Dizzy head. Pounding heart. Shaking limbs. Sweating body. Shallow breathing. Queasy stomach. These symptoms hold people back from what they really want — SUCCESS. Public speakers of all levels will resonate with the concise methods found in "From Fear to Success," an easy-to-read guide to overcome anxiety and relate to any audience on their journey to find their communication confidence.

65. Grab Attention with Your Opening (Audio of this chapter is available here.)

"Hello. My name is Tom Dowd. How are you doing today? Today we are going to talk about (insert boring topic introduction here)...." How many presentations have you heard with this type of canned opening? It is a mainstay in business presentations. Don't lose your audience before you truly get started. Avoid telling them what you plan to do until you have already grabbed their attention. We have most likely been taught to tell audiences what we want to tell them, tell them and then rehash what we have just told them. Sometimes, we are so literal that the introduction becomes, "I am going to tell you about blah blah blah...," which I have heard too often delivered monotone, with no voice inflection.

Just dive in with your attention-grabbing introduction. You can tell them what you are about to tell them, but get their attention first. I have shocked more than one concerned audience when I've broken into a coughing fit as an introduction to an inspirational speech about a childhood friend with cystic fibrosis. Start a speech with a song, a bang, a powerful quote, or a question that demands an immediate response. There are so many more creative openings than "Hello, my name is...." Your audience should be in for a surprise. You can give them one from the start. It will set the tone for the rest of the presentation.

66. Remember Audio-Visual Equipment Needs (Audio of this chapter is available here.)

Preparation is critical to avoid any mishaps with AV equipment. Do you have an extra light bulb for your projector? Let's even take a step back and ask if you have your own projector. Will you need to bring one? What about extension cords and screens? You can't leave anything to chance, you can't assume when it comes to delivering the best presentation. Have you physically been to the room where you are going to present ahead of time? The preparation is not just walking in a few minutes before the event. It is crucial that you talk with the meeting organizer ahead of time and walk the stage well in advance. I recommend when practicing on the actual stage that you give a large portion of the speech, if not all, ahead of time using the live AV equipment. Saying, "Test 1, 2, 3" into a microphone does not count as preparation.

Have you walked around the entire stage to ensure there are no extra-sensitive feedback spots for the microphones? Your audience will appreciate not hearing any high-pitched squeaks. I have a loud voice naturally, so I also invest a lot of time testing the volume of the microphones. You should also work with the organizers ahead of time on microphone options. I personally prefer lapel or the ones connected to the ear with the speaker near the mouth because I like to use my hands, and for me it is worth asking ahead of time for one of these.

Have you emailed your material to the organizer? Are paper copies ready and waiting in case of an AV failure, or can the material be projected in another way? Do you have a thumb drive, just in case something goes wrong with the organizer's version? I know I am at my best when I have tested and prepared for everything I can control; therefore, my audience's ability to receive my message should go up. Finally, expect the unexpected. It is not a matter of "if" something will go wrong, it is "when" it will go wrong. Part of your preparation should revolve around how flexible your presentation is without the audio-visual equipment in case it doesn't work.

67. Manage Phone Presentations Well (Audio of this chapter is available here.)

As part of a very large company, I have been asked to present many times over the phone. These conversations have advantages and disadvantages. Let's start with some of the advantages. You can surround yourself with notes and not worry about being as discreet as you would have to when in front of large audiences. You can also typically have more control over the flow of the conversation.

However, one pitfall is not being able to physically observe audience reactions, which makes it more difficult to adjust the presentation mid-stream. You may be able to hear some laughter, sighs, or groans, but what happens when the phones are on mute and all you hear is silence? You may need to adapt your style, asking for more engagement—to make sure you have kept the audience's attention—through verbal responses or, on webcasts and meetings with the appropriate platform, through voting-type buttons for opinions or answers. You also may have the inverse, when a phone is not on mute but the listeners have chosen to multi-task and you hear keyboards clicking, phone conversations, dogs barking or, worse, personal information you wish you hadn't heard. As a speaker, you should set expectations ahead of time, such as whether you would like the presentation to be interactive or have the audience hold questions and answers until the end. You can ask that everyone put their phones on mute, if needed. You should also know whom to contact to disconnect a distracting line, if possible.

Finally, you need to ensure that the presentation itself is adaptable to the phone. The first professional development conversation I did for a large group of people over the phone was a flop. I did not change it from my dynamic face-to-face presentation, so my use of the stage became irrelevant, and my gestures were useless. I had to depend more on open and inviting questions for the audience and more on voice inflection to share my passion. The phone can reach a wider audience and be just as impactful, as long as you know that some revisions and varying preparation are required for the best outcome.

