Key Points To Successful Public Speaking

In public speaking, you must remember that in verbal communication there are no second chances for the audience to catch your remarks. Keep your talk simple and easy to understand. Effective speeches contain no more than three central points. Four points is an absolute maximum. More will confuse the audience and waste their time - and yours.

Arrange the main points of your talk into a pattern, such as: Time order, Space order, Classification order, Cause and Effect order, and Problem and Solution order. Each of your main points should be supported by interesting and relevant material, such as illustrations, comparisons and contrasts, specific instances, facts and figures, etc.

Develop each main point in such a way that the audience will accept it. If they are predisposed to acceptance, your goal is simply to be vivid, impressive and dynamic. The audience doesn't need to be hit over the head with arguments. They are already impressed. They already agree with you.

If the audience is doubtful, be informative. The doubtful audience is looking for information, not memories and quotations. Give them what they're looking for. If the audience is indifferent, use facts. Be compelling and conciliatory. Appeal to their basic wants and needs. Appeal to their open-mindedness and fair play.

Do not be argumentative. If the audience is indifferent, impel them by motivation. Show why your idea is important. Make the issue vital to the listener's needs. Give specific comparisons and illustrations.

The conclusion of your speech is used as a review. Highlight the key points you want your audience to remember. The listener should leave feeling interested, informed, stimulated, persuaded or convinced after listening to you talk. Your audience should feel rewarded for listening to you. Ask them to act or react to your ideas.

A message without a specific request is a wasted opportunity. Move them to action. Call for a specific decision within a specific time frame. A courteous "thank you" is a poor way to end a speech.

While it is still certain that the status, position and occupation of your listeners influences the slant of your remarks, don't talk down to your audience. Don't talk up either. It won't gain you favor.

Flattery is transparent. No matter who the person is or what she does, it is far better to talk with her. This is especially true when you want to gain influence. Take into consideration the varying backgrounds of your audience. Whether it is one person or 1000, the same basic principles and strategies of the message apply.

Don't memorize your speech. If you do not memorize it perfectly, you will stumble, or worse, forget. Even if it is well memorized, you have to recall each word as it comes. This preoccupation makes your words sound rehearsed, cold and lifeless instead of spontaneous, warm and earnest.

Rehearse your speech. You will give the speech standing up. Therefore, rehearse standing up. Rehearse your posture. Rehearse your actions. If possible rehearse in a room the same size as the room you will speak in.

After you have given several speeches, you will learn how many rehearsals you need for a successful speech.

Successful speaking is a skill just like walking or riding a bicycle. It takes time. training and practice.