Public speaking can be considered one of the five scariest things people can do. Some people are more scared about this then death. Given how much people fear it, you’d be smart to take steps to handle it. Break down your public speaking problems with the following ideas and advice.
If you use a timer, you can accurately gauge the length of your speech. This way, you can remain within the time you are allotted. If it’s too short, try finding more information to add to it. Don’t rush during the speech.
Do your best to memorize your speech. When you get to the point where you can give your speech at any moment, then you are ready to practice your overall delivery. Knowing your speech beforehand gives you that flexibility and allows you to be a lot more comfortable.
You cannot speak in public and believe that people will automatically follow what you are saying. You need to make an effort to get and keep their attention. You need to perform well to get what you want from the speech.
Take the time to really know the material in your speech. Even if you memorize your material, it’s helpful to know other aspects of your topic that are not included in your speech. If you have time, you can add in some of these things throughout your speech as needed. Your thorough knowledge about the subject is also great in the Q and A that follows up the speech.
After committing your speech to memory, practice it over and over. You’ll get smoother at your speech by practicing it often. Pay attention to your speed and to how you breathe as well. Ensure your speech time can include time for interruptions, which will be applause, with any luck. Use the equipment you are going to use for the speech to practice if you can.
A good way to become a great public speaker is to tell true stories when possible. Outline your overall story prior to speaking in public. Give a good introduction and conclusion to surround the story. Base your story on something that happened in real life.
When preparing to speak in public, make sure to memorize your words well in advance. Once you can recite your speech from memory at any point of day, then you can work on delivery. Memorize it and you will feel more comfortable with it.
Get to know the room in which you are going to speak publicly. Listen to how well your voice will be projected. Get a better feel by using equipment. Try learning to use visual aids, if they’re available. Know what the eye contact range is and what you need to do to perfect it.
Practice some deep breathing to help you through your speech. Taking some deep breaths and then exhaling all the way before giving a speech can reduce nerves. Inhale for a count of four, then exhale for a count of five. You’ll feel calm if you repeat this six times.
Practicing is the most important part of speech preparation. Try using a mirror or tape recorder to help you hear and see yourself during practice sessions. If you are able to practice in front of others, that is even better.
Understand the material thoroughly. You should even know facts and jokes about the topic of your speech. Work them in on the fly depending on how you gauge your audience. It will also make you better prepared for any questions.
Prior to giving your speech, don’t drink any alcohol. This is not the best idea that you can put into practice. You’ll regret it when you’re standing there and forget your speech because your brain is too fuzzy.
Take the time to practice your important speech. This can boost your confidence since you’ll know the ins and outs of your material. While you may actually memorize the speech, you need to keep your notes on hand. You may draw a blank and the notes can help jog your memory.
Make the end of your speech memorable if you want it to be remembered. While all parts of your speech are important, the ending is what people will probably remember most. If the conclusion is lackluster, the audience is likely to forget the whole presentation.
Always face the audience consistently when speaking in public. Do not turn your attention to things going on behind you or elsewhere. Since you are attempting to convince the audience with your words, they should command your complete attention.
Note Cards
Use note cards if necessary. You should memorize your speech, but you should also have a copy of it with you. Having the main points on note cards will help you get through the speech.
Avoid making your visual aids too distracting. They should enhance your speech. You don’t want them to take over. Use visual aids as a way to make a point. They can be both attractive and colorful without detracting from your presentation.
Make sure you understand your topic before preparing your speech. Do some broad research that gives you all sides of the topic at hand. Then, narrow in on individual points, and back them up with carefully crafted remarks. 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.
Before you give a speech, make sure you know who your audience is. Each audience expects a different thing from you. If you are speaking in a work situation, make certain that you share information that the audience will benefit from. Family and friends will want to be entertained. Despite the audience, give them exactly what they want.
If you feel nervous while making a speech, picture yourself as someone in the crowd. Would you laugh and point at the speaker if they made a mistake? Would you lambaste the speaker? You’re your own worst critic and it’s not a huge deal if you mess up.
Don’t announce that you are nervous. Your speech can be more powerful without it. It often seems our nervousness must be easy to see, but that really isn’t true. Try to convince the listeners that you are in command of the situation, even if your true feelings are the opposite.
If possible, meet some of the audience members before your speech. Ask about the people that are going to be the audience. If you have the opportunity, greet as many as you can and ask their names as they enter the room. Having a feeling of familiarity with some audience members can make the whole presentation or speech feel more friendly.
The pace of your speech is very important. Being nervous can cause you to speak quickly and could cause your audience to miss key elements. But, if you speak too slowly, you run the risk of boring your audience. Practice the speech repeatedly to get the speed just right.
This article previously mentioned that speaking in public is a top fear listed by so many people. This doesn’t mean that fear of speaking in public should overwhelm you, however. Use the ideas and advice within this article to master your speaking in front of groups.
from Personal Coaching Center http://ift.tt/28WumNe
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