Rules for public speaking. How not to worry before a performance? Useful tips

We bring to your attention several rules for successful public speaking. They will help make your speech interesting and attractive.

1. Speech preparation

As you know, all good improvisations are carefully prepared in advance. A speech without preliminary preparation, especially for a novice speaker, will almost certainly be a failure. Remember Mark Twain's aphorism: "It takes more than three weeks to prepare a good short speech extemporaneously."

First, make a “frame” or “skeleton” of your future public speech:

Determine the motivation for people to listen to your speech. Why do they need this? What useful or interesting things will they learn for themselves?
Highlight the main idea of your speech.
Highlight subheadings by dividing your idea into several component parts.
Define keywords, which you will repeat several times so that those present will better remember what you are telling them about.
Carefully consider the plan and structure of your future speech. It should include an introduction, main part and conclusions (ending)

Having prepared the “skeleton”, begin to build up “muscles” on it.

Find vivid examples “from life”, from history, literature, which you use during your presentation.
Prepare the necessary diagrams, illustrations, and graphs to visually reinforce the information.
Determine the moment during the speech when you address the audience with some question, with a request to name something, count something - this will help those present to concentrate their attention on discussing the topic and will significantly increase the effectiveness of perception of your material.
Write full text. Special attention give it a beginning and an ending.

The peculiarity of the introduction is that the audience will very quickly form an impression of you, and this impression will dominate throughout the entire speech. If you make mistakes in the introductory part, it will be difficult to correct them. It is important to get the audience interested in the success of your first shot from the very beginning. To do this, in the introductory part you can use some witty joke, tell an interesting fact, or remember an outstanding historical event, be sure to connect them with the topic of the speech.

The final part of the public speech involves summing up the results. At the end, you need to recall the key issues raised in the speech and be sure to repeat all the main ideas. The successful construction of the last phrases, enhanced by their emotionality and expressiveness, will not only cause applause from the listeners, but will also turn them into your adherents.

Your main controller is time. The public can listen carefully and perceive your ideas only for a limited period of time, due to psychophysiological reasons (usually no more than 15-20 minutes, then the audience’s attention begins to weaken). You are expected to use short, clear, understandable, persuasive and accessible sentences. Follow Chekhov: “Brevity is the sister of talent.” Consider the pace of your speech. The most favorable speed for comprehension is approximately 100 words per minute. When planning your presentation, be sure to take into account the time you will need to spend answering questions.

It is advisable to find out in advance who you will have to speak to: the size of the audience, its interests, views, what it expects from the speaker, what reaction you need to get from it. Depending on these indicators, adjust individual aspects of your speech. You need to be on the same cultural level with the audience, communicate in their language, only in this case can you count on establishing psychological contact between the speaker and the audience. You should not touch on topics that are beyond the understanding of the audience.

Check the meanings of the smart words you use in dictionaries. Find out the correct pronunciation. Language errors can cause ridicule at your address and ruin the entire speech, no matter how brilliant it may be in content.

When the speech is prepared, it is better to write down its main provisions or theses on small cards. Arrange them sequentially. These cards are very convenient to use during a performance. If this is not a two- to three-hour report, then it is not recommended to read the text; it is advisable to memorize it and recite it from memory, only looking at your notes from time to time.

Say your speech out loud several times (preferably in front of a mirror) to get used to the text and get a good feel for all the nuances. To polish phrases, intonation, and facial expressions, it is advisable to work with a tape recorder or video camera. This pre-practice practice will reduce your anxiety, make you feel confident, and greatly increase your likelihood of success in public speaking.

2. Place of public performance

A pulpit or podium, stage or balcony, in general any elevation above the floor always causes fear in people who do not have sufficient experience public speaking. E. Morin called it “stage fright,” and Mark Twain recommended to those who are afraid of performing: “Calm down, because the audience doesn’t expect anything from you anyway.” . It’s better to set yourself up as if you, first of all, want to tell yourself something interesting, while simultaneously introducing it to everyone present.

Before performing, it is very important to study the room to determine from which side the audience will be looking at you. When choosing a location, consider your height. You need to check that everyone can see you. If you need to speak at the podium, then if you are short, make sure that a strong stand is placed under the podium. The "talking head" looks comical and will not be able to hold the audience's attention for long. It is necessary to ensure that the speaker is visible from the chest up.

