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10 Tips for Successful Public Speaking
1.
Know the room.
Be familiar with the place in which you will speak. Arrive early, walk
around the speaking area and practice using the microphone and any visual
aids.
2.
Know the audience.
Greet some of the audience as they arrive. It's easier to speak to a group
of friends than to a group of strangers.
3.
Know your material.
If you're not familiar with your material or are uncomfortable with it,
your nervousness will increase. Practice your speech and revise it if
necessary.
4.
Relax.
Ease tension by doing exercises.
5.
Visualize yourself giving your speech.
Imagine yourself speaking, your voice loud, clear, and assured. When you
visualize yourself as successful, you will be successful.
6.
Realize that people want you to succeed.
Audiences want you to be interesting, stimulating, informative, and
entertaining. They don't want you to fail.
7.
Don't apologize.
If you mention your nervousness or apologize for any problems you think
you have with your speech, you may be calling the audience's attention to
something they hadn't noticed. Keep silent.
8.
Concentrate on the message — not the medium.
Focus your attention away from your own anxieties, and outwardly toward
your message and your audience. Your nervousness will dissipate.
9.
Turn nervousness into positive energy.
Harness your nervous energy and transform it into vitality and
enthusiasm.
10.
Gain experience.
Experience builds confidence, which is the key to effective speaking. A
Toastmasters club can provide the experience you need.
This article was reprinted with permission from Toastmasters
International, Inc., Rancho Santa Margarita, California, U.S.A. As the
editor of Writing That Works newsletter, let me personally
encourage you to investigate Toastmasters Int’l. This organization is an excellent
opportunity to increase your confidence and effectiveness in speaking
publicly. You can find out more at
www.toastmasters.org.
And remember, when your words must count, count on WriteWorks. We
lend your speech a natural quality through artfully chosen words, aiding
you in comfortable delivery. We can add humor, emotion, anecdotes,
poignant quotes, and compelling analogies to make your speech involving
and memorable. Contact
us for more information.
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