In this Q&A, Amber Erickson-Hurdle, an expert in branding and leadership and a former hospitality professional, answers questions from participants at the virtual RR Leadership Seminar where she shared public speaking strategies in a presentation, titled From Nervous to Natural: Unleash Your Inner Speaker, in December 2023.
Amber draws her public speaking experience from her roles as keynote speaker, author, and host of the Bombshell Business Podcast with Amber Hurdle and her background in politics and hospitality.
FAQ: I get nervous or stage fright when speaking in front of large audiences such as at city council meetings. How do I overcome this?
Amber: Here’s a step-by-step process for overcoming stage fright.
- Remember, it’s not about you, so take the pressure off, and make it about serving your audience. (Even if they are haters, you can educate them!)
- Focus on just one person and ensure that one person is influenced by your words. You will never win the entire audience, no matter who you are!
- Know your stuff. Review your content over and over again!
- Listen to hype music on your way to the event where you’re speaking, while getting ready to go backstage, etc.
- Tape your three key talking points on the floor or to the podium, if needed.
- Take care of yourself with adequate sleep, hydration, and nutrition, and limit caffeine or alcohol consumption. This seems like a throwaway tip, but your nervous system is impacted by these things. Plan accordingly.
Some additional strategies:
Arrive with a posse of your supporters, even if it is small. Be sure you have people clapping for you like the opposing side does, both to boost your confidence and to show visually that you are in good company with your stance and not a lone ranger.
Have data on hand to support your points. If you are nervous about remembering statistics, have any data organized by topic in front of you. For example, if someone asks you about the “affordable housing crisis,” then you will pull from the data under the “affordable housing” header (in large font) so you can glance down and quickly see it.
Focus on your true audience, and don’t be distracted by people who don’t need to be or can’t be influenced. The angry townsfolk are going to bring their pitchforks. Your audience members are elected officials. Your secondary audience is the audience that is receptive to your argument, and never forget the third audience: the media. Do not get sassy unless you want to be quoted that way. 🙂
Stick to your three talking points as much as possible. If they ask a question, quickly answer it and tie it back to the information you want hammered into your audience. That is the information you have carefully rehearsed and studied.
FAQ: How do I get over getting tongue-tied when speaking? What if I don’t like the sound of my voice?
Record yourself on your phone’s voice app and listen back. Note what you don’t like about how you sound and restructure it to improve it. First, transcribe or write down your messaging. Read it aloud. Think about where you might want to pause, what words you need to emphasize through a change of tone, speed, or volume, and practice when you will use eye contact to help communicate, as well. Continue this process until you can tolerate what you hear. It’s probably way worse for you to hear it than for anyone else. And at the end of the day? Actress Fran Drescher is an American sweetheart, so roll with whatever sound your voice makes!
To avoid being tongue-tied, slow down! Then, refer to your three key talking points and refer back to the facts that support them. If you need to answer a question, buy time by repeating the question aloud so you can gather your thoughts.
FAQ: How do I make speeches and presentations entertaining and memorable?
Amber: Ask these questions to brainstorm:
- What matters to this distinct audience?
- What is something about you that is unique or that comes naturally to you?
- How can you infuse natural humor into your presentation?
- Who is well-known in the audience or industry that you can reference to make your presentation more relevant or credible?
- What city are you in, and how can that tie into your talk?
FAQ: How can I remember what to say without reading from a script?
Don’t use a script. If you need a cheat sheet, use bullet points; then use your own words to fill in the rest. If you take the advice from the webinar and the answers to these questions, you will be well prepared to reference bullet points as a road map without reading from a script.
Audience member: I have imposter syndrome. I forget my message and how much I know. I struggle to answer questions succinctly.
Amber: Slow down. Repeat questions back to audience members. Buy time to process your answer. Have your talking points on hand. Keep a pen and paper ready so you can jot down a few general points to reference as they ask the question. Consider objections you may get in the form of questions in advance and rehearse your answers.
FAQ: How do you handle unexpected challenges or disruptions during a presentation, and what are your tips for maintaining composure?
Amber: Have a couple of ideas in your back pocket and stay on brand. (I’m colorful, so I do colorful things.) At the Vacation Rental World Summit in 2021, I could not begin my opening presentation because the slides did not work even after two run-throughs. So, while the audiovisual team was sorting it out, I repeated a joke that I had told my Pure Romance audience earlier. I also explained who the original audience for that joke was, which made it even funnier. (It is an adult toy direct marketing company for those who don’t know that brand.) It was a little colorful for most audiences, but I knew it would land well with the ladies of the vacation rental industry, and everyone was too busy laughing to care about the slide hiccup. Then we got back up and running.
No matter what, don’t skip a beat. Simply say, “While the wonderful AV team is working on that, let’s (and then move to audience questions or whatever you plan for the just in case).
FAQ: What adjustments should speakers make to maintain audience engagement and connection in a virtual speaking environment?
Amber:
- Use the tools in your online meeting platform like chat, polls, or Q&A.
- Read people’s comments/answers and acknowledge their names.
- Look into the camera when speaking and only briefly look at your notes.
- Take the slide deck down if you will speak without referencing it for any amount of time to better connect with the virtual audience. (Release yourself from the tiny box!)
- Have a guide or other document you reference that everyone has access to.
FAQ: How can speakers tailor their message to diverse audiences with varying levels of familiarity with the topic?
Amber:
- Speak to the specific audience’s experiences, and use their language.
- Reference the location or locations they are in.
- Address your audience’s specific problems.
- Use industry or location-specific stories, current events, case studies, and examples.
FAQ: How do you manage time during a speech to ensure key points are covered without rushing or exceeding the allotted time?
Amber:
- If you write your speech, you can use wordcounter.net to determine the speaking time.
- Rehearse your speech, record it, and then adjust your timing accordingly.
- Request a timer downstage.
- Use an Apple Watch to set alarms that will vibrate when you should be at a certain point. (I set mine for 5-10 minutes before my wrap-up time so I can skip or wrap up differently if I decide to camp out on a section due to feeling the audience’s energetic response.)
FAQ: How can I receive and incorporate constructive feedback to continuously improve as a speaker?
Amber: Keep an accurate scoreboard. Remember all that you did right before cruising for that bruising. Evaluate the feedback and determine if it is valid. If so, decide how you will adjust to reflect the helpful feedback. Remember, it’s not personal. It’s not about you. It’s always about the audience. You cannot get better if you are unaware of your improvement opportunities. A spirit of continuous improvement is what the greats constantly activate!
FAQ: For advocates specifically, how can public speaking be leveraged to influence policymakers and advocate for positive change effectively?
Amber:
1. Know who you are trying to influence.
2. Know their triggers and turn-offs.
3. Know who can influence them (if it is not you) and solicit support from that person(s).
4. Have your facts (city charter, ordinances, precedent, previous voting records, entanglements, conflicts of interest) at your fingertips. Go beyond “the Constitution” or other meme-worthy political stereotypes.
5. Ask questions about the policy or ordinance that helps illustrate that policymakers are more aligned with you than they thought.
6. It’s not about you. It’s about everyone involved, so you must acknowledge how decisions impact everyone, show empathy, and then show how you contribute to the greater good.
For more of Amber’s public speaking and presentation tips, watch the video recap of From Nervous to Natural: Unleash Your Inner Speaker inside the RR Network.
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