10 Ways to Improve Your Public Speaking Skills

Do you ever feel anxious when it comes to speaking in front of a group? Welcome to the club! Public speaking is still one of people's most common fears and can feel paralyzing. But it doesn’t have to be!  Here are ten ways to help improve your public speaking skills and feel confident.

Why is the Fear of Public Speaking so common?

Fear of public speaking can range from feeling slightly uncomfortable to completely terrifying. The root is often concerned with being judged or embarrassed. As we tell our clients, this is 100% natural. 

Throughout human history, criticism from one’s peers carried severe consequences, whether a loss of reputation or even physical danger. Public speaking forces people to step outside their comfort zones, exposing them to potential embarrassment and criticism. Our brains interpret this fear as a threat activating the chemical fight-or-flight response, oftentimes leading to increased heart rate and adrenaline production.

Furthermore, our minds are hardwired to focus on potential adverse outcomes rather than positive ones, which can further exacerbate the feeling of dread associated with speaking.

The Importance of improving your public speaking skills

The importance of improving your public speaking skills cannot be overstated. Being a confident and compelling speaker is crucial in our society, helping you form strong relationships, land job opportunities, build credibility, boost self-confidence, and help you stand out to potential employers or clients. 

Public speaking involves more than just the words you use when delivering a speech. It also includes the non-verbal cues that you give off, such as posture and body language. When delivering a speech or presentation, engaging your audience with informative facts and stories is essential so that they remain attentive throughout your message. Public speaking skills are necessary for anyone in any profession because they allow them to effectively present their ideas and strategies while ensuring they are heard and understood by the entire audience.

Improving these skills will ensure that you make an impact each time you address an audience, leaving them wanting more!

Ten Best Tips For Public Speaking

There are ways to improve your public speaking skills so that you can confidently address any audience. The following tips will help you articulate and stay organized the next time you have a big presentation.

1: Use Straight Talk

Using the straight talk approach, you can deliver a clear, concise, credible, and confident presentation that captivates your audience. Let's break down the key elements of this approach.

Firstly, the 4C's - clear, concise, credible, and confident - should guide you. Your words and body language should be clear and easy to understand. Avoid jargon or complex language that your audience may not be familiar with. Use simple, straight-to-the-point sentences that get your message across succinctly.

Secondly, use headlines, short words, and short sentences to attract your audience. Use bullet points or numbering for clarity. Quick verbal bites of information help you stay on track and help your audience follow along easily.

Thirdly, plan 2-3 main points you want to make during your presentation. Keep them focused and straightforward. When you present too many points, you risk losing your audience's attention, and your message can dilute.

Finally, summarize your main points with engaging anecdotes, stories, and facts. This is where you can add more details and demonstrate your subject matter expertise. These anecdotes and facts will make your presentation more engaging and memorable.

2: Project Leadership

Public speaking is critical for growing into a leadership position. However, it's about more than just speaking well; but is also about emulating the traits of a strong leader.

Think of former US Presidents Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton. They were both known for their commanding presence and charisma. When they walked into a room, everyone knew it. On the other hand, Presidents Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford had different levels of presence and charisma. This is not to say that they were not great leaders in their own right, but rather that their leadership styles differed.

So what does it mean to emulate a strong leader? It means learning to communicate effectively, inspire people to act, and make tough decisions. It also means being confident in your abilities and projecting that to others. A strong leader can unite people and create a shared vision for success.

Public speaking is one of the best ways to develop these leadership skills. It allows you to practice communicating your ideas, connecting with your audience, and persuading them to take action. You can learn how to inspire others and motivate them to achieve their goals through public speaking.

3: Speak with Authority

Speaking with authority is one of the most critical aspects of a successful public speech. It can be difficult to project confidence and conviction, especially if you're nervous or if the topic is one you're not entirely comfortable with. Yet, with the proper techniques and some practice, anyone can learn to speak with authority and command their audience's attention.

One key aspect of speaking with authority is projecting your voice. Speaking from your diaphragm allows you to produce a strong, clear tone that can be heard at the back of the room. This contrasts speaking from your upper chest or throat, which can have a weaker, less authoritative tone. To practice this technique, take a deep breath and push the air out from your diaphragm as you speak. This will help you produce a strong, confident voice that commands attention.

Another effective technique for speaking with authority is repeating your main point. This can be especially helpful if your audience is distracted or your presentation could be more complex. Repeating your main point several times throughout your speech can help ensure that your audience understands and remembers what you're trying to convey. 

