Agh- the art of public speaking. You either love it or you hate it.
Either way, here are some helpful hints.
Enjoy
Katie x
Tips for effective speaking
Before
- Pick an outfit you are comfortable in –This will give you one less thing to worry about!
- Consider your audience – If you know our audience you can speak to them in their “language”. This allows you to be more relatable.
- Know your topic – Choose topics that you know about and interest you.
- Practice – as the saying goes practice makes perfect. It also helps you to be prepared..
- Have nervous energy – take a deep breath and smiling before speaking.
During
- Fake it till you make it– If you pretend to feel confident, you may eventually become so.
- Eye contact – It is ok to make eye contact with people in the audience, and slowly move your gaze around the room for a larger audience.
- Mix it up – Vary your tone and pace.
- Act it out – Physically put verbs into action by using your face, hands or whole body, where appropriate.
- Be aware of mannerisms – try to avoid putting your hands in your pockets, excessively nodding your head or saying ‘um’ and ‘ah’.
- Make it personal – Some personal experiences can be easy to talk about, just ensure they’re appropriate in the circumstances.
- Have fun – Consider using appropriate humour to help you feel more comfortable, everyone loves a good laugh.
After
- Reflect – Give yourself a pat on the pack and recognise what you did well and areas you need improvement on, but don’t be too hard on yourself. You can always ask others for constructive feedback.
