7 Skills for Effective Business Presentations in English

What is “Public Speaking”?

Public speaking is the art and skill of talking in front of a group of people. This could take place in various settings, from a small conference of a couple of people to a crowd of thousands of people. Most people in their lives, especially those in business settings, will need to give a speech at some point.

What is the Challenge?

Many people across the globe dread the idea of public speaking. What are some common reasons for this?

• Lack of experience:?Public speaking skills are not something commonly taught in school or in businesses unless you are specifically taking a public speaking training or course.
• Lack of needed skills:?Without experience and the opportunity to practice, many people don’t know where to begin. Public speaking involves combining different skills, such as persuasion, connecting with your audience, and moving them to take action. Again, these types of skills are not commonly taught in schools and are not often part of our education system.
• Lack of confidence:?Many people feel incapable or uncertain of their public speaking skills. This especially can be the case in cultures where public speaking or expressing yourself is not a common practice.
• Overthinking:?Even the best speakers can sometimes overthink and stress themselves out before even stepping in front of their audience to speak!
• Language Barrier:?Giving a public speech is hard enough, but?even more challenging?in a different language!

From beginners to advanced experts, public speaking can cause?anybody?to become nervous!

What You Can Do

Yes, giving a speech can be stressful! Nonetheless, it’s an achievable goal that you can improve with time and practice! Here are some tips:

• Brainstorm:?Take time to think about what you are going to talk about. Who is the audience? What is your speech’s purpose or goal? What do you already know about this topic?
• Structure Your Ideas: Organize your information in a coherent, concise manner that makes it easy for the audience to follow along and understand. Generally aim to include an introduction, body, and conclusion.?How you present?your information is just as important as?what you present.
• Body Language: Pay attention to your posture, gestures, facial expressions, and eye contact! Much research suggests that body language plays a?huge?role in communication.
• Develop Your Own Style: Experiment and have fun with this one! This is like mastering a cooking style: do you prefer spicy? Sweet? Sour? A combination? The same concept applies to speaking: Do you prefer using numbers and data? Some humor or philosophy to challenge your audience to think deeply? Inspirational quotes? Once you find something you enjoy using and that gets you results consistently, learn more about it and get better at using it.
• Avoid Common Traps: Don’t get too wordy. Don’t complicate things. Avoid using filler words. Keep your notes organized, not too messy. Focus less on "sounding intelligent" and focus more on HELPING your audience achieve their goals. The list goes on, but the principle is the same: Learn about common public speaking mistakes and how to avoid them!
• Practice:?Practice, practice, practice! Video record yourself and observe what you “look like” to your audience. Practice speaking with a willing and patient friend (treat them to a nice drink or meal to thank them!), a family member, or even your pet. Observe and study where you do well and where you could improve. Apply what you learn.
• Become a Storyteller: With time, learn how to transform your speeches from mere informational presentations to?telling a story.?Aim to connect with, engage, and inspire your audience by tapping into their emotions and desires. Effective presentations and communication require us to tap into both the LOGIC and the EMOTIONS of our audiences.

Final Thoughts

Indeed, learning how to give quality speeches is not a skill learned overnight, but it can be done. The benefits of learning how to give powerful speeches can take your language skills to the next level and help you to better connect with other people when sharing ideas.

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