Let me talk about a very important word- “Glossophobia”, a very common phobia characterized by a strong fear of public speaking. Mostly we all have this fear. Individuals with glossophobia may avoid speaking in public, as they typically experience fear and anxiety when speaking in front of a group of people. And this phobia can be cured with only one method by facing it. You have to face it to cure it.
Perhaps you’ve come here because, like many people, you also find public speaking intimidating, but in my opinion, it’s a skill you can improve with little guidance and practice. And I know you would like to improve your situation, then this article will surely help you be a great public speaker, and it will offer a wealth of top suggestions that will teach you how to be an efficient public speaking expert. Come and Take a look and discover these strategies!
1. Love Your Subject
The first and foremost important thing is that you love what you are going to talk about. In order to help you learn to speak before other people, select a subject confidently you have a good understanding and command to talk about. Any subject you love will help you to reduce the pressure from you. Now think a little different about your subject and add a few tidbits of knowledge that are not widely discussed so that your listeners are entertained. Also, Always use the manner of conversation to keep you at peace and calm. Don’t be in a hurry to complete the talk but move at a steady pace. Let the audience perceive the idea you are talking about. Make them hooked with your concept and new perspective of the subject.
2. Making Notes About the Subject
Some people start making notes without reading anything about their subject. It’s not a good idea to begin. Follow the simple rules- First, read about your subject, Watch other people talk on the subject, take a note from their thoughts, read about the issue intending to talk about it. Make a mind map. And Put all the details about the subject. And then Insert your ideas and perspective about the topic. Make it simple and unique. And then Start making notes. Make it short and crisp. Never write a lot of things on the brief notes. Use index cards and use them whenever you need them. Some people write their notes to speak in public with tablets or other devices, but it’s not the best option. Murphy’s law will hit and result in an unresponsive battery, stolen device, or any other calamity. Make sure you note your thoughts on index cards, and for extra safety reasons saving them on your smartphone will be a good idea.
3. Show Them Confidence.
I think the most crucial step of public speaking shows that you are confident enough to stand in front of those people and make them believe that you have the authority to be there, and you will provide them with a new perspective about the subject. For this, you can follow these steps,-
- Always overdress for the occasion and wear what makes you comfortable
- Groom yourself and wear a lovely soft perfume
- Wear nice shoes, polish them
- Enter into the room and look at people, not anywhere else
- Communicate with your eyes before speaking.
- Make a straight posture as you are to judge them.
- Don’t fold your hand or put them in the pocket, Open them
- Look a the audience, Don’t speak until they stop talking
By applying these methods, you will show them confidence. So, It is crucial to project an impression of faith when you give the speech. So, don’t look at the ceiling, floor or your notes as often during the presentation. Instead, focus on the eye of those watching your speech. They will see you’re not just confident, but also that you’ve prepared yourself in addition.
4. It’s Ok to Be Nervous.
It’s normal to be nervous before giving the public speaking. But, regardless of how anxious you are, you should not let the audience be aware of it. Make them(audience) believe that you are the most confident person in the room. You have the authority there. Even when you are feeling scared, they also show them that you are ok and prepared well. Here are some tips you can follow:
- Take a deep breath before entering the room.
- Make a standing posture and look into the eyes of the people
- When you speak, always keep a smile on your face
- Bring your water bottle in the room and when you feel nervous, take a sip of water
- Move around some times
- Ask a simple and hypothetical question
- Share your life incident, and it will make you calm and confidence
- If you are feeling anxious, think about speaking to someone you’ve known.
- These will ease your anxiety and help you successfully deliver your speech.
5. Ask for Help from Others
When you are going to learn public speaking, then you have to take help. Today we have plenty of free and paid resources. Use them according to your convenience. I will recommend Utilize YouTube to see and follow the top public speakers. There are numerous youtube channels where you can learn the skill. Watch famous how famous people speak. Imitate them in front of the long mirror. Follow their actions and try to absorb their way of saying. You should not just be watching for their content, but, also their style and manner of speaking. Be attentive to the most famous moments and copy these actions sparingly to get the desired effects. Listen to speeches by your top presidents and other leaders across different fields and see how they speak. Learn from them. And numerous videos date back many decades. Watch them also. Find out your style and make every day a slight improvement.
6. Focus on Your Audience
This happens a lot with everyone when you are in a room full of people, and often people focus on only front-row people, Don’t do that. For you, all the people are essential. Please do not engage in a lengthy conversation with someone simply because they’re sitting in the rows in front. When you speak publicly, the entire room must be equally crucial to your message. Be sure that every person present in the room is aware of what is being said. This way, you will convey your idea to all the people equally, and your audience will feel also be part of your ideas. Bring all the people into your conversation.
7. Practice Daily
When you are going to speak at some place, then Rehearse your presentation daily. This can make you an expert on your subject and increase your confidence. And this will boost your confidence and make you believe that you know about your topic and can do it. Daily practice will allow you to correct all the mistakes you are making in the process After you’ve memorized your speech. Then practice it in front of some people whom you know and then ask their opinion. Nobody lives the criticism but listens to them carefully, understand it, and correct it. When you go to the room, make sure to bring your notes along when you stand on the stage. This lets you glance over your notes if you happen to lose what you intended to say in the future.
8. Keep It in A Light Mood.
A lot of people begin their speeches by using a joke to attract the attention of the audience. This is a good strategy, But you have to keep this in mind when deciding what you’ll say. If you plan to make a joke, make sure it is professional and relevant to your subject. Practice it many times and insert the mark at the right place and then laugh with the audience. Otherwise, it can cause unease in the mood of the audience. And maybe you disaffected certain people. So keep this in your mind when you include a joke in your talk.
