Public speaking tips help you engage audiences to produce a more significant impact. However, the traditional tactics don’t work anymore. Use these realistic tricks from a veteran motivational speaker and inspire your listeners to act.
Public speaking tips can help you prepare to capture an audience. They provide valuable insights that elevate your game and ensure maximum attention. However, the old tricks no longer work. You must use an updated and upgraded approach to have an impact.
Many experts say you should practice a speech before giving it, and that’s good advice. Preparing in advance can also help, and understanding your audience is essential. Still, those pointers might be too basic for people who need a punchier presentation. The public speaking tips in this article are different.
You want to project confidence and competence when talking to a crowd. The listeners need to know why they should pay attention. Meanwhile, excellent content will only get you so far. Avoid a dull speech with these public speaking tips from a veteran motivational speaker.
Table of Contents
Why Public Speaking Is Nerve-Wracking
How to Become a Better Public Speaker
mOe’s Top 5 Public Speaking Tips
Why Public Speaking Is Nerve-Wracking
Public speaking tips only work if you’re willing to use them. However, feeling nervous about your upcoming presentation can wreck your nerves. It can also make staying on topic or delivering a clear message more challenging. Thus, developing a foolproof strategy is essential.
“Talking in public means having countless people judge your words, appearance, and perspectives.”
They will form an opinion of you and your expertise based on what you say. However, they’ll also determine your value as a motivational speaker based on your attitude. It’s not easy to balance both without some help.
Even the most confident presenters can be insecure without the correct approach. Audiences typically react in real-time to what you say and do. Most listeners also change their minds about you by the end of the presentation. Public speaking tips can help ensure their minds are set on positive things.
You might fumble at least once during a critical speech. It happens to the best of us. However, you don’t have to mess up, and minor mistakes don’t have to ruin your presentation. The best public speaking tips will include preventative tricks and hacks for making a comeback.
How to Become a Better Public Speaker
Become a better public speaker by utilizing some tips from a veteran. Then monitor your progress to determine which areas require the most improvements. You could be surprised by what you learn, see, and hear. Remember, developing a strategy with mOe’s public speaking tips means taking an honest inventory of your strengths and weaknesses.
Nobody is the perfect motivational speaker, and some people in the audience won’t receive the message you’re sending. The idea is to capture at least 75% of your listeners with hard-hitting facts, compelling sentences, and a steady and encouraging presence.
The typical tactics always include the following:
- Preparing your content in advance
- Practicing your lines
- Defining your target audience
- Looking the part
- Providing reference materials
- Offering excellent examples
- Using personal anecdotes
Unfortunately, those tactics don’t work for everyone and are certainly not enough to develop an attention-getting speech. There are too many holes in that approach, creating several opportunities to slip up or say something the wrong way. A solid script can help, but what happens when you must ad-lib to keep the fires blazing? How will you handle unexpected circumstances with confidence?
Becoming a motivational speaker requires a more sophisticated method. It involves more than the fundamentals; it can transform how impactful your words become. Speeches derail all the time, but yours doesn’t have to. My top public speaking tips should help you understand why stepping on stage without a flexible plan is unwise.
mOe’s Top 5 Public Speaking Tips
Public speaking tips are easy to come by. Nearly every motivational speaker insists they have the best strategy for capturing and keeping an audience’s attention. However, we know that’s not true. If so, all speeches would end in fireworks, and they don’t.
“You must develop a unique way of addressing the topic, even if that means coming from a different angle.”
Still, the content will never be your primary concern. The best public speakers can motivate people on mundane subjects using few props and simple terminology.
My favorite method involves getting an in-depth look at the complete package. I also use the following tips to formulate an unforgettable speech:
#1. Listen to Your Remarks
Pay attention to more than how you sound when you speak. Check out the pitch of your voice and monitor your speed. Talking too fast can express insecurity and could come off as impatience. You don’t want the audience to feel like an inconvenience. Slow down to make them feel welcome.
“This is not your elevator pitch, so you don’t have to rush.”
The listeners are a captive audience, and you likely have plenty of time to share your thoughts. If unsure about the timing, record a video of your entire presentation. You can use the tape to modify any confuddled content before the big day.
I like to use text-to-speech apps on my smartphone or computer. The monotone sound helps me hone my content quality instead of focusing on my insecurities as a public speaker. Try the “Read Aloud” function in your word processor for a quick, dry rendition before adding your unique flavor.
Another strategy is to ask someone unfamiliar with your content to review it. See if the reader understands your terminology and appreciates your tone. This technique also helps you determine which words or phrases could potentially confuse new audiences. Observe where they pause and make a note for further review and refinement.
mOe’s PRO TIP: Check for flow inconsistencies and tangents when listening to your speech.
