subject: Simple Tips to be an Effective Public Speaker [print this page] Simple Tips to be an Effective Public Speaker
While speaking to an audience, doubts may creep into your mind. These almost uncontrollable worries will sometimes ruin your speech and eventually cause you to lose your concentration and confidence at the most critical of moments. One of the questions that seem to frequent a speaker's mind is that if your speech is making your audience feel bored. Honestly, no one wants to see a speaker fail on stage or behind a pulpit. It is the germination of such thoughts in one's mind that often leads to a loss of confidence and eventually a forgettable speaking session. If you ever feel that your speech might be a tad too informative, do think of some ice breakers to lighten the mood. Ice breakers can also help you better engage your audiences and retain or increase their waning' interest in you.
Thus, confidence is the most important emotion for any public speaker. In order to be absolutely effective in public speaking, you must be able to visualize a positive outcome of the actual session and gear your mind towards that mental reality. By doing so, confidence can be built up gradually as your mind simply replays a rehearsed success' on the actual day of your presentation. Nerves will then be soothed and calmness may just ensue.
Another great way to induce confidence is to use humor in your speech. Delivering jokes helps to ease any tension and lighten the mood. However, please do not force yourself to deliver jokes. Sometimes pre-planned jokes can sound a little too scripted but even with scripted jokes, one must be able to deliver them as naturally as possible. Forced humor can be a little awkward at times. Minimizing such pressure inside you is one of the important tips in public speaking.
Our final tip here is on how to prevent a blank-out on stage. One method of ensuring that all parts of your speech remain intact in your memory is to simply imagine that you are telling a story to a group of close friends. It is definitely advisable not to memorize your speech word-for-word but instead seek to understand its essence and key points. Through thorough understanding of your speech, you will still be able to express yourself with different words but will also be able to retain the crucial points of the presentation. Semantic changes are sometimes unavoidable and as long your audiences understand your spoken words, you are in safe hands.
Hence, to be effective in public speaking, adhere to these proven tips in public speaking and in no time, you shall be the king of your own stage.
