Public speaking is an essential trait highly sought after skill. Especially, if you are an executive in a company, an author, a salesperson, a trainer or any other public-facing professional, you probably need to be comfortable with public speaking.
Public speaking anxiety is still the top phobia, affecting people more than fears of spiders, heights, darkness and even death.
That's right, death!
If you're among those people who would rather curl up in a ball and simply die than speaking in front of a crowd, you probably need to consider these 9 steps from Marc Bombenon to learn public speaking skills absolutely free:
Think About Timing.
Keep presentation of about 20 minutes. Take an example of TED Talk experts, these Public Speakers usually speak for 17–18 minutes. Why? The reason behind is to keep the presentation more focused and tighter. You only need to include points that are important and relevant to your audience. Giving them too much makes them lose interest and won't remember, what you've said.
Insert Several Visualization.
If your presentation runs longer, build breaks with visuals, props, role play, etc. A visualization is a powerful tool for keeping audiences engaged while helping them to remember things they heard.
Insert A Story.
In order to grab attention share personal stories. In terms of journalism, it’s called "the human interest" story. It shouldn’t be personal, but it should be something which is unusual and attention-grabbing. You need to make people sit up and take notice, and keep listening to the end.
Get The Audience Involved.
An interactive workshop is a good way to wake up your audience. Ask questions, or get them to the point of discussion with the person sitting next to them. For example, if your talk was about happiness, you could ask them: when was the last time you felt really happy and why? Marc Bombenon recommended five minutes is long enough for this, otherwise, there's a risk of losing control.
What's Your Message?
Make sure - what you want your audience to take away with them? What is the most effective way to deliver your message across? Could it be the personal story or another example? A picture or sound or another kind of prop? Usually, people remember the closing line of the story, so make sure you end with a strong message.
Let Your Passion Shine Throughout.
Let your passion and enthusiasm for your subject shine throughout your presentation. This will engage your audience while keeping them listening. If you're not interested or passionate about a subject, why would your audience be? Find a reason to keep yourself interested and motivated in your subject - if you can't, find another subject.
Be Authentic.
Being genuine certainly not fails. Be yourself! If you don't know an answer, it’s better to accept it and say so instead of giving out duff information. You can get support in finding such answer. Audiences can see through 'fake'. So keep it real, which is why personal stories work so well.
Outline (Don’t Script).
Outline your plan that you are going to say rather than write out your speech word-for-word. Marc Bombenon adds “It allows the language you use to be more natural, enabling your voice to be much more natural and eye contact is better.”
Not reading your speech from a script makes you look more competent and confident, showing your knowledge about your stuff.
Practice.
Due to some strange reason, people are reluctant to become in public speaking. However, if they practice hard and learn their presentation effectively. Nothing will faze them when they come to deliver it.
