One of the greatest
public speaking organizations in the world is Toastmasters. This is an
organization that helps teach people to be better public speaker, and some of
their members have gone on to become quite famous and well-known. If there is
one thing Toastmasters knows, it is public speaking and they offer these ten
tips for increasing your public speaking ability.
First, you want to
know three main things going into the speech. You want to know the material you
are talking about, you want to know the audience you are speaking to and you
want to know the room. To know the material, make sure it is a topic you have
some interest in and try and use personal stories and humor to make yourself
more comfortable. Know your audience as well, even greeting them as they
arrive. Lastly, know the room by arriving early and walking around the speaking
area and practicing with the microphone.
Second, practice and
relax. You want to know your material inside out by practicing it, but you also
need to be calm during the speech. Don’t think too much. Turn your nervous
energy into an enthusiasm for the speech.
Third, before you give
the speech, visualize yourself giving the speech. Imagine yourself talking,
with a loud clear voice. Even visualize the audience clapping at the end as it
will help your confidence. It is very important to realize that the audience
wants you to be interesting because they do not want to be bored. They do not
want you to fail, so do your best and they will be happy.
If you screw up, just
move on and don’t apologize. Usually you are the only one who knows you screwed
up, and apologizing can ruin the speech and make the audience notice that you
screwed up. This comes down to concentrating on what you are saying, not on how
you are saying it. You want to focus attention to your message and away from
how nervous you are.
Lastly, gain
experience every way you can because confidence comes from experience and
having confidence is the most important part of being a great public speaker.
Public speaking is a
big fear of many people, but it can be a very profitable thing to get into.
Make sure you can be the best public speaker possible by using these tips to
their full potential.