Believe it or not, giving a great speech is as simple as it can get. Experts say that a good speech includes a relevant message, clear communication and a couple of stories to make it interesting. With these simple tools, you can deliver an outstanding speech without much effort. Forget to make lengthy and craft PowerPoint presentations; instead, focus on the key message and how to make it interesting for the audience. People don’t remember all that is said, so keep it simple.
Mastering the basics
Here are some useful tips you can use to improve your speech delivery.
- Practice makes a man perfect: It is integral for any speaker to practice beforehand. Speaking in front of the mirror is an old practice so instead go through the speech in your head or speak out loud in a shower. Moreover, it would be great if you can practice in the space of your final delivery.
- Silence is better than words: Everyone has a habit of saying ‘umm’, ‘like’ and ‘you know’ etc. repeatedly which is funny and annoying for the audience. Try replacing these deadening fillers with silence.
- Maintain eye contact: Before you begin a speech, familiarize yourself with a couple of people so you can easily make eye contact with them during your speech.
The very essential tips for good speech delivery
Follow these simple tips to make an exemplary speech.
- Don’t read: Reading your speech is a big turn off for the audience so try to speak with your heart so it sounds natural. Make a few notes or bullets in case you fear you will forget in the middle.
- Maintain a good posture: While delivering your speech, it is crucially important to maintain a straight posture. Experts suggest imagining your head held up by a string so you never bend.
- The beginning matters: If you want to grab the quick attention of the audience, then forget about thanking the introducer and begin with exactly what the speech is all about. A relevant anecdote about the topic would do great!
Displaying simplicity yet creating a powerful impact
- Keep it simple: Gone are the days when fancy PowerPoint presentations looked good. Today it’s all about you; the presenter! So don’t waste time on making lengthy and fancy presentations, instead try to keep the attention of the people intact through your own voice and stories.
- Try some relaxation techniques if you are the nervous type. Breathing deeply in and out just before going on the stage surely helps a lot of speakers. Keep the thoughts positive such as thinking about making a successful speech that everyone would love.
One last yet important thing
Successful speeches are the ones where the speaker looks comfortable and enjoying what he is doing. This eventually makes the audience excited about the entire thing. A good speech is backed by a passionate speaker who is open to the audience and shows no signs of nervousness or confusion. So keep the negative thoughts aside, keep the speech short and get ready to be appreciated!
Author bio
The author of the article is Anwen Richardson. She did her Masters in Mass Communication and is a prominent speaker for various workshops on public speaking and interpersonal skills. She contributes articles regarding speech delivery, presentation and other public speaking topics at FreshEssays.co.uk. She also has her own training and development center where graduates, as well as professionals, are enrolled.
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