If you have to sit during a public speech, check the comfort of your seat. When sitting at the table, you should not slouch or put your hands on it; while sitting in a chair, you should not lean on the armrests and back, cross your legs, clasp your hands on your knees, try to sit on the edge of the chair, leaning slightly forward with your legs pushed back slightly and your heels pressed to the floor; it is necessary to sit upright, freely, radiating openness and goodwill; look people in the eyes, monitor their emotions, gestures and facial expressions, demonstrate care and understanding with your entire appearance.

3. Clothes

Speaking in front of a large audience is like a performance, so great importance has the speaker's clothes. During a public speech, the speaker has to sit at a table, stand on a high pulpit, behind a podium, etc. Taking this into account, pants and skirts should be long enough, socks should be high, shoes should be in perfect order.

Wear things that you feel comfortable in and that do not distract you with their discomfort. You should never once have the thought: “How does this fit on me?” It’s better not to use completely new things that you are wearing for the first time. Clothes and shoes should not cause you internal discomfort or distract your attention.

The universal rule for successful public speaking is to avoid an imbalance between what you say and how you appear. For formal occasions, it is better to use a medium-dark suit, a white or ivory slim shirt and an elegant, expressive tie. Contrasting colors, a good suit will help to form a positive attitude towards you and contribute to the success of public speaking. The tie should not have a bright pattern, so as not to distract attention from the face, however, it should not be one-color. Ties made of matte fabric, dark blue, red wine, burgundy with a barely noticeable pattern are best suited. The length of the tie should be such that its end barely covers the buckle on the waist belt.

If your jacket has two buttons, you need to fasten only the top one, if there are three, only the middle one. If there is no very great need, you should not wear glasses when speaking in public; jewelry is also not necessary.

If the speaker is a woman, her clothes should have long sleeves, the length of the skirt should be medium (to the middle of the knee), and it should not be too tight. Regarding colors, the requirements here are much more liberal than for men: the color simply must suit a woman. Women should also avoid bright, massive jewelry. Shoes are best in dark colors with discreet or plain bows; stockings of the same color as the shoes. Glasses should have a simple design and frames that match your hair color.

When performing in an informal setting (friendly parties, etc.), clothing requirements do not play a big role. You can dress however you like, but remember that if there is some eclectic detail in your appearance that catches your eye (a bright brooch, a loud tie in acid colors, an original style of suit with capricious patterns), then it will distract attention from the content of your words . The public will remember this and will not pay attention to what you said.

4. Successful public speaking - a few secrets

When you enter the classroom, move confidently, do not mince or make fidgety movements. Walk with your usual gait, this will convince those present that you are not worried and are not in a hurry. When you are introduced, stand up, be sure to give the audience a slight smile and make direct eye contact with the audience.

In order to show your importance and earn the respect of the audience, you need to control the maximum allowable space. Don't try to show yourself as a small person and don't lurk somewhere in the corner of the stage. Be sure to take a place in the center or at least direct your gaze to the center from time to time. Straighten your shoulders, raise your head and lean forward a little, demonstrating something like a bow in front of the audience; you can then repeat this gesture several times.

When you take the podium, stage, podium, or other place to speak, do not rush to immediately start speaking. Be sure to pause. You can take advantage of any opportunity - ask for a glass of water, lay out papers, move something. Use the pause as much as you deem necessary to prepare yourself psychologically and prepare the audience to communicate with you. If you are very nervous, take a few deep breaths before speaking. A pause will also help you to take a few seconds to study the space around you and figure out how you will use it. Remember the theatrical axiom: the more talented the actor, the longer the pause he can hold.

Next, don’t just take in your eyes, but carefully examine the hall, take a closer look at the entire audience. Stop your gaze on a few of those present, who will become visual support points, beacons in your speech. Then, if necessary, you can change them. Try to give your personal attention to as many people as possible, but be sure to look around the entire space of the hall - from left to right, from the first to the last row. Don't stay too long in the back rows and turn your gaze back to the front seats. Remember that they are always occupied by the most interested people; in their eyes you will find support for yourself. Having fixed several of these visual “anchors” for yourself, start speaking.

