7 Tips for Public Speaking
We’ve all been there. Knees shaking, heart thumping, hands sweating... The nerves of having to speak in front of a group of people can be overbearing. Even experienced professionals can still get nervous before a speech. It’s normal!
But here are some simple tips to keep in mind before your next presentation.
Photo by Volodymyr Hryshchenko on Unsplash
Before you speak...
1. Know Your Audience
Just like in everything you do, it’s important to know why you’re doing what you’re doing. Each speech will sound and look different depending on the purpose of the speech and who is listening. The last thing you want to do is talk about things your audience already knows. The speech you’re going to give about climate change to a group of middle schoolers will look different to the one you’ll give to a group of scientists.
Here’s some questions to consider:
Why are you giving this speech?
What are you trying to accomplish?
Who is in the room listening?
What are their qualifications?
Why are they there?
2. Have a Plan & Structure
You don’t have to write out your speech word for word, in fact, you shouldn’t. But you can and should plan out what you are going to say. Just like in an essay, it’s important to have a central message and to keep coming back to it during your speech.
It’s a lot more difficult for people to retain information simply by hearing it. So if your speech does not have structure, it’s more likely that your audience will not be able to follow what you’re saying or even remember it. So think of it like an essay: have a central message, provide evidence and examples, and always circle back to your central message.
Depending on the type of speech you’re giving, here are some ways you can organize your information:
Chronological
Great for presenting timelines, like history or the growth of a company.
Logical or Topical
Great for when you have many ideas that are interrelated to each other in a way that flows naturally from one to the next.
Also great for speeches with one main topic and many sub-topics.
Spatial or Geographical
Great for speeches about a particular place: city, building, organization, etc.
Cause-and-Effect
Problem-Solution
Although similar to the cause-and-effect structure, the problem-solution structure is used when the speaker is trying to persuade the audience on the solution they present: an action, a point of view, etc.
3. Practice and Get Feedback
All of us say “uhh” or “umm” when we’re nervous and don’t know what to say next. But they can be distracting for the audience when you’re giving a speech. Practicing will help you get rid of them. Practice saying your speech, not just in your head, but out loud. Say it over and over and over again until you’re comfortable. Practice those difficult words so you don’t stumble over them on your big day. Practice your pacing so you’re not speaking too fast or too slow. Just practice.
And practice in front of others. Give your speech to your friends and family and ask them for feedback. Ask them if your points were clear and if your examples made sense. You can even ask them to video record you so you can be your own audience and pick up on things you may have missed when you’re practicing in the mirror.
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While you’re speaking...
4. Make Eye Contact
Whether you’re on a stage or standing a few feet away from your audience, it’s important to make eye contact. A speech can seem like a one-sided conversation, but the engagement of both speaker and audience is important. Eye contact helps you connect with the audience, as if you’re giving your speech to each person individually. But don’t try to look at every single person and give yourself a headache! Focus on one person for a little bit, and then move on to the next one.
Doing so also helps your audience engage with you. And focusing on your audience can also give you cues on your speech: like their nods or smiles if you’re telling a joke. These small positive cues from your audience can help encourage you during your speech.
5. Incorporate Visual Elements
Slides and presentations are a great way to make your speech more engaging and exciting. Put up visual aid to help you make a point, describe a situation, provide evidence, etc.
Photo by Teemu Paananen on Unsplash
Some examples for visual elements:
Infographics
Pictures and Video
Maps
You can even put your main points of your speech on your slides. But make sure you don’t read off of it or that you overload it with text. You still want your audience to listen to you, not to read or focus on the screen. You are the one speaking: you are the one with the information. Your slides or visual presentations are only there to help you achieve your goal.
6. Use Note Cards
It’s okay to have notes while you’re speaking... as long as you’re not just reading off of them word for word. A speech is like a conversation. To keep your audience engaged in what you’re saying, you need to engage with them too. And that means not burying your face in your notes.
Tips for using note cards
Write clearly and legibly
Use bullet points
Your note cards should be small (not A4 pieces of paper)
Hold your notes with one hand. It leaves your other hand free for hand gestures
Don’t hold them up in front of your face. The audience wants to see your face and your facial expressions!
7. Utilize Silence and Pauses
We often try to rush through our speeches because we’re nervous. We want to get it done as quickly as we can. But you could miss information you wanted to say, and your audience will have a harder time following you if you speak too fast.
Instead, pause. Take a breath before you talk about your next point. It will not only help you calm you down, but it can also help pace your speech. In fact, pauses can help you further emphasize you want to make. These short pauses give time for your audience to really take in what you just said. If you use it right, silence is powerful.
Finally, don’t be so hard on yourself! Everyone makes mistakes. Everyone gets nervous. Just do your best and give yourself a little bit of grace when you trip up.
