Public Speaking is the most essential skill to succeed in any field now-a-days. It is the most important and dreaded forms of communication. People often have speech anxiety or Glossophobia and are unable to convey their message in personal life and/or large scale. People avoid speaking in public to escape embarrassment or anxiety and loose opportunities in life.
Imperativeness Public speaking skills
- It increases your confidence.
- You become more comfortable among people.
- You can increase sales or expand your business.
- It helps you demonstrate your knowledge.
- It enhances your social life.
- It helps you to get recognition at your workplace.
Tips to enhance your public speaking skills
- Choose Topic Wisely
Choose a subject you are more passionate about as you will be more comfortable in speaking about the topic. You should try to choose a topic which is educative for others. It will keep the audience/ viewers engaged.
- Preparation
A well organized speech or thoughts keeps you calm and relaxed. You must prepare slides well in advance, if required.
- Practice
Practice extensively, however do not read the script or speech word by word. Prepare in such a way that you can answer any possible questions.
- Structure / Sequence
A structured speech attracts more attention and creates a bond with the audience or viewers. You appear more organized and leave a lasting impact on others.
- Concise / Crisp
Keep it short and simple and repeat key points as and when required. Short messages stay with the listeners for long.
- Rhythm
Try to speak in a rhythm or flow. Learn voice modulation and use it to attract the audience/ viewers. However, do not speak as if you have memorized your speech or presentation. Do not sound robotic!
- Engage the audience/viewers
To make a lasting impact on others you need to engage the audience /viewers. Involve them in your presentation or speech by asking question and/or encouraging them to ask questions. It will help reduce the boredom and help you ease as well.
- Deep Breathe
Do some deep breathing exercises to avoid and manage stress. Deep breathing exercises calms you down and helps boost confidence.
- Small Group
Always try to start speaking in public among a small group of people. It will be even better if that group is familiar to you. You will be relaxed and less bothered about their views about you and your speech.
- Keep Hydrated
Drink some lukewarm or room temperature water before your speech or presentation as it soothes your vocal cords. It helps lubricate your throat. Also, try to avoid sugary beverage before speaking as they can dry out the mouth and make it harder to talk.
- Don’t Over think
There are varieties of people in the audience. Some will be keen about the subject and/or your speech and some would be busy with their phones or yawning. Some people are always tired and bored, simply try to avoid them as they have nothing to do with you personally.
- Relax
Try to relax before your presentation by listening to some soothing music or try meditation for 5 minutes just before speaking. Meditation helps you focus on the subject and eliminates the negative thoughts that create stress. It releases stress and helps you relax.
- Join Public Speaking forum
You should join some public speaking classes for expert advice and practical tips. These classes help you overcome your fear and help build confidence by providing right exposure. You meet people with similar interests and it makes your more comfortable. At PEP TALK, we endeavor to offer right kind of atmosphere where learner would be encouraged to take up challenge of public speaking in step-by-step manner. This incremental learning goes a long way in boosting confidence and capability to speak publicly.
Keep visiting links below to explore more, learn more.
