5 Tips for Becoming a Good Public Speaker

Introduction

When most people hear about public speaking, they are afraid. The sight of speaking before a live audience terrifies such people because they are afraid to be judged. The interesting thing about life is that as long as you are an adult, you will have to deliver a speech before an audience at least once in your life. It could be at a funeral, an office party, a birthday or your friend’s wedding.

Instead of hiding behind other people, you should just conquer your fear. You never know, it could open new possibilities for you. After all, professional keynote speakers are well-compensated. Alternatively learning to be a good public speaker could get you that promotion. Here is how you can improve your public speaking skills:

1. Relax and Be Careful with your Words

The whole point of making a speech is so that you can deliver a message to the audience. In other words, you want them to learn something new that you have prepared for them or have been asked to present to them. So what happens when you fail to deliver that message? Many times, you find first time public speakers rushing through a speech because they want to get off the stage as quickly as they can. In the process, they only deliver half the message because the speech is not well understood. Learn to relax when you are on stage and speak in a comfortable manner. The threshold is to speak 100 to 160 words every minute. Alternatively, you can just deliver the speech slowly in a way that doesn’t make you too uncomfortable.

2. Body Language

The majority of communication happens through nonverbal cues. Therefore, teach yourself to be more watchful of your body language as you deliver the speech. For example, never cross your arms when you are speaking because your audience can interpret this as you not wanting to be there. They are likely to give the same response and become less interested in what you have to say. You should also watch out for nervous nonverbal cues such as pacing around or fidgeting with your hands. Such behavior can make it hard for the audience to follow what you are saying.

3. Pay Attention to your Topic

As you write your speech or rehearse one that has been written for you, familiarize yourself with the topic. Know what the main message is and see how you can properly deliver it. Think of the audience as a friend and explain the topic to them as you deliver the speech. When you understand the topic, it becomes easier for you to deliver it and convince your listeners. It also makes your speech more natural since you will focus less on the performance and more on the delivery.

4. Eye Contact

A person is likely to take you more seriously if you maintain eye contact when you are speaking with them. It makes you feel more humane and interested. The same goes for public speaking. When you speak before an audience, do your best to make sure that you don’t fixate your gaze on one thing because you are nervous. Move your gaze around the crowd as you speak. This strategy improves the delivery.

5. Practice with a Friend

The best way to get rid of anxiety before a public speaking event is to practice what you are going to say until you don’t make any mistakes. Practice in the mirror by yourself, and then ask a friend to listen to you as you perform the speech. Let them point out any mistakes that you may make. Look in their eyes as you do so and try to be as relaxed as possible. You can also practice the speech before a group of friends and look at their reactions. Practice makes you more familiar with the content and its delivery. As a result, it helps you build self confidence.

Conclusion

The following tips can help you become a better public speaker. However, if you want to be really great, look for more public speaking opportunities so that you can get used to the crowd. You should also remember that getting rid of stage fright takes time and through constant practice, you can find your way of dealing with it.