SECOND PART 77 tips to deal with what happens on stage

Chapter 4
I am too nervous in front of a group.
How can I reduce my stress?
> Tips 01 @ 14:

01 The safest way to make mistakes when practicing public speaking

02 The fast track to reduce your public speaking anxiety

03 Three questions to ask yourself to reduce jitters before speaking

04 Three strategies to prevent surprises while speaking

05 A myth about the audience's first reaction

06 How to lower your stress like an athlete

07 How to turn audiences into friends

08 Out of breath when speaking? Here's a simple solution

09 A simple technique to free yourself from negative self-talk

10 The secret to avoid disempowering self-criticism

11 A sure way to get rid of nervousness gestures

12 A quick way to stop rocking anxiously from side to side

13 Where do I put my hands?

14 An innate way to reduce your stress before speaking

Chapter 5
I don't want to look like a fool.
How can I make a good impression?
> Tips 15 @ 31:

15 How to instantly connect with your audience

16 A tip to make such a good impression that you will be invited to speak again

17 Three ways to use non-verbal language to make a great first impression

18 Actions to make sure the audience gets ALL of your message

19 A fundamental principle to avoid being misinterpreted by the audience

20 Other ways to prevent being misinterpreted by your listeners

21 How to avoid looking like a poor storyteller

22 A suggestion to stop being perceived as a "know it all"

23 A tip to avoid the worst impression you could give an audience

24 A mistake that could make you lose the audience's attention

25 A tip to make sure everyone feels included in your message

26 Three questions to make sure the audience gets your point

27 Don't be perceived as inauthentic by the audience; a four point method

28 A proven technique to avoid sounding like a robot when you speak

29 Advice to prevent sudden emotional reactions on stage

30 How to be vulnerable and still in control in front of people

31 The secret to be fully self-expression on stage

Chapter 6
I am afraid I will be boring.
How can I keep their interest?
> Tips 32 @ 52:

32 Great tips to get their attention right from the beginning

33 A fun way to obtain your audience's cooperation for silence

34 A smart tip to clarify your message from the start

35 How to hook your audience

36 A simple technique to use when you have to improvise a speech

37 How to spark genuine interest when you introduce someone

38 Get them on the edge of their seats at the very first words of your story

39 An easy way to make a memorable message

40 Learn how to begin your speech with a compelling opening

41 Four tips to add more life to the text of your presentation

42 The key to add more clarity to your speech

43 How to keep your audience's interest even with an abstract concept

44 How to avoid confusion when presenting numerous points

45 The all-around attention-getter tool of public speakers

46 Four techniques to deliver a vibrant speech

47 Four reasons to use this "hanging on your every word" technique

48 A simple way to increase your speech's emotional impact

49 An entertaining participation game to keep their attention

50 Three tips to bring back the absent minded listeners

51 A common mistake that distracts the audience

52 A proven technique to make sure your speech never gets boring

Chapter 7
I am not funny.
How can I make them laugh?
> Tips 53 @ 63:

53 The reason why some people make us laugh and others don't

54 A good starting point to discover your funny bone

55 An easy way to instantly find your own humorous material

56 The one thing that could make or break an amusing anecdote

57 How to use disruptions to create funny moments

58 A comical ingredient that will make you likeable

59 The oldest trick in the book to create a joke

60 Another simple way to make them laugh

61 A common mistake to avoid when telling jokes

62 A recipe to make sure your new jokes work

63 A key to make sure that everybody gets your jokes

Chapter 8
Things might go wrong while I'm on stage.
How can I avoid a catastrophe?
> Tips 64 @ 77:

64 What to do when you speak and your mouth goes dry

65 Seven strategies to avoid memory blanks - Part 1

66 Seven strategies to avoid memory blanks - Part 2

67 Seven strategies to avoid memory blanks - Part 3

68 Seven strategies to avoid memory blanks - Part 4

69 How to avoid being embarrassed when you make a mistake on stage

70 Ever forgot something crucial for a speech? Here's how to prevent this

71 A sure way to eliminate unpleasant surprises with wireless microphones

72 A solution to avoid being caught off guard during a Q & A period

73 Five habits to prevent slideshow frustration

74 Here's what to do when the audiovisual equipment stops abruptly

75 How to make sure things won't go wrong - BEFORE speaking

76 How to make sure things won't go wrong - WHEN speaking

77 How to make sure things won't go wrong - AFTER speaking

> I can still remember the moment.

