How can you get better at public speaking? Are there strategies for how to give a better speech?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To become a great public speaker, you need to put thought into how you choose your topic, limit your speech to three key ideas, and create a strong opening and closing. By planning your speech strategically, you can send a more powerful message and connect better with your audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Learn how to become a great public speaker with this expert advice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Does the thought of speaking in front of an audience make you anxious? You\u2019re not alone: Many people say they fear public speaking even more than death. But public speaking is also one of the most important and widely applicable skills in life, and the good news is, anyone can learn how to become a great public speaker. By learning proven skills and techniques, you can become an effective communicator and confidently deliver your message to an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We\u2019ve compiled leading experts\u2019 insights on how to prepare and deliver your speech. Whether you want to persuade, inform, entertain, or motivate your audience, this article will walk you through the process of crafting and delivering a powerful speech that captures your audience\u2019s interest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We\u2019ll begin by exploring the preparation phase\u2014how to plan, write, and rehearse your speech. Then, we\u2019ll describe tips for delivering your speech<\/a> to an audience and keeping them engaged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n First, let\u2019s dive into the preparation work for your speech. In Public Speaking for Success<\/em><\/a>, author and lecturer Dale Carnegie contends that the best speeches are extensively prepared ahead of time. In this section, we\u2019ll look at various experts\u2019 tips on how to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Carnegie recommends that when choosing a speech topic, look for one that you\u2019re both passionate and knowledgeable about, as a powerful speech is one that blends emotion and reason<\/strong>. Your emotions will fuel and animate your speech-giving, while your rock-solid information will persuade even the most intelligent and discerning audiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In The 16 Undeniable Laws of Communication<\/em><\/a>, John C. Maxwell suggests additional tips for choosing a topic that gives you credibility:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tip 1: Ensure your message matches your true beliefs.<\/strong> To be credible in the eyes of others, you must genuinely believe in the message you\u2019re delivering. When you\u2019re confident in your message, you naturally use more powerful language and convey more emotion. Your audience will be more open to listening to you when they believe your words are sincere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While it\u2019s important for your message to match your true beliefs, persuasion and rhetoric expert Jay Heinrichs says in Thank You for Arguing<\/em><\/a> that it\u2019s more important to match the values of your audience. When your audience believes that you share the same values as they do, they see you as someone virtuous, or trustworthy and aligned with their cause.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tip 2: Support your words with your actions<\/strong>. Maxwell advises you to follow your own advice before giving it to others. For example, if you argue that organization is key to productivity, but you display an obvious lack of organization, your audience won\u2019t be receptive to your message.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Carnegie adds that speeches tend to have one of four common goals:<\/p>\n\n\n\n When choosing your talking points, you use the Rule of Three: Include a maximum of three ideas in any one speech.<\/strong> Research suggests that the brain can\u2019t process more than three ideas at once, so if you add any more than this to your talk, your audience simply won\u2019t remember them.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Experts also suggest creating a message map\u2014a one-page summary of everything you want to include in your talk\u2014to help you plan so you know going into your speech what you\u2019ll cover.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n You only have about 60 seconds to keep your audience\u2019s attention once you begin your speech<\/strong>. Try saying something dramatic within the first minute, show a fascinating image (this can be beautiful, confusing, or funny), or pique their curiosity with a question or counterintuitive statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Likewise, Carnegie recommends you keep your opening succinct by refining it to a sharp, powerful sentence or two. He adds that there are several weak ways of opening a speech<\/a> that you should avoid:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many experts suggest you express your ideas simply when writing your speech,<\/strong> which, as Maxwell explains, allows your audience to better understand and remember them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In The Bezos Blueprint<\/em><\/a>, Carmine Gallo offers tips you can use to keep your speech simple and clear:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tip 1: Use simple language.<\/strong> Express your ideas simply enough that the average high school student could understand them. Maxwell expresses a similar sentiment but suggests using language that an eighth grader can understand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tip 2: Vary sentence length and structure, but use short sentences and simple words most of the time<\/strong>. The more complex, important, or stressful the subject matter, the more important it is to write plainly. Choose words of Anglo-Saxon origin rather than those of Latin or Greek origin\u2014for example, a Latinate word might facilitate your efforts to sound smart, but an Anglo-Saxon word will help your audience understand you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tip 3: Use active language. <\/strong>Begin sentences with clear subjects and vivid verbs. This keeps the \u201caction\u201d moving and keeps your audience engaged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tip 4: Trim unnecessary words and ideas. <\/strong>Keep sentences short and direct by avoiding qualifiers and hedge words\u2014they add fluff and feel indecisive. Likewise, Maxwell says you should trim excess information that might distract from your main points.