What You Must Know About Speaking In Public
What You Must Know About Speaking In Public
Do you dread the thought of standing up and making a speech? Are you terrified of public speaking? If so, you are not alone. Public speaking is one of the scariest things around for many people. To help overcome your fear of giving a speech, read the advice in this article.
Utilize a timer when you are preparing to give a speech. You can then edit your speech so it does not extend past the time allowed. If it is not long enough, add a bit of meat to it. Also remember, you never want to rush through your speech; remember to pace yourself.
Know your topic. Have a broad understanding of the topic, so you can cover it from every angle. Then, narrow in on individual points, and back them up with carefully crafted remarks. Doing so will help you when it comes time to answer questions.
Learn how to do some deep breathing in order to calm your nerves before speaking publicly. Breathing in deeply and exhaling fully prior to starting your speech helps control your nerves. Breathe in for a count of four, and then breathe out for a count of five. Repeat this breathing technique five times to help calm your nerves.
Never assume that you are going in front of a hostile audience. They are giving you their time and attention. They want to be informed, captivated, entertained and moved. Visualize them clapping for you, because they probably hope you give them reason to do just that at some point.
You will win your audience over if you add a little humor to your speech. There is nothing wrong with trowing in a joke or two and putting a smile on your audience's faces. However, do not go overboard on the jokes, as your audience will not take you serious.
Do not try to be someone else when giving your speech. If you want to grab your audience's attention, you cannot come across as fake; your audience will not take you seriously. So, in other words, avoid saying things you would not normally say and don't do anything you normally would not do.
If you wish to give a confident presentation, you must be thoroughly familiar with your material. Pick something that is interesting to you. Keep a conversational tone to keep the attention of your audience.
If you must do a lot of extemporaneous speaking, be sure to keep up on current events and topics of interest. In this way, you will always have something new and interesting to say. Remember that it is usually best to choose a complimentary approach rather than a humorous one unless you are extremely sure of your ability to amuse people!
As you can see, there is really nothing to be afraid of when it comes to public speaking. You may feel a bit nervous the next time you are called upon to give a speech, but just remember what you have read here. This advice will make it all a lot easier.