While the professionals have it down pat, public speaking is often complicated for most people. Do you feel that way? You’re not the only one! Not a lot of people are comfortable doing public speaking. However, regardless of your experience level, you can deliver a good speech that people will remember. Keep reading to find out what they are.
You cannot give a speech and automatically assume that everyone will follow what you say. You have to work at getting attention and work hard to keep it. Think of this as a performance, and that means you need to work harder to get the reactions you are looking for.
Use a timer to know how long your written speech is. Doing this allows you to make sure you stay within the time frame given to you. If your speech is too short, research and find more information to fill in the time. Just don’t rush through the speech.
After you have committed the speech to memory, make sure you keep practicing. Practice as often as you need to in order to perfect the speech. Be sure to practice your pace and breathing. Make sure that your speech time allows some open space for interruptions, which are hopefully rounds of applause. If at all possible, practice delivering your speech utilizing the actual equipment that will be available at the time you make the actual speech.
You need to be very comfortable with the subject of your speech. Do some broad research that gives you all sides of the topic at hand. Choose your points carefully. Choose your words with care, and make clear notes that are easy to follow. A thorough presentation can pay off when you’ve got the audience asking questions.
Understand the audience you are speaking to. Ask about the people that are going to be the audience. Prior to the speech, even say hello to some of them at the door. Having some familiarity with some of your audience members can make it seem more friendly.
If you talk about something that really happened in your speech, it will make it more meaningful. Have your outline fully prepared. There should be a beginning, middle and an end to communicate your ideas. If your speech is based on your real-life events, then you will seem more authentic and natural.
You should know about the room you are speaking in. Listen to how well your voice will be projected. Use the equipment to see how it works. Learn the proper use of visual aids that you are incorporating. Figure out how much eye contact you must make.
5 Seconds
Use deep breathing techniques to assuage your anxiety with regard to public speaking. Before speaking, breathe in deeply and exhale fully several times to center and prepare yourself. First, inhale and hold it for 5 seconds. Then slowly exhale for about 5 seconds. Do this approximately five times to feel a difference in how calm you feel.
Do not drink alcohol before you give a speech. While it can seem like a great confidence booster, it’s not. There is nothing more frightening than being on stage in front of people and forgetting your words because of alchol intake.
Know the ins and outs of what your speech will be about. Pick an interesting subject that you have experience in. Don’t use fancy words so that the entire audience can understand what you are saying.
Rehearse your speech on a daily basis. 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. This allows you to take a quick peek at your notes should you happen to forget what you wanted to say next.
Practice your speech until it’s perfect. Practice it while you are looking into a mirror and try using different hand gestures or facial expressions that help to make your points. Ask for feedback from your family or friends as you practice in front of them. They can give you some pointers that you may not have noticed and help you improve.
Make people remember the speech by having a memorable ending. Though the entire speech is important, folks are likely to remember the ending most. If the finish is boring, you speech will soon be forgotten.
After reading the above suggestions, you should now have more confidence to take on your next speech. The tips listed above should work well. Now you can better prepare for any speech. The prospect of making a speech should no longer terrorize you.