Five Tips for Improving Your Public Speaking
For many people the thought of having to speak in public or do a speech for an event fills them with dread and will give them sleepless nights from worrying. Even the most confident people can feel nervous at the prospect of public speaking so if you’ve been asked to do a speech try not to get too anxious about it. We have put together five of our top tips to help you improve your public speaking.
The ability to communicate effectively with an audience is something that is important to many people, especially for those who want to make an impact. Improving your public speaking is something that people pay professionals for and is hard to achieve if you are a generally timid person, but it’s not impossible.
1. Speak confidently from the heart
Despite being nervous if you have been asked to do public speaking then the main thing to remember is to speak confidently and speak from the heart. No matter what the event is, whether it’s a work presentation, a wedding speech or something else the same rules apply and if you ensure that you speak from the heart and with passion, and then your audience will feel engaged with what you have to say.
If it’s a wedding that you have been asked to speak at, we know that they are perhaps one of the most important family events so you’ll want to make sure that your part goes well. If you have been asked to do a speech one of the most important things is to remember to speak from the heart, this will ensure that your words are heartfelt and it will allow the words to come naturally to you.
2. Be prepared
The best way to help with any nerves that you have on the day is to make sure that you write your speech out and practice it before the day. You could do this in the mirror, or practice in front of a friend or family member. The more you practice and learn what you want to say, the more natural it will come across on the day. It’s also a good idea to have some notes with you, to give you a nudge just in case you lose your way.
If you feel confident to do so and it is appropriate, you could add some jokes or humour into your speech. Make sure you know your audience and what will be acceptable with them. If you are taking inspiration from other speeches online then make sure you add your own personality into it so that your guests know it is coming from you and not someone else. Adding in some of your own personality will allow people to engage more with you and what you are saying.
3. Relax and breathe
The most important thing to remember is to try to relax and breathe when you are delivering your speech. Our bodies tense up and our breathing becomes shallow when we feel anxious and nervous, so by taking deep breaths you can help to relax and it will allow you to speak with ease. It will also help you to concentrate and remember your words without getting anxious and forgetting what you have prepared.
4. Speak slowly and confidently
When people are nervous and anxious we tend to speak quicker than we would in everyday life, so it’s good to remember to breathe and speak slowly. If you are speaking to a large room of people it’s easy to speak quickly especially if you are nervous and want to get it over with, but try to relax, smile and take your time. It will allow your words to travel and for people to hear you properly. When you speak slowly it also allows you more time to think and will allow you to remember your speech.
5. Enjoy it
The main thing to remember is that you need to try to relax and enjoy delivering your speech. Despite possibly feeling nervous, just try to remember the reason behind why you are being asked to deliver the speech. If it is for a family event such as a wedding then you will have been asked by a family member to do a speech because you are important to them. Try to remember that everyone gets nervous doing public speaking, even the most confident people. You could look into ways to use the nerves and adrenalin as positive energy.