Your facial expressions and gestures give a person much more impressions than anything you say. Gestures will help you focus on the importance of the information. There are three rules when gesturing: first, do not put your hands in your pockets; second, don’t hide them behind your back; third - do not occupy them with foreign objects. Hands are assistants that should always be free and ready to unite into one with your thoughts.

You cannot use “defensive” or “defensive” body movements, for example, crossing your arms over your chest or putting them behind your back. Crossing your arms shows uncertainty about what the person is saying. It is best to take an open posture and show a smile from time to time. Constantly control your posture, keep your back straight, head raised, move naturally.

During a public speech, do not stand still like a monument and do not throw your head back, as this will alienate the audience and retard the flow of psychological energy that should dynamically influence those present. Be sure to move. You need to show yourself alive, energetic, dynamic. Your movements should be short, precise and convincing. When you want to emphasize something, move your body towards the audience or use the gesture of bringing your body closer to those present. If it is possible to get closer to the audience, then do it when you want to tell them something important, convey something important and convince those present that you are right.

Maintain eye contact with the audience at all times. An experienced speaker always monitors the attention of the audience, looking from the front rows to the back. If you use notes, do it very carefully: look down quickly and briefly at the text and look up again, turning all your attention back to the audience.

Consider the cultural, national, religious and other characteristics of the audience. For example, among the Chinese and Japanese, your open gaze into the eyes can cause negative feelings, since this is not accepted in Eastern cultures. Among the Caucasian peoples, a direct, firm look into a man’s eyes is perceived as a challenge to a duel, etc. You should also be very careful when using jokes on national or religious themes.

You should not have a frozen, motionless expression on your face. Otherwise, you will cause indifference and boredom among the public. The basis of your attractiveness as a speaker is a slight, pleasant smile. Try to accompany the transition to each key topic with a special change on your face: slightly raise your eyebrows or move your eyes, use slow turns of your head. If you are sitting, use your hands: translate something or change their position a little. While sitting, emphasize the freedom of your posture at all times.

Repeated repetition of simple expressive phrases and colorful phrases contributes to the success of public speaking. However, try to avoid inappropriate and untimely use. The content of the phrases should not be allowed to be far from the thoughts that need to be conveyed to the audience.

Do not demonstrate superiority or frivolity when communicating with the audience, do not talk “down” in a mentoring tone. Take a very serious approach to formulating answers to the questions posed - the answers provide an opportunity to once again emphasize the main points of your speech. Avoid irritation, hostility or sarcasm, even if the questions are unpleasant to you. Much better - calmness, goodwill and light humor.

Take philosophically any surprises and awkwardness - a microphone breaking, a glass of water falling on the floor, a sudden pause, etc. You cannot show your confusion and show a negative attitude towards negative aspects that arose by chance or turned out to be “homemade preparations” of your ill-wishers. It is best to react to this with humor, to play it in a way that is beneficial for yourself. The speaker must control the situation, show that all this does not interfere with him, and troubles do not unsettle him.

If your speech is interrupted by applause, you need to wait until it ends and only then continue - so that the beginning of your next phrase can be heard by everyone. Also remember that applause differs from applause. The speech must end before tired and irritated listeners begin to “slam” the speaker.

When concluding your speech, you need to look your audience in the eyes and say something pleasant, demonstrating your satisfaction from communicating with the audience. Such a positive informational impulse at the end will remain in people’s memory and in their perception of your public speech.

Shyness is a sweet quality that interferes with the life of its owner. An overly shy person loses the power of speech at the right moment, cannot defend his position, is afraid of public speaking and prefers to remain in the shadows. Learning to overcome shyness.

Shyness often prevents people from living, blocking everything strengths character. “Butterflies in the stomach” can not only ruin the first date, but also make you look like mediocrity.

Therefore, you need to fight your shyness and develop a sense of self-confidence (see “”). After all, phone calls alone cannot solve many problems.

Overcoming the fear of public speaking

The awkwardness that you feel when standing in front of an audience and reading a report or defending your project is born of your lack of confidence in your abilities. You tend to control your every word and action.

You don't have a flow of speech, so as soon as you stumble on a difficult word or are interrupted by a question, you start to blush, turn pale and eventually crumple the end of your speech.

