Public speaking can be a very intimidating thing to many individuals. For a lot of people, just the thought of having to talk in front of a group of people makes them begin to cower in fear. There are many different words of wisdom friends, family, or co-workers have to offer. I can give you 10 tips you can use when its your turn to do some public speaking.
1–Clean Look
No matter if its a business meeting or just speaking at a podium, you want to look presentable. Taking the time to make sure you can look your best will also make you focused and calm for your public speaking event. The more professional you look the more professional you will feel and speak as well.
2–Research your topic
Take the time to educate yourself on the topic you will be discussing. If you feel really confident with your knowledge on the subject you are speaking on, then you are preparing yourself for any questions the audience might have.
3–Personalize
Fashion consultant Tim Gunn on the reality television show Project Runway is known for the saying “Talk to me”. Keep this saying in mind, a good way to break the ice is to interact with the audience. You can add some personalization to your topic by sharing a personal story and having it relating to your topic. Another good way is to add some humor to your speech to lighten the mood as well.
4–Practice, practice, practice
Tim Gunn usually tells the designers on Project Runway “Make it work”, apply this to your speech lay out. Practice saying your speech aloud so you can hear how it will sound to your audience, make edits and switch sentences around if needed, make it work so it sounds smooth and natural.
5–Pace yourself
What tends to happen when people get nervous is that their speech starts to speed up. Pace yourself on your speech, you want your audience to be able to understand your message to them, if you are talking to fast they will not be able to hear or understand your message. Just stay calm and pace yourself and your audience will get a clear understanding of your words.
About the Author
I like to watch project runway online for free at http://www.watch-project-runway.com