11 Best Ways To Develop Your Public Speaking Skills

Public speaking is the communication process of delivering information to an audience like in school, the workplace, and even in our personal lives. It is usually done before a broad audience. 

Knowledge of how to communicate to an audience helps in sharpening critical thinking and verbal/non-verbal communication skills. Many of us do fear of speaking in front of the public. 

Even if they are forced to talk before a smaller number of people like 25, they can't express themselves clearly or get stopped due to public speaking fear. 

If you are one of them, you must overcome this fear and develop public speaking qualities within you to make yourself fit for this competing world. 

Below, 11 top public speaking tips and tricks will be briefly discussed that will help you to gain these qualities:

1. Gain Clear Knowledge About The Topic:

Your target is to deliver speech briefly and in a simple way, using understandable words, sentences, languages, and examples. 

Without having details and precise knowledge about the topic that you will discuss, you will not be able to do that. 

Again, you may be humiliated if you are asked some difficult questions on that topic by the audience. Always try to have a great sense of humor.

You must also have the information about:

Technical setup
Budget time
Off topics
Clothing

Type of presentation

2. Know Your Audience:

Remember, your speech is for them, not for you. It is essentially the same as having knowledge about the topic. 

Don't deliver the information that they have already known. 

When you are speaking to an audience, always try to make them interested in your item. Try to get the answers to these questions:

Who is the target audience, and why are they there?
What problem do they hope to solve?
What hopes do they have?

And give them what they need or want. Check this for more:

Photo Credit: Marc Jadoul

3. Make An Appropriate Plan And Structure:

Draw a framework for your speech. It will boost the flow of your speech, ensuring effective delivery. Write down the topic, purposes, central idea, main points, schedule, and sequence.

4. Remember "First Impression Is The Long Last Impression":

Make sure to grab the audience's attention in the first 30 seconds. Start with a smile though it is artificial. Start off with an exciting story or question. 

Don't forget to introduce yourself. 

5. Maintain Eye Contact:

It is the connection/bond between you and the audience. Don't shy, the whole audience is watching you and never lose that connection. 

Otherwise, the audience will lose interest as such a deliberate look in the eyes of an audience member can measure how much you care about them.

6. Avoid Reading Your Speech:

Usually, the audience will wonder when speaking in public by reading your pre-written speech. It is just annoying. You can keep the short note of important information or data and have a look when need.

7. Be Comfortable With The Environment:

Fear of public speaking is so common. You are the one who is speaking, and all others are listening, so act and speak ethically. 

Just realize that you hold the tremendous power of influence and use this power responsibly.

Check this impressive speech to know more about How to overcome public speaking fear:

Video credit: TEDx Talks

8. Follow The Manner While Speaking:

These are some common sense you should have while delivering a speech to the audience. Such as:

Don't raise your voice so loud or too short that the audience becomes annoyed.
Move around the space that you have been given. Just don't move too fast.
Control your hand gestures according to your saying.
Change your facial expression with the situation in that place.
Take a break of a few seconds between two paragraphs or where needed.
If someone interrupts you by asking a question, don't be disturbed and answer the question.
Try to complete in budgeted time. If you need extra time badly, request the audience.

9. Evaluate Your Performance:

Post evaluation of your speech will help you to recover your inefficiency by identifying the areas you need to improve. 

You should do that after each speech by watching the event's recording or receiving feedback.

10. Keep Practicing:

"Practice makes perfect!" Always remember this quote. Perform practice as much as you can before every speech. It will encourage you and give a successful public speech.

11. Join Class Or Workshop On "Public Speaking":

Search around your area if there is any class or workshop on that topic is going to be held or holding. Don't lose hope if nothing is found. 

Online courses on public speaking are being offered nowadays. Try to complete such courses for getting real-life experience.

Bottom Line:

Whenever you get a chance to give a speech in public, grab the offer. Public speaking is a great way to develop your personal and enhance your career by boosting your confidence, critical thinking, communication, and leadership skills. 

It makes new social connections expanding your professional network. So do your best, banish the fears and let nothing halts you.

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