Speaking Skills and Public Speaking Tips

Improve Your Speaking Skills & 7 Public Speaking Tips

You don't have to be a professional speaker for public speaking to benefit your business. Public speaking is a good skill to have, but many people are afraid of presenting in front of a crowd. Here are a few tips to make your speaking experience easier and more enjoyable.

1. Prior to giving your speech, preparation is key. Lack of preparation usually results in lack of confidence, uneasiness and nervousness. Assemble your talk in a logical manner so that the audience can easily follow. Begin with a bare-bones outline, and then expand on your ideas from there.

2. Start with an ice-breaker as an introduction. You want to get the audience's attention while introducing them to the topic you will be covering. A good opening to your presentation can make your entire talk much easier, right from the get-go.

3. Telling a story can be a fun way to convey a point. The audience generally finds a story more interesting and memorable than a straight-forward lecture. And as a speaker, narrating a story is usually much easier than running down a list of points. Most times you find yourself storytelling, you are in the company of friends. This comfortable feeling can transfer over to public speaking, especially if you are telling a humorous or intriguing story.

4. Rather than standing behind a podium, try moving around. You can do this by walking around the audience or stage, but even gesturing while you talk will make your presentation less rigid and keep the audience more attentive. Varying the tone, pace and volume of your voice as you speak will also help to entertain the audience and even drive home important points that you are trying to make.

5. You want to show confidence throughout your speech. This is something that audiences easily pick up on. Being confident doesn't necessarily mean being formal or even professional. You can be yourself or even downright silly and show an air of confidence at the same time.

6. If you feel that you need to back up your points with outside resources, refer to quotes, facts or other statistics. Visual aids can help too. These props and references can help speakers feel more comfortable as well, since they take the attention from the speaker to the fact or visual aid being discussed.

7. And don't be afraid of eye contact. Interacting with your audience helps demonstrate your confidence. Rather than talking "at" your listeners, holding more of a two-way conversation can grab people's attention, increase interest and create a more comfortable and laid back environment.

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