Having public speaking skills is an important part of being confident with yourself. It is a skill you need to have no matter what your career may be. If you need help with your public speaking skills, try the simple and effective public speaking tips and tricks listed below.

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.

If you are anxious about public speaking, practice deep breathing techniques. Breathing deliberately and deeply, followed by a complete exhale, can work to bring nervousness down. Breathe in deeply and exhale slowly. Do this approximately five times to feel a positive difference in how calm you feel.

Never assume that you are going in front of a hostile audience. They are giving you their time and attention. They want to be informed, captivated, entertained and moved. Visualize them clapping for you, because they probably hope you give them reason to do just that at some point.

Do not try to be someone else when giving your speech. If you want to grab your audience‘s attention, you cannot come across as fake; your audience will not take you seriously. So, in other words, avoid saying things you would not normally say and don’t do anything you normally would not do.

Get the audience engaged and with you before you launch into your actual speech. Smile as they enter, and if it’s possible, shake some hands as you welcome them. They will become more intrigued by your material.

Many people start a speech with a joke in order to grab the audience‘s attention, so keep this in mind as you are figuring out what to say. If you are going to tell a joke, make sure that it is tasteful and on topic. Otherwise, you risk alienated some of them.

If you feel that things are going smoothly, never apologize. While it’s easy to feel like a fool in front of a large group, most of the time, the audience will be unaware of your internal feelings. Correct mistakes you make and move on.

When it comes time to make a speech in a public place, try to arrive early. This can help you become better acquainted with your surroundings. Getting familiar with the layout of the room, the microphones, and the other speech aids that are available in that room can help you become more relaxed before speaking.

Reconsider having a few drinks to loosen yourself up. You may be so nervous before the speech or at such a fun event that you drink a little too much. Some of the most embarrassing speeches are the fault of having a little too much to drink before making the speech.

If you want to be successful, you need to have good public speaking skills. It is essential that you are able to get your point across clearly and concisely when you are speaking to a group of any size. Apply the helpful tips listed above to build your public speaking skills.