You're not alone in getting that jittery feeling when you face a crowd; getting anxious before or during the delivery of a speech is a very natural phenomenon. Fear of speaking in public is one one of the most prevalent phobias in human beings. However, you can get over the fear of public speaking by using simple techniques that have helped many speakers get over their speech-making fear. Here are some public speaking tips that will help you feel more comfortable when delivering that big speech:

• Don't be Afraid of Looking Foolish - When you are addressing a roomful of people, the most common cause for your apprehension is the fact that you think you might end up doing something foolish in the course of the seminar; and this is where most of us go wrong. It is imperative to remember that the audience is attending the talk because you have more knowledge of the subject than them, and that they want to learn more from you. So basically, you are imparting knowledge to them. This should make you feel a lot more confident and less awkward about standing in front of them.
• Visualize Your Audience as Friends - The trick is to overcome your fear by using your imagination. Try to visualize the audience as your family and friends instead of thinking of them as strangers; this will reduce your fear quotient. If you are still not comfortable, then try to avoid eye contact with any one person in particular. Try to focus on a wall or the door at the back of the room. However, do not look at the floor or the ceiling while you are performing your speech.
  
  
• Know Your Material - The greatest boost to your confidence on stage is knowing your information well; it is vital that you research your material in great depth. At no point should you get into areas you know little about. Most of the awkwardness comes from the constant fear that you might forget the lines of your speech. In this case, it is best to prepare a small paper with all the major points that you are going to cover, noted down neatly. If you think that you are going to forget an important topic, just take a quick peek at the paper for quick reference.
• Rehearse your Speech - It helps to do some role playing prior to delivering the speech. At home, you can walk around your living room and have a thorough speech rehearsal. You can ask members of your family to sit in front of you as an audience. Ask for their feedback regarding tone of voice, pace, and depth of material. If you have rehearsed, you will feel more confident, and it will be easier for you to fall into the groove when you are actually making that speech.
• Get There Early - It is a good idea to arrive at the seminar hall where you are going to speak a little earlier than everyone else. Walk around the room and try to familiarize yourself with the room. If you're using visuals (always recommended), set up the projector and screen and make sure everything works. Few things will make you more uncomfortable than fumbling around with technical details in front of an impatient audience. Go stand on the podium and ask the staff to turn on the lights. This way you won't feel daunted or overwhelmed when you enter the room. Most of the time, people get nervous just looking at the size of the room they are speaking in. So if you get accustomed to the room, much of your nervousness will disappear.
• Mistakes are OK - At the end of the day, you have to remember that it's human to make mistakes or feel nervous, so it's okay if you fumble at some point. The people who are watching you will not think less of you for a simple mistake. In fact, they may realize that they may have done a similar thing if they were in your place, and they will empathize with you. In case you do make a gaffe while speaking, lighten up the moment with some humor. Humor is a great ice breaker and can be used throughout the speech at various points. It brings energy and interest, and makes your presentation more entertaining. If you feel you're not confident enough for a stand-up style routine, go ahead and do a quiet, self-deprecating style.

Relax, fight off that nervousness, go ahead and give a great speech. Keep in mind that to your audience you're the expert, and if you have prepared adequately, they will appreciate your sharing your knowledge with them.

Do you have any public speaking anecdotes that you'd like to share? We'd love to hear them! Please post your funny speech tales or horror stories in or Comments section.