Most either hate or love speaking in public. For the people that dread it, there is hope that the process can be made easier and more enjoyable. Continue ahead for great tips on becoming a gifted public speaker.
Use a timer when you practice so you can verify the length of your speech. This can help you edit it and retrain its length. If you find your speech is lacking length, add a little extra information to help fill time. Never rush when delivering a speech.
Be as familiar as possible with your material. Even if you memorize your material, it’s helpful to know other aspects of your topic that are not included in your speech. Work them in on the fly depending on how you gauge your audience. They can also help you when it comes time for the audience to ask questions.
Make sure you look at your audience when giving a speech. Do not permit other things that may be occurring in the room to distract you. If you are distracted, your audience will be also.
Gain an understanding of the audience. If at all possible, find out who the people are in the crowd. If you have the opportunity, greet as many as you can and ask their names as they enter the room. When you do these things, you’ll feel a lot more familiar with the people and the room.
You can become better at public speaking by telling a story that is true. Before you give a speech, make an outline. There should be a beginning, middle and an end to communicate your ideas. Be sure the story is true so your words appear natural and authentic.
If you accidentally skipped over a sentence, forget it and keep going. Don’t call attention to it and disrupt the flow of your speech. Also, people will notice it more if you backtrack.
Practicing your speech is a great way to become confident. Try using a mirror or tape recorder to help you hear and see yourself during practice sessions. Practice for friends and family to get advice.
When speaking to the public, it is important that you always dress properly for the occasion. If you feel that you look good, you’ll tend to talk better, as well. Men should consider wearing a necktie when possible, as it does direct audience eyes to the face and head so they focus on your speaking.
Do not drink alcohol prior to giving your speech. You might think it will make you bolder, but it is a terrible idea. There is little worse than getting ready to give a speech and forgetting everything due to the alcohol you drank before the speech.
You need to master your material in order to gain true confidence. Choose a subject that is close to your heart. Make sure that you have a carefree, conversational tone.
Before starting your speech, try to win over the audience. Smile and shake the hands of people if you can. Your audience is sure to show great interest if you have a good attitude.
Rehearse your speech every day. You will feel more at ease with the material once you have done this. Even if your speech is memorized, it’s still worth bringing some notes when you actually deliver the speech. That way if you forget what you are to say, you can glance down at your notes and refresh your memory.
Practice your speech until it’s perfect. Use a mirror, so you can practices your expressions and gestures, as well. Ask family members for feedback after practicing your speech before them. Their feedback will prove invaluable to improving your speech.
Have a memorable conclusion in order to help your audience remember your presentation. Of course your whole speech is important, but your ending is what will help make it memorable. If you end on a bad note, most people will quickly forget everything you just said.
Visual Aids
You want your visual aids to be attractive, but not distracting. You only want them to help enhance your speech. You don’t want them to take over and cause others to stop listening to what you personally have to say so that your message is lost. Try to use visual aids as much as possible. Make them colorful but not too distracting.
Many people are terrified by the thought of giving a speech. However, there is nothing to fear if some important tips are implemented. The preceding advice should have assuaged your fears about public speaking.