Sunday, October 11, 2009

Three Public Speaking Tips For The Nervous Speaker

Nothing strikes fear into the hearts of many great people than having to give a presentation or speech in front of a crowd, no matter the size of the audience. Taking the time to learn some public speaking tips can go a long way when it comes to calming the nerves of somebody who is about to speak in front of a group of people. This article will cover three simple things you can do to prepare for your public speaking engagement and ensure that your speech is a crowd pleaser.

A sure fire way to guarantee success when speaking publicly is to only give speeches on topics that you are familiar with. You should know more about the topic that you are going to speak about than the actual amount of information you will share with your audience. Furthermore, the topic should ideally be something that you not only know about in depth, but you need to be sincerely interested in the topic. Your enhanced knowledge and passion for the topic will convey sincerity and excitement about the topic to your audience and keep your audience engaged.

As silly and as difficult as this may sound, practice your speech as often as you can. Hearing yourself speak out loud can be awkward but the simple act of practicing your speech will help you avoid potential stumbles when you give your speech live. Be sure to also focus on your breathing and limiting as many "hmms" as you can from your speech. Practicing your speech over and over will help to make sure that your live presentation goes as smoothly as possible.

Finally, use movement when giving your speech. Avoid sitting or standing in a single place while speaking. Staying in a single position while speaking can make it more difficult for your audience to maintain interest. Move around, use hand movements, and use voice inflections to keep your audience engaged in what you are speaking about. It is even advisable to create audience participation if the topic or atmosphere warrant it.

If you follow these three public speaking tips, you are sure to be viewed as a great public speaker to your audience. Know your topic inside out, practice out loud before your public speaking date, and move around and use voice inflections when speaking to your audience. No longer will you have to let public speaking strike fear into your heart when somebody asks you to give a speech to a small or large audience.