Conquer the fear of presenting in public

This an almost universal fear but one that  the salesperson  must overcome.  Here is a five point plan to help you overcome the fear of making a sales presentation in front of a client, a group of clients or a large audience. This fear is one that gets to most people witnessed by how many dread giving a toast at a wedding or formal dinner. I have heard a lot of people say ” I’d rather die than give a speech.” How do you overcome the self consciousness these situations create? This was a problem for me and I took the advice from a book by Frank Betger in which he also had this problem.  He joined a ‘public speaking class’ to overcome his fear. After the initial embarrassment because everyone in the class had similar difficulty he soon learned to deal with the fear, which in this instance is a fear of failure. If you have something that you really need to get across to others but are intimidated by crowds, you may never deliver your message enthusiastically unless you take definitive steps to overcome your fear. What else can you do to overcome this form of stage fright?
1) Learn your presentation well. Fill your mind with information about your subject. If you put in the time to do proper research you have won half the battle. Your confidence grows along with your knowledge of your subject. But be prepared… that nervous stomach of yours may not disappear until you actually begin speaking, so don’t expect to be anxious free. Actually, some nervousness is good; otherwise, you may become overconfident. Even the most accomplished actors confess to nervousness before they take to the stage. However, when you have something to say and you know what you are going to say your confidence will shine through.
2) Write yourself a script for your presentation and don’t forget to include all the objections you are likely to meet with one or more answers to each. Then rehearse, rehearse, rehearse until you are word perfect, then reduce the script to a set of headlines or notes that will remind you of each part of your presentation. Make them up into a presentable form that you can use in front of your clients or audience, this is your track to run on.
3) Be the expert. If you have studied, done the research and are properly prepared, then you are the expert. You assume the role as the instructor. Develop the mind set that you are the teacher who is teaching them. You are not being arrogant when you assume the position as the expert. You simply have the attitude that you have paid the price to speak about your subject and you will deliver.
4) Just get started with your presentation. 
5) Begin without words. Pause before saying anything. Look your audience in the eyes. When you approach the beginning in this manner you communicate to the audience that you are in control. You appear not to be nervous and they begin to feel secure. Then they will be more likely to receive your message. 5. Take your notes. These will give you a sense of security. You have studied. You are prepared. The notes will be there to guide you. They need not be word for word what you are going to say. A series of bullet points may be enough to keep you on track or maybe the first few words of a new paragraph will do the trick They will help you stay on track. But nothing will be more inportant than repeated rehearsal spoken aloud