public speaking tipsSMU SMC

For the first time throughout my years of education, I am taking a public speaking class. To say the class intimidates me is an understatement. I have no problem with interviews or group projects or class discussions but something about standing in front of thirty or so students, judged on my performance, scares me to no end.

Here are a few tips for proper delivery that helped my confidence level:

Eye contact. The speaker should appear confident and use his/her eyes to communicate what is important. Make sure to look at the audience to prove that they are important. Do not look down or bounce eyes up and down. It is also important to look at the audience in order to gain feedback.
Use nervousness to a positive effect. A strong level of volume will command attention and help the speaker appear confident. Use pitch, tone, and hand gestures to show enthusiasm.
The audience should never get lost in your speech. The introduction should catch the audience’s attention. The body should be clear with distinct main points and supporting examples. The conclusion is simply a culmination of the speech.
Tell a story. Make a connection with the audience. Use personal experiences to seem relatable and establish credibility.

Don’ts of public speaking that I try to avoid:

Read your speech verbatim from paper
Use complex words that will confuse the audience and yourself
Distract from your message by including unimportant topics or excessive detail
Fidget nervously in front of the audience
Stick your hands in your pockets, hook your thumbs under your belt, or engage in other distracting diversions
Start sentences with “So”
Apologetically introduce a topic with “Just real quick,” “Briefly,” or similar words