I am being interviewed in front of 350 people while judges are compiling the ballots of a speech contest I am competing in.

While answering a question I notice something amazing. I am relaxed. It's as if I am in my living room talking with friends being my normal goofy self. I start thinking, "Hey this is fun! I am enjoying myself." Then I realize that, everybody is laughing. The interviewer has a puzzled look on his face. I realize that I didn't think those words… I said them out loud. No one knows what is actually happening, but I do! I cannot believe it…

> ...the fear is gone!

It took me a few weeks and a few more presentations to realize that my fear of public speaking had completely vanished. At last, I could sleep like a baby the night before a speech, I was no longer panicking at the idea of speaking, actually, I was looking forward to it.

I still had some jitters when they announced my name, but that feeling disappeared very quickly as soon as I started speaking. No sweating, no trembling, no face turning red, nothing! I was simply enjoying myself on stage. Talk about a difference! I always thought that I would have to deal with some kind of anxiety for the rest of my life but no, I was finally through with it.

> It's that realization that sparked the idea to write this book.

People HAD to know that it is possible to end the fear. Not just to overcome it, but to liberate yourself from it.

If you’ve ever felt like me, a prisoner inside yourself, you need to know that you don't have to remain in that state. I will share with you concrete solutions to break free from this cage called the fear of public speaking. This book is about offering you proven solutions.

> The first part of the book describes the three conditions
to end the fear of public speaking.

We will tackle the negative image you may have of yourself. If you are convinced that you lack self-confidence and if you are sure that professional speakers are protected from this fear, you will learn that this is not the case!

You will realize not only that your fear is a normal behaviour but that it is also often desirable in many circumstances. You will learn that it is natural and even legitimate to experience high levels of anxiety when you do not speak regularly in public. And finally it will become obvious that using the three conditions will end your fear of public speaking once and for all!

> The second part of the book will provide you with solutions 
to deal with whatever might happen on stage.

A big part of the fear we experience is not knowing how to deal with unexpected situations when in front of groups. That's why I created 77 tips for you to learn how to avoid these unpleasant surprises or at the very least, to know how to deal with them. These tips will greatly shorten your learning curve. Instead of feeling vulnerable when something unexpected happens, you will have the tools to deal with these situations.

I drew these ideas from my experience and also from exchanges with friends who also work in the world of communication. All these principles allowed me to win third place in the World Championship of Public Speaking organized by Toastmasters International.

> The 77 tips offer you proven strategies to handle most of the surprises that might send you into a frenzy.

If you feel prepared for most of what can happen on a stage, it will be easier to manage unforeseen circumstances. Basically, we give answers to the five following questions:

• I am too nervous in front of a group. How can I reduce my stress (see chapter 04)

• I don't want to look like a fool. How can I make a good impression?(see chapter 05)

• I am afraid I will be boring. How can I keep their interest? (see chapter 06)

• I am not funny. How can I make them laugh? (see chapter 07)

• Something might go wrong while I'm on stage. How can I avoid a catastrophe? (see chapter 08)

> This is about you getting back in control so you can express yourself with ease and enjoyment.

I have had to struggle for many years to liberate myself from the fear of public speaking. This book is about helping you to arrive at the same place, but sooner and without the struggle.

If you are reading this book, it is because you know deep down you have something important to share with others. And it would be a shame if you did not because of fear. We need your expertise, your knowledge, your wisdom.

Since I have put an end to my fear of public speaking, I feel free to reach for old dreams hidden deep in the drawer of my heart and I realize them one by one. This book is one of those dreams.

My wish for you is to liberate yourself, in other words, to end your fear of public speaking, so you can finally realize your dreams.