How to Protect the Art of Public Speaking

If you want to become the type of speaker you've always wanted to be, read the following suggestions.

1．You can't go from a nervous speaker to a star speaker overnight. You shouldn't expect to. Give yourself time to get used to a large audience. Start with smaller groups and get as much feedback as you can. Keep on practicing and developing your skills.

2．Be familiar with your speech materials. That doesn't mean memorizing your speech, which can lack enthusiasm and naturalness. Know your key talking points, supporting details and ways to move from one point to the next.

3．Positive energy can be passed. If you're excited and enthusiastic, your audience will be, too. You'll be surprised at the positive cycle that creates: An enthusiastic audience can add even more energy to you. Use hand gestures. When appropriate, smile, smile, smile.

4．Find friendly, interested faces in the audience and speak to them. Look into their eyes. It helps prevent you from staring off into the distance or reading from notes. It also helps make you feel like you are talking in a conversation rather than speaking to a group.

5．When you look great, you feel great. That makes you confident. Looking great doesn't mean wearing new clothes. It means wearing clothes and shoes you feel comfortable and appropriate to the setting. You can't go wrong with business suit. Simple is fine, but you should look clean from head to toe.

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