Tips for Effective Public Speaking

Answer 1

There are many people who fear public speaking. If you're one of them, know that this is completely normal. However, you should also know that there are many ways to get over your fear and deliver clear, engaging presentations. Here are some tips for organizing and giving good public speeches. If you are well organized before stepping up to the microphone, you are more likely to feel confident and deliver a good speech. This positive experience will do wonders for calming your fears related to public speaking in the future.

• Think about the “arc” of your speech. What points do you want to cover during your speech? Where do you want to end up at the end of it? Having a general idea of the answers to these questions will help your shape your speech into an arc (opening/introduction, main points and supporting evidence/anecdotes, conclusion/lesson) that will be engaging to your readers.
• Develop a strong opening. Most listeners make up their mind about the quality of a speaker within the first minute of listening to him or her. This is your chance to “wow” them and make them want to listen to the rest of what you have to say. Some public speakers find quotes from famous people or short personal anecdotes effective for drawing in listeners.
• Stay on point. We've all listened to speeches that seem to wander all over the place, never really getting to the point of what we thought it was going to be about. It's your job as a speaker to guide your listeners through your speech by remaining clear and keeping your evidence and anecdotes relevant to your main points.
• Craft a compelling conclusion. If your introduction is what draws in your listeners, your conclusion is what lingers with them long after the speech is over. Effective conclusions briefly recap what was said during the speech and end with some sort of overall observation or lesson. Many public speakers I know spend the majority of their time preparing their introductions and conclusions, since these are what tend to stick with the listeners.
• Consider your body language during your speech. Your movements, from the way you approach the microphone to the way you stand while you are delivering your speech, will influence the way audiences hear what you are saying. Approach the microphone confidently (even if you're nervous!), keeping your shoulders rolled back and your back straight. During your speech, look out into the crowd (don't stare at your notes the entire time). If appropriate, smile at your audience and try to connect with them as people.