Public Speaking Tips

Speaking in public is one of the greatest experiences in the world. I can’t describe how awesome it is to be stared at by tens- or hundreds of people: adrenaline is pumping through your body, and you feel like a general commanding his soldiers.

In this article, I will give you some tips on how to become the next Winston Churchill, Les Brown, Stephen Pierce or Tony Robbins.

1)      Have a goal. Not all speeches are alike, because different people aim for different things. Construct your speech based on what you want to achieve.
Read more about it here: A Guide to Goal Setting

2)      Always come prepared. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with improvising (in some places it is even encouraged). However, if your goal is to impress your superiors, motivate a group or win a debate, then it is almost criminal to construct a speech on the spot.
You have to work on so many aspects – delivering good content, communicate a good self-image through body language, choosing the right tone of voice, etc. Do not leave anything to chance!

3)      Speak as often as you can. The more speeches you give, the better you become at it.

4)      A speech must have a structure. This is really crucial. I have a teacher who really should have attended a few public speaking classes, because she has an annoying habit of jumping from one topic to another in a matter of seconds, leaving her students with a “What the hell did I just hear” look on their faces. Your speech must flow like a river: it must have an opening, body and closing.

5)      Keep it simple. To use many complicated words and phrases is cool, but for the majority of crowds it can serve as an anaesthetic. Remember how boring your physics, chemistry or math lessons were? Don’t make the same mistake. Do your best to keep your speeches simple.

6)      Be passionate. If you are speaking in a relaxed environment, then adding some energy to your voice and changing your body language can really create a powerful connection between you and your audience.

7)      Always be closing. The ending of your speech is the last thing people will remember, that is why you HAVE to ace it. What was the goal of your presentation? To impress, to motivate, or just to have fun? Construct a closing based on the reaction you want to get from your audience.

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