The Ultimate Guide for Public Speaking

Will I shiver, or will I run out of breath? What if I forget what to say?

Those are the first questions that come to mind when we think about public speaking. However, in this guide, we’ll walk you through steps that will help you improve your communication arts skills.

Best Tips for Speaking confidently

Public speaking is a key skill for communication arts, and mastering this skill will help you become a powerful leader ready to make impact.

1. Topic choice: Always choose a topic you’re passionate and knowledgeable about. That way, you’ll be able to be in control, to improvise, and to speak confidently.
2. Attire: Wear a professional and a simple attire. Better to stick to two colors. You don’t want to distract the audience with glimmery stuff and the sentence written on your shirt!
3. Hand movements: Use your hands only to make an impact.
4. Face and body gestures: Let your face and body talk with you. Express your emotions.
5. Tone: Vary your tone of voice.
6. Smooth talking: Don’t let your stories or explanations be through bullet points. Let it be a coherent, smooth story.

You want your audience to always remember you when they think about the topic you spoke about!

How to overcome public speaking anxiety

Being nervous and anxious is completely normal when it comes to the communication arts, especially if you’re going to step in front of an audience and speak. No matter how professional you are, there will be a moment when your heart will be beating fast, your hands are shivering, and you’re out of breath. However, the key is how to transform this negative energy into another, one that will make you feel comfortable. Here are some tips for public speaking anxiety:

1. Take deep breaths
2. Imagine that you’re talking to people you’re comfortable around
3. Think of something you love
4. Remember that it’ll be over soon
5. Practice, practice, and practice public speaking!

Techniques to help you improvise

1. Storytelling: one of the most engaging public speaking techniques. Just come up with a personal story that will engage your audience and is related to your topic
2. Senses: Use your 5 senses to employ explicit descriptions of what you’re talking about. That way, you can build a clear image for your audience.
3. Personal dictionary: use your own words and your own knowledge to explain something. If you forgot what research states about a certain issue, then paraphrase it your way.
4. Joking: whenever you’re tense or nervous and you forgot what you wanted to say, come up with a joke or share a funny story to change the mood of the audience.

Things to avoid while public speaking

1. Remember, communication arts are characterized by the ability to speak with others, targeting their hearts. You should be talking with your audience, not reciting what you memorized (which is why you should choose a topic you’re knowledgeable about)
2. Hold a paper with your speech written on it. Never hold something because you will be controlled by it instead of being in control! You will lose your power.
3. Walk around too much. Moving a bit is fine, but your moves should always have a purpose, which is to make an impact. Swinging like a pendulum will distract the audience.
4. Having a monotonic tone. You don’t want your audience to be bored when you’re public speaking. Vary your tone. Employ your emotions.