The Art Of Public Speaking

There is something about a piece of artwork or music that moves you.  That is the very essence of the word “art.”  That’s exactly what the art of public speaking does…moves the audience.  It may motivate them to do something, or it may persuade them to buy something by moving them to do so. A good delivery of your presentation can give you a certain uniqueness and extra edge that will show there is value to it. 

Whether it is the first brushstroke of a masterpiece or the first note of music, first impressions of the piece are important.  When developing your presentation skills, don’t forget this.  You need to look confident and look like you know what you are talking about right at the start of the presentation in order for your audience to take you seriously.

The audience will make judgments about you even before you start to speak.  They will do this by way you come across and how you look.  The ability to look confident is important especially as you might be feeling nervous.  The ways in which you use your posture, gesture and eye contact can help you to control any bad habits created by nerves and create a much stronger presence.  Make sure that you are standing evenly on two feet with a strong but relaxed posture.

They will continue to form opinions about you by the way you speak.  So, building rapport with the audience is an essential ingredient in making a good impact.  Public speaking courses, just like art or music courses, can be taken to help develop confidence and delivery skills.  Speaking confidently is more than just being confident in the material you’re presenting.  It is one of key areas to creating a presentation masterpiece.  To do so artfully, you must:

·         Speak at the correct pace and not rush.

·         Speak clearly, and don’t slur your words together. 

·         Be sure to pronounce the ends of words clearly. 

The ability to sound interesting and not boring is also really important.  You might be passionate about what you are saying, but if this doesn’t come across well to your audience, they won’t be convinced.

To sound enthusiastic you need to use more expression in your tone of voice so that you avoid a monotone style.  You may also emphasize key words which will help to influence the overall meaning of your messages.

Placing pauses into your speaking also helps to create an impact as well as helping you to control your speed.  These controlled pauses make it easier for the audience to follow.

Eye contact is also very important to help you engage with your audience.  You can’t just stand and stare at them blankly and expect to connect.  You want to really connect with individual members of the audience while you are speaking with them.  It might sound a bit frightening to look directly at audience members, but it actually has the opposite effect.

Public speaking takes a lot of energy, even for a short time.  It’s important to use the proper voice and body language techniques and to practice them so that you build up your vocal stamina. 

When it comes time for you to prepare your next presentation, remember one important thing…you’re not creating a presentation…you’re creating a work of ART!


Would you like to become a better speaker? Would you like to overcome any speaking anxiety you may have?
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