Effective Public Speaking is an art that can be learned with practice, patience and perseverance. Once the techniques are mastered, the speaker’s confidence level is raised; this results in enhancing one’s speech before any audience at any time. Good public speakers yield a tremendous influence on their audience.
Here are some basic platform techniques,’ tips to hold the attention of your audience:-
Be warm and friendly:
It is important that we begin with the right start. Greet your audience with a smile. It works wonders and wins you instant good will. Once your audience knows that you are a warm and friendly person, they will want to know you and show great interest in listening what you have to say.
* Banish fear:
It helps if you believe that you are not alone on the podium. As you tune your mind to this thought, your fear of facing the audience, is banished. Each time, you can take along’ someone you hold in high esteem; it could be Helen Keller or Eleanor Roosevelt; any person whose words or thoughts or deeds resonate and are reflected in your speech. There is no better way to inspire, comfort or stimulate your audience than by reinforcing the points or concepts with memorable quotations from someone whose timeless words’ are worth repeating.
* Be Relaxed:
Once the paralyzing fear of speaking in public is under your firm control, you begin to relax. This technique of being completely relaxed helps the audience to feel comfortable with you. It breaks down any undue barriers and helps the audience to be at ease. You begin to build a fine rapport with your audience; thus making it easier for them to listen to what you are saying with rapt attention.
* Practice breathing:
To avoid nervousness prior to speaking, the speaker could also practice rhythmic exercise of deep breathing. This can be done by holding each breath as long as possible and then exhaling slowly. This would aid to clear the mind from unnecessary tension resulting in the lucid flow of words and speech in a natural order.
* Take Charge:
Taking charge of the floor you indirectly influence the audience to give you their full attention. It’s best to be standing erect in a comfortable position and not hide behind the podium or the chair. When you come out confidently in the open, your audience assumes that you are knowledgeable and have something valuable to say.
* Plan ahead:
Planning your speech ahead helps you to stay focused and not digress from the main topic. A forceful well constructed speech has a powerful impact on the audience. It is vital that your chain of thoughts do not pointlessly ramble from one point to another. Planning one’s speech entails having a clear-cut beginning, middle and a conclusive end.
* Keep it simple:
It is important to have a simple lucid speech spoken in plain language directly to the audience.
Use of high flown words geared to dazzle the audience does not generally work. Its best not to confuse the audience be introducing several points simultaneously. The most productive speeches are those that comprise of three to four points leading to one major conclusion.
* Manifest spontaneity:
Seeming to be spontaneous in your speech adds an attractive sparkle to your tone and takes away the mundane heavy tone of stiff literary language. This requires a lot of practice and rehearsals to make one’s speech naturally fluid and not jarring. It’s best to condense the final speech to brief headings and memorize these.
* Modulate your voice:
Be a compelling speaker by modulating the tone and quality of your voice. Do not use high pitch tone. Instead use a deep tone to convey the seriousness of your speech. Clarity in speech is an important requisite. Speaking excitedly and fast tends to make the speech garbled. Appropriate use of pause at timely moments, draws the attention of the audience.
* Maintain Eye Contact:
A speaker who maintains eye contact, is generally effective. If the speaker fails to look at the audience, then the purpose of the speech is lost to the audience. Sweeping one’s gaze back and forth across the audience gives the impression that you acknowledge their presence and feel involved.
* Monitor your time:
Discreet timechecks by the speaker are vital. If you overrun the time factor, your audience tends to get bored and distracted. Be brief and remember the importance of not taking more than the required time for your speech.
Finally:
Practice makes perfect. Speak your words honestly and forthrightly. This leads to greater harmony and augments the effectiveness of your speech, leaving behind a lasting impact on the audience.