Speaking in public may be the least of your favorite thing to do, you might even have this fear of going on stage, it’s that feeling where your stomach churns, your palms begin to sweat and your heart beats out of your chest, I know it’s not easy speaking in front of an audience it requires skills, a lot of guts and confidence, it’s more of an art rather than a job. If you’re an aspiring business coach or if you want to pursue a career in public speaking I can teach you a thing or two by following these simple guidelines and techniques that can help you become a great speaker.
Don’t memorize
If you memorize your concept word for word you may sound unnatural and might end up forgetting the words later on especially when the nerves start to kick in, just imagine yourself standing there in front of hundreds of people and you suddenly forget your line, that’s a shitty thing to happen and we don’t want to be in that tight spot. If you have a script just understand the content and narrow it down to the most important things you want to discuss, you can do a story-telling type, crack jokes if you can to lighten the mood, use hand gestures to express yourself, don’t be too stiff and try to walk around as possible.
Provide visual aids
Prepare a slideshow about your topic so people can visualize what you’re trying to convey, you could arrange it in a bullet form or use photos and videos to illustrate your topic, it’s up to you which one to utilize. This could also serve as your guide so you don’t get lost in thoughts and have an idea of what to talk about next. You can also add some funny photos or video clips to get the audience’s attention and just so they won’t get bored.
Interact with your Audience
Create a connection with your audience by having them participate in your talk, get them involved as much as possible, you can make them repeat after some keywords, ask them to give out examples or ideas or have a Q and A portion. Remember that you’re not doing this for yourself but for the audience members, you want to provide them with quality information.
Speak with confidence
If you want to be an effective speaker, having great communication skills is required but speaking with confidence is a must. Manage your tone of voice, it needs to be just right, speak coherently and make the audience understand your point. You’re there to provide valuable information and wants the public to trust in your words and believe in you, so put your heart and mind in the things you say.
Practice makes perfect
Speaking in public more often can help you enhance your abilities and make you the best speaker ever. Practice is the best teacher after all. If there is still room for improvement then try to read more, watch videos and learn from the best, don’t stop learning.
Another thing, be mindful of your appearance, you need to look professional when going on stage, people’s focus is on you so look your best, fix your hair, wear appropriate clothing and put on some makeup. Always remember that you’re there to inspire and motivate people, so give it your best.
P.S. Are you feeling stressed lately? Learn more on how you can cope up with stress with these simple tips: Stress Management: 7 Simple Ways to Relieve Stress
