Worried About Public Speaking? These Tips Can Help!

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Do you know very much about public speaking? Have you had any experience with it? If not, you are in luck. This article was written with you in mind. Public speaking is an art that anybody can learn. If you utilize these ideas, you can become a great public speaker.

Know the audience that you will be speaking to. To help you get to know the audience, greet people as they enter and engage them in some conversation. By doing this, you will feel more comfortable when you go to the podium. It is much easier to speak to people you know.

When you speak in public, preparation is critical. Be prepared when it comes to your topic. To support a particular fact, research it thoroughly before stating it. Have an outline of your speech on paper so you can refer to it while giving your speech. Practice your speech a number of times until you have it memorized. Being prepared can raise your confidence level.

Know your material inside and out. Even when you commit your speech to memory, knowing jokes, facts and figures with regard to the topic is always helpful. Work them in when you can to see how your audience reacts. You can use them to answer questions too.

Never drink before you have to speak in public. People under the influence tend to slur their words or forget them altogether. You may go up to podium and think you have everything under control only to realize you were incorrect. That is why you should skip drinking any type of alcohol.

Make eye contact with your audience members. Doing so makes them feel as if you are speaking directly to them and helps keep them engaged. It also makes you appear confident and poised. Look at various members of the audience as you speak to help engage as many of them as possible.

Make sure that the beginning of your speech is a moment to relax. Greet and address your audience. Then pause for three seconds. This gives them a chance to focus on you, while you get a moment to transform your nervous energy into enthusiasm for the material you are about to deliver.

Never tell the audience that you’re sorry for being nervous or any other issue that comes up. Chances are they didn’t even notice in the first place. Even if they do, coming across as lacking in confidence detracts from your position of authority on your speech that you are making.

Do not chew gum or eat when you are making a speech. The chewing is unprofessional and distracts your audience. It is permissible to sip from a glass of water occasionally so that your throat does not get dry. Keep that to a minimum too, as it serves as a distraction from your message.

Now you must have some idea about how people can feel so at ease with public speaking. If you practice these ideas, you will learn how to be comfortable as well. Take notes and begin to practice. This skill is worth the effort to learn. Then, you can apply it in your life.