Advance Your Public Speaking
By Gloria A. Adams
Some people are born to be influential public speakers. They make the best presentations and are more likely to get early promotions. If you are not amongst these lucky people, you might suffer from butterflies in your stomach, dry mouth, sweaty palms, and shaking knees. Do you need a hand to overcome anxiety and become a confident, successful and willing public speaker? To begin with, keep in mind that most of those born-to-speakers actually acquired these techniques and developed their skills in time. You can also learn how to quickly and thoroughly prepare for any talk, persuade and motivate your audience, and keep your confidence when facing even the toughest questions.
1. Starting up – Overcoming Anxiety
“Pragmatism concerns itself not with what you should feel as a speaker not with what is rational or logical in a speaking circumstance,” says Arthur H. Bell in his book Butterflies Be Gone: A Hands-on Approach to Sweat Proof Public Speaking, “but instead with what you do feel. Don’t act to be a great speaker if you are not.”
If you lose your vision each time you have to speak in front of an audience, don’t pretend to be a confident speaker. Examine what it makes you feel and just be yourself. Public speaking is nothing more than speaking to more than one person. Don't make a great deal out of the fear of making mistakes. Public speaking coach Richard Zeoli reminds that anyone whether he is the president of US or any ordinary person, is prone to make mistakes. It is a part of being human, and your audience is composed of nothing but persons just like yourself. Moreover, it shouldn’t be ignored that when you make a mistake no one cares, even understands, but you do.
2. Preparing Your Presentation
There are some rule of thumb requirements for a good public speech: you should know what you are talking about, trust in what you say and practice your speech over and over again. These are clear, but the organization of your speech is just as important.
Starting with questions is a good choice to open up the subject and pull your audience into it. When you ask questions at the beginning of your speech, people are more likely to pay attention and be active listeners to find answers. Roger E. Axtell indicates six questions to be asked in all speeches in his book Do’s and Taboos of Public Speaking: How to Get Those Butterflies Flying in Formation, which are Who? What? When? Where? Why? How? He advises his readers to use these questions regularly in business speeches as well as regular reports and correspondence. Since business presentations are usually meant to be informative, these questions can lead your whole speech.
In the light of these six question, Axtell says, you should organize your speech in four main parts: Headliner, opening, middle and closer… The headliner is the short description of your objective in giving this speech. The headliner should involve your basic message and answer your six questions. Keep in mind that the first appearance on stage is the key to present a good impression and capture the attention of your audience.
3. Delivering Your Presentation
Keep in mind that the first appearance on stage is the key to present a good impression and capture the attention of your audience. Avoid long and boring openings that mention the names of all the notable persons in the audience. It’s boring and ineffective. Step in front and smile. Wait for a few seconds before you start. It will give you some time to relax and get rid of your excitement while the audience settles and gets ready to listen. Always know your first words in advance. Never underestimate yourself and apologize for not being well-prepared or qualified. But, you can start with a joke to signal the public that it won’t be a boring talk. Humor is widely used in business presentations, go for it, but keep in doze. Don’t lose your credibility and authority.
Today, audio visual elements and props are amongst the main components of a lively and interesting public speech. You can complement your presentation with such tools. They will also enable you to use your hands and body more effectively, so you won’t need to be anxious about “where to put your hands”.
There is a catchy technique to color up your presentation even further called the Columbo technique. In this, you leave one of your most critical and surprising points to the last, then go like “Oh, just one more thing,” and deliver your biggest point. It will be most effective just before the coffee break, so that you will come back with the issue which has already caught everybody’s attention. Always leave your audience wanting more, let them ask questions and follow up with you.
Successful public speaking will certainly help you climb the career leader faster than your colleagues. There are more and more tactics and tricks you can check to develop your public speaking skills.
About the author:
Gloria A. Adams works as a content writer for the college essay writing help. Besides, she is highly interested in business coaching. In this case, she takes part in different conferences and webinars in order to get new knowledge and skills. Gloria dreams of writing and publishing her own book on career succession.
