“Public speaking is the art of diluting a two-minute idea with a two-hour vocabulary.” – Evan Esar
At some or other point in our lives, we’re likely to be called upon to make a speech, be it for a family wedding or a presentation at work. While maintaining a degree of spontaneity is crucial, winging the whole thing is probably not the best option. Instead, taking the time to prepare something solid can leave a memorable impression for years to come.
Two great resources on the subject are Alan Barker’s Improve Your Communication Skills as well as Dale Carnegie’s The Quick and Easy Way to Effective Speaking. Ultimately, it comes down to these things:
Research the audience. Knowing who you’ll be addressing allows you to use an appropriate style. That way, you’re more likely to connect with the specific group by using words and jargon they’ll understand. It also allows you to pick a topic they’ll be interested in hearing you speak about. That’s a must. What you have to say has to somehow tie into helping them solve a problem or achieve a goal. There has to be some sort of emotional connection or else the whole thing will turn into a bore.
Pick a topic. The best topics are obviously those you can be passionate about. We’ve all got a host of valuable struggles and successes from childhood, schooling, work, relationships, hobbies, and more. You’re bound to find something interesting. If not, try browsing through newspapers, magazines, websites, or simply listening to what other people have to say about their lives in the world today. The most important part is finding a simple topic you’re prepared to share passionately and defend if need be.
“No one qualification is so likely to make a good writer as the power of rejecting his own thoughts.” – Alexander Pope
Know your outcome. Every speech needs to have a brief and specific objective. Knowing what you hope to achieve and/or what action you want the audience to take acts as a starting point. It also allows you to organize your thoughts, limit the subject, and prevent talking about too many things. You’ve got to pick the most important points you want to make and talk about them one at a time.
Tell a story. The first draft should be done quickly with editing done a few days later. Grab their attention and arouse their suspense right from the start. Use vivid images to illustrate the points you want to get across. Make the audience feel what you felt when the experience you’re describing happened to you. Take them back in time and let them relate to your story. Make sure each one of your points leaps out and is supported with concrete examples. The more detailed and dramatic you can make it, the better. They’re far more likely to remember something personal that something detached.
“Talk low, talk slow, and don’t talk too much.” – John Wayne
Relax. Even professional speakers get nervous when it comes to public speaking. It’s been ranked as a fear higher than death! So remember that you’re not alone. Also remember that a certain amount of stage fright is useful. It shows you care about what you have to say. In addition to focusing on deep breathing and relaxation techniques, the best way to deal with stage fright is by practicing with family or friends. Get accustomed to what you’ll be exposed to, perhaps at the actual venue if you can manage to make that work.
Enjoy. You’ve got to have fun. Regular pep-talks leading up to the big day can be a big help and keep your mind off negative stimuli that may upset you. Be confident. Act as though the audience has begged and pleaded for you to be there in the first place. Know that they want to hear you talk. This allows you to open up and present yourself. While delivering the speech, make eye contact with people throughout the room or talk just over their heads if you prefer. Speak slowly and let your voice resonate. Most importantly, be yourself. Come alive by reliving the experience instead of simply reading from notes or reciting a memorized speech. Keep the passion and spontaneity alive. That’s what they’ll remember for sure.
About the author: this is a guest post by Eugene Yiga of Varsity Blah. To download your completely free copy of the South African or International edition of Work in Progress, right-click and save the relevant link. Then open, enjoy, and repeat as needed.
I would encourage people to avoid killing their audience with bulleted PowerPoint presentations. We’ve all seen enough of these to last a lifetime!
Find out what interests your audience and talk to them about that. Forget about everything else that you think is important.
A good presentation takes a lot of preparation. Whipping something together at the last minute is a trap to avoid.
I joined toastmasters to practice public speaking a year ago. It takes a lot of getting used to it to relax in front of a room full of people.
I think it is important to get to the feeling of the audience. You can make logically perfect speech with beautiful audiovisual, but if it doesn’t reach to the heart of the audience, they don’t remember. And in order to get to their heart, I (the speaker) need to open up.
I’ve always been one of the shyest people around but discovered that I had a gift for public speaking when I won a competition in high school (that I was forced to participate in… if it had been optional, I wouldn’t have even tried). I then went on to win regionally and ultimately placed first in a state public speaking competition.
The key to my success?
Although I can be chronically shy at times, I happen to be very good at judging an audience and preparing accordingly. I’m always extremely nervous right before I get up to speak in any situation. But if I’m prepared, as soon as I start talking I forget my nerves and start having fun.
If I can be a good public speaker… ANYONE can. The key is to PREPARE.
People who excel in public speaking tend to do better in life compared to those who shy from public speaking. Definitely a great skill to have and I recommend that having a coach in public speaking will help greatly.
Cheers
Vincent
Personal Development Blogger
Who do you recommend to teach public speaking? I am looking for someone that can coach me to become an effective speaker. I do not want to waste time in taking courses in college. It would not give me enough substance to learn how to speak in public.
You’ve been knacked. Keep up the good work.
[...] (For more resources and tips, download your free copy of “Work in Progress” exclusively from http://www.varsityblah.com/about and click here for more) [...]
Yes, do your research, take the time to prepare and make room for any changes. Have a positive attitude that all will go well and most important believe in yourself.
My top tips….
* part of public speaking is entertainment (and it doesn’t matter how serious the topic)
* learn to use humor (we remember best what we find important and what we find funny)
* if your speech is scheduled for 30 minutes, speak for 20
Tell a story. What a great way to teach and get a message across to your audience.
I don’t public speak, but I do use stories in my writing and it seems to be such a powerful way to engage an audience.
Thanks for the great comments! Much appreciated. Here’s another article I think you might enjoy:
http://varsityblah.com/can-you-hear-me-now/
My public speaking experience began in 4-H
Seriously, I don’t understand why the 4-H system hasn’t been the launching pad of more US presidents…oh, that’s right rural voters are like 2% of the population
[...] Don’t use the conversation to show off how knowledgeable you are about things nobody might even care about. And don’t use it as a chance to complain about other people or your problems. In other words, don’t talk for the sake of talking. If you don’t have anything good to say, you’re better off not speaking at all. [...]