You can develop an excellent presentation, select handouts, but all this will go down the drain if you suddenly catch the live eyes of the audience. Your speech will become confused, your stomach will growl treacherously, and such a brilliant performance will be ruined. How to avoid this?

First of all, admit to yourself that you are embarrassed to speak in public. Awareness that a problem exists is the first and main step towards solving it.

Always remember that you are not speaking in front of the Queen of Great Britain, but in front of your colleagues - people just like you. No one is going to make fun of you or punish you for minor mistakes.

Instead of beating yourself up by remembering a mistake (for example, a pronunciation error), turn your gaze to the audience. Find a person with whom you feel a warm and friendly relationship, and tell your report to him until the moment you feel that you are able to control yourself.

Be sure to sit quietly for five minutes before your presentation and do breathing exercises, feed yourself with positive emotions. You should not consume any energy drinks before an important performance, so as not to overload the nervous system.

To be as prepared as possible for a dialogue with an audience, rehearse your speech at home in front of a mirror. Speak the entire text at least five times, paying attention to difficult places. Try to think through the questions that you might be asked after the presentation and find answers to them.

When you are confident in yourself, make an important presentation in front of your loved ones. Only they should be friendly and not laugh at you if you don’t succeed. Later, at the presentation, you can remember your speech to your parents, this will calm you down a little.

And remember that the main condition successful performance is the proximity of the topic to your interests. Only by doing what you love can you gain confidence in yourself and your abilities.

Learning to talk to people

If awkwardness is the norm for you even in normal everyday communication with people, if you are afraid to make business calls, then try using the following ways to overcome shyness (see “”):

Call for advertisements. You don't have to buy anything, just show interest and ask a few questions. Before every important call, call a friend, soak up positive emotions, and then immediately call on business.

So that they are not afraid strangers, start communicating with them. Ask for directions on the street, say "Good afternoon!" and thanks!" in stores, specify the route along which the bus travels.

Communicate with children, they are the most spontaneous creatures in the Universe, you definitely shouldn’t be shy about them.

Register on several forums and actively participate in discussions, express your own opinion, even if it is completely opposite to the opinion of the majority, try to provide reasoned arguments in disputes. Be sure to praise yourself and give yourself gifts if you successfully exited.

And finally, and most importantly, believe in your hidden forces After all, none of us is deprived of talent. Believing in the fact that you are ready to move mountains transforms your attitude towards the world, making it less aggressive.

These are a kind of "rose-colored glasses" that should be worn before important matters. And remember that initially every person treats others with goodwill, so you have nothing to be embarrassed or, especially, afraid of.

From this article you will learn:

What are the rules for public speaking?

What are the rules for preparing a public speech

What psychological techniques can be used in public speaking

Giving a public speech is a stressful situation for anyone. Even the most brilliant speakers who have spent hundreds of hours on stage confirm this. Why is this happening? Any public speech is an expression of one’s own thoughts and ideas. Their successful or unsuccessful expression immediately affects a person’s reputation, his assessment as an expert, specialist. The rules of public speaking are, as a rule, quite universal. You can perform in front of different groups people - these can be ministers and bankers, students and schoolchildren, journalists, colleagues and even prisoners. But all of them, first of all, will be your listeners, and you need to know a few rules that will help you correctly structure and present information, remain calm and keep the situation under control.

Public speaking: rules of preparation

Any public speech must be thoroughly prepared. U famous psychologist D. Carnegie has a whole book that contains recommendations and rules for preparing a public speech. Main idea: “You need to know what you want to say and what your audience wants to hear. Only based on this knowledge can one correctly convey the information and convince one to believe oneself.”

First, let's analyze what types of speeches there are:

Improvisation. This type of presentation does not require preparation, but requires a very deep knowledge of the material and topic. In this case, the speaker expresses theses on a given topic and answers any questions from the audience easily and reasonably. Only experienced speakers and masters of their craft can do this. Such were Trotsky, Lenin and Mechnikov.
Speech from notes. Preparation is carried out for each item, which is worked out in advance. Answers to possible questions that may arise during the presentation are also written down.
Preparation of the full text. Most often you can see such a report from politicians. Sometimes their responses to questions asked do not quite coincide, because they are not used to deviating from a pre-compiled text.

