Public speaking is when you stand before an audience and deliver a speech on a topic. This could be at a formal or an informal occasion. For many people, speaking in front of a large audience is a daunting task, so it is quite natural to become very nervous (with effective training this fear could be overcome).
As public speaking has become a serious career option, many people are enrolling for public speaking classes where they are taught skills and techniques to speak well and speak effectively before a gathering.
Becoming an effective public speaker is not an easy task to accomplish. Being an effective public speaker encompasses a lot more than people might assume. An effective speaker needs to be able to get his or her information across while also keeping the audience entertained and engaged.
This is not as easy as it may sound! How can you get an audience interested in what you have to say and keep them interested? How can you connect to the audience in a way that allows them to relate to you and understand your story? In order to be an effective speaker, these are the five qualities that you may wish to consider:
Passion. Why would an audience want to hear about your story if you yourself don’t seem passionate about it? Let your audience know why you do what you do. Why do you love what you do and why do you want to share your message? If an audience can see and feel your passion, they will be more interested in hearing what you have to say.
Ability to be succinct. Even if you’re one of the most entertaining and engaging public speakers, it’s important to keep your presentation short and to the point. The attention span of your audience isn’t long. You have to get their attention fast and keep their attention by moving through your presentation smoothly and effectively. If your presentation is longer than twenty minutes, you may want to consider breaking the presentation into smaller segments. Each segment can be a little different or involve audience interaction so that you are keeping them on their feet.
Confidence: Confidence is huge when it comes to public speaking. Being confident in your delivery will allow you to be seen as an expert on your topic. Your audience will be more likely to trust you and therefore, trust the material that you are putting out there.
Confidence makes you credible, knowledgeable, and believable. In order to truly show confidence, you have to be confident enough to be yourself during your presentation.
If you can be yourself in front of an audience, they are going to be more likely to feel like they can relate to you. If you try to act differently than you usually do, you may come off as insincere, and the audience will be less likely to feel connected to you or your information.
Ability to tell a story: A presentation is more effective and engaging when it doesn’t feel like a presentation. Know how to tell your story to your audience. Give them the context for all of the information you are sharing. Rather than simply sharing facts and formal pieces of information, share your experiences and your stories that have lead you to where you are. If it isn’t your own story, share other stories or experiences from history or from people that you know. Stories help people retain more information because they are more engaged with your presentation.
Audience awareness: Make sure before going into your presentation that you know the audience that you’re presenting to. You should know who they are and what they do. By knowing this information, you’ll be better able to connect to them and present to them in a way that you feel they would respond to and learn from best.
Demonstrating these qualities as a public speaker can make or break a presentation. When planning a presentation, think about what you would respond to. Think about if you would be excited about and engaged with your presentation and the information you’re providing. In order to be an effective speaker, you have to be willing to step out of the box in order to connect, relate to, and engage with your audience. Make sure your story is one that your audience will want to hear and will remember long after the presentation is over.
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