Public Speaking Navigation
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Speak Like a Pro
Public speaking can be tons of fun or an absolute nightmare, depending on the person. A number of people experience nervousness whether giving a speech in front of a few people at a meeting or at a convention with an audience of thousands. Most people would like to avoid public speaking, but that is not always possible if you are in business. The only other alternative to avoiding public speaking is learning how to speak like a pro. The following public speaking tips can help you appear like a public speaking star.
==> Start on Time - Time is extremely important. Never show up late to public speaking appearances. Always start your speech at the right time. You would wish to speak to a fresh audience, ready to hear your speech, not an angry audience who has been waiting twenty minutes for you.
==> Smile - A smile shows as confidence and is a powerful weapon in combating fear. Smiling creates energy. When you give your audience a smile, they will give you a smile in return, boosting your confidence while public speaking and the audience's confidence in your speech.
==> Use Short Sentences - You will lose the attention of your audience if you speak in long, drawn out sentences. If you keep your sentences short, your audience will stay focused and will understand your speech.
==> Do Not Use Big Words - Unless you are willing to hand a dictionary to every audience member and allow time for them to look up your big words, do not use them. It does not impress people when you deliver a speech full of words your audience does not understand. It will confuse and irritate your audience.
==> Pause - Pauses can be dramatic. They allow you to emphasize important information while public speaking and will give your audience some time to ponder and reflect on the information. Pauses can be sticky, too. The information said with a pause will often remain with your audience long after your speech is over.
==> Use Eye Contact - Eye contact will give your audience a connection to you during your public speaking. The audience will pay closer attention when you look at them. Make the effort to look directly at individual audience members, but not for more than a few seconds before moving on to someone else.
==> Move Around - Use the entire stage space to move around during your speech. Do not stand in one spot or behind a podium your entire speech. It will bore your audience and make them uncomfortable. Moving around on stage does not mean pacing back and forth. Move occasionally and have a purpose for your move. Do not just randomly move about the stage .
==> Do Not Make Fun of Others - Making fun of yourself is fine and can even be a good way of drawing your audience into your speech. Making fun of others may turn off your audience. For the success of your speech, if you plan to use humor, only joke about yourself.
==> Finish on Time - Starting late is bad enough, but finishing late is often worse. People have other commitments. If you do not want to experience audience members leaving during your speech, finish on time. If you started late, find a way to make up time or cut your speech short. Show respect for other people's time.
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