Posted on: June 21, 2023
By Nancy Marshall, The PR Maven®
Let’s face it: Public speaking is hard. It can be scary, too.
There’s an old saying that people fear public speaking even over death, and there is some truth to it. Millions of Americans are terrified of speaking in public. It’s understandable: Many people think that going on stage lays them bare. It can feel like the audience sees inside your brain or your soul. But over time, repetition mitigates that dread or fear. Practice may not make perfect since public speaking is still difficult, but it can at least make you more comfortable on stage. It’s like anything else: You won’t become a faster runner if you never run.
Self-improvement stems from self-awareness. For example, I have always been a social, outgoing person who values personal and professional connections, and I’ve never had a crippling fear of public speaking. But I knew that my public speaking wasn’t perfect—my delivery could be sharper, my stories could be more interesting, my jokes could be funnier and so on. With that in mind, I decided to take a public speaking class. After months of training, I eventually graduated from the program, officially attaining the status of a professionally trained public speaker. The experience changed my life, and I honestly couldn’t recommend it more.
For anyone interested in public speaking, it isn’t enough to just “wing it.” There is a process to public speaking, so you can be 100% confident in the final outcome. Here are three concrete steps I’ve come to learn to impress and inspire an audience with substance and style.
First, as with all marketing and public relations, it’s important to think of your intended audience when you write the script for your speech. What are their pain points and how can you help them find a resolution? What will your pacing be when you deliver the speech?
Second, you want to make sure to insert “beats” so the audience members can absorb what you are saying. At times, you might even want to repeat your key points two times.
Third, when you deliver your speech, make sure to have eye contact with the audience members. Don’t ping pong back and forth across their foreheads, but rather choose one audience member at a time and look into their eyes while you are speaking. By really connecting with your message, and really connecting with one audience member at a time, you will create an experience that resonates.
Public speaking takes charisma to reach that level, but you don’t need to be an A-list actor to ace a speech. Of course, a speech is a performance and should be treated as such, complete with voice inflections and movements on stage. But you’ll be amazed how far you can go through rehearsal, rehearsal and more rehearsal. Once the words become second nature to you, the way they flow out of your mouth and into people’s ears becomes seamless.
You just can’t go into public speaking with expectations that are unrealistic. Don’t expect to hit a home run with your first at-bat. There’s no point in making the burden on your shoulders even heavier.
Tackle public speaking by hitting singles. Again, stick to the process—from creating useful content to memorizing it, at least partially. Prepare to your utmost ability by making the words instinctive, and then let the chips fall where they may.
Whenever I struggle with public speaking, I also like to remind myself of its value-add. Never lose sight of why you’re speaking publicly in the first place. Consider the many benefits that may come from “going on stage.”
In my line of work, for instance, public speaking can be an essential part of a public relations program. It is often a newsworthy event that can get you or a client featured in the mainstream media. It could even blow up on social media, making it all the more important for public speakers to share their content before, during and after events. Photos and videos of effective speeches can generate millions of views and clicks—just look at the famous commencement speeches or political addresses of the past.
Maybe you’ll be asked to appear at a major conference. Perhaps you’ll be able to increase your speaker’s fee or attract new customers. Whatever the case may be, it’s important to recognize the power of public speaking and then take steps to improve upon it. Even if you’re “just” an employee at a company, the ability to speak publicly in an effective way is highly desirable. It increases your earning potential since employers can always use more public speakers to influence others.
Don’t be afraid. If you’re trying to become a better public speaker, take comfort in the fact that countless people before you have improved over time. I’m one of them, and there’s nothing to fear but fear itself.
This article originally appeared on the Forbes Agency Council CommunityVoice in May 2023.
