10 Tips for Delivering A Powerful Speech
Stage fright can paralyze people. Even well-educated, polished professionals often have difficulty delivering a fabulous presentation. As a communications expert and trainer, I want to share the following tips with you. These pointers will help you supercharge your public speaking skills. Just remember, the following tips are for delivering your message, not preparing the content. For that aspect, watch my short video on YouTube. http://tinyurl.com/dc2pml
1. Practice- Stand up and read your speech out loud. This opens up your diaphragm and allows more air in, which gives you energy. This will also allow you to project your voice and get comfortable with how it sounds and the flow of your remarks.
2. Memorize as much as you can. Start with the first few lines, practice out loud whenever possible (driving, at home, in the shower, etc.). Keep adding a few lines to it, building on the beginning. You will soon have the speech memorized. This will allow you to speak to the audience, scanning the room with good eye contact and only referring to your written notes periodically.
3. Write key points on an index card. These “buzz words” will help jar your memory and keep the flow moving.
4. Speak from your stomach and not your throat. This will give you volume.
5. Say each word as if it were a word in its own right. Avoid rushing through the sentences in order to finish. (Listen to TV and radio newscasters for delivery and pacing tips)
6. Emphasize the important, funny and touching words. Let the audience know this is critical information. Grab and keep the attention of your audience and truly engage thme with your words and verbal/nonverbal communication.
7. Pause. Take a split second or two during key points to give the audience an opportunity to digest and take in what you are saying. This will also give their emotions a chance to react to your words. Silence is extremely powerful.
8. Get out from behind the podium. If you hide behind the podium, you will be a “Talking Head.” Walk around a bit and use gestures and your body to help make your words come alive.
9. Visualize the success of your speech. Days or weeks before, make a mental movie of how you will stand and deliver your remarks. See yourself in vivid and clear pictures looking superb, dressed impeccably, calm, and feeling excited and confident about your speech. See yourself on statge calmly and gracefully delivering the best speech of your life! See the faces of the audience who are silent and captivated by what you are saying. Hear the applause as you wrap up and the many compliments, handshakes and hugs that follow your speech. Picture yourself as a huge success and you will be flawless!
10. Smile and relax. Tall, strong and proud! Remember- You are the Message.
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