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Ten steps to public speaking success

Posted 1/10/2008 by Chris Roycroft-Davis

Nothing inspires greater levels of fear than speaking in public. Hearts pound, mouths go dry and stomachs churn at the prospect of making a presentation – even to people you know.
 
It doesn’t have to be like this, says Chris Roycroft-Davis, president of the London chapter of the Professional Speakers Association. If you follow these tips, that is.
 
ONE A speech is the opposite of sex – the climax comes at the start. Begin with your best point, then make sure you know the first four minutes off by heart so you connect with the audience from the word go.
 
TWO Don’t wing it or leave it until the night before. Confidence comes from thorough preparation and rehearsal. Always practise out loud so you can spot the stumble points and change them.
 
THREE Follow the Rule of Three: don’t make more than three major points in a presentation or the audience will suffer information overload.
 
FOUR Understand the audience’s needs - and feed them. See it from their point of view and remember it’s always about them, not you. Know what you want to achieve and make it easy for the audience by keeping it simple.
 
FIVE Keep it short and sweet. Your speech is like a diamond – the more you cut it, the more it will sparkle.
 
SIX Facts tell, stories sell. Use real-life examples, told with a tiny bit of theatre, to make your speech warm and human. Metaphors, such as “it’s like trying to climb a slippery pole,” paint strong images for your audience.
 
SEVEN Relax. No one died making a speech – in fact, statistically you’re more likely to die in the audience.
 
EIGHT Butterflies in the stomach are essential to keep you on your toes and produce your very best. Pro speakers get butterflies – we just learn to make them fly in formation.
 
NINE Slow down, it’s not a race to the finish. A speaker’s most powerful tool is the pause: make a point, look the audience in the eyes for five seconds, then continue.
 
TEN Don’t be afraid to ad-lib. The audience doesn’t want a word-perfect robot, they want a friendly human being.