Many people are intimidated by the thought of speaking in front of a crowd. Some find it more frightening than the prospect of death. Given the trepidation that a public speaking event brings, it’s a good idea to be ready in advance. Get over your fear of public speaking by learning a few simple tips below.
Your audience will not remain attentive unless you work to keep them listening. You have to put in your best effort if you want people to connect with you and stay with you throughout your speech. You need to perform well to get what you want from the speech.
You cannot give a speech and automatically assume that everyone will follow what you say. You need to fight for their attention and respect. You are performing for them, and speaking confidently to win them over is key to achieving the desired results.
Once you have your speech memorized, repeat it often. This will give you the chance to adjust your speech as necessary. Pay attention to your speed and to how you breathe as well. Prepare your speech to include pauses in case of interruptions, which hopefully are filled with applause. Practice the speech with any equipment you plan to use.
Memorize your speech beforehand to reduce your anxiety. After your speech is memorized, then you can start worrying about your actual delivery. Memorizing your speech also makes ad libbing on stage more comfortable.
Make sure that you know your audience. If you can, try to learn who will be listening to you. If possible, greet a couple of them and find out what their names are. By knowing who you are speaking to you, you can gain confidence.
Being prepared is key to making good public speaking impressions. Be aware of all you would like to say. If necessary research your key points for better understanding of them. Put your thoughts down on paper. Practice the remarks as many times as needed, until you can say them by heart. Being prepared will boost your confidence while delivering your speech.
Familiarize yourself with the venue where you will speak. Understand the distance your voice can travel. Use the equipment to get used to it. Take advantage of the visual aids that are there, if any. Look at how far away the entire audience will be.
Always face your audience. Do not let yourself get distracted by things in the area. Your audience should have your complete and focused attention.
Practice all that you can prior to your speech. Practice the speech in a mirror to see what you can do better. However, doing a practice run for family or friends is ideal, as they will be able to critique you well.
Once you memorize your speech, then practice it over and over. Work on issues where you lose your flow. Work on your pace and your breathing. Ensure your speech time can include time for interruptions, which will be applause, with any luck. When you can, rehearse in the actual space where you will speak.
Avoid drinking alcohol before your speech. You may think that you will be more relaxed. There is nothing more frightening than being on stage in front of people and forgetting your words because of alchol intake.
Any time that you need to make a public speech, you must make sure that you thoroughly understand what you will be talking about before giving the speech. Do careful research that enables you to view the topic from various angles. Make sure that you understand each of the key points. Doing so will help you when it comes time to answer questions.
Bring the audience to your side before you begin your speech. If possible, walk around and personally greet people, but always remember to smile. When you give off a positive vibe prior to your speech, the audience will be more interested in what you have to say.
Public Speaking
After you have written the speech, practice it over and over until it is committed to your memory. Deliver your speech while looking in a mirror to help you see the effects of various facial expressions and hand gestures that you use to bring points home. Ask family members for feedback after practicing your speech before them. They will help with your weak spots.
As stated earlier, public speaking is often one of the top five fears most people have, with some even more scared of public speaking than dying. Don’t let this control you. The suggestions you just read should help you greatly.
To help people remember what you said, make a fantastic ending. Even though the entire speech is very important, a quality ending is usually what people remember the most. If you end on a boring note, your speech will be remembered as boring.