52 Tips to Power Up Your Public Speaking

52 Tips to Power Up Your Public Speaking Prepare your content 1. Research your audience so that you know who they are, why you are presenting to them and what they are expecting to hear 2. Ensure you have one clear objective – know what you want your audience to think, feel or do after your talk and develop your presentation to meet that objective 3. Develop a strong opening – try asking a question, telling a story or sharing a shocking statistic to grab the audience’s attention 4. Keep it simple, no more than 3 - 5 main points (the more you tell me the less I remember!) 5. If using a slide presentation, use minimal text and simple powerful images (not clip art); avoid bullet point lists 6. Include relevant and interesting stories to illustrate your points and take your audience on an emotional journey 7. Use vivid descriptive language to paint pictures in the minds of your audience 8. Develop a strong conclusion that summarises your presentation and has a clear call to action 9. Learn the first and last few lines of your presentation so that you can start and finish strongly 10. Practice out loud until your delivery is natural (check the timing and how the talk is flowing so that you can make changes if necessary) – then let it go and trust in your preparation Prepare your mind 11. Imagine yourself in the room where you'll be speaking and see yourself successfully giving your presentation 12. Visualise yourself managing any potential distractions 13. Become aware of your self-talk and ensure it is positive and helpful 14. Perceive the audience as your friends; in most cases the majority of people listening to a presentation are on your side and want you to do well 15. Rather than thinking about a group of people, think of your presentation as a series of one to one conversations that you have with individual audience members 16. Remember that everyone can learn to be a great presenter; you have the ability and a unique point of view – cherish your uniqueness and believe in yourself and your ability Prepare your body 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. Warm up your voice by humming or singing Warm up your face, neck and jaw by yawning and stretching your mouth Warm up your articulators by saying tongue twisters Read aloud to practice vocal variation - pitch, tone, volume and pace Use your favourite rituals to calm or energise your mind and body Avoid caffeine, dairy and alcohol prior to presenting Bananas can be good as the potassium is a muscle relaxer (if you can stand them!) Before you talk take a moment away from people to shake and stretch your body, clench and unclench each muscle group to relax, roll your shoulders to ease tension 25. Breathe slowly and deeply into your diaphragm – 3 deep breaths just before your presentation will help ground and focus you, and calm any nerves you may be experiencing Prepare your image 26. Choose a suitable outfit for the occasion; always check the dress code beforehand and if in doubt it is better to be overdressed than underdressed 27. Think carefully about the colour and the message you want to send (also find out where you’ll be speaking so that the colour of your outfit doesn’t clash with or blend into the background) 28. Be well groomed – polished shoes, ironed clothing, clean hair, no dropping hems, etc. 29. Avoid jewellery that jangles and anything else that could be distracting for your audience 30. Avoid light weight fabrics (you don’t want your skirt giving away your nervousness if your knees shake!) 31. Before speaking check your zip, jewellery, hair, pocket change and other potential distractions Prepare your environment 32. Find out as much as you can about the venue before your talk, whether you’ll be using a microphone and what type it is (hand held mics can restrict your ability to gesture effectively so request a lapel or headset microphone if possible) 33. Arrive early to check the equipment and practice moving about in the space 34. Ensure the room is set up the way you require and change it if required/possible 35. Sit at different places in the audience so that you have an idea of what they will be seeing when you are speaking 36. Ensure you know where you will put your notes, props, glass of water, slide clicker, etc., and what side of the stage you will be entering/exiting from Deliver your presentation 37. Get out of your head and focus on being fully present so that you can give your best and truly connect with your audience 38. Stand tall and walk confidently to the stage with head up and shoulders back to create a positive first impression 39. Ground yourself and face the audience; plant your feet on ground hip width apart with knees slightly relaxed 40. Pause briefly, take a breath and connect with the audience before speaking 41. Vary the pitch, pace, tone and volume to add interest and enhance your message 42. Give the end of every sentence the same energy as the start; don't allow your voice to trail off 43. Use gestures and facial expressions to reinforce your point 44. Avoid pacing or wandering around the stage; move only when you have a reason to e.g. when you are transitioning to the next point 45. Avoid crossing your arms or clasping your hands in front of you as this creates a barrier between you and the audience; instead allow your arms to hang by your sides and use purposeful gestures when required to enhance your message 46. Avoid pointing at the audience as it can make them feel uncomfortable; instead gesture with an open palm 47. Avoid ‘ums’ and ‘errs’ by becoming aware of them; it is preferable to pause while thinking than to fill the silence with ‘um’ or ‘err’ as this can make you sound uncertain 48. If there is a lectern, step out from behind it as it creates a barrier between you and your audience 49. Look at your audience when speaking, not at the slides or flip chart 50. Use carefully selected props to illustrate your point and make your message memorable (ensure you practice with them prior) 51. Remember to relax and smile ☺ 52. Be passionate, enthusiastic and authentic – the best, most confident version of yourself!!! Bonus tip! Film your presentation and review the footage with an objective mind so that you can see what went well, what didn’t go so well and decide what you would do differently next time.