68. Test Your Speeches (Audio of this chapter is available here.)

As previously mentioned, friends and family are always great sources of feedback for your speeches. However, nothing beats the local flavor of a group of people who may not be as close to the subject as your friends and family. I can't thank enough the local support I have received from Rotary Clubs, Kiwanis Clubs, Lions Clubs, and the YMCA. These organizations present a great opportunity for the community to see what you have to offer and also serve as a networking prospect for future public-speaking opportunities. More importantly, I can test out new material or tweak existing speeches and look for different audience reactions. Testing this way allows me to receive feedback that I would have never thought of myself—opinions that may be diverse and valuable.

69. Use Pauses (Audio of this chapter is available here.)

We often think more quickly than we speak. As a result, sometimes our thoughts outpace our intended words, which may result in using filler words and phrases (e.g., "um," "ah," "ya know"). Before we have time to say our intended words, we may utter something of no value that can create distractions for the audience if they are plentiful. As a speaker, we need to ensure the audience gets a chance to absorb the intended content and to feel the intended effects. If an audience is hanging onto the words we are saying, imagine how impactful it is to hold those words or sentences in suspense. The audience will anxiously wait for the next point and have a greater appreciation when it is delivered. Let the audience take in what you have just said with a well-placed pause. Effective use of pauses allows for punchier delivery and added emphasis for your key words and points. Pauses will also allow for effective facial expressions or gestures that may garner more attention than speaking straight through without pausing.

70. Interact with the Audience from the Beginning (Audio of this chapter is available here.)

There are more ways to start a speech than I can count. I previously discussed the attention-grabbing opening, and one effective way to do this is with an open-ended question for the audience to respond to, such as "Have you ever found yourself in a situation like...?" or "Can anyone give me an example when...?" Many speakers have an audience respond to a question in unison, as a group response can be full of energy if you have the right delivery and the right audience (e.g., size, demographics). For example, "When I say ____, you say _____." In these cases, the speaker is breaking the invisible wall that sometimes gets built between speaker and audience. The key is to engage the audience so that they feel like a part of the presentation. The success of the presentation grows exponentially when the audience gets into it from the very beginning, whether mentally or physically or by having the speaker grab their attention.

Once you have their attention, you must maintain audience engagement to keep the momentum as the presentation progresses. There are several ways to ensure that your audience remains committed to your message through their own involvement. Depending on the type of presentation, you may want to provide key points or facts highlighted on a handout for people to absorb and take away. Another way is to provide a fill-in-the-blank answer sheet for your participants to complete during the presentation to reinforce the message. People learn in many ways; however, the more engagement you get early on in a presentation, the greater the chance of information retention.

71. Control the Environment (Audio of this chapter is available here.)

You get to the venue, get out of your car, walk straight to the podium, and begin your talk. I'm hoping this is not the typical way things happen before a speaking event. The important point to consider is what you, the speaker, are doing ahead of time to maximize a positive experience by controlling the speaking environment. Are you giving yourself ample time to gain a comfort level with the room so you feel in control? Your confidence level will increase when you know that the stage, the room, and the layout are to your satisfaction.

What about some of the other details that may need to be considered? Do you know where the temperature gauges are, and are you able to control them? Will you have control of the lights and the seating? When you have the chance to control the environment, you need to do so. As previously mentioned about audio-visual aspects of your presentation, you should check out the equipment, and you should also understand the acoustics. Is there an echo, and will everyone be able to hear you? When you walk around, do you find any parts of the stage that creak and might distract the audience? What about the lighting? Are bright lights blinding you? Is there a dimmer so that if the lights have to go lower, the room is not too dark?

Have you walked around the room and absorbed the potential views from all areas? I remember a speech competition in which there was an odd, circular row of chairs around one side of the stage. This forced the outlying audience members to strain to see around poles if they wanted to see me when I was on certain parts of the stage, and also impacted where I placed my props. Fortunately, this preparation allowed me to know exactly where I would set up to ensure I maximized the audience experience visually.

When you look out into the audience, what do you see? Are there rows of seats, or are there tables? Is the seating conducive to your needs? If you encourage note-taking, will tables be more useful? When you interact with the audience, do you have them jumping out of their seats? If so, how does this play into the current set-up? Will tables cause more face-to-face side conversations that may take away from your presentation? Each speaker has his or her own preference, but you should set expectations ahead of time and get there early to make sure the set-up is what you want. As important as it is to arrange ahead of time with the organizer before the event, I have learned that things will happen that leave you scrambling if you haven't gotten there ahead of time. When you control what you can with the environment, the experience will be better for everyone.

