Ten Secrets the Best Public Speakers Know

Advice from WWSG Principal, Dan Sims: “The best public speakers I know understand that the value of their speech comes from around 30% on-stage delivery and 70% before, behind, and after-stage interaction. The way speakers interact behind stage adds significant value to their customer’s experience. It is everything from handwritten thank you notes to knowing who to greet. 10 minutes of their time and doing these things is what will increase their value greatly.”

Does the mere thought of public speaking illicit rapid anxiety for you? If the answer is yes, you are not alone. Even the most confident figures struggle with public speaking anxiety. Luckily, there are many ways to overcome this roadblock ad learn to tackle the butterflies with a more memorable and commanding speech.

Top motivational speakers know certain things to be true: nervousness is completely normal and to combat this, practice and prepare.

1. Practice, Practice, Practice

Nerves are a good thing! The shaky hands, sweaty palms and beating hearts are normal psychological reactions to public speaking and should not be associated with a feeling like you will perform poorly. The adrenaline rush is actually making you more alert, which is just better preparation for your speech.

The number one best way to overcome anxiety is to prepare, prepare, and prepare some more. Study your notes and go over them multiple times. The more comfortable you are with your material, the easier it will feel to deliver.

2. Your Speech is About the Audience, Not You

Know who your audience is before you begin to craft your message. Who are you speaking to? Your speech is intended to move and influence your audience, not you, so be conscience of the who will be listening. Learn as much about your listeners as you can. This will help you determine your choice of words, level of information, and motivational statement.

3. Effectively Organize Your Material

The framework of your speech should be organized in a way that entrances your audience within the first 30 seconds. Make sure to address them quickly and grab their attention early.

4. Keep Your Eyes Open to Feedback and Adapt to It

While delivering your speech, stay focused on the audience and scan their reactions to what you are saying – what are they thinking? Based off of this feedback, adjust your message and remain flexible. It’s easy to lose your audience’s attention if you just deliver a canned speech, instead of adapting to what they’re interested in and excited about.

5. People Love Seeing Your Personality

Don’t be afraid to let your personality shine through during your speech. Be true to yourself and you will establish credibility and the trust of your audience. Letting them into who you are will build a trust they can carry throughout the entirety of your speech.

6. Humor Is Always a Good Idea

Telling funny stories, using anecdotes and effective language during your presentation is almost always a sure-fire way to engage your audience and grab their attention. Audiences respond well to a personal touch.

7. Keep Reading to a Minimum, If At All

Stay away from constantly reading or looking at your slides. This will fracture the connection you are attempting to make with your audience and will make your speech harder for them to follow. By maintaining eye contact and keeping the focus on yourself and message, you are creating an interpersonal connection that will only enhance the quality and memorability of your presentation.

8. Start and End Your Speech With a Bang

Your audience will most likely remember the beginning of your speech and the ending the most, so focus on these parts and make them count. The start your speech should grab their attention with an anecdote, story, joke, etc. Conclude with a summary and strong statement that your audience is sure to remember.

9. Be Careful With Visual Aids

Too many visual aids will hurt the connection you’re trying to form with your audience. Use them solely to clarify or enhance your content, and always have them be another way to grab your audience’s attention.

10. Practice Does Not Make Perfect

Good communication is never perfect, and nobody expects perfection. However, putting in the appropriate amount of time to prepare will help you deliver a better speech. You may not be able to shake your nerves entirely, but you can learn to minimize them.

Yes, public speaking is difficult, but it is by no means impossible. With these tips and watching videos of the many outstanding speakers on the WWSG website, you can become a master in no time.