This is an article called 7 surprising Public Speaking shifts to ensure better results!
Most people think confidence in public speaking comes from posture, eye contact, or voice projection. Yes, those things help. And actually the real magic happens when you shift the way you think about your audience and your message. These seven surprising techniques go beyond stagecraft. They are mindset and message shifts that will make you immediately more persuasive no matter your industry.
1. It’s not about you, it’s ALL about them
The most confident speakers remove the spotlight from themself. They obsess about their audience: What do they need to think, feel, and do? When you shift into your audience’s shoes, your nerves melt away because the focus is on service instead of on your performance.
Example: A financial planner in one of my recent public presentation skills training courses. worked on uplifting his presentation about retirement options. He focused less on the product features and more on the audience’s peace of mind in later life. More rewarding for him and much better service for the customer.
2. Choose shocking words carefully
Words like “but” and “however” cancel what you’ve just said and can even enrage your stakeholder. Instead, swap them for neutral words that connect and empower, such as “and” or “so” or just pause. These tiny word choices dramatically shift how confident and persuasive you sound.
Example: A project manager in one of my construction client businesses used this technique to explain a delay by saying, “Yes, we’ve had setbacks and because of our new system, we’re still on track to deliver.” This reframes the situation positively and is just one of the practical tools covered in our public presentation training in Sydney.
3. Ask better questions
Weak or untrained business presenters ask, “Any questions?” Strong presenters elicit questions that guide the thinking of the audience. For example: “You might be wondering how this will affect your daily workflow, or anything else we’ve covered today, or maybe you’d like to ask about which teams will pilot the new policy first? Who’d like to start? What questions do you have?” This approach creates confident authority and is something you practice in our presentation skills training in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
Example: A HR director announcing a new policy prompts meaningful dialogue instead of silence.
4. Manage your emotions
Your feelings are contagious. If you’re anxious, your audience feels anxious. Decide what you want them to feel: inspired, safe, motivated and embody that. When your emotions match your message, you project certainty.
Example: A doctor sharing a new treatment plan stays calm and reassuring, so patients feel safe and hopeful.
5. Tell stories with purpose
Stories aren’t for entertainment only, they are for persuasion. Use the formula: incident, point, benefit. Your story should always have a clear link back to your key message.
Example: A sales rep in pharmaceuticals shares a brief patient story using the IPB method: (incident), links it to their product’s outcome (point), and highlights the benefit to the audience’s patients if they were to prescribe it too. In business people don’t want to hear a story for the sake of a story. You need to ensure it’s adding value and this IPB structure helps immensely!
6. Control the environment
Confident speakers don’t leave the room setup to chance. They move chairs closer, remove distractions, and make the space feel inviting. The room becomes part of the message. And there’s more to this than you might realise so it’s a surprisingly powerful skill we cover in our presentation training in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
Example: A corporate trainer sets up the room in a U-shape so every participant feels involved, creating instant authority and rapport.
7. Close the loop with power
Never end weakly with “That’s it” or “I’m done.” Instead, link back to your opening, summarise the “why/what/how,” and end with a strong call to action followed by a powerful closing statement. Audiences remember the finish most vividly so please make it count.
Example: A NFP CEO begins with a story of one young person in need, shares the program results, and closes with: “Together, we can triple this impact (pause) will you be part of the solution?” If you’d like to practice these types of confident closings, our presentation skills training in Sydney is the place to do it!
Why this matters
When you shift from stage tricks to message and mindset mastery, you’ll notice a dramatic difference. You’ll connect faster, persuade more effectively, and sound instantly more confident.
Confidence isn’t a gift some people are born with. It’s a skill you can learn, refine, and master with the right guidance. And that’s why it’s essential you either read my books or attend our presentation skills training. It’s time to learn exactly how to structure, design, and deliver presentations that win hearts and minds. Happy presenting!
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©2025 MICHELLE BOWDEN is an authority on persuasive presenting in business. She’s run her Persuasive Presentation Skills Masterclass over 1040 times for more than 13,000 people over the past 26 years and her name is a synonym for ‘presentation skills’ in Australia.
Michelle Bowden is a multi-million-dollar pitch coach to her client list that reads like a who’s who of international business: banking and finance, IT, pharmaceutical, retail, telecommunications plus many more.
Michelle is the creator of the Persuasion Smart Profile®, a world-first psychological assessment tool that reports on your persuasive strengths and weaknesses at work, the best-selling internationally published author of How to Present: the ultimate guide to presenting live and online (Wiley) and her new best-selling book is called How to Persuade: the skills you need to get what you want (Wiley).
