Strategies to use for effective public speaking
The goal of public speaking is to convey a message. Your words should make a difference, and this requires persuasion and audience engagement. It is more about the listeners than the speaker. They are your focal point that you should target. So, how do you do that?
Some techniques enable you to present your content in the best way possible. A strategic communications consultant is known for teaching these. It is the minute details like your body language, tonality, confidence, comfort, etc., that matter.
Here are some strategies that you should use:
Start strong: The beginning and end are the most important in any communication. It affects the overall experience and holds an immense impact. The start of your elocution should set a premise for the rest of the material. It should create an impression and pique interest. You do this by asking a rhetorical question, telling a story, or using humor.
Set expectations: Tell the listeners what they are going to gain from your speech. It induces motivation to listen to you. For this, studying the type of audience you address beforehand is necessary. You inform them about the motive of your presentation and how it is inspiring. For instance, you can start with phrases like Have you ever wondered? Did you know?
Appreciate the audience: It is a courtesy you learn in public speaking coaching about addressing anyone. Be it two or three people or a room full of audience. All of them are contributing their time to listen to you. You must thank them for it. Your talk should focus on motivating, inspiring, solving problems, or providing value in any way to the audience.
Divide your speech: It is said that a person’s attention span lasts only up to eight seconds. It is the duration it takes them to decide whether they are interested or not. Consider this as an essential factor for your presentation. There is no point in giving a lengthy speech if you fail to catch the listener’s attention. Therefore, make three-parts of your presentation where the beginning, middle, and end are clear. It provides a structure to your material that is easy to comprehend.
Be unapologetic: It is natural to fumble if you are nervous. The key is to become comfortable with your surroundings. There is no need to get embarrassed about this. Avoid saying things like sorry, excuse me,” it is just my opinion,” “I might be wrong,” etc. It makes the listeners doubt your crediting. Own every word you say, and your mistakes become unnoticeable.