Good Speech Delivery Tips And Tricks
Public speaking is a nightmare for many people, but there are times when you cannot avoid it. Feeling nervous about giving a speech is normal and you can overcome these feelings by learning a few tips for good speech delivery. There is more to this than a thought-out speech on a topic that you are comfortable with.
Make Eye Contact
Making eye contact is one of the most common pieces of advice you will get for good speech delivery. This is so common because it is very important and will help you connect with your audience. If you are looking at a piece of paper throughout the speech, your audience will become bored.
Making eye contact with someone during the speech will help them feel personally engaged. When making eye contact, you should hold a person’s eyes for a few seconds before moving on. Do not stare at one person for the entire speech because this will make them uncomfortable and you will not be engaging with the rest of the audience.
Step Away From The Lectern
Lecterns and podiums can make you feel more secure during the speech, but they are a barrier between you and the audience. To make the speech more engaging, you need to step away from the lectern. The only time you should not do this is when you have been told by an organizer not to.
When you move away from the lectern, the movement of your body will engage people. They will also view you as more accessible and open during the speech.
Your Posture Is Important
When you give a speech, you need to avoid slouching. Standing straight will make you appear confident even if you do not feel this way. Slouching will give the opposite impression and you will appear unsure and the audience is less likely to take you seriously.
When you stand to deliver your speech, you need to keep your shoulders back and your spine straight. You should also ensure the audience never sees any signs of nerves such as sweating. The clothing you wear should conceal signs of nervousness.
Vary Your Tone
There is nothing worse than listening to a speech delivered in a single tone. This is a sure way to bore your listener and they will lose interest in what you are saying. To overcome this, you should vary your tone as you speak.
If you naturally speak quickly, you need to slow down to ensure everyone can understand what you are saying. Of course, going too slow can also be a problem and will cause the audience to lose interest. When it comes to your tone, you should raise and drop the cadence to hook the listener and draw them into what you are talking about.
Good speech delivery is something that anyone can achieve if you take the time to practice. There are also tips that can help you deliver a speech that everyone will remember for only good reasons. Engaging with the audience through eye contact is important, but you also need to watch your posture and vary your tone.