There’s no magic pill to overcome stage fright. Confidence is gained and skills are honed over a period of time. Public speaking training courses range from self-help booklets to one-day seminars and workshops to extensive training sessions. Make sure that the course meets all your specific requirements. Choosing the wrong course can scare you away from public speaking for good. However, always remember that there is a possibility of success, and that if you fail, later success is still possible.

Each course is designed for a particular target group. If you are extremely shy and not use to public speaking, you should join a one-to-one course, where the trainer will give you complete attention. From there, you can move on to group sessions, sophisticated programs that teach presentation and question handling skills. Some courses even teach how to handle press conferences.

Take some routine check programs and decide whether you agree with their methods of public speaking coaching. Any course that gives you lots of literature and a huge list of ‘dos and don’ts’ will only add to your confusion. You might find yourself memorizing the rules instead of actually testing out your skills. Yes, the best way to go is with hands-on coaching. The best trainers think on-the-spot, not on paper.

Choose a program that has practical orientation and is highly interactive. It should teach you poise, voice modulation and build confidence to make not only rehearsed but also impromptu speeches. It should teach you how to handle tricky questions from the audience without getting agitated.