1. Public Speaking Basics

A good and experienced public speaker is one who is able to change the emotions of the listening masses at the drop of a hat. The engaging manner in which the information is put across should transcend all barriers.

The Basics

Public speaking is now becoming a thriving business in areas where business and commercial events are showcased. Public speaking should successfully cover important elements like being informative, persuasive, ceremonial, extemporaneous, impromptu which comes in useful in scenarios like lively debates, broadcasting, religious talks, discussions and many more interactive and lively exchanges.

There are some techniques that should be adopted to ensure the individual undertaking the public speaking task does so with some success.

These may include utilizing a certain amount of humor, gestures, repeated phrases to ensure the point is made and retained and also being able to keep to the point.

Besides this the general impression created by the overall appearance on the individual also impacts to a certain extent the delivery and impact of the public speaking exercise.

Being appropriately attired to suit the topic being presented lends credibility to the public speaker’s presentation and allows the receiving parties to better focus on the presentation at hand.

The ethics applied when engaged in a public speaking scenario is also something that should be seriously considered. Doing the necessary research into the topic to be present and also knowing a little about the receiving audience and expectations are all important issues that help to ensure the presenter does not cause any negative sentiments to arise.

2. Use Stress Reduction Techniques

Like any other interactive scenarios, public speaking can present some levels of stress for the individual concerned. Many public speakers no matter how experienced sometimes go through varying anxiety stages that can be very paralyzing and damaging to their overall presentation. However all is not lost as there are some tried and true methods that can be used to help reduce these unwanted anxiety attacks.

Loosen Up

Perhaps the most effective way of keeping the stress buildup at bay or under control is to be well prepared both in terms of content material and also with the mindset.

When an individual is confident in his or her material and presentation half the battle is won as the comfort gained from this eliminates any unpleasant surprises that might arise.

There is also another surprising yet equally effective way of keeping the stress level down and that would entail the individual consuming an amount of chocolate. Yes! Chocolate has been proven over the years to be a great stress buster as it produces all the natural stress reducing properties while pleasurably adding to the general well being of the presenter’s mindset.

Vitamin B is also known for its stress represent properties. B 3 works synergistically while B 3 Niacin is a good energy booster which leads to the question of body balance basics. This gives the required boost to the public speaker which dramatically reduces the stress levels due to the extra energy created.

A lesser known and practiced way of reducing stress levels for the public speaker is the EMI technique otherwise known as the Z tracking Eye Movement. This simple exercise entails the individual having to visualize the eye movement tracking the letter Z without moving the head which is positioned straight in front. Doing this simple exercise about eight times before any presentation is said to produce very effective results. As this process in non invasive it is often favored by a lot of public speakers.

3. Provide Useful Information

Successful public speaking is all about capturing and retaining the audience attention for the duration of the presentation. Thus the content of the information being presented should have the priority of providing relevant and informative material. The information should be well thought out and clearly designed to engage the audience’s mental and visual capabilities.

Something Of Worth

The points to be presented by the public speaker should have a sense on fluency and finest. Outlining these before the presentation exercise starts should be done with some diligence.

Spending time finding and compiling the information to be presented should take priority over any other element within the whole exercise. The information given must leave the listener satisfied and even curious to learn more of what is being put forth.

Dividing the exercise into main categories, helps to identify the individual areas that need to be addressed, for the material being presented to be relevant. Theses may include elements like creating, which is the exercise of bringing an idea or something into existence that did not previously exist.

Then there is the need for this said idea to be useful and something of value and benefit. Being careful to be information rich but not confusing is also another feature to consider.

Being clear and accurate regarding the information being presented by the public speaker is also another important part of providing useful information.

The information must be trust worthy otherwise the speaker will lose any credibility build over time and this would cause a huge negative impact. Key concepts should be further substantiated with follow up information that can be easily accessed. The information presented must have added value and be up-to-date.

Taking the trouble and time to provide useful information that is relevant to the topic being presented can be done with the use of all the modern technological tools available, like the internet.

