In April it'll be four years that I've been with Thirty-One. The whole four years I've pushed myself to get better. Not just to talk in front of people but to do it with confidence and to be the REAL Carly when all those eyes are staring back at me. I still get nervous, but it's not crippling like it used to be! So, Yay!
I'm most of the way confident and comfortable at a home party these days when that used to be completely out of my comfort zone! Honestly, walking the stage at conference still had me feeling like I was going to barf. And I didn't even have to talk! Training consultants at Better Together meetings still makes me shake in my boots. I plan to keep strutting across stages until I've slayed it and brought it inside my comfort zone. I'm going to keep putting myself out there at meetings until I'm comfortable facilitating a class at conference. Mark my words and watch me, girls!
If this is you, if standing up at the party and saying, "Okay it's time to get started, ladies!" makes you want to abandon ship, leave the bags, and get the heck out of dodge then I have some tips for you.
5. Sit down.
I make sure a chair is up by my display so I can sit down while I deliver my presentation. I've heard people say standing up gives you more confidence. Standing up probably works for most people who don't have this particular anxiety. I've heard it. I've tried it. I want to throw up. The guests can see me shaking and that makes me even more insecure. If I sit down I'm just one of the guests, hanging with some new friends, having a chat. I'm able to deliver my message with more confidence.
4. Have your notes.I've seen NEDs and SEDs present with notes in their hands. You can do it, too! You'll look sharp and professional ;) Write your outline, put it on note cards, keep them in your hand. Now, go rock it!
3. Point out the elephant in the room.
When the nerves take over and I start to talk way too fast in my shaky voice. I stop. I point it out. And then I crack a joke. "4 years in and I'm still practicing! Why do I get so nervous? You're not going to throw any rotten veggies, are you? Cool! Then I can cut it out ;) "
2. Pick a presentation style that doesn't require much talking.
I've put together a few different party outlines that don't require me to do much talking. I Introduce myself when it's my turn at the beginning of the party and I explain the catalog at the end. Everything else the guests do! Here's my Silly Situations Demo that I developed from some tips I got at conference 2015. Even simpler than my silly situations, you can have your guests grab a product from the display and take it to their seat. Then go around the room and everyone just say why they picked it and what they'd use it for (A simple but awesome tip I picked up from a C&C with ED Tiffany Wellinghoff. Thanks Tiffany!)
1. Practice it. Record it. Listen to it.
Conference 2015 I made a decision to start telling my story at my parties. Seriously, at that time I said about my journey was, "I'm Carly, Director with Thirty-One. I've been with the company for 3 years and I'm still practicing. So who's been to a Thirty-One party before?" That's it. And by the time I was done with those 2 sentences I was ready for the focus to be OFF me and on to the products. How was I going to get better at this? I sat down with my phone and I recorded it. I listened. I re-recorded. I recorded again. I did it until I got it just right! And then I listened to it. In the car. In the shower. On the way to my parties. I practiced until saying it all was second nature, I can do it on auto pilot. Try it! You'll feel like an idiot talking to your phone at first. You'll get better :) Eventually you'll be a PRO!
I hope that helps you! I leave you with this little golden nugget. Kick that comfort zone to the curb, ladies!!
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