Public Speaking Is A Cinch - When You Know How!

By Zoe Smith


How are you when speaking in front of an audience? Are you comfortable and articulate-or do you find yourself stumbling all over yourself when you open your mouth in front of people? I have many friends who have had almost crippling public speaking anxiety. The good news is it can be overcome. Yes, you do not have to spend sleepless nights anymore worrying about each time you need to face people. Here are great public speaking tips you can use to help you in the future.

1. You probably know this by now but it cannot be stressed enough-prepare, prepare, prepare! You have probably been given enough time to get ready for your speech so use this time wisely and research the material related to the topic. Organize them and study as much as you can. If you know what you are talking about, it will show and people will know.

Also, keep in mind that even if you have all this information in your head- do not read it verbatim. Speak from your heart. Be passionate about your topic. If you have prepared well and sincerely care about what you are saying, you will be an effective speaker.

2. If you are giving a power point presentation, do not give a boring bullet point presentation. Make it interesting. Incorporate compelling visuals, images, videos or sound bites. You will lose people's attention fast if you use slides and just read the bullet points. A short and concise presentation with suitable illustrations is the best.

3. For some of us, it doesn't matter how prepared we are and how great our presentation is, public speaking anxiety will still find its way to the pit of our stomach. The peak of this anxiety is a minute before the speech so take deep breaths and relaxation exercises before this happens. Rehearse the speech in your mind and visualize your audience positively responding to your speech.

4. When you get in front of the people, it's good to find a friendly face there. If you don't have a good friend-find a person who is interested and receptive to you and address him/her when you are having trouble engaging the crowd. Even if everybody else is busy or unattentive-you have one person that appreciates your message and is helped by what you are saying.

5. If you want to make your speech a success, engage your audience. Involve them in stories or in whatever you are talking about. Ask questions and think about it as if you were simply conversing with a group of friends. When you encourage the audience to actively participate in the discussion, they will be more interested and remember your speech more positively.

Every single individual has something to say-don't be deceived into thinking otherwise! Go ahead, learn these helpful public speaking tips, practice in front of a few friends and get ready when the time comes for you to shine. Live and be free today!




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