#2. Stand Up Straight
Did you know that good posture can positively impact your audience? It expresses confidence and calmness – two qualities your listeners want to see. However, standing up straight is crucial even before you step on stage. Training yourself to present a speech while standing tall can help ease your mind and create muscle memory.
Meanwhile, an unobstructed airway means better voice projection with or without a microphone. You also exude verbal assurance to motivate your audience despite skepticism. Body language accounts for a significant portion of how people perceive you.
“Give them the best version with a speech free of gasps for air and verbal fillers.”
Standing up straight while practicing or giving a speech helps you monitor and control your tone of voice. You can manage the speed of your words and avoid looking too nervous about being at the mic. Watch a veteran motivational speaker present an exciting topic for more public speaking tips like these.
mOe’s PRO TIP: Listen to how different you sound while sitting versus standing.
#3. Warm Up Before the Event
Practice might make perfect, but it will never make you ready. However, warming up correctly before giving a speech can help you feel more confident. If you go over your material enough, it will sound like second nature when you speak to the audience. This is one of my most essential public speaking tips.
You should also try to get plenty of rest before the event. Sleep in a cool, dark room to refresh your mind and body. Then eat a moderate but healthy meal to fill your belly and prevent hunger pangs. Don’t consume heavy foods or drinks because they could require an untimely restroom break.
A few minutes before stepping in front of your audience, do these things that always help me prepare:
- Stretch your facial muscles
- Work out body kinks
- Wiggle your tongue
- Close your eyes for 30 seconds
- Take a few deep breaths
- Give yourself a pep talk
- Review your notes
I like writing comments on my papers and notecards to remind me when to pause, look up, or smile. They’re like stage directions for a sometimes nervous motivational speaker like me. You can jot down anything; just make sure it helps you stay on task.
mOe’s PRO TIP: Perform some tongue twisters in the mirror to loosen up before your presentation.
#4. Slow Down
The speed of your speech is a critical component that could make or break a presentation. Audiences don’t want to feel overwhelmed, rushed, or distracted. They also prefer not to play guessing games about what you just said. Unfortunately, speaking too fast can make them experience those emotions and more.
You should show passion and be engaging without racing through your words. Give your audience a chance to digest your speech and determine their views on it. Don’t be so slow you put the listeners to sleep, but always annunciate correctly and occasionally pause to emphasize specific phrases. Create anticipation with the right tone and pace.
“Let the audience consider the facts you present with slow, deliberate talking aimed at the most impactful details.”
According to studies on human communication, there’s a standard speed for conversations and formal presentations. On average, people speak less than 110 words per minute when talking casually with others. However, the pace hastens to 120 WPM during passionate exchanges. It can reach up to 160 WPM on radio broadcasts and televised advertisements.
Your speech is not an exciting radio show waiting for the next caller. There is no guarantee that your listeners are interested in what you have to say.
mOe’s PRO TIP: Use a stopwatch to time yourself during various sections.
#5. Elevate Your Game
Be kind to yourself, but also be honest. You can determine where to improve your presentation by being open-minded and accepting constructive criticisms. Don’t ask for help or advice if you’re unwilling to take it; don’t let it crush your spirit if your speech isn’t perfect.
“Consider everything a rough draft until you step in front of the audience.”
Elevate your game as a public speaker with innovation and creativity. However, remain compliant with your industry’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) standards. Stepping too far outside the box can be risky and might threaten your reputation. It can also confuddle the message and confuse those listening.
You can entice your audience by offering some of the juiciest details after they get involved with your cause-request contact information to provide follow-up materials and maintain your influence for longer. Try developing multiple channels for continued collaboration, and then interact with your virtual audience as often as possible.
Don’t stop with an excellent speech. Use these public speaking tips in your everyday life and during business negotiations. You’ll express more confidence and convince others to see things from your point of view. This technique can also help you gain leverage in a competitive industry.
mOe’s PRO TIP: Check out a veteran motivational speaker for additional tricks to inspire a following.
Conclusion
Public speaking tips can help you make the most of your words and ideas. They can also improve your presentation, boost confidence, and transform concepts into realities. Motivate your audience with a rock-solid approach and then benefit from their inspirations.
“Dr mOe’s public speaking tips can help you make a difference, impacting many people you might not have considered.”
The basic strategies won’t cut it anymore, and covering the fundamentals is only a start. You likely need a veteran motivational speaker to give you some pointers before the event. Seek an insider view to learn public speaking tips that work.
Engage your target audience and inspire more people to listen. Practice these techniques to perfect your presentation and build confidence as a public speaker.
About The Author
Dr mOe is a bestselling author, award-winning podcast host, and dynamic mOetivational speaker based in Dallas, Texas. She focuses on developing techniques for continual self-improvement through passion, humor, and experience. Follow her on IG @drmoeanderson and visit DrmOeAnderson.com to browse her book titles and speaking engagement topics.
