8 Tips to Become a Better Speaker

Most people think that speaking in public is a skill that we are born with, and that we either have it or not. What most people don't know is that everything can be learned and developed. This skill does not concern only keynote speakers or great communicators, but also those who need to deliver a presentation or pitch about their products or services.

Mastering the art of speaking may take time but will definitely improve your self-confidence; and your ability to listen will get better. You will have the chance to meet new people, get more connections and greater social influence. It can tranform your life and make you more authentic if you stay real and true to yourself. ??

“If you can't communicate and talk to other people and get across your ideas, you're giving up your potential. Warren Buffet

Here 8 tips that helped me grow as a speaker and I would like to share it with you:

1. Choose your subject very well

Always choose a subject that you are excited about, a subject that you believe in and that you embrace. Why is that important? communication is not only about words, data and fancy presentations; it is mainly about connecting with people and driving action. When you choose a subject that you don't believe in, people will feel it and will get disengaged from the very beginning. To create meaningful connection and make others listen to you, choose a subject that motivates you, be coherent and make sure you walk the talk.

Can you imagine a professor teaching accounting while they have never seen a real balance sheet or those lecturing about digital communication and social networks, while they don’t have any presence on social media.?I think you got the point.

2. Prepare your presentation

Before you start reflecting on the content and the structure of your presentation or speech, you need to be aware of the purpose of your presentation, if it is informative, motivational or aims persuasion. You will have also to know your audience, their age, status and backgrounds. The timing set up for this presentation will determine the depth of your content.

Be aware that people will remember only 7% of what you will present and 93% is about how you will make them feel.

Public Speaking isn’t just about what you say; it’s also about how you say it. It is about your passion, your presence, your confidence, your tone of voice, and the melody behind that.

3. Control?your anxiety and stress

Repetition and practice are key to handle your anxiety and stress. Mastery of your content and your physiology are crucial. Sometimes, a lack of oxygen can make you feel stressed. Always take short breaks of few seconds and breathe to keep control of your stress. Smiling can also be helpful as it triggers positive neurotransmitters that can help you regulate your stress level.

4. Visualize your speech

Visualization proved to have a great impact on our achievements. Visualization is a conscious act with clarity and a sense of purpose. It is about creating visual images of the outcomes you would like to achieve and how you would like to feel.

Michel Jordan rehearsed the shots in his mind before it happened. Steve Jobs could not create the iphone without visualizing it. Visualization is powerful as it gives a physical shape to your ideas or goals and it turns them into reality.

5. Use Metaphors and stories

Your speech should not include only the use of facts, and statistics but also metaphors and stories. Storytelling connects you easily to people and can make them remember easily what you say. It has the power to influence, inspire and drive action. The metaphors can be helpful to your audience to understand better the message you aim to transmit.

People are tired of long, coma powerpoint presentations, all based on data and graphs. They are inspired by content that comes from the heart, a content that resonates with them and inspires them to take action.

6. Master your non verbal communication:

There is one major thing to remember here: When you are coherent with yourself, or when your acts reflect your thoughts, your non verbal communication will create a great impact and build your credibility.

People can lie in their expressions, but they cannot lie when it comes to their gestures, facial expressions and eye contacts. Your non verbal can reveal your inner true inner thoughts and intentions. They can tell a lot about you without being aware of it.

7. Be prepared for the unexpected

Not all presentations or speeches go as expected. Sometimes it may have nothing to do with you. It can be a technical issue that you cannot control or a conflict within the audience may arise and it is your responsibility to control the situation. I experienced in many occasions similar situations and my response had to be fast and adapted to the situation to avoid disengagement.

?8. Get feedback

People’ feedback is an important step for two reasons: Their feedback can give you clarity of how your speech or presentation went, and how you can improve it in the future.

I would love to have your feedback as well as this is how I improve every day

Thank you for the read