How to plan a presentation from start to finish and capture the audience's attention? Find out in the training program "

Performing without using prompts. The prepared text is learned by heart and spoken out during rehearsals, but in this case the rules of public speaking do not provide for the opportunity to answer additional questions.

A particularly valuable quality of a speaker’s skill is the ability to take into account the mood of the public in his speech and the ability to adapt to various changing circumstances.

Preparing a speech summary

What are the rules of public speaking? Let's start with preparation. Take notes on issues that are relevant to the topic of the speech or the specifics of your topic, industry or profession. D. Carnegie advises: “Write down other people’s and, of course, your own thoughts on scraps of paper - it’s so easy to collect and classify them.”

Make a list of facts that are relevant to the topic and that you may need for your report.

Decide on the main, interesting, informative facts; feel free to cross out secondary or only indirectly related ones.

Return to the topic of the report and see what data you may not have enough to fully disclose the topic in the manner in which the materials were selected.

Be sure to support your theses with facts, figures, statistics, and examples. It is better if for each thesis you have several points that support the main idea.

The rules for giving a public speech also recommend that you pay close attention to the language when you compile an outline of your speech. Do not shorten sentences, write full, expanded forms. Do not write down questions, but specific statements that you could use during a public speech.

Working with an outline

Of course, all lecturers used prepared materials differently during their presentations. For example, C. Chaplin, who did not feel very comfortable in front of a microphone, always kept the full text of the speech before his eyes and tried not to deviate from it. And the recognized lecturer I. I. Mechnikov prepared with special care for all speeches, but did not take notes. His speech was always a masterful improvisation.

Rules for public speaking famous chemist S. N. Reformatsky were like this: he wrote out the entire text of the lecture, and then read it to his family. As a rule, he took the notes with him to the department, but did not look at them. The famous historian V. O. Klyuchevsky had the ability to tell an interesting story, based on a prepared plan for the speech, and the physiologist I. M. Sechenov whispered it in full before the lecture. The recognized speaker V.I. Lenin prepared small pieces of paper with theses, with the help of which he built a public speech.

Of course, only a few can speak in front of an audience without any anxiety. But if you speak on the same topic several times, your confidence will only grow each time. You will be much more fluent in the material. When preparing, try to talk more, pronounce the text, and not just read. Over time, by applying the rules of public speaking, you will achieve success in this matter. Just remember, even the most experienced speakers always rehearse their speech, so don’t neglect this important step.

Rehearsal of the future speech

Feel free to discuss the topic that will be the subject of your speech in an informal setting. Practice in front of friends, family, talk to people who can support you.

But how, when and how much is better to rehearse a future speech? The more often the better! Use every opportunity to do this. If you walk down the street, repeat it to yourself; at home or in the office, you can repeat it with gestures, pronouncing it in a full voice, placing emphasis in important places.

D. Carnegie's rules for public speaking say: arrange a kind of game at home with your family or friends - making speeches. You can choose topics in which you are strong and in three minutes try to convey it to your listeners as clearly and informatively as possible.

Many people have heard the recommendation for working with a mirror, but most often it only distracts novice speakers. Leading psychologists, for example O. Ernst, even write about this method as extremely harmful. First of all, you need to focus on the topic and meaning of the speech you are delivering.

Rules of Public Speaking: Psychology

You need to approach the time of your public presentation in excellent psychological and physical condition. Don't think about your fears, because in the end it's just a performance. O. Ernst wrote: “Not one of the speakers has ever fainted on the podium, even if his performance was really below any criticism.”

The existing rules for giving a public speech contain several important points:

Pay close attention not to your experiences, but to the content of your speech.
You should not tell your listeners absolutely all the prepared material; leave room for questions, if any. And the idea that you know much more than you say in this lecture will significantly increase your self-confidence.
You shouldn't prepare on the day of your performance; it's better to finish all your preparation the night before.
Before the performance, you should not start new things or get involved in new activities that are unusual for you. They will take over all your attention and direction of thought.
Try to have a light lunch or breakfast, don’t overeat before an important report.

