By Alicia Prince
Study your Topic
The better you know the subject you’re
talking about, the less likely you’ll be to
stumble when the big day comes. If
possible, pick a topic you know a lot about
or are interested in, so you start off
confident in your knowledge. If you can’t
pick your topic, don’t despair. Research the
topic you’re going to speak on, especially
points you’re not too familiar with.
Thoroughly knowing your material will help
you speak with authority. It will also help
boost your confidence before, and while you
speak.
Practise.
Now that you know your subject inside and
out, practice your speech as often as
possible. Practice in front of the mirror or
with a few friends, whichever you’re
comfortable with. Practice will help you
gauge how long your speech is, and where
changes may need to be made. Plus,
practicing out loud a few times will help you
feel familiar with your speech the day of the
event. Growing comfortable with your
speech is essential if you’d like to eliminate
“um”s, “like”s and other distracting pauses.
Know your audience
When in the practice stage, it’s a good idea
to consider who your audience is. Are you
speaking to young kids with short attention
spans, or an older crowd that appreciates
direct, solemn communication? If you’ve
taken time to craft your speech specifically
to your audience , you’ll feel less out of
place when you go to address the crowd.
Make friends
Try and mingle with the audience before the
event starts. By shaking hands and chatting
with the audience first, you’ll feel a bit more
at home when you need to stand at the
front. If, like most of us, you get nervous
when speaking in public, a warm, familiar
smile from audience members can make all
the difference. Especially if you’re speaking
to strangers, you’ll have some familiar faces to focus on while your talking.
Get comfortable
Another way to lessen pre-speech jitters is to arrive early. Familiarize yourself with the space, and make sure you test any AV or visual aid equipment. Not only will you be
less likely to run into technical difficulties mid-speech, you’ll also get another chance to practice your material once or twice.
Be welcoming
Start your speech with a warm welcome to
the audience, and possibly a quick joke or
story . By starting out with a few colloquial
items, you’ll have a minute to adjust to your position and calm your nerves a bit. Additionally, we all seem most relaxed when
discussing something in a conversational matter, allowing you an opportunity to take
control of your speech. Plus, by grabbing the audiences attention first, you can help the audience warm up to you.
Visualize
Though it may seem silly, visualization is a
technique used by successful people around
the world – from business moguls to athletes. Visualize yourself giving the best, most rousing version of your speech to help
you feel confident during your address. Not only does this help nerves, it’s another way to practice and reinforce your material in your head.
Relax
Relaxation techniques are a must before going on, even if you’re a seasoned public speaker. No one likes watching someone who seems uncomfortable, even if what they’re saying is useful. Deep breathing techniques, a cup of tea, or a short walk can
all go along way towards making you look like a natural.
Exude confidence
Finally, even if your stomach is in knots and your knees are shaking, try to project confidence during your speech. Use appropriate eye contact, project your voice,
and gesture normally to appear relaxed.
Even if you feel out of place, approaching your topic with confidence will maximize the
audiences desire to pay attention. If there's a glitch with the equipment or you misspeak, laugh it off and keep going. The
audience will be less likely to focus on imperfections if you ignore them too.
Source: lifehack.org
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