4 Tips to Excel at Public Speaking
Public speaking is something that’s sure to be tackled in any effective communication course. If it’s something that scares you to willies, don’t be embarrassed about it. Many people are terrified of speaking in front of a crowd of people. Even the best speakers today confess to feeling jitters when they have to make speeches in public. If you’re made to undergo a course on how to communicate effectively, it’s likely that you’re required to at least make presentations in front of people at work. Picking up speaking skills will come in handy during such situations. Facing a group of people can be difficult, but all it takes is some practice, perhaps taking a course from OpenSesame.com, and a lot of sucking it up to speak in public effectively.
1. Read to yourself, out loud
If you need to make a presentation in front of fellow employees and your boss or manager, read your presentation material out loud to yourself before the big day. Better yet, record your voice using a headset microphone on your computer and listen to how you sound like. Listen to yourself and make corrections on mistakes that you make, such as mumbling, frequent pauses, stammering and more. Doing so allows your presentation to be more powerful and effective.
2. Try your hand at acting
Silly as it may sound, acting actually works wonders for your public speaking woes. Acting helps you conquer your fear of being in front of a crowd, as you immerse yourself in a character’s lines and mind. You don’t have to enroll in an acting class or anything like that. How about acting out a favorite movie scene of yours? Mimic everything, from the actor or actress’ accents, movement and facial expressions. You’re not out to win awards here, so don’t worry if you’re not too good an actor. For now, your goal is to loosen up in front of an audience.
3. Be confident
Self-confidence is something that’s hard to develop on your own. If you have issues with it, then find ways to build it up. Often times, all it takes to be confident is to act like you are. Smile, crack jokes and act like you’re having fun. Not only will you feel better, your crowd will be put at ease too.
4. Talk about something you know about
If it’s a report, then know all you could about it. Know all the facts you’re presenting, anticipate any questions that may come up, and know any figures you may cite. If you’re tasked to make a presentation, study it over and over again until you know it by heart. This is the key to a great presentation, when you’re not just reading but actually reciting from your own knowledge.
