Hello, it’s Carol Chapman. Welcome to my Free Online Resources page. Here, you’ll find suggestions for improving your public speaking techniques.
NEVER begin your speech like this:
Don’t start with “I feel so nervous” or even “I hope you’ll like my speech.”
If you start by asking for something from your audience, in this case, their support or approval, you have things turned around in your mind. The audience is giving you their time and often also their money. Therefore, you now need to give them something in return: information, entertainment, or a unique opinion.
You need to convey confidence that the audience will get something of value. Below, please find a simple, easy, three-step technique to start your speech with a sense of assurance, which you may or may not be feeling.
- After you’re introduced, get up in front of your audience, pause, smile, and then scan the faces of the people in front of you from one side of the room to the other.
- As you stand there, the audience will get curious and give you their attention. Many of them will smile back at you. Then, dive into your speech.
- This technique works because each person sitting there is looking at only one person—you. Yes, I know that’s what’s making you so nervous. But think about it from their point of view. Because you scanned all the faces in the room, each of those people looking at you are now delighted that you’ve connected with them. They feel as if you’re speaking to them personally and that you care. They begin to relax, assured that you will deliver something interesting or entertaining. When you see those shining faces, you begin to relax too.
For more expert advice on how to write and present a speech, overcome the fear of public speaking, and deal with question/answering, click the blue button to download Carol Chapman’s Grab Bag of Public Speaking Tips.