4. Structure Your Talk Around 3 Main Points

Following all the more obvious rules, such as maintaining a logical sequence to the information being presented, ensuring the presentation is done in a catchy and captivating style, providing only accurate and substantiated information can help to create the right balance for a successful public speaking exercise.

However these are not the only factors that should be considered as although all the above are important, keeping the presentation focused on only a few points helps greatly in ensuring the successful transfer of information. Ideally this should be limited to only about three main points.

Center It

Structuring the entire presentation to revolve around three main but extremely important points, allows the presenter to better focus on the “meatiness” of each individual point.

This is definitely preferable as compared to having the presentation span over a long period of time and lots of points and facts, as this would only end up confusing the audience and leaving them feeling exhausted, not to mention lost.

Taking the time to work out the general idea behind the need for the public speaking exercise, in terms of what information in needed to be expounded, helps the presenter to effectively narrow down the most important points or information.

This narrowed down points can then be further explored and developed to create the base for the presentation. Various ways both informative and captivating can be utilized to drive home the chosen three points as effectively as possible.

While focusing on the three main points, the presenter should always ensure the appropriate responses and reactions are constantly being noted as this helps the presenter to adjust or adapt accordingly to the “feel” of the audience. Keeping an appropriate pace for each point presented is also equally important, as this helps to create the necessary impact on the audience.

5. Make Sure You Stick To Your End Purpose

Beginning anything with the end purpose clearly mapped out in the mind’s eye helps to lend direction and drive to any endeavor. Thus beginning with the end in mind is part of the process of creating or producing successful results. The very important element of control is clearly shown within the exercise when the end purpose is clear.

Stick To it

Most endeavors are created within two main spectrums of achieving platforms, which are inception and execution. The inception part is within the mind set or mental and the execution is more focused on the actual physical exercise of the whole endeavor.

Therefore with the clear end purpose mapped out and understood, the individual is able to then work on the necessary steps of the journey.

This important element needs to be constantly in focus when designing presentations for public speaking. The general theme of the entire presentation should work itself towards the end while all the time maintaining its primary focus.

All points and information should be designed with this in mind and there should not be any wavering from this overall theme as it would only create unnecessary confusion for the audience.

Also when there is a clear end purpose to be achieved through the public speaking exercise on the given topic, it is easier for the audience to understand the essence and expected results desired after gaining such information.

Thus everyone attending the public speaking presentation would be able to come away feeling like they have benefited from the experience and vital information has been learnt.

This is especially so when the presentation is of a business, motivational, educational or informative nature, where the end results are very much focused on the end purpose. Being able to end the presentation on a purposeful not also motivates the audience to do likewise.

6. Prepare As Much As Possible

Though most individuals and teams likewise have their own styles or formats which the generally use when preparing for public speaking, there are some common and advantageous structures that can be positively used to ensure success. Perhaps the fact that cannot be overly emphasized and supported is in the preparation standards of the individual, which has to be at its best at all times.

Get Ready

The confidence levels that can be derived for being familiar with the material to be presented are also not to be underestimated. Having to constantly refer to notes and being hesitant does not lend credibility to the speaker and only creates the opening for doubt on the part of the audience.

Using aids like mind mapping, short phrases, one word prompts and other contribute to the smooth flowing speaking capabilities which in turn keep the audience captivated and focused. Preparing and checking the necessary tools that are to be used as aids within the presentation should be done to avoid any hiccups during the presentation. The idea of being as prepared as possible is definitely a positive contribution towards ensuring all the relevant information is properly received.

Being early for the presentation also help to keep the presenter calm and avoid any “fluster” that may created the panic feeling. It also helps the individual go over any last minute issues that may suddenly surface.

Wrapping Up

Remember…Being properly prepared ensures the individual is not left in a negative situation like not being able to satisfactorily answer any queries or not being able to substantiate any points of contention within the material being presented.

Nothing can be worse that the speaker being challenged openly on the material being presented for the factual accuracy. Thus the importance of checking and rechecking the material to be presented is very important indeed.