I gave a speech in Greensboro, North Carolina the other day. I spoke after lunch to a group of lawyers invited by a local bank. The bank is using the lunches to build relationships with members of the legal community. It was nice, and I had a great time.

I arrived a few minutes early as folks were getting ready to line up for the buffet lunch. I was kinda anxious, as I usually am before speaking.

That’s when I kicked into my anxiety reduction technique.

I started talking to people. I started with the person assigned to greet me and then moved on to someone else. I introduced myself, asked questions, told them a bit about what I was planning, and asked for any specific questions they might have about my topic.

I moved from person to person as folks poured into the room. I stood over a few people and sat down at some of the tables as I made my rounds.

By the time I was introduced, I’d met about 25 people, representing almost half of the group. I was feeling energized by the positive welcome I was getting, and I was thinking through the issues the people were raising as we talked.

Most importantly, as I was introduced to start my speech and looked around the room, I knew that I wasn’t speaking to strangers—I was speaking to friends. I’d met these folks, and we’d chatted and exchanged ideas. I knew many of their names, practice areas, and firm sizes. My speech became a continuation of the conversation we started over lunch.

I was much more relaxed than when I walked into the room. I was able to do a presentation unburdened by my anxiety, which allowed me to focus on what I was saying, how they were reacting, and what I could do to achieve my goals and their goals.

Getting to know folks before you start speaking allows you to do an even better job at presenting to the crowd.