"Impressing Your Audience While Public Speaking

Public Speaking!! Just the thought makes me nervous.  I, along with most people, have a fear of speaking in front of a group of people.  A professor once told me that the three top fears that people have are the fear of dying, the fear of falling, and the fear of public speaking.  I believe it!  To help others like myself, I have compiled a list of helpful things to consider before your next speaking engagement.

Know Your Audience

When you are asked to speak, find out as much information as you can about your audience.  What is the age, gender, education level, cultural or ethnic background, attitudes of your audience?  Do your listeners belong to a formal organization such as a church, chamber of commerce, or gardening club?  You should plan your speech accordingly based upon your audience.  For example, if you were speaking to a group of high school students your language and presentation would be different than if you are speaking to a group of doctors or lawyers.  Just remember that public speaking is audience-centered.

Research Your Topic

Once you have chosen a topic, research that topic.  Know your subject and be prepared to answer audience questions.  Nobody wants to listen to a person who rambles on about a topic in which they know nothing about. Some good research tools are newspapers, magazines, yearbooks and encyclopedias, documents and reports, books, biographies, specialized databases, CD-ROM searches, personal interviews, and the Internet.  One caution when using the Internet is to be sure you retrieve your information from a trusted source.  Remember anybody can put information out on the web.

Practice Your Speech

The worst thing that you can do is to read your speech to your audience.  Practice giving your speech to a friend or family member.  If there is nobody available to give you positive feedback, practice in front of a mirror or videotape yourself.  I have also recorded my speeches and then listened to them in the car on my way to give the speech.  This way I can tell if my voice is clear and if my speech will make sense to the listener. It also gives me a chance to refresh my memory and reacquaint myself with my presentation.

Give Your Speech

When giving your speech there are several very effective ways to gain your audience’s attention.  You can explain ideas or terms, compare and contrast, tell a joke, give examples, invite participation by asking questions, use statistics, or give a testimony to get your point across. Keep your speech interesting.  Organize your speech logically.  Your audience will be more interested and remember more of what you have to say if your speech is presented in a clear and concise manner.  Interact with your audience.  Don’t be afraid to tell a joke, ask your listeners questions, or use visual aids to make your presentation more appealing. Have fun with your audience!!  For additional information go to www.toastmasters.org.