Speaking in public is high on the list of what people fear the most. In some cases, people actually fear this more than death. Given how scary speaking in public can be for some, it is best to prepare in advance for it by following some suggestions. Use the following advice to help you hone your public speaking skills.
You cannot give a speech and automatically assume that everyone will follow what you say. Getting the attention of an audience isn’t always easy and keeping it can be even harder. You will actually be performing, and that results in needing to do the work necessary to get people to care about what you want them to care about.
If you use a timer, you can accurately gauge the length of your speech. This will help you make any edits and time your speech appropriately. If you find that your speech is very short, consider beefing it up with a little research. It is important not to rush through your speech.
If you are prepping, practice a lot and memorize what you need to prior to speech day. After you can say it from memory, figure out how you want the delivery to go. Knowing your speech beforehand gives you that flexibility and allows you to be a lot more comfortable.
If you are preparing for a public speaking engagement in advance, memorize your speech first, before anything else. When you have memorized the speech, you should then work on delivery. This will help you to be relaxed in front of the crowd.
It’s vital to know about everything that you will be talking about during a speech. Have a broad general knowledge of the topic including statistics, facts and anecdotes. Pay attention to how your audience is responding. They are also useful while answering questions from the audience on in follow up conversations.
Practice your speech more than once after you memorize it. Rehearse your speech often to make needed corrections. Yoiu can also practice good breathing techniques as you speak. Give yourself some pause time after making key points. Use the equipment you are going to use for the speech to practice if you can.
Understand the material thoroughly. Think about the material that you are trying to get across. Gauge how your audience is reacting to your speech and use these things in a good way. It will also make you better prepared for any questions.
Tell a true story to practice speaking publicly. Figure out exactly what you want to say before the day of the speech. Your story should sound very credible. Base your story off of real life so your speech is natural and authentic.
Become familiar with the venue in which you will make your speech. How far will your voice carry or is there a microphone? Use any equipment to get a feel for it. Take advantage of the visual aids that are there, if any. Determine how much eye contact you’ll be able to make.
Know your material inside and out, and confidence will follow. Choose a topic that genuinely interests you and one that you have personal experience with. Remain conversational the entire time, and you will dazzle with knowledge, not flash.
When making a speech, always face the audience. Do not let yourself get distracted by things in the area. You want your audience to pay attention to you, so you need to pay attention to them as well.
Prior to getting up and speaking, try and connect with the audience. Smile as they enter, and if it’s possible, shake some hands as you welcome them. Your audience is sure to show great interest if you have a good attitude.
To help people remember what you said, make a fantastic ending. All parts of the speech are equally important, but your ending is the thing people are going to remember most. If your ending is boring, it will quickly leave the minds of your audience.
If you feel nervous or feel you are failing, never let it show. Even if you believe you are making many mistakes, the audience might not even notice. If you happen to commit an error, just make a quick correction and keep moving without saying you’re sorry.
Continue with your speech even if you feel you messed up. Do not pause to go back, it might set you off course. Also, people will notice it more if you backtrack.
Visual Aids
You don’t want the visual aids to be a distraction from your speech. They should enhance your speech. You don’t need to overwhelm your speech with them. Use visual aids as a way to make a point. They should be easy on the eye and look great but not take the focus away from your speech.
Picture what you’re going to say before working on your speech. You want to visualize the speech and the audience reactions. When you imagine yourself doing this you can increase your confidence.
Practice is the single best way to make sure you know exactly what to say. Do this near a mirror so you can see yourself. See if you can get someone to listen to it so that they can advise you of points that could use improving.
Don’t wait until your speech wraps up to let the audience ask questions. In fact, waiting until the end may be counterproductive, as some individuals will forget what they wanted to say. People appreciate speakers more if they can ask questions anytime they have them, so give them what they desire.
As previously stated, public speaking is sometimes cited as an extreme fear for many individuals, sometimes viewed as even more fearful than dying. However, you can overcome your fears of speaking before groups. You’ll be able to speak confidently publicly after applying what you’ve learned here.
from Personal Coaching Center http://ift.tt/1Px0FR1
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