How to Speak in Public

Many people are afraid of public speaking.  They think they’ll do bad or that the crowd will be a bunch of mean spirited critics.  That’s ok, we all have our fears.  There are some things you can do to ease your fears of public speaking.  Before you know it, you’ll be standing tall and proud and reading off any old thing, from the Gettysburg Address to the local phone book.  Put aside your fears and ready yourself, because these tips are going to help blow the listeners out of the water.

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1.  Slow Ride

Take it slow.  Slow down.  Breathe and take your time.  Think about slow jams.  One of the absolute biggest truths about public speaking is that there’s no rush.  You might feel nervous and tr to shoot through what you have to say, but that just means you’re more likely to make mistakes and jumble up.  The audience is sensing time differently from you.  You’re leading them, so set the tempo.  Control your pacing and you’ll control how you feel on the inside.

2. Loud/Proud

Put conviction behind what you say.  Make sure you’re saying it like you mean it.  Add projection to your voice so that you can be heard.  After all, you’re trying to get a message across.  You can’t just whisper into nothing, you need to be saying something aloud.  Once you start to put more weight behind your voice, that momentum will carry you into success.  Find your timbre and let it come from inside you, not just a panicked exhalation.  You can do it.

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3.  Prep

Don’t go in unprepared.  Make sure to know your material, at least a little bit.  Timing, pacing, emphasis, all of those things are important when delivering a speech to an eager public.  You can’t simply just spout of words and hope they land.  You need a bit of a plan and foreknowledge of what’s going on.  There’s no shame in having some notes with you, or practicing ahead of time.  You just need to be ready, and not fly in blind.  You need to get ready.

4.  On Notice

When doing any sort of public speaking, read your audience.  It’s very important to play off of their reactions when publicly speaking.  If you take advantage of what they’re feeling, your words stand a bigger chance of making an impact.  You can add pauses or emphasis depending on what’s hitting them the hardest.  Reading the audience is a valuable skill that you must acquire.  Success depends on gauging their reactions so that you can succeed.  Make sure they hear you.