Want to know the secret to stage presence?
People come up to me after they’ve seen me speak and they often say: Wow, you have such stage presence!
Which is lovely. I appreciate them.
And I’m going to let you in on a little secret. You can cultivate stage presence too. Always come on the stage from a place of movement if at all possible. It’s better if you can be backstage or off camera, stretching, moving, breathing, walking, not pacing, but moving.
The worst thing a speaker can do is to have to sit and wait and be nervous and just be shrinking. The tighter you feel, the less you breathe, which causes you to get more nervous, and then even tighter….it’s a vicious cycle. So get off your butt and stretch, move, breathe or at least walk around.
Remember the audience is more scared FOR you than you are of them. They need you to be good.
I also want you to take a deep breath the second you step on stage or camera: a deep belly breath. Then take a moment and scan the audience if you’re on a stage or look right into the camera lens if you’re on camera. This pause is powerful. This pause says: Listen, what I’m about to say is important. So you’ll want to lean in and really listen.
It’s a way to draw people in.
It also conveys that you are powerful, that you’re coming from a place of power. You aren’t rushing because you believe whole heartedly in what you’re about to say. Communication is only 7% words. Body language speaks volumes in seconds.
When you stand up straight and strong, proud and powerful; you’re taking control of the space. You’re saying: I own this space. This is mine. So lean in and if you’re lucky, I’m going to take you on a journey. Don’t be needy. Being needy can repel an audience. They can smell it.
If you’ve warmed up, you’re on your breathe and in your body. You’re prepared so the audience will lean into you. You won’t have to lean into them. That’s power. That’s owning the room every time.
For years, I’ve been helping people overcome the obstacles that are keeping them from being funnier, more authentic, more engaging and confident speakers. If you want to take the next step with your public speaking, click here to schedule a complimentary call with me to discuss where you are and where you want to go.
