4 Tips to Build a Stage Presence

You finally land your big talk on stage. You’re ready in every way possible, but just before the curtain calls, you freeze—paralyzed by fear. 

It happens. 

Stepping on stage is one of the most exhilarating and frightening things you will do in your career. So, how can you conquer the frightening part? Develop a stage presence. 

A stage presence is something the audience feels the instant an actor, musician, or speaker steps from behind the curtain. The best performers—and speakers—have perfected their presence when they step on stage. They engage the audience before the first note is played, lyric uttered, or word is spoken. The good news is that this skill is one anyone can learn.

And you don’t have to wear painted-on leather pants and yield a steel guitar…unless you want to. Here are four tips to build a stage presence: 

Embrace Your Uniqueness

The only person you’re ever going to be is you, so showcase your unique style and brand. Being on stage is your opportunity to go viral by sparking conversations online, on social media, and with the audience. You don’t want to pretend to be someone else. 

This is your chance to show that you’re the expert. Embrace your silly, your awkward, and your inner strength. Here are a few tips to uncover what makes you unique: 

1. Make a list of the experiences that make you special. We all come from different backgrounds. How have your past experiences shaped who you are today? What is your unique spin on the topic or topics you talk about? Why does this make you an expert? Make a list of 15 to 20 ideas.  
2. Ask a friend to describe your character. Your friends are the best people to attest to your character. Ask one to three of your closest friends or mentors to describe in list form who you and what your character stands for are using their own words.
3. Merge the lists. Look at what you and your friends have come up with and find the similarities. Narrow down the list to five traits that make you the best version of yourself. 

Take Up Space on Stage

There is a fine line between walking all over the stage and finding balance in using the entirety of the space. Your talk will dictate how much of the stage you use, how fast you move, and how you move. Here are a few tips: 

1. Just like you pause when delivering your talk, pause when using the stage. Give your audience a chance to focus on you, not just the words you use. 
2. Too much movement can be distracting. When you’re walking, avoid using a lot of hand gestures. When you’re standing still, that’s when you can gesture. 
3. Use the four corners of the stage. New speakers will often walk back and forth or front and back. Instead, think of the stage as a box and move within the box.  

Smile 

When you smile, you release feel-good endorphins that help you relax and feel more confident. Smiling actually signals a pathway in your brain that tricks your mind into being happy—even if your smile is forced or nervous.

Smiling is also contagious and a great way to connect with your audience. A study showed that when we observe a facial expression, we copy what we see, activating the same emotional state in the observer. 

Find an Ally in the Audience

Find someone in the audience with whom you can connect when you need to boost your confidence or feel at ease. In every audience, there is one person who is captivated by your talk. Scan the audience to find that person. They may nod, smile, or show genuine engagement in what you’re saying. 

They are also the person you can glace toward when you need a boost. Finding an ally is like having a friend hold your hand. It can be very comforting. 

Use these tips to develop your stage presence and find your mojo when it’s your turn to step onto a big stage. Forging connections with your audience is the quickest way to ease into your talk and find the confidence you need to deliver the best talk of your life. 

We’re here to help. Our team has helped hundreds of clients find the inner strength to write and deliver talks that have changed people’s lives. We would love to see how we can do the same for you.