Love it or hate it, there is no doubt that you will likely find yourself needing to speak in public at some point in your career. From presentations to potential clients or reports in meetings with your team, public speaking happens as part of many people’s day to day. Though many people find it to be intimidating or even stressful there are many things you can do to help boost your success while speaking in public.
In this article we will help you with learning how to be a successful public speaker. Whether or not you are speaking for small or large groups you can be confident and effective in speaking. See our tips below for help with identifying areas on which you can improve upon in order to meet your full potential while speaking in public.
What Makes a Successful Public Speaker?
Have you ever attended a conference and experienced a keynote speaker that blew you away? You may have thought that that person was amazing and felt captivated by their performance. For you to walk away from a speech feeling inspired rather than bored the speaker needed to ensure that the following things happened;
- Hold the audience’s attention
- Effectively convey the message
- Present confidence
Though every person will have a different style when speaking in public all successful public speakers achieve these points. It is important to remember that although confidence and success in public speaking comes natural to some, most people need to refine and develop their skills for success. You should not be intimidated by another person’s ability to speak well in public. Instead, let’s look at what they are doing right and see how you can apply these tips to your life.
How Can I Be a More Effective Speaker?
Now that you understand what you need to do in order to be a successful public speaker, let’s dive into how you can make changes. Remember that in order to improve your skills you will have put in effort. Ally these tips when preparing for your next public speaking engagement.
- Holding the Audience’s Attention
In order to hold the audience’s attention, you need to present your information in a manner that makes them want to listen to you. Show your audience that you want them to pay attention to you by paying attention to them. Make eye contact and confidently speak to your audience. You don’t have to be funny or exciting to engage your audience but consider presenting your material as a story that will unfold. Let them know what you will be addressing while you speak to them so that they have a reason to pay attention. Speaking in public can be very stressful for many people. If you fall into this category try not to dwell on feelings of failure or not being enough. Remember that there is always a reason why you are being asked to speak and make sure your voice is heard.
- Effectively Convey Your Message
One of the best ways to ensure that your message is conveyed is to keep it simple. You should try to aim to get your message across in the most streamlined way without filler. Often when a person is highly knowledgeable about a certain topic, they take for granted that their audience holds knowledge too. If you are speaking to a group about a technical or specific topic, make sure you explain any technical terms that you may use. Try to avoid acronyms and speak in more casual language. Knowing your audience can go a long way into ensuring you present your information in a clear and straightforward manner.
- Be Confident
The best way to set yourself up for success in public speaking is to go into it with confidence. This does not come easy for every person, but when you are confident people feel it. Though you may be nervous or anxious about public speaking it is possible to come off as confident. Give yourself credit for the things that you have done to lead you to be speaking in public. And don’t forget to get help with preparing. Sometimes an outside perspective from your support network can help launch you into presenting and speaking with confidence. If you struggle with confidence in public speaking don’t be afraid to reach out for help. Fear of public speaking is very common, and you are not alone.
Boosting Confidence in Public Speaking
If you are feeling stuck in a loop of fear and self-doubt in regard to public speaking, you should ask for help. A support network such as friends, family, or colleagues can be helpful in boosting your confidence. But sometimes people find that they need outside help to break through their limiting beliefs. A life coach can help you take control of your success and guide you in learning how to be a successful public speaker.
For help with boosting confidence in public speaking see our previous article “How to Boost Confidence in Public Speaking”. In it we provide tips to help you become the most confident public speaker that you can be, helping you to reach your potential.
What Else Can I Do to Be Successful?
Holding the audience’s attention, being confident and effectively conveying your message are the end goals of a successful speaker. But how else can you prepare to be successful? As you prepare for your public speaking event always remember to do the following;
- Plan – Don’t wing it. You might think you know it all but being prepared will help you to be confident and show professionalism.
- Practice – speak out loud to yourself or a support person. This will help you become familiar with your material and correct mistakes before they happen.
Being a successful public speaker can mean different things to different people. Just like knowing how to have a successful life, there is room for interpretation. In order to be successful, it is critical that you know yourself and your audience and plan accordingly. Don’t be afraid to ask for help and lead with confidence and you are on the path to successful public speaking.
