When one thinks of speaking in English, there comes the fear of being laughed at and the anxiety of not being able to finish a speech.
Your heart starts beating fast, your palms get clammy, you feel your stomach tie itself into knots. These are normal signs and can be managed with preparation and practice.
Nobody becomes an excellent speaker over night. With consistent practice and conscious effort, you can speak with confidence. Here are some practical methods for you to consider.
Know your who, where, and why.
Before delivering a speech, be it educational, entertainment, or persuasive, there are certain elements you need to identify first. Your audience, the logistics, and your purpose are all pivotal the success of your delivery.
Who are you going to speak to? What are their characteristics? What is their age group? What makes them interested and engaged? What are their likes and dislikes?
Knowing your audience matters because it will help you prepare jokes, anecdotes, statistics, questions that might click on them. It’s great to have an idea beforehand about their education level and life status so that you can set your vocabulary appropriately.
Where are you going to speak? What are the resources available in the area? What is the heating and ventilation like? Is the sound system superb? Do you have access to a projector and screen? Are the
audience seated in theater style?What is your purpose for giving a speech? Are you trying to make them agree to your idea or view? Why are you doing what you’re going to do? What purpose does it serve? When you come from a place of purpose, this will give you true confidence. No matter what happens in your speech, you will have the reason to continue because you know your why.
Take advantage of the power of pause and emphasis.
The delivery of your speech is equally important to the content you choose to talk about. Part of delivery is the way you use your pauses and emphasis. There is power in these two aspects. A pause takes about 1 to 2 seconds and it is in this time frame that you can connect with an audience. You look at them and give them time to think through what you have just said. This also paves the way for you to slow down your pace.
Aside from this, you can also create a dramatic feel through a pause and impart that feeling to the people you are speaking to. You may take about 3- 6 minutes if you want to intensify the emotions among your audience for what you’re going to say next.
To show dynamics in your message, you may choose where to put the emphasis on your words or phrases. Some words may come louder and others softer to create a necessary impact. Put emphasis
on the ideas your audience can take away from your sharing. Pause and then put a force on the words that would strike a realization among your listeners.
Strengthen your vocal capacity.
Your major asset as a speaker is your voice. Your content and vocal techniques will be a challenge to convey if you don’t have a good speaking voice quality. Your voice is something that you can enhance prior to the day of your speech.
Do some vocal exercises every day. In the morning, you may want to carry out breathing exercises. Breath is a fundamental part in how we use our voice. This will be good activity for your lungs and diaphragm. When you deliver your presentation, you will need to know how to use your volume. If your lungs are strong, it will be easy for you to have volume control and avoid vocal quivers.
Read texts aloud. Do tongue twisters. Hum a lot. Flutter your lips and open your mouth. These four oral activities are perfect in exercising your throat, mouth, tongue, lips, jaw, and muscles around the area. Furthermore, they will help you achieve clarity in your pronunciation and enunciation because they build up on muscle articulation.
By strengthening your vocal cords, you can sound more energetic, articulate, and confident.
Conclusion
Think of giving a speech as similar to sharing an idea or telling a story to people you care about. When you think in this manner, what your audience would feel will matter to you more than your fear of speaking.
You want your listeners to learn from you and to gain something from your speech. Try to be more interactive and say important messages again and again for them to remember. Do it with the necessary emphasis and pause.
Shape your content according to the needs and wants of your audience. Make your speech a reward
and a gift for them to delight in. You have to make it worth their time and effort in coming to listen to you.
