Eight Steps to Better Public Speaking
Be prepared. If you're naturally nervous about public speaking,
then being poorly prepared will only make matters worse. Make
investment and take the time do your homework properly. Plan
what you're going to say, do the research, and take thorough
notes. Knowing you are ready before you get up on stage will
give you more confidence.
Speak from notes, don't read a pre-written speech. It takes a
highly-trained, professional actor to be able to read sentences
from a page and make them sound like natural speech. If you have
those acting skills, you certainly don't need to read this
information. But if you're like most of us, it's best not to
read a speech. A few notes with key words or phrases written on
index cards will remind you of what ideas you will talk about.
Structure your talk with an introduction, middle and conclusion.
Tell what you're going to say, say it, then tell what you've
said.
Be yourself. Make it real. When you're talking about something
familiar to yourself, you will feel more natural and your
audience will accept you more readily. So think of how your
topic relates to yourself, and include stories that relate to
your own personal experience.
Rehearse, at least a couple of times, preferably at least one
day before your speech. Once you are familiar with everything
written on your note cards, you'll have no trouble telling
people about it. And "sleeping on it" does wonders for helping
you remember facts and figures.
Prepare yourself mentally, like an athlete before a competition.
Immediately before going out onto the stage, take a few moments
to be by yourself and "psych" yourself into a positive frame of
mind. Repeat the following phrase to yourself several times:
"I'm glad I'm here. I'm glad you're here. I know what I know."
When you're in position on the stage, wait an extra moment
before you start. Take a deep breath, and try to remember to
keep breathing. If your mouth is dry, have a glass or bottle of
water handy and take a sip.
Direct your speech to one person. Imagine that someone you like
and trust, and someone who likes you, is way in the back of the
audience. Address the majority of your speech to her or him. Of
course, don't just stare in one spot. Once you've gained
momentum, pick out a few other friendly faces in different parts
of the audience and include them in what you have to say.
Smile. Unless your talk is about something deadly serious, let
the audience see that you're having a good time up there. Don't
rush. Savor the moment. Speaking too fast makes your words hard
to understand. If the audience can see that you feel good, that
will make them feel good too, and your speech will be even more
successful.