NOREEN YOUNG: How to Talk to a Crowd

Guest contribution by Noreen Young

Noreen Young is back with some helpful tips on how to prepare for speaking to a crowd.

First, do a little prep before you do a presentation. 

Get a good night’s sleep. Stay away from that cup of anything Starbucks! You may be nervous or so caffeine-wired up that you cannot sleep. Instead, try sipping some hot chamomile tea or take a supplement that calms the muscles and nerves called magnesium.

The day of your speech or presentation, eat a good but not heavy breakfast. Keep it light but hearty like an acai yogurt bowl or steel cut oatmeal. If you eat too much you will want to take a nap and feel no energy. If it is a luncheon or evening presentation, pay particular attention to what you eat too.

Drink water and stay hydrated. Liquids help your brain think better; you will be more on your toes. This is especially true when you have to take a test or an exam too.

Bring honey and lemon throat lozenges you never know when your throat may get that annoying tickle in the throat and a coughing fit comes on.

Do not forget to brush your teeth if possible BEFORE your talk and carry Altoids.

Guys and gals. Do not wear shoes that are brand new. Nothing feels worse than sore feet. Be comfortable in a pair of shoes that are broken in and that are in pristine condition.

If you happen to get the dreaded nervous red flush on the face and chest before you speak…. Apply a CC cream. This cream is unisex and it covers and corrects your skin and calms down the red or pink flushed appearance. No more red.

Ladies…wear a bolder lipstick and cheek color and eyeliner or mascara is necessary. You want to be seen from a distance. If you are in a conference room or small luncheon meeting, lighten up a bit on these.

Guys, you can wear a dash of tinted moisturizer to even out your complexion. Add some guy liner or manscara. However, not as heavy as Johnny Depp in the pirate movies. A little goes a long way.

Really, they all work and define your eyes and fine-tune your complexion.

If you are prone to DRY lips, apply lip balm. There’s nothing worse than crusty, dehydrated lips.

Do not over do on aftershave or cologne. It can be overpowering and you never know who has allergies in the room. You want them to remember you and what you said, not your fragrance.

Smile as you open up to your audience with your presentation. A smile is better than wearing a Rolex watch that they most likely will never see.

A smile invites them in. Also, tell a little story about yourself or a fun joke that will fit into what you have to say. If you are nervous, picture the audience is naked. This is a speaker’s tip that works as unusual as it may sound.

Above all, engage your audience, work the room with your eyes, and smile! Do not just look one direction or at a few people in the audience. Show everyone you care about them by your eyes and glance at as many people as you can. Eye contact is key.

After your speech…thank your audience and ALWAYS have your business card ready to give. Never be without it. It is like a mini-billboard of you. Add your social media info if you have it. I find a picture is worth a thousand words. Ever since I added my photo on my business card and website, business booms even more. People want to see who they are doing business with and put a face with a name.

I hope this helps you put your best forward and always know this. My words of wisdom: “YOU are a star no matter who you are so shine brightly!”

If you have any questions please feel free to connect with me!

info@noreenyoung.com