A long time ago someone once suggested to me that a good way to overcome your fear of standing up in front of a crowd to speak was to imagine the audience was all naked. I never managed to take up this advice. I could never work out whether you were supposed to burst out laughing, walk out in disgust, stare, or get other ideas. Perhaps the intention was to remind yourself that your audiences just like you, and that there was no reason to be afraid of them. Anyway, every time I ever gave a speech there was no time to turn my mind to such frivolities.

After all, as the speaker it was my job for a few minutes to keep the audience interested enough so they did not start mentally undressing each other in their boredom!

The way I have used this little opening story illustrates an excellent way to solve your public speaking fears. If you open your presentation with a short prepared story that catches the attention of your audience, and brings even just a small smile to their faces, everyone – you and your audience – will be more relaxed. From that moment on the tension is broken, and you will be forgiven for a few mumbles or hesitations as you get on with your main presentation. As the saying goes, you first need to “break the ice.”

If you know your audience well, there will be much less tension at the start. It can also help if you can take the time to mingle and meet with your audience in advance of starting your speech. A good introduction to your speech by somebody else is another good way to break down that initial tension, especially if you feel you will find it difficult to do yourself.

It is all about finding some rapport – something in common - between yourself and your audience, to make them interested.

Much of a public speaker’s fear comes from the expectation that your audience will be judgmental; that they will talk later about you and not about what you have to say. By preparing what you have to say very thoroughly in advance you are in a much stronger position to make a successful speech. Few people can successfully carry off a good speech without preparation. And the risk that you mind will go blank if you just rely on your memory is very real. Even the very best speakers need notes or presentation materials to prompt them through each step of their speech. If you can make what you have to say interesting and informative for your audience, the pressure on you to perform is greatly reduced. Provided you can successfully communicate your message, things like your appearance, your accent, a stutter or two, all take second place to your content. You will get your audience talking about what you had to say much more than about you.

And successfully communicating a memorable message is much more important in the longer term than how you perform at the lectern.