The ABC's of Public Speaking by Mohamed Isa

Are speakers born or made? Based on my observations, they can be born or made. Throughout my life, I witnessed many mediocre speakers who became magnificent speakers. And I cannot help it but admire one speaker who was so bad at speaking and then became a speaking star making the audience laugh so loud and so frequently.

In this article, you will pick up 26 practical tips to make you an effective speaker. You will speak to the hearts, the minds, and the funny bones of your audience!

A. Analyze the Audience.

Before crafting your speech, ask yourself: Who are my audience? Your speech and delivery style should be suitable for the audience you’re speaking to. Will you speak to chemical engineers in the same way you speak to primary school students? Of course, not.

B. Be Yourself.

One of the biggest mistakes aspiring speakers make is imitating the speaking style of more advanced speakers. Be yourself, learn from other speakers, but create your speaking style & brand. This will help you in connecting better with yourself & the audience.

C. Closings.

This is your last chance to re-iterate your message. Make sure you craft it in a way that it becomes powerful and memorable to the audience. Ask yourself: Will this closing help me in achieving the desired goal of my speech with this audience?

D. Delivery.

They have a saying in the real estate industry: Location, location, location! In speaking, it’s: Delivery, delivery, delivery! No matter how good is your content, your delivery will be the deciding factor on whether your speech is a success or a failure.

E. Evaluate Your Performance.

Do you record your speeches? Listening or watching your speeches is a great way to evaluate your performance because the recordings never lie! What you see is what the audience saw or heard. This will assist you in improving your delivery and writing skills. Ask your speech coach to help you in the process.

F. Fidgeting.

Whenever you go out to speak, take out everything you have on you to avoid fidgeting during your speech. It’s annoying to see speakers fidgeting with their keys and coins. Plus, make sure you keep your mobile phone in the silent mode to avoid hearing an unexpected buzz!

G. Get a Goal.

For any speech you deliver, make sure you have a clear goal or a message to the audience and then create your speech content around achieving this goal. Ask yourself: What am I trying to accomplish with this speech? Sell a product/service? Entertain the audience?

H. Humor.

Do you like to laugh? Of course, you do! People want to laugh, so you should try to weave in some humor into your speeches so that the audience are entertained more and your connection with them deepens. Weave it, don’t force it.

I. Images.

When you speak, do you trigger images in the minds of the audience? Do you use word pictures and descriptions? Do you engage the senses of your audience? People won’t remember what you said in your speech; instead, they will remember what they saw and felt during your speech.

J. Jargon.

Unless you’re speaking to a technical audience, you should avoid jargon in your speeches. Jargon will make your speech difficult to follow. Use simple and shorter words. Remember, your job as a speaker is to express, not impress!

K. Know the Venue.

Examine the venue before you speak. Check the lighting, the air-conditioning, the locations of emergency exits, electrical switches and points, the projector, and most importantly whether the sound system is working properly.

L. Look at the Audience.

Don’t just speak to the audience; look at them. Eye contact is a vital facilitator for connecting with the audience. Don’t fool yourself by speaking over the heads of the audience because it is easy for them to sense this. When you tell a loved one how you feel about them, do you look in their eyes or over the head?

M. Movements.

Have you seen a speaker who moved back and forth on the stage? Have you thought to yourself: Am I watching a speech or watching Nadal and Federer play tennis at Wimbledon? Never move on the stage for the sake of moving. Always move with a purpose.

N. Nod.

From time to time, when you say something that triggers an agreement from the audience, whether they say it aloud in their minds, scan the audience and nod to show them that you see their agreement and you acknowledge it. Scan and nod.

O. Openings.

You should always open with a bang so that you grab the attention of the audience at once. Be creative. Be different. Be profound. Your audience will be hooked & will be excited to hear what you have to say. Again, open with a bang and not with a whisper!

P. Pause.

Before you say something important – pause. After you say something important – pause. When you pull the trigger on a punchline and the audience laugh – pause. Pauses help the audience reflect on what you say and give them permission to laugh.

Q. Questions & Answers Sessions.

Never end your speeches with the Q & A session! If you have seen many speakers do that, make no mistake, they’re mistaken. People remember the first and the last things you say. Have your Q & A session, and then deliver your closing remarks.

R. Rhetoric Devices.

Do you want to engage your audience during your speech? Then, use rhetorical devices like repetitions, triads, alliterations, simile, and rhetorical questions. Those tools will make your speech more enjoyable and memorable.

S. Stories.

The late Bill Gove, a great professional speaker, once said: “Make a point, tell a story. Make another point, tell another story. Make yet another point and tell yet another story. That is the essence of public speaking.” Do you tell stories in your speeches? If not, you’re missing out!

T. Transitions.

Transitions from one point to another are helpful in making your speech easier to follow, reinforces your previous points, and keep your audience hungry for more contents. Plan your transitions carefully for maximum impact.

U. Um’s and Aah’s.

When I was in University, I listened to other students speak with fascination especially when they said um’s and aah’s. I thought they were cool. Cool no more! Try to eliminate these meaningless distractions and other gap fillers from your speeches.

V. Vocal Variety.

Imagine you’re watching your favorite ball team playing live on TV, the game is dramatic with twists and turns, the competition is fierce but the sport commentator speaks in a monotone; he doesn’t interact with the game and his energy is low. Would you keep the volume on or just mute it? As a speaker, you should vary your tone, pitch and volume to engage the audience.

W. Write Your Speech.

To become an eloquent speaker, you should consider seriously writing your speech word for word. This habit will do wonders to your speeches because once you write them, you will see and feel the words and you will be able to uncover ways to improve your speeches. Send your draft speech to a colleague or a speech coach for feedback.

X. Xenophobia

Most people are afraid to speak in public. They treat their audience as strangers or even possible aggressors. Don’t be like them. On the contrary, you should treat your audience as your friends. They come to speeches like yours wishing to be inspired and entertained. Get them on your side, and they won’t worry about the occasional mistakes because they’ll want you to succeed!

Y. You Focused.

Your speech should be You-Focused. When you deliver a speech to the audience, you’re delivering it for their benefit, knowledge & inspiration. It’s not about you, it’s about them. Read these speaking tips again and you will notice how many times I used “You.” And to use it one more time: It’s not about me, it’s about you!

Z. Zamarra.

I heard you say: “What!?” Yes, zamarra, even Ms-Word couldn’t recognize this word. It means a sheepskin coat. Do you think it’s a good idea to wear one for your upcoming speech? It depends. As a speaker, you should always be thoughtful about what you wear. Dress for the occasion taking into the culture and the customs of the audience.  

There you have it, 26 tips to make you a more effective speaker. All the best in your speaking journey!

Mohamed Isa is a Business Advisor, an Award-Winning Speaker & 4-Time Amazon Bestselling Author.