Varying the pitch and volume of your voice is another important aspect of speaking with authority. A monotone delivery can be incredibly dull and disengaging for your audience, leaving them feeling like you need to be more invested in your topic. By contrast, varying your pitch and volume can help bring your words to life and make your presentation more engaging. Try practicing speaking in a range of pitches and volumes, and experiment with emphasizing certain words or phrases to see how it affects the impact of your speech.

Finally, short pauses can be a powerful way to emphasize important points and allow your audience to digest and reflect on what you've said. By pausing for a few seconds before a particularly important or impactful statement, you can draw attention to it and help your audience remember it. One example of this technique in action might be saying, "If there's one thing I want you to learn today, it's this," and then pausing for a few seconds before delivering the key takeaway.

4: Eye Contact

When it comes to effective public speaking, maintaining good eye contact is crucial. Not only does it help to establish trust and build rapport with your audience, but it also conveys a sense of confidence, competence, and credibility that can significantly enhance the impact of your message.

Indeed, research has shown that good eye contact is one of the critical factors that can make or break a public speaking engagement. According to a study by the University of Michigan, people who maintain eye contact during a speech are perceived as more persuasive, confident, and trustworthy than those who do not.

So, what exactly does good eye contact entail? For starters, it's important to keep your gaze focused on your audience for more than 60 percent of the time during your speech. This means you should look at your listeners at least six out of every ten seconds.

However, more than staring into space or scanning the room randomly is required. Instead, it would help if you established direct eye contact with individual audience members by looking each person in the eye and holding that contact for a few seconds before moving on to the next person.

Of course, it's essential to balance maintaining good eye contact and avoiding any uncomfortable or awkward staring. You don't want to appear creepy, aggressive, or overbearing in your gaze.

Instead, try to adopt a natural and approachable style of eye contact that conveys warmth and openness. Smile regularly, and use your eyes to express emotions and enthusiasm for your message.

5: Posture

As humans, we communicate not just with our words but also with our body language. When it comes to public speaking, your posture can significantly impact how your audience perceives you. Good posture, in particular, can instantly convey confidence and authority, making you appear more trustworthy and credible.

Maintaining good posture can also have physical and psychological benefits. When you stand tall and straight, you allow your lungs and diaphragm to function optimally, allowing for better breathing. This can help calm your nerves and reduce the amount of adrenaline pumping through your body, leading to a more relaxed and practical speaking experience.

In addition to the physical benefits, good posture can have a positive effect on your mood. Research has shown that standing or sitting up straight can help to boost your confidence, reduce anxiety, and even improve your memory and cognitive performance. Maintaining good posture sends signals to your brain that encourage positivity and alertness, helping you stay focused and engaged throughout your speech.

So, what does good posture look like? When speaking in public, standing tall with your shoulders back and your head held high is essential. Keep your feet shoulder-width apart, distribute your weight evenly, and avoid leaning or slouching. By keeping your body in alignment, you can exude confidence and authority, helping you to communicate your message with clarity and credibility.

6: Head, Arms, and Legs Position

How you present yourself while speaking in public can significantly impact your audience's perception of your message. One crucial aspect to consider is your head, arms, and legs positions. Keeping your head level and straight shows confidence and authority. It also helps you maintain eye contact with the audience, crucial in building trust and engagement.

When it comes to arm movements, it's best to avoid extremes. Fast and erratic movements can be distracting, while slow and barely noticeable movements can make you appear disinterested. Midway arm movements, such as emphasizing key points or making gestures that support your speech, can enhance your message and make your delivery more powerful. However, avoid crossing your arms, which can signal defensiveness or disapproval.

Meanwhile, your legs can also convey a lot to the audience. Too much movement, such as pacing or fidgeting, can make you seem nervous or untrustworthy. On the other hand, standing too still can make you appear stiff or insincere. To strike a balance, slightly bending your knees can help you release some nervous energy and relax your body. This, in turn, can help you breathe better and sound more natural.

Finally, keeping your hands out of your pockets is a small but essential detail. Hiding your hands can project insecurity or lack of engagement. Instead, use your hands to emphasize your points, but don't make them the focus of your presentation.

7: Hand Gestures

Hand gestures have been used for centuries to emphasize important points and convey emotions. They play a crucial role in enhancing the overall impact of a speech. However, it is essential to use them wisely and in a controlled manner.

