Would you like to be a better speaker?
Try using the tips below and then plan your visit to our Toastmaster Club to find your voice.
- Know your material. Pick
a topic you are interested
in. Know more about it
than you include in your
speech. Use personal stories and conversational language to help you remember what to say.
- Practice, Practice, Practice! Rehearse out loud with all equipment you plan on using. Revise as necessary.
- Know the audience. Greet
some of the audience members as they arrive. It's
easier to speak to a
group of friends than to strangers.
- Know the room. Arrive early, walk around the speaking area, and practice using the microphone and any visual aids.
- Relax. Ease tension by doing exercises. Transform nervous energy into enthusiasm.
- Visualize yourself giving your speech. Imagine your self speaking, your voice loud, clear and confident. Visualize the audience clapping - it will boost your confidence.
- Realize that people want you to succeed. Audiences want you to be interesting, stimulating, informative and entertaining. They don't want you to fail.
- Don't apologize for any nervousness or problem - the audience probably never noticed it.
- Concentrate on the message, not the medium. Focus your attention away from your own anxieties and concentrate on your message and your audience.
- Gain experience. Experience
builds confidence, which is the key to
effective speaking. A Toastmasters group can provide the experience you
need in a safe and
friendly environment.
