Public speaking is a common fear for people today. The technical term is “glossophobia” and 75% of the populace claims to be affected by this fear!
Besides the profuse sweating, rise in heart rate, and possibility of fainting, there are other reasons why it is paramount to overcome this fear.
According to studies, the fear of public speaking does more than impact how you interact with the world, your co-workers, or how you view yourself. The data indicates that it affects your career too!
The fear of public speaking impacts both men and women’s income levels at about 10%. Now, this does not seem like a lot at first, but consider how much money this actually is if you are making even a modest income of $35K a year.
10% of 35,000 is 3,500. The study indicates that you aren’t losing money from your salary, you are being paid less than you could be because of this fear!
That’s right, the fear of public speaking lessens your earning potential each year according to statistics!
Moreover, the statistics show that you are 15% less likely to be promoted to management if you have a fear of public speaking.
This is because saying the “right” things isn’t as important as how you say it. Only 7% of how a presentation is received revolves around the content presented. 55% of effective presentations are composed of non-verbal communication (like body language) and 38% of successful presentations are made up of your tone of voice.
So, if you have the world’s best copy, but you suck at body language and your tone of voice, you have a 93% chance of your presentation failing!
There are a few ways to overcome the fear of public speaking and make every presentation have a higher chance to succeed. The first is to include figures and facts to make the presentation more detailed. This increases engagement by 20% according to studies and it makes you look like a well-researched authority on the topic you’re presenting. Besides, how many times have you heard a presentation that didn’t present data to support their points? Did you feel like you had to look it up on Google just to verify what they were talking about?
One of the most underrated secrets of public speaking is to let your audience participate, ask questions, and allow the to become involved in the presentation. A common misconception is that the presenter must always be talking.
A good public speaker understands that people have ideas, questions, curiosities, and a desire to be contribute. By allowing people to ask a question, even if it is a simple one, it could mean the difference between failing and succeeding in public speaking.
Other ways to improve your confidence, body language, and tone of voice, is to start managing your hormonal levels and managing your fitness. (Research shows that people have more confidence when they are in shape!)
