6 Simple Tips to Improve Your Speaking Skills
Public speaking has always been an important part of business. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, a salesperson or a member of the mailroom, speaking confidently to a room full of people can prove invaluable to helping your career or your business.
Good public speaking is considered an art form. Mastering an art form takes tons of practice. Getting the opportunity to speak in front of small, informal groups will aid you greatly when the opportunity arises to speak in front of larger, more formal groups. In addition to taking steps to improve your confidence, there are other things you can do for yourself and your audience that will make you a more effective speaker. Follow these steps to become the highlight of any conference, training session or board meeting.
1. Imitation Is the Greatest Form of Flattery
You have undoubtedly been witness to many different public presentations in your lifetime. From religious gatherings to homeowner’s association meetings, there are opportunities to observe and participate in public speaking all around you. Often the best way to get better at something is to find a person you admire and emulate their style. If you like a particularly famous public speaker, such as Tony Robbins or the late Steve Jobs, you can search YouTube and other sites for videos of their speeches. In fact, with a little research, you may even find some resources that break down their presentations and show you why they are effective. Note their posture, gestures, facial expressions and use of audio-visual materials. What characteristics do you want to adopt? Which do you feel won’t work for you and your style?
While it’s useful to watch others in order to pick up tips and tricks, keep in mind that your public speaking style should also be unique to you. The goal is not to copy someone gesture for gesture, but to find the techniques that work for you and can be naturally adapted to your style.
2. Keep It Moving
Luckily, it is mostly considered passé to stand behind a podium when delivering a speech in modern society. And this is really for the best. Standing in one place while delivering your presentation can bore both your audience and yourself. If possible, throughout your address, move around the stage or in the front of the room. You don’t want to move so much that it becomes a distraction, but you do want to keep the blood pumping and your energy up. This energy will transfer to the crowd and encourage a higher level of engagement among your audience.
3. Conduct a Meet-and-Greet
Become familiar with your audience and gain a few allies by meeting as many attendees as possible. Even just a few handshakes and shared pleasantries will help you to feel a bit more at ease with the audience when you’re addressing them later. You may even be able to designate one as a “friendly face” and use that person as a touchpoint throughout the presentation, especially if you start to feel nervous.
4. Repetition Wins the Day
To help your audience better understand and remember your presentation, use clear repetitive markers throughout. Most public speakers will tell you that the best way to structure a presentation is to tell the audience what you’re going to tell them, what you just told them, and then repeat what you told them at the conclusion. While it may seem as if this is talking in circles, it is sound advice for public speaking because it gives the audience three opportunities to hear your message and digest your point of view.
Remember that many people learn and retain information differently. While auditory learners may have an easier time absorbing a completely oral presentation, visual and experiential learners will find it easier to follow through this repetition.
5. Simplicity Is a Noble Pursuit
Just as you want to repeat your message, you also want to keep your message simple. You don’t want to dumb it down and risk being condescending to your audience, but you do want to keep your visuals and key points easy to understand. Avoid using big or overly complicated words that might confuse people. Break down big concepts into easy-to-digest bites. When preparing your presentation, think like an audience member.
Even better, show your presentation to a friend, colleague or family member who may not be familiar with the subject matter, and ask them to summarize it for you. Note the questions they ask, the moments they are confused and if they were able to interpret your overall message. This type of information is invaluable when putting the final touches on your presentation.
6. Think Like One of the Brothers Grimm
Telling people a story is often the best way to convey and teach difficult concepts. Any child can recite countless fables and fairy tales, and for good reason; each of these stories has something to teach kids about the world around them and ways to handle difficult situations. By placing the message into a story or a series of stories with characters, action and a plot, it’s easier to remember and recite. In the same vein, do not crowd a presentation with numbers and statistics. Instead, put them in context so the human brain can understand them.
Adopt this technique for your own presentations. Use relevant anecdotes liberally throughout your talk. Not only will it be easier for people to understand your point, but it will breed a level of familiarity among you and your audience, which will encourage them to stay engaged. It also helps to ensure that your message endures long past your presentation.
Lastly, remember that it’s completely normal to be scared of public speaking. Getting up in front of people to present a point or teach a lesson is intimidating. However, by adopting the tips above and remembering to practice as much as you can, you can turn fear into accomplishment.
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