Do you hate public speaking? You are in good company. In truth, most people fear speaking before of others. This article can help anyone that wants to speak in public.
A timer is useful to know exactly how long your speech is. This will help you edit the speech to stay within the allotted time. If it is short, get more information through research to fill your time slot. Never rush when delivering a speech.
You should know the speech you are giving. Even when you commit your speech to memory, knowing jokes, facts and figures with regard to the topic is always helpful. You can work these things into your speech to add time, engage the audience, and make yourself sound like a real professional. Be prepared for more questions on the subject.
Time your speech before you give it. Doing this allows you to make sure you stay within the time frame given to you. If you need more information, do some research and find helpful information. Pace your speech so that the audience can keep up with what you are saying.
When you are giving a speech, face the audience. Do not let yourself get distracted by things in the area. You are attempting to convince the audience of something, so they need your full attention.
Make sure you understand your topic before preparing your speech. Do some broad research that gives you all sides of the topic at hand. Narrow down exactly what you are going to say, and what specific topics you want to address, making sure that notes are kept with all the key points. The work you put into your speech will pay off in big ways if your audience has questions or you need to in any way reflect back on your work for a summary.
Know the crowd makeup before you give the speech. If you can, learn who the individuals are who are expected to attend. Try and say hello to people as the enter the area and ask their names. You will feel more comfortable, and so will your audience if you are engaging them on a personal level.
Know your topic. Do a lot of research so you have not only your point of view, but others as well. Identify the points you want to make and draw up careful notes that you can follow. When questioned about your topic, you will find your good preparation invaluable.
Know the room before you speak in public. How far will your voice carry or is there a microphone? Use whatever equipment is available and get familiar with it. Take advantage of the visual aids that are there, if any. Know what the eye contact range is and what you need to do to perfect it.
If public speaking makes you nervous, use deep breathing techniques. Before speaking, breathe in deeply and exhale fully several times to center and prepare yourself. Use your nose to inhale to a count of four, and then exhale with your mouth to at least a count of five. Do this six times to calm yourself down.
The most effective way to refine the message of a speech is to practice it. You can try recording the speech or practicing the speech in front of your mirror to spot any areas that need improvement. Practice for friends and family to get advice.
You may want to consider using a story to engage your audience. Before speaking to the audience it is important that your speech is outlined. 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.
Dress nicely, even if you are going to be at an event that is casual. Proper attire is sure to make you feel more confident. Men should try wearing neckties to direct the audience to their faces so that they better focus on your speech.
Continue to practice your speech so that you are at ease with it. Work in front of your mirror so that you can work on gestures and expressions. Get feedback from family members or friends by doing a dry run for them. They can add suggestions for improvements.
A great way to close your speech and have people remember it, is to have a good ending. Even though the entire speech is very important, a quality ending is usually what people remember the most. A boring ending isn’t going to help your speech get remembered that long.
Practicing your speech is a great way to become confident. You can practice before your mirror or make a recording you can play back. Also consider gathering a group of family or friends to watch your speech. They can critique you and give you important feedback.
Note Cards
Prepare with note cards if you need to. Having a copy of your speech is a good idea, even when you have the speech memorized. Your entire speech need not be written out, but make note cards on the key points to make sure you do not forget anything.
If you feel nervous or feel you are failing, never let it show. Even if you feel that you are not doing very well, the audience may have a different impression. If you made an error, quickly fix it and keep going forward without apologizing.
Bring your audience to your corner before starting your speech. As they come into the room, flash them a smile. If possible, try to shake the hand of some of the attendees. Giving off positive energy to your audience will go a long way in keeping them interested in your speech.
When you speak to a large group, it is essential for you to have a voice that is clear and strong. Try to have some water nearby during your speech. Try to steer clear of soda or milk prior to your speaking engagement. These drinks could decrease your saliva production and may create more mucous. A nice cup of warm tea just before a speech can help relax tense vocal chords.
Visual Aids
You don’t want the visual aids to be a distraction from your speech. Visual aids should enhance the information you are giving. You don’t want them to become the main attraction. Any visual aids you use must be of high quality. They should be easy on the eye and look great but not take the focus away from your speech.
Practice making your speech every day. You will know every nuance of the speech if you do this, which will help make you more confident. Even if you already have the speech committed to memory, it is important that any notes you have are brought to the podium. They can be a real help if you’ve forgotten a section and you need to get back on track.
Before you give your presentation, it is always good to warm up the audience. You don’t have to start out by telling a joke. You can mention that something happened on the way to the event if you think the audience will connect with it. They will be drawn into your anecdote almost immediately.
Have you always dreaded speaking in public, even in school? Have you let your great ideas go unheard due to nerves? Having learned the ideas within this article, you no longer have to stay silent in front of the masses.