Speaking in front of people is a difficult task especially is you’re not a natural speaker. Public speaking is meant to inform, persuade, or educate. Whatever you say can change other’s perspective that’s why you need to say it the right way. Here are some tips to improve your public speaking:
1. Have confidence! Believe that you’re capable of what you are doing and you are perfectly fine. Trust yourself because you’re the one talking and nobody else. Just do your thing without doubting yourself.
2. Keep calm! If you’re confident enough, you don’t have to be anxious about something going wrong. Never panic because it will ruin your speech.
3. Bond! Create chemistry between you and your listeners. They will be sitting in front of you for the next hour or so and you have to make them listen to you. Build a rapport with your audience and you will get along perfectly for the next few hours.
4. Be interesting! No one wants to sit for an hour and waste it just to listen to some lame talks. You need to catch the attention of the audience and be someone whom they will get fascinated to. People tend to give their attention to someone who’s worth their time.
5. Always prepare! You have to be prepared and make sure nothing goes wrong. Or if something does happen wrong, be at least prepared for a contingency plan. Plan Bs are always important because you never know what might get wrong. Sky divers never jump with just one parachute. It’s better to be prepared.
6. Adjust! You need to learn how to adjust. Observe how your audience react to what you are saying. If you think there is something wrong, maybe you have to try a different way of speaking. Speeches can be spontaneous and moods can change simultaneously. You need to be a keen observer.
7. Focus and nothing less! Every task needs focus. But others need more focus just like public speaking. You must not get distracted easily. Finish your task and don’t let any hindrances affect your speech.
8. Never scare! People do not want to listen to someone who is intimidating. You don’t have to be terrorizing to get their attention. Look for other ways to make them listen to you. Remember when your parents are screaming at you, you just hear every word but you never listen to a single one.
9. Enjoy! By the time you start opening your mouth and start your speech, there is no turning back. It’s going to be a learning experience for you and you must enjoy what you’re doing. It is a opportunity limited to some and you need to savour the privilege.
10. Be yourself! It’s your speech and not anyone else’s. Do not try to act as someone else because no one can do it better that you. Never underestimate your skills. It’s your style and your way and the audience will love it.