If you are not used to giving a public speech and you happen to have one coming up then this will no doubt be a nervous time for you. It happens to many of us, try as we might to avoid it there are always moments when we might need to speak at a friend’s wedding, a job interview or even on a university course and it can be petrifying.
Some people are born for public speaking, I was recently watching a video of a sermon given by pastor TB Joshua and he is truly captivating. His pace, delivery and passion was something that I was most impressed by and if you want to see an example of how you can deliver a speech, watch one of his videos. So as you warm up for the big event here are some great tips on how you should approach it.
Prepare Like a Maniac
The speech that you are about to give will only be as good as the preparation and planning that you put into it, this is the part when you can toy around with ideas and work on how you can best deliver the speech. It is important to write and re-write the speech several times until you have got it right, this way you will feel very confident that you have a good speech to give on the day. Practicing your speech is also important and a great technique is to record yourself doing it, this way you can watch it back and work out any areas where you would like to improve. When you watch the video back, put yourself in the audience’s position, does it engage you? If not then you need toward out how best you can engage.
Be Yourself
It can be tempting when giving a speech to imitate others to appear more professional but this only adds more pressure onto your shoulders, the far better option is to simply be yourself and let your personality come through with the speech. If you want to tell a joke or have a little laugh then go ahead, the more genuine you are, the more engaged your audience will be.
Use Your Body Language
Positive body language is a huge part of giving a successful speech, it not only keeps the attention of the audience but it will also help you to breathe and control any nerves that you may have. Arms and hands are the most important, ensure that you are using them in a manner that will reinforce your point and convey your emotions. You should also try your best to keep your frame open, this is far more inclusive for the audience and it will help to control your breathing. If you have some room to pace around a little bit then go ahead, this will give you a commanding appearance and keep the audience in tune with what you are saying.
Remember that when you give your speech it is important to be yourself, use your body language and approach it with a positive attitude, you will be just fine.