If you get hives just thinking about speaking in public, fret not. This information can help you feel better when on the podium. Read on to learn all you need to know about public speaking.
You can’t just expect to have the audience’s attention. It is up to you to grab their attention and hold on to it. This will help you to engage your audience at all costs.
Time your speech to know the length of your speech. This allows you to edit the speech if necessary to keep it at the right length. If you find your speech is not long enough, research to find more information. Also remember, you never want to rush through your speech; remember to pace yourself.
Make sure you have a good understanding about your topic when you’re preparing your speech. Research broadly to get a full understanding of the topic at hand. Think through what you want to say, and put those thoughts down on paper so you can follow your own train of thought. Being prepared will help when you have to answer questions from the audience.
Know who your audience is. If you know who is attending, it will help you to engage them better. Greet your audience when they walk through the door. Having a feeling of familiarity with some audience members can make the whole presentation or speech feel more friendly.
Telling the audience a true story is a great way to become good at public speaking. Outline the story before the speech. Make sure to incorporate a beginning, middle and an end for the best results. If you stick to the truth, it will be easier to make your story flow well.
Familiarize yourself with the room you are using to give your speech. Learn how far your voice carries if there is not a microphone. Get a good feel for the room’s acoustics however you can. Figure out what you want to do with your visual aids. Also, figure out how much eye contact you should make.
Keep going if you accidentally omit a certain sentence from your speech. Stopping somewhere in the middle to re-add it can ruin the entire speech. Also, your audience probably won’t notice you omitted anything, unless you draw attention to the fact.
Practicing is the best way to ensure that you know what you are going to say. You can practice in front of a mirror or record your speech so that you can critique it to see areas that you can improve. The best way to improve your speech is to practice with family members and friends. They are capable of providing you with constructive criticism.
Know the ins and outs of what your speech will be about. Choose a subject that interests you. Use a conversational tone, and you will convey your knowledge to the audience without confusing them with technical jargon.
If you are nervous and think that you’re messing up, do not apologize. You may feel like a fool, but they may not see it. When mistakes arise, simply correct them and continue moving on.
If your audience will be a large one, make sure your voice is clear and strong. If you can, try to have some water nearby when you speak. Avoid drinking sodas or dairy beverages the day of your speech. These beverages will make your saliva thicker. A cup of hot tea before your speech helps to relax your vocal cords.
Visual Aids
If you are using visual aids, don’t make them distracting. They should enhance your words, not detract from them. You don’t want them to take over. Use high quality visual aids to make key points. They should be easy on the eye and look great but not take the focus away from your speech.
Speaking before a group is daunting. There are methods that you can follow to combat your fear. Keep the advice in mind, and you could just find that it’s easier than you thought.
Onaolapo Adeyemi is a travel and technology writer. If he’s not on tour, you’ll find him in New York with his wife, and pet parrot hanging out at Starbucks.
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