72. Minimize Distractions (Audio of this chapter is available here.)

As part of preparing with the organizer, you need to understand the anticipated timing of your presentation. Will your performance be during a meal, where glass and silverware will be clanking all around you? As follow up to the control-your-environment section, this is a critical detail to account for; if you know that a meal is immediately before or after your speech, make every effort to avoid the time when the food will be served. Wait staff moving around will inevitably distract the audience.

Will you be speaking in a classroom or similar setting, where papers may be shuffling throughout your talk? If you are in a classroom, you do have some control by setting the appropriate expectations. For example, you may let the audience know that you will stop and announce when key notes should be taken. In some cases, you may even announce that you will supply take-away notes after the session, so that the audience can sit back and relax. Again, speaker preference is important regarding what expectations you set with your audience. Use what works best for you and the type of audience you are working with. The key is to reduce the factors that can throw you off your game by anticipating as many distractions ahead of time and taking the time to mitigate or eliminate them.

73. Find a Stage, Any Stage (Audio of this chapter is available here.)

Whether it is a big stage, little stage, or a small or large podium, put yourself in a setting where you are looking out on a grand room or audience. This is all about building your comfort and confidence level. Continue to find different venues to do your presentations in, and try not to get so comfortable with the same room and set-up for practice time; you don't want to get so comfortable in your practice routine and location that you will get thrown off when you are not in it. A variety of settings will get you more comfortable and enable you to present anywhere in all types of settings. In addition to increased confidence about presenting in different locations, you will start to get a feel for your own preferences for seating and room layout.

Find a stage—any stage. This includes your car, your house, and anywhere you feel there is a way to practice your presentation. On more than one occasion people have looked strangely at me while I was walking the dog, flying on an airplane, waiting in a long line, or driving down the road, as they saw me practicing. Everywhere can and should be your stage. I have even practiced in front of my dental hygienist in the waiting room for my bi-annual cleaning. If you gained confidence to present in front of strangers or in odd settings, imagine how good you will feel when you are in a more contained environment.

74. Get Evaluated (Audio of this chapter is available here.)

Whether it was anxiously waiting for my grades in school, my performance assessments at work, or my formal speech evaluations with Toastmasters, I have learned the value of the gift of feedback; it is a constant process that should never stop. As a speaker, you need to get evaluations from your audience. It is also important to get them immediately, while they are fresh in people's minds. You must have thick skin, because even the best speakers get critical feedback.

We should ask for evaluations because we care. We care about getting better, and we care that our messages are getting through to the audience simply and memorably. We should be looking for trends and patterns. Be careful not to get locked into one comment or particular score; however, take each comment and score as a learning opportunity, and ask yourself what you did right and what can be improved. If you videotaped the event, you can have a targeted approach to what the evaluators may have been saying. If not, revisit in your mind what sections of the presentation the evaluations may be referencing, and take action to get better.

If I am not in position for a formal evaluation, I still make it a habit to ask attendees what they thought of the presentation afterwards. The questions shouldn't be, "Did you like it?" They should be more open-ended: "What was your favorite part?" and "If I could improve one or two things, what would they be?" Your self-esteem should never take a beating after an evaluation. However, your self-improvement antennae should be perked up. Your payback comes in the form of an even better presentation for your next audience.

Related links:

• Chapter 1: Step into the public forum

• Chapter 2: Find the sources of stage fright

• Chapter 3: Tame the beast

• Chapter 4: Understand that success is possible

• Chapters 5-14: Road to success, the anxiety

• Chapters 15-24: Road to success, don't let personality be an excuse

• Chapters 25-34: Road to success, paint the picture

• Chapters 35-44: Road to success, set your stage story

• Chapters 45-54: Road to success, appreciate the audience’s diversity and differences

• Chapters 55-64: Road to success, brainstorm, the friends-and-family effect

Tom Dowd has spoken at many of the Midcoast Rotary, Kiwanis and Lions clubs, is a member of the U.S. National Toboggan Championships Committee, and announcer of the event. He lives in Camden with his wife and three daughters. To read his full biography, click here. He can be contacted at transformationtom.com or tomdowd@roadrunner.com. Follow Tom on twitter: @TomDowd4; connect on Facebook at Thomas Dowd Professional Development & Coaching; and on Linkedin, listed as Thomas B Dowd.