If you still feel that anxiety does not leave you, the main thing is to understand the cause of your anxiety. Most often this is:

Lack of practical experience in such performances.
Features associated with your character: shyness, restraint, excessive anxiety, lack of self-confidence.
Doubt in the interest of listeners.
The fact of unsuccessful performance in the past.
Strong emotions associated with excitement and experiencing a stressful situation.

If your anxiety is mainly related to the reaction of listeners, then there are the following rules of public speaking:

choose a viewer who is positively disposed towards you and tell the story, looking into his/her eyes, as if you are alone in this room;
if you feel that contact has been established, you can nod slightly and turn your gaze to your neighbor and look into his eyes;
try to maintain a friendly and open expression on your face;
try to smile more often and then you will see how the mood in the room will change.

If your anxiety is related to your own condition, then carefully study these rules of public speaking:

Practice speaking in front of the public as often as possible, participate in public discussions, conversations, ask questions.
During this time, you will find an inner state that inspires confidence in you and helps you feel successful. This feeling will be different for everyone. Someone needs to feel the “joy of flying”, someone needs to feel as focused as possible, concentrated on their topic, and someone is helped by a slight excitement that makes them slightly excited and joyful.
Think about what kind of emotional response you want to achieve from the audience, what message is coming from you to the audience.
Before going on stage, be sure to “warm up.” You can talk to one of the audience or organizers, or just walk around the room.

General rules for giving a public speech:

Ideally, you have the opportunity to rehearse the day before in the room where the performance will take place. You can look around the room, rehearse your entrance, give a speech, practice your posture, gestures, voice volume, and some important turning points in your speech.

Before going to bed, imagine the entire course of your speech. How the event begins, how the audience gathers, how you go on stage, what you say, where you look. Finish your speech and feel how great you did.

A few hours before going on stage, go through the outline of your report in your imagination, fix the key points of the speech in your mind and feel the joy that will overwhelm you after a successful performance.

Rules for successful public speaking: psychotechnics

One of the secrets of communicating with an audience lies in certain psychotechnics. You definitely need to form eye contact and show your interest in her.

When you enter the stage or pulpit, do not rush to immediately begin your speech, pause, look around, look at the audience, smile, if appropriate. By making eye contact with your audience, you greet them and let them know that you are there especially for them. Therefore, it is important to observe it during the performance.

Remember to maintain eye contact, even if you're giving a science talk where it's normal to refer back to your notes frequently. Subconsciously, a person feels when attention is paid to him: a glance may last only a fraction of a second, but he makes it clear that something important and valuable to him is happening. Therefore, try not only to look around the hall, but also to establish eye-to-eye contact with the audience.

When you are engaged in the psychotechnique of establishing contact with the audience, it is very important to understand that the emotional content of your gaze is of greatest importance. What is in it - goodwill towards the audience or indifferent indifference, courage or fear. In our eyes, all our emotions can be read without difficulty, which means that listeners, as a rule, unmistakably see and feel what is happening in your soul.

So, the main rules for giving a public speech are to look around, make eye contact with the audience, and concentrate your attention on the subject of your speech.

Remember, the first words of your talk are the most important; it is at this moment that your listeners will determine whether they will listen to you or continue to have their head in the clouds. There are several techniques that will keep your audience's attention.

Interesting fact. One of the most effective ways to attract the attention of any audience is to tell an interesting fact that is directly related to the topic of the speech: “Did you know that...” or “Have you ever thought that...”
Colorful presentation. The presentation helps to structure and regulate the speech. You can outline the main points or rules on the slides feedback. The rules of public speaking suggest that you formulate this aspect this way: “I have fifteen minutes to talk about...”, “During the speech, I would like to address the following questions...”, “If questions arise during the speech, you can ask them by end of the report.
Questions. If this is possible in your format, then be sure to use this technique to attract attention. Questions force you to involuntarily look for answers, even if they are not spoken out loud, so they will listen to you more attentively.
Joke, anecdote. It is important to maintain some intrigue and not immediately reveal the connection between the anecdote and the topic of the speech. But the connection must exist. Remember that the joke must be tolerant and appealing to the majority in order to create the right mood.
Audience compliment. Consider a compliment as a sign of respect and recognition from the public. A correctly said compliment will evoke a grateful response from listeners. Try not to overact or exaggerate the weight of the compliment so that it is not perceived as ridicule. It is better if the compliment is short, unambiguous, and reflects reality. It can be expressed not only personally to the audience, but also to address their profession or company.

