How to Become a Better Public Speaker

Improving your public speaking skills can help you personally and professionally.

Improving your public speaking skills can boost your confidence and enhance both your personal and professional lives. Preparation is key to effective public speaking; the better prepared you are, the more comfortable you will be and you will convey that to your audience. Learn how to research your audience, organize your information and practice your delivery to become a better public speaker.

Instructions

1. Know your material. You should have the qualifications necessary to be an expert on the topics on which you will be speaking. If there are any voids in your information, fill them with research or by seeking out other experts to quote or otherwise reference.

2. Prepare an outline to organize your material. The outline is your framework for your speech, and serves as your notes as you present it. With an outline, you can update or adapt your information easily to accommodate different audiences and scenarios and updated information on your topic. Make notes in the margins that you can easily reference during your speech.

3. 

   Obtain as much information about your audience as possible.

   Research your audience and the speaking environment. Do this for each and every speech. Ask the speech organizer who will be present: How much does the audience know about the topic being presented? What is their current mindset -- are they adversarial or "friendly?" Also ask if there will be a question-and-answer session following your speech. This is particularly important if you are speaking to an adversarial audience or on a controversial topic.

4. 

   Practice is particularly important if you are using audio-visual aids.

   Practice your speech. Do this at home in front of a video camera and in front of family and friends. Ask them to critique you on your speech content and your delivery. What information do they retain from your speech? Is it the information you want your audience to remember? Are you easy to understand, both with your word choices and your vocal components? Do you look comfortable? Before any speech, practice in the room where you will be speaking, particularly if you are using audio-visual equipment.

5. 

   Maintain eye contact with your audience to be a more effective speaker.

   Make eye contact during your speech. This is the most important non-verbal technique to use to connect with your audience. Maintain eye contact for the duration of one thought, or approximately five seconds, and do this with several members of your audience.

6. 

   Maintain a relaxed and conversational style with your audience.

   Use your own words. Remember that public speaking is akin to having a conversation, so use a conversational style. This resonates with your audience and will make you, and them, feel at ease.

Tips & Warnings

• As you begin your speech, scan your audience for a "friendly" face -- there is usually one in every audience. If you get nervous, seek out that person, hold eye contact for a few seconds until you relax, and then continue your speech.

• Humor can be effective in a speech, but it can also backfire. Use it with caution. Sometimes telling a personal anecdote is a safer bet than trying to tell a joke as part of your speech.

References

• Toastmasters International: 10 Tips for Public Speaking

Resources

• MIT's Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program: Public Speaking Tips