Public Speaking 101 - Borrow Some Acting Tips

Terrified of public speaking? Most people are. This is one area where actors definitely have a leg up.

I recently attended a 30 minute webinar hosted by Mark Schaefer, one of the world’s leading marketing futurists and keynote speakers. He’s funny, entertaining, and informative – and definitely high energy. Lucky for me and the other attendees, Mark shared some of his main takeaways for giving a great speech.

I’m not going to give away his secrets, but I am going to offer a few insights why actors have a bit of an edge. Hint: it’s not just because we’re hams and crave attention.

OK, it's kinda obvious that at some level we are and we do. Duh. Not all, though. Can't generalize too broadly. There are plenty of actors who are actually rather introverted and only comfortable working from a script or within a character role, whether it’s on stage, on camera, or in front of a microphone.

But by and large, it helps to be a bit of an actor when you’re about to walk out front and address a group of people. I came from the business world, where most people would rather gouge out their eyes than step up on stage and give a speech. I’ve been told (by an acting coach) that if you actually enjoy public speaking, chances are that down deep you’re probably a bit of an actor.

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Not an actor? No worries. Plenty of actor tips for non-actors to help you come off like the polished pro.

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