Better Public Speaking - Some Tips For Success

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.

When speaking in public, make sure that what you have to say is engaging, otherwise you risk boring the crowd. Regardless of what you have to say, it will not go over well if it is boring. Practice your speech on people you know to see how the message you are giving is being received.

Understand the material thoroughly. Keep to facts and other information that is directly related to your speech. Work them in when you can to see how your audience reacts. Your thorough knowledge about the subject is also great in the Q and A that follows up the speech.

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 audiences faces. However, do not go overboard on the jokes, as your audience will not take you serious.

One key to a successful speech is to make it an appropriate length. Basically, when a speech is too short, you may not be giving all the information the audience is looking for. On the other hand, if your speech is too long, your audience may become bored and you may lose their attention.

Take the time to research other important speeches. The internet has a wealth of recorded speeches so that you can observe how they do it. Focus on the qualities that you liked in their speech and emulate them. Look for qualities such as their ease in speaking, their humor and how they capture the attention of the audience.

Avoid fidgeting when speaking in front of an audience. Playing with your hair, chewing on your nails and other similar behaviors serve to distract the audience from listening to what you have to say. Instead of remembering your message, they may remember that you continually smoothed your hair. If you find it difficult to stop fidgeting, clasp your hands together in front of you or behind you, or place them on the lectern.

Use YouTube to watch and view the masters of public speaking. Watch not only for their content, but also for their styles and habits. Pay close attention to famous moments and replicate such mannerisms sparingly for specific effect. Watch speeches of your favorite presidents or other national leaders, as you can find videos going back decades.

Dress well, even if you are speaking at an event that is casual. Your attire can help you to feel more confident, which will carry over into your delivery. Wear a necktie if you want to draw the audiences attention towards your face.

After you have written your speech, be sure to practice it until you have memorized it. Try practicing in front of mirrors, using hand gestures, and facial expressions for making points. Get feedback from family members or friends by doing a dry run for them. These people can assist you in improving the content as well as the delivery of your speech.

Exercise

If you are nervous about speaking to a group, consider a visualization exercise that can help you significantly. Instead of looking out at your audience as people to impress, imagine that they are sitting there in this underwear. It is impossible to be intimidated by people dressed in such a way, so you will be calmer to speak.

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.