Speaking Tips

SUCCESSFUL SPEECHES

Whether you're talking to a small group of people or speaking to a large audience, you want to be sure your speech is memorable and enjoyable. Follow these five easy tips to help ensure your speech delivers:

• Be prepared. Your audience is giving you their time and consideration, so rehearse enough to be confident you'll leave a good impression. 

• Start strong. Begin your speech with a powerful opening that will grab your audience's attention, such as a startling fact or statistic, an interesting story or a funny joke. 

• Be conversational. Avoid reading your speech word for word. Instead, refer to notes or points from an outline to help your speech have a more free-flowing, conversational tone. 

• Speak with passion. If you're truly invested in what you're saying, you'll be better able to keep your audience's attention. 

• Be patient. It's easy to get frustrated if you make a mistake. But remember that public speaking is not easy and it takes time to hone your skills. Keep practicing and you will reach your goals.

These tips are from Toastmasters International.