Are you afraid of public speaking and don’t know how to get over your fear? Are you an employee who is often asked to present ideas and concepts during meetings? Are you a student who has to give presentations in class as part of your curriculum? Or, are you an individual who struggles to be understood when talking one-on-one with others, let alone in front of a group? If so, then we have the tips and tricks that will help you become a better public speaker.
Being able to speak confidently in front of others is something that many people struggle with. You may think that it’s because some people are just not cut out for it. However, this isn’t always the case. It’s more often that they haven’t been given the right tools or advice on how best to do so. Let us introduce ourselves – we are VidYot team and today we are going to share some useful tips on how to improve your presentation skills and become a better public speaker.
What does it take to become a better public speaker? #
In order to become a better public speaker, you need to start with why. What do you hope to achieve by giving presentations? Do you see it as a way of earning extra income? Or, is it for your career? By knowing why you want to give presentations, you can use this to fuel your passion and drive you forward. If you don’t have this internal fire, you’re less likely to overcome your fear of public speaking. When you know why you want to improve your presentation skills, it’s much easier to stay focused and be motivated to work hard at it.
Start with Why #
Practice, practice, practice! #
One of the best ways to become a better public speaker is to practice. Not just in front of the mirror, but actually delivering the presentation in front of others. You may find you’re more nervous when actually presenting than you are when practicing in private. However, don’t let this affect your ability to perform. By practicing on friends and family, you’ll get used to the nerves and how to channel them into positive energy instead. You can also use role playing to practice with a friend or colleague. This way, you’ll be able to get used to their reactions and how to respond in turn.
Don’t just read from your script! #
When you first start giving presentations, you may want to write out a full script. This is okay to begin with, but you need to learn how to ad lib and speak from the heart. A scripted and robotic manner of speaking is going to turn your audience off. By ad libbing, you’re able to adjust your speech to fit the audience and situation. This gives you more confidence, and your audience will appreciate your gesture. If you want to keep your written speech, you can always keep it hidden behind the podium. This way, you’re able to give your speech as if it’s off the top of your head, but you can still refer back to the written script if you’re unsure of something.
Use visuals to help your audience retain information. #
When presenting, you’ll want to make sure that your audience remembers what you’re talking about. If you simply go up and talk at them, chances are, they’ll forget what you said almost as soon as you’ve said it. This is because you’re only engaging with a small percentage of their brains. By adding in visuals, you engage a larger percentage of their brains, making it more likely that they’ll remember what you’ve said. You can do this in several ways. You can use a PowerPoint presentation with images and graphs. You can also use a whiteboard and write down key points and information, along with images.
Be clear and concise with your language. #
If you struggle to find the right words to convey your message, you’re going to have a hard time being understood. To become a better public speaker, you need to make sure that your language is clear and concise. This means that you need to find the right words to convey your message. It’s not only important that you use the right words, but you also need to use them in the right order. This means that you need to know your topic inside and out. If you don’t know your material, it will be obvious to your audience. This will make it harder for you to convey your message.
Take care of yourself physically and mentally. #
It’s important that you take care of yourself physically and mentally. By doing so, you’re able to think more clearly and perform better. Some ways to do this include getting plenty of sleep, eating healthily, and exercising regularly. You can also use techniques such as meditation and visualisation to help you clear your head before a big presentation. This will help you feel more confident, calm, and focused on the task at hand.
Conclusion #
As you can see, becoming a better public speaker isn’t a skill that you can master overnight. It takes time, effort, and patience. Start by following the tips we’ve shared with you in this article and you’ll notice improvements in your confidence and presentation skills. Remember, you’re not alone in your struggle to improve your public speaking skills. In fact, it’s estimated that 75% of people are shy and dislike public speaking. If you want to become a better public speaker and improve your confidence, follow these tips.
