3 Easy Steps To Be Good In Public Speaking

Throughout the history of human civilization, people have been expressing their confidence and strength, not only by force, but also by the noble art of public speaking. The orators of ancient Greece were highly respected and valued in the community. Likewise, today’s world leaders are admired and esteemed when they have the power to address the public with poise and conviction. Think about people like Winston Churchill, John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Oprah and others.

Such a high regard for public speaking makes the average person cringe at the idea of talking in front of an audience no matter how big or small the size. Whether giving a toast at a wedding or delivering a speech to a large assembly, most people make a big deal about public speaking and try to avoid it as much as possible. But public speaking does not need to create such fears.

Although it may appear challenging, public speaking can be accomplished by following a few simple guidelines.

Before Making The Speech: Preparation

Like any other endeavor, public speaking requires careful preparation to be successful. Perhaps you have seen one of the “inspired” spontaneous speeches in movies. The reality is that those scenes are carefully rehearsed and such scenes rarely happen in real life. In order to have at least a decent speech, one must plan well. Even the world’s most famous leaders spend time to prepare for public addresses, and most even have teams to work on those plans. However, even if one does not have a speech preparation committee one can prepare for public speaking.

First, it is important to know what the occasion the speech is for. The Gettysburg address would definitely not be appropriate for a wedding, since a speech has to fit the event and the people who will be there.

Second, one should give careful consideration to the type of audience who will witness the speech. For instance, an assembly of academics would probably not take a perky speaker seriously; therefore one should choose a suitable public speaking style based on the audience.

Third, one should know what the expectations are for the speech. A farmer’s association would usually not be interested on a speech about the intricacies of beadwork. It is important to carefully consider the subject matter to be tackled as well as the time frame available before beginning to prepare the speech.

Making The Speech: Writing

When writing for public speaking, one should carefully organize the contents of the speech. It is important to begin with a very strong introduction in order to grab the audience’s attention. It is necessary to catch the audience’s attention early to prevent them from becoming bored.

Next, the body should be purposeful. You should try to cover only 2 or 3 major points. Be prepared with some personal stories to cover the points you are making and perhaps a joke or two to keep the audience’s attention when boredom arises.

Lastly, one should make a conclusion that sticks to the mind. No matter how stirring a speech is, it is useless if the people forget it the instant they leave the gathering. Conclusions should give a concise but memorable recap of the body and include a call to action of some sort.

Again, dazzling spontaneous speeches rarely happen in real life. Most good speeches have been written long before their delivery. While most noted public figures have speech-writing committees, one can make a good speech even without the help of a team of ghostwriters.


The Actual Public Speaking: Delivery

This is the part most people are afraid of; but when proper planning and writing is done well, the delivery should follow easily.

Before the actual time comes, one must decide whether to speak from memory or to use notes. Beginners often benefit from a script or a guide, however when one becomes more comfortable speaking in public, one can start relying from memory.

Reading directly from a script can be quite boring for the audience; thus, it is important to keep constant contact with them by making eye contact with all parts of the room. This requires practicing the speech so that at least some of it can be memorized, and you can effectively use pauses to glance at the audience.

Speaking from memory is quite impressive, but for a beginner it can be difficult to avoid missing some parts of the speech. Speaking with notes can be a good compromise so long as one is able to expound on the points well. Sometimes having a simple cue card with the main points is all a speaker needs. The choice of how to deliver the speech depends entirely on the speaker; thus, it is important for one to weigh the options carefully.

Learning More About Public Speaking

There are several resources to help you do well in public speaking. Several books and articles about the topic have been published. Many companies offer public speaking training, and such services provide in-depth courses that could help one speak well in public. You can join a local Toastmasters Club and learn public speaking techniques with other like-minded people. There are clubs all around the world. You will have the opportunity to learn and practice for a very small cost. You can also find articles and courses on the internet.

Public speaking is challenging, but can be a very worthwhile skill. With the guide provided above, one should no longer be afraid to speak in public.

Fran Watson
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