One way to help overcome public speaking fears is to force yourself to speak to groups of people as often as possible. This makes the act of speaking in public a habit, and most people get used to something that they do over and over. Seeking opportunities to speak publicly will relieve much of the nervousness that goes along with infrequent engagements. Volunteer to speak at events, introduce other speakers, head committees and manage projects at work whenever possible. Join a public-speaking club to help make public speaking second nature.
One way to deal with the problems and anxiety that occur before and during public speaking is to give it a name. The name should be related to the feeling that it gives you, such as "butters" for the feeling of butterflies in your stomach. After naming the issue that you feel, you can then tell it directly to stop. This activity may seem silly, but according to John Robert Colombo, Canadian speaker and writer, it is an effective remedy for public-speaking fears.
Create a role for yourself to play during speaking engagements. Give yourself a secret stage name or some fun backstory for your stage persona. If you tend to fidget while speaking, give yourself a role for each part of your body, such as holding an imaginary pail in your hands or standing still to avoid an animal attack. These mind games can be very effective at eliminating speaking fears, according to Colombo.
When speaking, always have a clear purpose. If you do not, you will stumble and say random or incoherent phrases that are not relevant to the topic. Always think of two or three main points ahead of time that you want to communicate. For some topics, the points will be easy to establish, such as when introducing another speaker or giving a lecture. However, even simple speaking engagements, such as giving announcements, should have a clear purpose. After delivering your main point, you can then step down.