Public speaking is a part of life. While you may not have to give a speech everyday, it is important to have the right skills when the need comes up. Keep reading for some excellent tips on increasing your public speaking skills and getting your point across clearly every time you make a speech.
When speaking in public, make sure that what you have to say is engaging, otherwise you risk boring the crowd. Regardless of what you have to say, it will not go over well if it is boring. Practice your speech on people you know to see how the message you are giving is being received.
It’s important to be prepared for your speech. First of all, you must clearly have in mind the message you want to convey. Do research to support your statements if necessary. Put your thoughts down on paper. Practice until you know the speech by heart. The better prepared you are, the more confident you’ll be when delivering the speech.
As you prepare your speech, ascertain you know your topic well. Do a lot of research so you have not only your point of view, but others as well. Then, write down the key points you want to touch on during your speech. When the time comes for the audience to ask questions, you will be glad that you prepared so thoroughly.
Try to relax before and during your speech. Breathe deeply and remember that you are well-prepared, so you have nothing to worry about. Some say that it helps to envision your audience members in their underwear to help you relax. This sort of visualization can help you look and feel more relaxed while speaking.
Make eye contact with your audience members. Doing so makes them feel as if you are speaking directly to them and helps keep them engaged. It also makes you appear confident and poised. Look at various members of the audience as you speak to help engage as many of them as possible.
If you know you forgot a sentence when speaking, just keep going. Stopping and returning to the sentence may ruin the entire speech. If you just keep going, your audience will never know you made a mistake.
Practice deep breathing if you’re nervous. Deep breaths that are taken slowly in and out can calm you. Breath in and out very slowly, counting to four or five on each inhale and exhale. Do this approximately five times to feel a positive difference in how calm you feel.
When you know ahead of time that you will be speaking in public, dress appropriately. You can dress down if you are speaking to a group of children at a summer camp, but dress more formally if you are making remarks at a business luncheon. Avoid flashy colors and distracting accessories. You want the audience to pay attention to your message rather than to your clothing or jewelry.
Look your audience in the eye. People will trust you when you look them in the eye. This doesn’t mean that you should stare intently at them; however, when delivering a speech, let your gaze wander around the room. This technique will help you engage the audience and make them feel comfortable.
Prepare note cards if you need them. Although committing the speech to memory is usually best, having a printed copy is also a good idea. You may simply use notes to highlight the key points of your speech.
Practice meditation to prepare for your speech. Imagine yourself doing well, feeling comfortable, speaking clearly and enjoying yourself. Imagine that your audience is interested and appreciates what you are saying. When you take the time to imagine a good experience, you greatly increase your chances of actually having a good experience.
If using slides or other visual aids that include printed messages, assume your audience knows how to read. You can paraphrase the message on the slide, but don’t just read it aloud. This wastes your time and insults your audience’s intelligence. By presenting written material and supporting it with a slightly different spoken version, your message will be more memorable.
Be familiar with the environment in which you are speaking. Arrive early so that you can look over the room and set up and check any equipment you are using. Practice using any audio-visual aids so that you know how they work and you know they are in working order. This helps you avoid an embarrassing issues with equipment and provides you with more self confidence.
When giving a public speech or presentation do not include too many pieces of information. Filling your speech with too much information will overload your audience and be perceived as boring. A helpful speech will include a few important pieces of information conveyed simply and clearly. So, always edit your speeches to a handful of key ideas for best effect.
Take a look at the venue where you are scheduled to give a speech prior to the event. This will give you a good idea of where the audience will be sitting and where you will be speaking. It will help set you at ease when you get there since the place will be a bit familiar.
Keep things in perspective. Things do not always go as planned, but that does not necessarily mean that your speech is not effective or well-received. Whether you trip over a cord or forget your next line, it is not the end of the world. If you do not make a big deal of it, most people will probably not even remember that it happened. Regain your poise, and continue with your speech.
Create a simple outline for better public presentations. In public speaking your aim is clear communication. This does not happen by chance. A simple outline should include an introduction, a body and a conclusion. The introduction should capture attention and present your thesis. The body should include your major ideas. The conclusion should repeat your thesis and end with a call to action. Using an outline will ensure that your ideas are presented in an understandable manner.
