Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
I’ve been seeing a few questions lately on social media about how to learn public speaking. Many people are suggesting Toastmasters, which is great. For those who aren’t interested in joining Toastmasters, I wanted to also add a few thoughts.
I feel very fortunate that I learned about public speaking early in my professional career. One of my very first jobs was being a tour guide at a theme park. While I didn’t realize it at the time, the experience was priceless.
We’ve all heard the old cliché about people fearing public speaking more than death. Now more than ever, it’s essential for business professionals to learn how to speak in front of groups. It’s part of our job. Even if we don’t do it every day. Let me share a couple of examples:
- At conferences, major sponsors are often invited to speak about their company. Or a volunteer leader might be asked to introduce a speaker.
- I once worked with a software company that held an annual users conference. During the event, their programmers (i.e. the subject matter experts) would conduct the sessions. The programmers had to not only work on their sessions but also their presentation skills.
It is no longer acceptable to make excuses like “I’m not a professional speaker.” or “I don’t need to learn public speaking.” because someday you might need to do an introduction, deliver a short talk about your company, or conduct a presentation demonstrating your expertise. So, the next time you’re invited to do any kind of public speaking, here are 10 tips that might help you:
- PRACTICE! Practice! And then practice some more. Whether it’s your 1st or 51st presentation, it doesn’t hurt to do a little practice. Review the material. If you’re using PowerPoint, make sure it works. I like to practice in front of a mirror – it gives me reminders about my posture and body language. I also practice saying the words out loud. Not only does it allow me to get comfortable with the material but I can time myself to see if I’m over/under.
- Arrive early and stand in front of the room. And I don’t mean stand there for 30 seconds. Stand there long enough to get comfortable with the surroundings. If the room has a podium, stand behind it for a couple minutes to see how it feels. If the podium is on a riser, stand on it so you know what it feels like to walk up the steps and be on a raised platform. The more comfortable you are, the more you can focus on the content you are sharing.
- Test the microphone. The room has a microphone for a reason. People think their voice will project – it doesn’t. When you are supposed to use a microphone and you don’t, you give the audience a reason to stop paying attention to you. Don’t test the microphone using the sentence “Test one, two, three…” When I test a microphone, I try to use a couple of sentences that allows me to get used to the sound of my voice amplified. For instance, I like the sentence, “I have a Dalmatian. She likes to eat Pop-Tarts.” I like the sentence because it has a “P” word in it – and I can hear how it sounds.
- Get a photo. This is a biggie! If there’s an event photographer, find out if you will be photographed and if you can get a copy of the photo. As a businessperson, a photograph of you standing behind a podium is gold. If there’s no event photographer, ask someone in the front row if they will take a couple photos of you while you’re speaking. Give them your phone. Buy a few gift cards before the event to thank them afterward.
- Ussies are “in”. If you don’t want to hand over your phone over to someone, do an ussie. Turn your back to the audience, ask them to smile and wave, then snap a photo with them in the background. Or just take a picture of the audience and send it out via social media. It’s a way to get the audience involved and have some fun.
- Take your name badge off. Why? See reasons 4 and 5 above.
- Don’t say your content is boring. This might seem like a no-brainer, but I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard someone refer to their material as boring. I suspect they’re doing that only because it might be technical. If you say it, then people will believe it before they even hear you speak. You’re the expert and what you have to say is important. Period.
- Post the event hashtag and your account handle on every slide. PowerPoint is at most events these days. Instead of hating it…use it as an opportunity. I’ve been seeing a lot of conference activity on Threads lately. Presenters can post great soundbites on a slide that also includes their Threads handle, and the conference hashtag. Make it easy for attendees to connect with you and share your thoughts.
- Have one piece of “filler”. I’ve been to several sessions where the speaker has ended early. Not 5-minutes early but 15-20-even 30 minutes early. Honestly, I can empathize. It’s happened to me – you anticipate more interaction or questions, etc. Create a safety net by having one piece of extra info. Make it something you know really well that doesn’t need a slide or handout. If you don’t need it, that’s fine – it didn’t make or break the session. But if you notice you have time, share it.
- Do a self-debrief. If you’re speaking at a conference or event, you might get evaluations. Regardless, do a short self-debrief with yourself. Start with “What did you do well?” Don’t deny yourself the opportunity to celebrate the things you did well. Then ask, “What could I do differently next time?” You might think of a different story to tell or want to change the order of things.
The best way to learn public speaking is by doing. It’s one of those things that gets easier with frequency. And being a little nervous is okay. It’s about focusing on being comfortable with the room so you can showcase your expertise and knowledge.
Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby after speaking for a group in Boston, MA
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