Sounds like dangerous work, doesn't it? Butterflies can be very perilous. Everyone has caught them at one point, but there must be a way to tame or even overcome them!

Studies demonstrate that glossophobia or fear of public speaking is the number one source of anxiety in the United States. That translates to more than just a few harmless butterflies. For the businessperson, in a small company or a large corporation, the ability to speak coherently and persuasively is a skill vital to one's success. Unfortunately, the fear of speaking in public holds many otherwise confident people back from realizing their potential.

A fear of public speaking can be a disaster for the sales person or anyone in fact, but not to worry. Speaking skills are easy to acquire once the fear is overcome, diffused or controlled. The trepidation that is associated with public speaking revolves around fear of the unknown, the fear of forgetting, the fear that there will be questions you can't answer and the fear of the heckler or disgruntled audience.

These 10 points will get you past those difficult moments when you next have to face the audience. Remember you have something important to say; otherwise you wouldn't be there. Think of your presentation as teaching. Your audience is there to learn from you and you are giving them something of value

1. Write your own introduction. Someone else is probably going to introduce you. Write your intro yourself, making it brief, pertinent, and emphasizing your credentials. This is also the place to inject something humorous to loosen up your audience.

2. Know your audience. Do a little background research. Know exactly who is going to be in the audience, why they are there, and why they invited you to speak. TIP: It