Speaking in front of an audience can be intimidating for many, can’t it? Nerves can play against you and cause ideas to fizzle out.

According to an article in Psychology Today,25% of people experience some form of negative sentiment about public speaking.

While some people say that it is necessary to have a natural talent for this, I think that there are several tools that can be put into practice to develop this skill.

Today I will talk about the “Speaker Persona”, do you know the term? If the answer is no, this article will tell you everything you need to start the process that will lead you to become a great speaker. Let’s start!

What is a Speaker Persona?

Have you ever been to a talk, a seminar, even a concert? Well, the person conducting the session is called a Speaker Persona, that is, the one who stands in front of an audience and delivers a message.

But is this person like this in his or her daily life as well? Of course not, it is the Speaker Persona of the speaker that we see.

I’ll explain it better with the following example:

A singer or an actor is grocery shopping. Would he/she carry the same attitude on stage? Probably not.

This is because both contexts are completely different and you have to adapt to each one.

So, the speaker persona is who you become in front of your audience and is different from who you are in your day-to-day life.

It is not surprising to learn that many singers are actually very shy in their daily lives. Which makes one wonder: How do they do it on stage? The answer is: Speaker Persona!

As a matter of fact, I am quite shy in my daily life and don’t feel comfortable in large groups, but when I am presenting at a talk I have no problem facing hundreds of people and I enjoy it.

This doesn’t mean you have to change the way you are or your personality, you just have to highlight certain things that you don’t usually use on a day-to-day basis.

What should I start doing?

• Present a valuable offer: Whether it is your experience, an idea, a product, a service, etcetera. Whatever your message is, it must provide value and a differentiating factor. You must become the first customer of what you sell and resonate with your valuable offer. 
• Interact with your audience: Make them feel part of the story you are telling them, thus creating greater ties and empathy. 
• Be aware of your non-verbal language: Try to maintain a relaxed posture, pace yourself slowly, make eye contact with the audience and transfer your energy to the public. 
• And finally: Practice! I can give you a lot of advice, but it’s useless if you don’t put it into practice. Stand in front of a mirror, record yourself, show your speech to your friends and family. That is the only way to break your fear.

Remember that the key to becoming a good speaker is to create an enhanced version of yourself. So, work on all the elements and abilities I previously mentioned and present them to your audience. Don’t be afraid to tell your story, it’s worth sharing.