response, and before a presentation, your subconscious mind kicks into high gear, sending a rush of adrenaline. But here’s the crucial pivot: your conscious mind can seize control. Tell yourself this adrenaline is excitement, not nerves. Repeat that mantra: “I’m not nervous, I’m excited!” With consistent focus, that excitement will become your reality.
Nerves are a massive detriment. They breed anxiety, cloud your clarity, cause forgetfulness, and lead to self-editing that undermines your performance. When you’re nervous, you become self-conscious, losing the ability to think on your feet and improvise. All your preparation, rehearsal, and research can be wasted if you’re overcome by nerves.
You’re not nervous, you’re excited! Excitement is a far superior state. Nerves bring dread and worry, stealing any enjoyment before you even step on stage. Excitement, however, energizes you, sharpens your focus, relaxes you, and builds confidence. You’ll actually look forward to speaking, eager to be in front of your audience. This simple mantra helps you harness your adrenaline and take control. Remember: you’re not nervous, you’re excited!
7. Visualise Looking Out
Visualising your presentation is a very good idea. It helps as you are likely to be rehearsing what you are going to be saying and becoming more and more familiar with what it is you are going to be saying. It is important that you don’t visualise from the point of view of the audience looking at you, it is vital, to really make the visualisation work, to visualise yourself looking out at the audience.
8. Be Centred At All Times
As mentioned earlier, standing centre stage is all important. You need to establish your position in the centre of the stage where you will, after a minute or so, feel comfortable and grounded. Once you have established that position you can move around the stage. That is moving and not pacing. Pacing makes you look nervous and can unnerve the audience. It also serves as a distraction to the audience and may cause them to switch off out of sheer frustration. Once you have established your central position you can move to one side of the stage and stand there for a period of time. You will then need to balance that out by moving and standing at the opposite side of the stage and stand there for a while. However, don’t go directly from one side to the other, go via the centre and spend some time back in your centred position. After visiting both sides of the stage, return to the centre.From the outside you look in total control, from the inside you will feel the same way.
9. Use Eye Contact Skilfully
However uncomfortable it may feel, looking at the audience is essential. Depending on your communication style (check out ashleyboroda.com and find out what “iMA Colour” you are), you can either make actual eye contact or give the impression to the audience that you are looking at them. As mentioned previously you want your presentation to have maximum impact. Audiences need to feel that they are being engaged and that you are keeping a close eye on them at all times. This triggers a subconscious worry, on their part, that you may catch them not being attentive. By keeping them engaged with your eye contact (perceived or actual) you are going to get their full attention. If, for example, you see someone looking at their phone, you can spend 20 seconds or so just looking at that person in the eye while you carry on talking. The message will be received soft and clear.
10. Rehearse In A Way That Works For You
Rehearsing is very important, but there is no formula for doing so. Choose one that works for you and creates reassurance in your mind. If the method you are using is making you anxious, then abandon and do something else. It may be just running through what you are going to say in your head, or talking out loud in front of a mirror. It maybe that you feel the need to rehearse with another person, but often that can be unhelpful as their feedback is often either too generous or too critical.
Conclusion
I hope these ten tips have given you a clear roadmap to becoming a more impactful public speaker. As I’ve outlined, it’s not just about what you say, but how you connect, inspire, and resonate with your audience.
From sharing your specialist knowledge and embracing the power of storytelling, to mastering your body language and overcoming nerves by reframing them as excitement – each step builds on the last. By visualising success, owning the centre of the stage, and using eye contact skilfully, you’re not just delivering information; you’re creating an unforgettable experience. And remember, the right rehearsal method is the one that builds your confidence, not anxiety.
Public speaking is a skill that can be refined, and with these strategies, you’re well on your way to speaking with the authenticity and authority that truly commands attention. Keep practicing, keep applying these principles, and watch as you transform into the confident, compelling speaker you’re meant to be.
If you’re ready to take your public speaking to the next level, or want to delve deeper into how understanding communication styles can transform your impact, I invite you to get in touch. Visit my contact page at ashleyboroda.com/contact to discuss how I can help you achieve your speaking goals.