9. Use Commendable Voice
When you are learning to be a public speaker, make sure to work on your voice. You can not change your voice, but you can make it better and have more control over your voice by practice. A clear, strong voice is essential when speaking to large audiences. Be sure to have a bottle of water at hand when you talk to your crowd. If you’re planning to make a public appearance, be sure to stay clear of soda and dairy drinks on the day. These fluids can create mucously and make saliva thicker. A cup of warm tea before the speech can relax tight vocal cords.
10. Dress Accordingly
When you are learning, How to be a public speaker, then keep this in your mind. You have to dress appropriately and make sure your clothes are well-ironed Because you don’t need designer clothes for every talk. You should wear formal attire. Formal clothes provide a sense of professionalism in the eye of the audience. But most importantly clothes must be comfortable.
11. Find Some Humour
Unexpected things can happen at any time and in any situation. You can not anticipate them in advance. They can create a massive problem for you, So you have to find some humor when the case doesn’t go as you had planned. There are many factors to consider when speaking in public, meaning that there are plenty of opportunities for things to fail. The projector or microphone may not function, there could be a power outage, or someone could be in a problem in the room within the course of your speech. Take it with a smile. If you take things too seriously, it could cause you to have an outburst, so you should be jolly and laugh at any problems arising. When your audience sees your happy smile at the problem, they will also enjoy this with you. And you can make it enjoyable.
12. Flow Like Water.
When talking to a diverse group of people, you have to remember that sometimes they already have the question in their mind, So Don’t force people to wait for a response. Allow them to ask questions throughout your conversation. Sometimes They might forget the question they are looking to ask. If you allow them to ask questions throughout your presentation, They will be more appreciative of you. And you can engage them in the conversation. That’s why you will be more confident in your presentation.
13. Don’t Make Things Up.
When you are confident and are best at what you do, there are very few chances you will make mistakes. But when you are starting, then you are bound to make mistakes. Don’t even consider making it up as you go along. This is not a good option regardless of your knowledge or your passion regarding the subject. Now people are aware of the topics, and they have different tools to check in real-time that you are making up things, and it’s not a good thing for your reputation and respect. Now at the time of the internet age, you will be viral. You could manage to avoid a sloppy mistake. If you’ve done it, you’ll probably regret the essential things you did not be discussing.
14. Be There Before Time.
If you’re planning to deliver a speech, always be at the venue at least an hour before the scheduled time. This allows you to prepare for your speech, practice, and maybe unwind a bit. Be familiar with the environment and, if possible, have a look at the stage and people. Look around and see if there is a place where you can vent out all your worries. Give yourself a calm posture and talk to people about something interesting. Arrange your things in order and take a look at your notes. If you hurry in just a few minutes before the speech, you may be unable to plan your speech.
15. Know Your Audience
Before you prepare your speech, Know your audience and tailor your speech according to the audience. If you’re talking to kids, you will be using a different vocab, and you’ll be using a different tone, and if you speak to a large group of executives, you have to use a different technique and temperament. Conducting some studies about the audience you will be speaking to can assist you in determining an appropriate message and tone for your talk. The audience is the critical factor of any public speaking meeting. Sometimes you have to learn some particular words or phrases to speak to a different group of people or some local slang to engage your speech. But don’t force this process to make you vulnerable to unseen situations.
16. Focus on Your Goal
Ask this question to yourself- What is the purpose of your speech? Consider the goal that you are addressing with your talk. Are you trying to convince somebody? Are you trying to entertain? Or Any other goal you have in your mind. Maybe you’re trying to inform your audience. Keep your plan in your mind; that’s how you will deliver your speech excellently. Be sure that each sentence that you make in your talk is directed towards this end goal.
17. Be Aware of Your Surrounding.
Before giving the main speech:
- Try to go to the venue and make sure you should be aware of the surroundings where you will be speaking.
- Make sure you arrive early so you can walk around the area and set up and test the equipment you’re using.
- Try using audio-visual aids to ensure that you are familiar with how they function and are working correctly.
This can help you avoid embarrassing problems with the equipment and leaves you with confidence in yourself.
18. End Your Speech with A Dynamic Approach
Imagine you have delivered your speech perfectly, and your audience is also hooked with your talk, but you abruptly concluded your address. It will leave your audience in shock, and your speech will lose its effect on the audience. So you also prepare for the ending of the speech well, and it should make the audience feel good about the whole talk. All it takes is perseverance and a sense of humor, But now you have some excellent advice that professional speakers employ to follow. Be sure to study everything you read and then take the time to practice in the streets! You’re now aware of the various techniques individuals employ to become better at public speaking.
When you look at some people, are extraordinary on the stage, but people like us cannot speak in front of a large gathering. Sometimes you see people on the internet and think they are the best and how can you be like them. Then you have to remember this everyone, in the beginning, is a student. Public speaking is a skill, and it can be learned with hard work. Anything is possible. Look at TED Talk videos. All the people who speak at TED talks are ordinary, and most people haven’t learned public speaking, but one thing that keeps them apart is ” They love what they do”, And that’s the critical part. Take help. Read a lot of books. Learn about your subject, gather all the information related to it, arrange it properly, practice it in front of some people, and keep doing the same thing again and again. Enrich your vocab. And then you are ready to be an excellent public speaker.
At last, these methods will provide a guide book what you should do and how you should do it. And if you practice these steps daily, then Soon you will be unstable.