8 Public Speaking Techniques That Will Change Everything

Not everyone is born with a natural ability to speak confidently in front of an audience. Many of us had to learn public speaking techniques the same way we learned any other skill. This points discussed further will immensely help someone who is preparing to give a speech or just wants to enhance their public speaking skills. These techniques will help you deliver your speech or presentation in a powerful and flawless way.

Famous people like Warren Buffett and Mahatma Gandhi, early in their lives, suffered from Glossophobia (a fear of public speaking). And look at where they ended up later. If they can overcome their weaknesses, you can too. One statistic shows that about 74 percent of people suffer from speech anxiety. Likewise, 5.3 million Americans suffer from social phobia. Public speaking is the number one fear people have.

Here are some tried and tested techniques that will help you become a better speaker. Try them out today.

1. Tell stories

Storytelling is the number one public speaking technique every leader or professional communicator should possess. It is so powerful that even if you are not good at any other technique mentioned in this post, you will still win the hearts of your audience. Storytelling works better when addressing a group than it does when talking to someone one on one.

When you tell a story, you are simply sharing information without coming off as sales-y. This is the reason why storytelling works. It creates comfort between you and the listener. There are so many people out there who are trying to persuade by being pushy or by using clever lines that they may have learned in a sales course. But guess what? Today’s audience is clever. They are aware of the tricks and techniques people use to dupe them or sell them things they don’t want.

2. Trigger emotions

Emotions generated in our body are a natural response to any external stimuli we receive. We all have emotions, and we can’t live without them. As far as public speaking is concerned, these emotions can be a deciding factor. The kind of emotions you trigger can decide whether the audience reciprocates to your messages or not. If you make people feel good, they will comply with you and vice versa.

In sales situations, it is very important to trigger the right emotions in your audience or the individual you are talking to. I am not asking you to manipulate people. But if you don’t convey the right messages, you won’t make the sale.

Emotions are important in public speaking because most people, irrespective of how smart they are, still make decisions based on how they feel. They may later think logically about it but only after a bit of emotional investment. So, don’t forget to trigger emotions either by telling an emotive story or by feeling the emotion yourself.

3. Attractive body language

Body language is an advanced communication tool used by powerful men and women all over the world. Most politicians use hidden signals or pull off power moves which put them in a dominant position in relation to their opponent. They use body language because it’s not possible to bluntly say everything. It can offend certain people especially if you are in a leadership position and cannot afford to lose your following.

One quick way to have an attractive body language is to have a smile on your face and keep your shoulders squared. This will show that you are a confident person who is not afraid to show his/her real personality. This also disarms your audience as they feel at ease with the idea of you being on the stage and lecturing them. This may seem a bit overwhelming at first, but with practice, you will become more comfortable and free to take the center stage.

4. Practice everyday

It’s easy to read and understand the techniques mentioned in this article, but without practice, you will never be able to implement them in real life. Without practice, your desire to learn public speaking techniques will never come to fruition. So, read further to learn how to practice public speaking and how to prepare for a TED talk.

Professional soccer players don’t just run around or kick the ball without any intent. They have a system which they follow; a system which makes them better each day. Likewise, for you, it’s important to practice public speaking by following tried and tested methods.

One easy way to practice public speaking is by going out to bars or nightclubs and talking to random people. This way you get over your fear of what people think about you and feel free to express yourself without the fear of messing up.

Moreover, if you are afraid to make a mistake in front of your audience, you can record yourself while practicing the same speech in your home. In retrospect, you get priceless feedback. With repetition, you get better as you will make fewer mistakes the next time you practice. You can also join your local Toastmasters Club which I have found to be very helpful in helping you get more confident and better at public speaking.

5. Use a slideshow presentation

The main purpose of a slideshow presentation is to provide your audience with a context of what you are talking about. It should be used as a guideline or a signboard for your listeners and not as a notepad for yourself.

To make the most of your presentation slide, you can make it reader-friendly by using fewer words per bullet point and keeping the font size large enough for everyone to comfortably read. Moreover, you can also add pictures and short videos to your slide if you think they will help convey the message better. So, create a stunning slideshow next time you are about to give a presentation.

6. Hire a vocal coach

If you are one of those people who has a thin voice or has problems speaking from your diaphragm, then the best solution for you would be to hire a vocal coach. There is no point in learning all these public speaking techniques if your voice doesn’t resonate properly. Simply stated, you won’t be able to command respect from your audience if you have a weak voice.

7. Dress impeccably

Your clothes are another measure of creating a powerful stage presence.- So, if you walk up on stage poorly dressed, you will not make a good impression.- Ideally, it should not matter what you wear but that is not how the world of public speaking works. You have to put up a show.

The choice of your clothes should be based on what kind of event you are going to. For a business event, you must wear a suit or well ironed formal clothes. On the other hand, for casual parties, it is completely fine to wear shiny and outrageous clothes. Moreover, the clothes you wear also affect your mood. This is why some men like to wear their favorite shirt before going on a date or an important meeting.

8. Make people laugh

Some people are naturally humorous. They find something funny in everything they observe or experience. Moreover, it is very easy for them to add humor to their speeches when they are talking in front of a crowd. It is important to note that humor cannot be forced or rehearsed. But you can still be funny if you are not a born comedian.

To make people laugh, you first need to find out what makes you laugh. Once you know what situations, lines, events, etc. crack you up, you can use those in your presentations or speeches. It is also important to not take yourself too seriously. Here, self-deprecating humor comes into play. When talking to a group of people, you can make fun of yourself. But don’t go overboard. Or else people will think you lack self-respect.  

Storytelling and use of emotive language would be the two most important things for effective public speaking. Listen to the speeches from people like Elon Musk and Steve Jobs. They always share details from their past that generate curiosity in the listeners. people like them because of their ability to express their ideas freely and articulately.