When it comes to using hand gestures, it is vital to keep in mind that the motions must be open. Closed hands or fists can convey a sense of aggression or defensiveness, negatively impacting the audience's perception. On the other hand, open palms are considered to be more friendly and welcoming.

Additionally, the direction of the palms also matters. Palms down convey dominance and power, which can be helpful in certain situations. However, in most public speaking scenarios, it is advisable to use open-palmed gestures with palms facing up. This conveys a sense of openness and receptiveness, which helps to build a positive rapport with the audience.

Another important aspect of using hand gestures is to keep them concise. Exaggerated or flapping gestures can be distracting and take away from the impact of the speech. It is best to use simple and controlled hand movements to emphasize key points and convey emotions.

8: Visual Aids

One effective method is to use visual aids, which can help engage the audience and convey information in a more memorable way. 

Short, engaging, and relevant videos can be a great addition to a presentation. Videos can provide entertaining, informative, and visually appealing content to enhance the audience's understanding of a topic. It's essential to use videos that relate to the presentation's theme and ensure they are short enough, as they can quickly become distracting or overwhelming.

Props are another visual aid supporting the presentation's theme or providing a tangible example. For example, if the presentation is about the benefits of a specific product, showing a sample of the product can reinforce the message and make it more relatable for the audience.

Poster boards or overheads can effectively create a brainstorming or interactive session with the group. These visual aids allow the speaker to present key points or ideas and encourage the audience to engage with the material actively. However, it's essential to limit the amount of time the speaker's back is facing the audience when using these visual aids, as it can make it challenging to keep the audience's attention.

9: Promote Interactions via Social Media

Public speaking is an art that requires a lot of preparation and practice. However, it also requires engaging with the audience and promoting interactions. One way to do that is to use social media platforms to encourage conversations and topics. Whether you are organizing a conference, a workshop, or a seminar, social media can be an effective tool to generate interest and engagement.

Platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook offer great potential for promoting your message and engaging with your audience. Creating posts and sharing updates can generate interest and get your message out to a broader audience. You can also use social media to drive traffic to your event registration page and get people to sign up for your session.

Furthermore, you can use social media to gather potential questions and topics for discussion. You can create polls, ask questions, and spark conversations to generate ideas and feedback. By doing so, you can tailor your content more effectively to meet the interests and needs of your audience.

Another helpful technique is to use defined hashtags to field questions from non-attendees. This way, you can engage with people interested in your topic but unable to attend the event. They may ask questions or offer suggestions for discussion, so monitor your social media feeds and respond promptly to any inquiries.

10: Use Common Denominator Themes

First and foremost, it's essential to define your audience. Who are they? What do they care about? What issues are they currently facing? Knowing the answers to these questions can help you tailor your message to resonate with them.

If your audience members all hail from the same community, a newsworthy topic from that industry or area of interest will have the broadest interest for the group. For example, if you're speaking to a group of healthcare professionals, discussing recent advances in medical technology or regulations affecting their field would be an appropriate topic. On the other hand, if your audience is made up of environmental activists, a talk on the impact of climate change would likely be well-received.

Regardless of your audience, it's important to give them "news they can use." This means information that helps them personally or professionally, which they can take back to their everyday lives or work. For example, if you're speaking to a group of salespeople, providing them with effective sales tactics and techniques can be invaluable. If you're delivering a keynote address to a business conference, consider providing attendees with innovative ideas and strategies that they can use to improve their businesses.

The key is to leave your audience with a call to action. Whether it's a simple question to reflect on what they've learned or a request to put what they've learned into practice, your audience should feel empowered and inspired to take action.

Using common denominator themes is a powerful technique for connecting with your audience and delivering a message that resonates with them. By understanding your audience and focusing on delivering "news they can use," you can provide valuable insight and leave a lasting impact.

Do You Need Help With Public Speaking?

SpeakYou provides guidance to help you and your team become confident when speaking. Our approach is realistic, breaking down the process into manageable steps. We'll advise you on stage fright, creating engaging slides, finding the right voice for your audience, and even preparation tips such as breathing exercises and proper body language. With our help, speaking in public will be less intimidating and more enjoyable - even for large audiences! 

We offer a free, 15-minute consultation to learn more about how SpeakYou can help build confidence in your staff members, and yourself. With our professional advice and coaching, you'll all become passionate presenters with the skills to handle any situation! Contact us today to learn more.