5 Steps to Becoming a Better Public Speaker

A powerfully delivered speech can drive people to follow your lead and and interest them in your products or services. Though not many of us are blessed with a natural liking for public speaking — in fact, most Americans rank it as their #1 fear — there are always ways to improve. Here, we’ve pulled together five quick speech tactics for strengthening your public speaking abilities, and improving your professional prowess. You’ll be an effective public speaker in no time!

1. Study your material.
It sounds like common sense, but knowing your material is the number-one tip from Toastmasters International (a club devoted to public speaking). Your interest and knowledge of the subject matter not only ensures you’ll keep your speech on track, but that you’ll say it with confidence. Do your research in advance and make sure you can wrap your head around all of the content in your speech — the better sense it makes to you, the better you’ll be able to explain the information to your audience. And, don’t underestimate the power of organization. Create notecards with talking points and refer to them when giving your talk. Even if you’ve memorized a speech, notecards make for a helpful and smart backup method for those moments of anxiety.

2. Use your voice.
Not all of us possess perfectly tailored speaking voices, but there are a few tricks you can do to improve your vocal range. MIT’s former Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program Director, Norma McGavern, suggests considering the pitch of your voice. Lower voices tend to carry better than higher voices. By using correct breathing (and staying calm), you can hit those lower octaves better. Practice makes perfect, so try your speech out in front of a friend first to see how well your voice carries, and if the tone sounds natural. Avoid sounding monotone, and practice inflection, adjusting the pitch or tone of your voice in your speech to add interest to what you’re saying. Also aim to go slow and articulate! Anxiety may cause you to speak faster than you should, which could lead to a word fumble, so take time for a breath in between sentences. Additionally, work on avoiding all of those extra sounds and unnecessary words, such as “um,” “like” and “uh.” This is a tough one because we’re so used to filling pauses with a word. Attempt to just take a breath instead. Recording what you’d like to say and playing it back can help you find the spots where you commit these verbal fillers. Once you’ve established your weak points, keep practicing and re-recording until it’s perfect!

3. Work the room.
Before your speech, if possible, visit the room where you will be speaking. Are there flickering fluorescent lights you should speak to maintenance about beforehand (or at least be prepared to encounter) or an obnoxious A/C system you’ll need to speak over? If you’re using visual aids, know where the overhead projector is located and how it works. Will you need a user ID or password in order to use any of the equipment? Find out. The same goes for any sound equipment or electronics. During a preliminary visit, you can get a feel for how big the room is, how cool it will be and how loudly you’ll need to project to reach the back of the room. Plus, you’ll have a mental map of the space — perfect for when you’re practicing!

4. Know your audience.
Before your speech, say hello to members of the audience, shake hands and introduce yourself. It’s easier to speak to people you know than complete strangers. When you speak, work on being friendly; use conversational language; and make eye contact with the audience once you are comfortable. Take the first few moments of your speech to introduce yourself briefly to the crowd and to explain why you’re an expert on the topic you’ll be discussing. Don’t apologize for any mistakes. Remember, you’re your own harshest critic. The audience probably didn’t even notice!

5. Stay calm and carry on.
And how exactly do you do that? First of all, visualize yourself succeeding. Steven D. Cohen, managing director of the oral communication program at the University of Maryland, advises visualizing the speech from beginning to end; from the moment you walk up to the stage to the applause at the finale. Use relaxation techniques, like the breathing exercise called the “t-repeater” (with palms facing up, breathe in slowly, then exhale using the “t” sound), to remain calm before the speech. And ease into eye contact. “One of the reasons a lot of people are nervous is because they feel people are judging them, that people are staring at them when they’re facing an audience,” says Cohen. “Try looking at a person’s forehead or the rim of their glasses. This gives the impression you’re looking at them without really looking at them.” Cohen also suggests practicing in front of a mirror or video camera so you can see yourself rocking your speech.

Do you have any speech-giving suggestions? Leave us a comment on our 123Print Facebook page, tweet us @123Print or write a note below.