There is help available if you are afraid of public speaking. By acquiring some useful information about how to make the process much less frightening, you may discover that speaking in public is actually quite empowering. Keep reading for more information.
When you speak in public, it is important to be prepared in order to make a great impression. Identify what points you wish to make. Do research to support your statements if necessary. Put your thoughts down on paper. Practice your remarks over and over until you know them by heart. Being prepared will make you confident when you step up to the podium.
Never drink before you have to speak in public. People under the influence tend to slur their words or forget them altogether. You may go up to podium and think you have everything under control only to realize you were incorrect. That is why you should skip drinking any type of alcohol.
Make eye contact with your audience members. Doing so makes them feel as if you are speaking directly to them and helps keep them engaged. It also makes you appear confident and poised. Look at various members of the audience as you speak to help engage as many of them as possible.
If you want to feel confident in your speech, you need to practice it. You can practice in front of a mirror or record your speech so that you can critique it to see areas that you can improve. If you are able to practice in front of others, that is even better.
If you are nervous when you first stand up to speak, there are a couple of things you can do. Either choose a person toward the center of the audience to focus on or focus on a point at the back of the room. An EXIT sign is a good choice. This will help calm your nerves.
Visit your hairdresser on the day of your speech. Nothing gives you more confidence than looking and feeling great. Purchase a new suit which makes you feel good to bolster your confidence levels. Audience members will take note of you when you are dressed for success and exude a sense of confidence.
Always be yourself when you are giving a speech and you will have better luck with the audience. Sincerity is a quality that many people respect and admire. If it is clear to the audience that you are not putting on a show when you are speaking to them, they will receive your message better.
Do your best to deliver unique information to your audience instead of telling them things they could have easily gotten from someone else. You need to make it clear that it is you that they need to listen to. Do research to make sure that you are not giving them duplicated content.
Don’t beat yourself up if you make a mistake during your presentation. Unless the information given wrongly is important do not correct your mistake. Instead, continue on with your speech like nothing has happened. If you need to correct the mistake you made, apologize and correct the mistake and continue on.
If you have to give a speech in front of an audience, practice in front of a mirror. Certain hand gestures and expressions can emphasize on a point that you are trying to make. Watching yourself in a mirror can also help you see things about your appearance that you can improve.
Be prepared for the unexpected. While you hope that nothing will happen to ruin your speech, try to plan for any contingencies. What will you do if one of your audio visual aids does not work? What if the microphone fails? How will you handle audience interruptions or questions? Having a plan in place to handle possible issues makes it more likely that your public speaking experience will go well.
Take a look at the venue where you are scheduled to give a speech prior to the event. This will give you a good idea of where the audience will be sitting and where you will be speaking. It will help set you at ease when you get there since the place will be a bit familiar.
Avoid nervous gestures and mannerisms. Don’t cross your arms or rattle your keys in your pocket. Use your hands to convey your points, but not too much. You don’t want to distract or annoy your audience by waving your arms around. Get a friend to watch you rehearse your speech to identify any gestures or movements that may be problematic.
Start your speech off with a good story to establish audience connection. Make something up, use a news story, or share something from your own experience. Using human elements to enliven your speech will gain the listeners’ attention. When developing your narrative, steer clear of controversial or offensive scenarios.
Be sure not to read your speech to your audience. Ideal speaking notes give you a good outline and keywords. Engage your audience and vary your delivery based on their responses. Be yourself and share information from your own life when appropriate. This will help you create a temporary bond with your audience that will enhance the delivery of your speech.
Think about warming up your voice prior to speaking. Especially if you must speak early in the morning, this is critical. Without a warm up, your vocal chords may be very tense. This will cause voice cracks during your speech.
If you will be using a white board, make sure that you have everything you need before the presentation. There is nothing more embarrassing than to be missing something that you need while you are talking, like a dry erase marker or eraser. Keep extra pens up there in case one runs out of ink.