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To make your ideas more understandable and to captivate your audience, experts recommend that you incorporate a variety of engaging content<\/a><\/strong> into your speech. Let\u2019s look at several ways you can do this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Strategy 1: Tell stories.<\/strong> In How Highly Effective People Speak<\/em><\/a>, competitive public speaker Peter D. Andrei explains that people understand the world through stories\u2014it\u2019s how we learn<\/a> and how our ancestors passed down information over thousands of years. When an argument is presented as a story, we relate to the people in the story and imagine what it would be like if the same things happened to us.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Strategy 2: Use visuals. <\/strong>Maxwell suggests you use body language<\/a>, visual metaphors, or actual visual aids like physical props and images to help illustrate your ideas. Andrei explains that memories based on visual perception stick out more clearly in our minds, so they\u2019ll provoke a stronger emotional reaction and be easier to recall later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Strategy 3: Engage multiple senses. <\/strong>Gallo recommends presenting content that triggers a combination of the senses of hearing, sight, and touch. It\u2019ll help your audience to remember what you\u2019ve said: Research has shown that multisensory experiences are much more memorable than single-sense experiences. For example, if you\u2019re pitching a product, you could pass a prototype around your audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Strategy 4: Incorporate humor: <\/strong>Maxwell writes that getting your audience to laugh increases feelings of intimacy and makes them more receptive to your words. However, he suggests you only use humor if it comes naturally to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n An audience will remember a talk based on how it ends.<\/strong> Here are several options for powerful closings:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Closing 1: Apply what you\u2019ve discussed to a broader situation. <\/strong>For example, \u201cIf this management style can transform Fortune 500 companies, imagine what it could do in the White House.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Closing 2: Declare a personal mission<\/a>. <\/strong>End your speech<\/a> by making a proclamation about how you are going to use this knowledge to improve the world<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Closing 3: Leave your audience with a dream. <\/strong>Paint a picture of a better world. Inspire your audience with your dream for the future\u2014but be sure to avoid clich\u00e9s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Closing 4: Call them to action. <\/strong>Ask your audience to take the information you just gave them and do something with it. For example, \u201cIf we all contact our congressmen, they\u2019ll have to listen.\u201d Maxwell offers another tip for encouraging action: Help your audience imagine what the positive change looks like and show them how to take the first step.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Closing 5: End with beautiful language. <\/strong>A poetic statement, song lyric, or eloquent phrase can add a somber and memorable touch. Carnegie recommends using a famous quote if it more powerfully sums up your argument than you could.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you\u2019ve written your speech, rehearse it so you can deliver your ideas clearly and confidently. Carnegie recommends you memorize your speech. This doesn\u2019t necessarily mean learning each exact word and phrase by heart, but insteadthoroughly learning your argument so you can speak extemporaneously<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Gallo suggests you focus on three things when practicing your speech:\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s normal to feel nervous and release adrenaline before your speech<\/strong>, even if you\u2019re a seasoned speaker. In TED Talks<\/em><\/a>, Chris Anderson explains that adrenaline can be good: It gives you energy and animates your voice. However, in large doses, it can also make you shaky, give you dry mouth, and cause anxiety. He gives some tips for managing your nerves before you step out on stage:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tip 1: Get active. <\/strong>If your adrenaline is high enough to make you shaky, do something physical <\/strong>to get rid of the excess. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Tip 2: Drink five to six ounces of water <\/strong>five minutes before you speak. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Tip 3: Focus on your breathing<\/strong> in the minutes before speaking. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For more tips on public speaking and effective communication, see the following Shortform guides:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now that you\u2019ve learned the process of brainstorming<\/a>, writing, and delivering a speech, think about how you can apply the techniques we discussed in the guide to a future presentation.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHow to Prepare Your Speech<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Choose a Topic<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Write Your Speech<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Create a Strong Opening<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Express Your Ideas Simply<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Incorporate Engaging Content<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Create a Powerful Closing<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
How to Deliver Your Speech<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Manage Stress and Anxiety<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Shortform Resources<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Exercise: Prepare for an Upcoming Presentation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n