Techniques for attracting and maintaining audience attention

Skilled speakers use some rules of public speaking to attract and hold the attention of the audience:

Contrast stimuli. This rule consists of changing the type of signal for obtaining information. Most often, you can change the audio and video signals. The speaker, for example, can take a long pause, slow down or speed up the pace of speech. Also an example of a contrast stimulus can be movement around the scene. At first, the speaker can stand still and begin to move during the report, or vice versa.
Addressing current issues. For every person at a certain period of life, there are relevant topics that concern him. Typically, in a group of people, large or small, these problems are identical or very similar. Then, by addressing these topics that concern them, you can capture the audience's attention. In this method, the source of attention will be the significance of the information.
Contacting authoritative sources. The rules of public speaking have long contained advice to turn to authoritative sources. Quotes from great people and deep sayings are often used by many speakers in their speaking techniques. Success depends on several factors: relevance, completeness of the statement, authority of the source.
Address questions. This type of question is addressed to those present in the hall. And even rhetorical questions increase the audience’s attention.
Humor. A good joke from a speaker always evokes pleasant emotions listeners, draws attention to it, arouses sympathy and interest. Humor can often relieve tension and prepare the audience to accept new information. And although humor most often draws attention not to the topic of the speech, but to the speaker himself, it should be used correctly.

This brings us to the end of our article on the rules of public speaking. We sincerely hope that you were able to find useful ideas for your business in it. It is possible that some thoughts became a discovery for you, but some turned out to be simply interesting fact, which expanded our understanding of the complex sales process. Which of the points presented did you want to put into practice? How satisfied are you with how your business is going? Analyze your answers to these questions, then our article will be able to leave a significant mark on your consciousness.

Remember that if you have any questions, doubts or even objections, you have the opportunity to write to us by email [email protected] or use the feedback form on the official website. Experienced business coach Evgeny Kotov, founder of the training company Practicum Group, will be happy to answer them, and perhaps discuss with you, because truth is born in a dispute.

See you soon!

How often does it happen to you that before you go out in front of an audience, you feel cold inside, your palms instantly become sweaty, and when you go out in front of everyone, you cannot squeeze out a single word? You stand there thinking, “say something, anything,” but you can’t make a sound, no matter how hard you try. The legs become “woolly” and the face begins to “burn” as if the air temperature rises sharply to prohibitive levels. As a result, you happily blush and, having uttered something incomprehensible, return to your place, vowing to never speak in front of the public again.

If the above described happens to you at least sometimes, then this article is intended for you. After reading it, you will learn how to improve your public speaking skills, how to learn how to express your thoughts coherently, and how to control your audience.

First, let's understand the concepts. What is public speaking? It would be logical to say that this is a performance in front of the public. An audience or an audience is a group of people from 4 people or more. Conventionally, I divide audiences into several categories:

small – up to 10 people;
small – from 10 to 30 people;
medium - from 30 to 60-70 people;
large – from 70 to 150 people;
very large - from 150 people or more.

We will not consider performances at large venues and stadiums.

So how can you improve your public speaking skills?

First, a little theory. Public speaking is 90% visual contact and only 10% auditory. In fact, this means the following: “It’s not so important WHAT you say, it’s HOW you say it.” The main thing in public speaking is presentation, energy, expression and contact with the audience.

Without my thoughts running wild, I will give simple, specific recommendations.

First- make a plan for your speech. Believe me, any experienced speaker always has a plan for his speech. No experienced speaker will begin a speech if he does not know the topic of the speech and what he will talk about (at least approximately). What is a plan? You should not prepare drafts with complete and detailed content your speech, and even more so, you should not use such recordings when speaking. This will only distract you from speaking and take time away from sorting through your notes. In addition, if you lose the thread of the story, you will have to fumble around in the notes, and this causes exceptional negative emotions among the listeners. Instead of notes, use only a speech outline. At home, in a calm and quiet environment, think through the structure of your speech, roughly imagine what you will talk about and write down the points of your speech. For example, if you are preparing a report on the company's achievements for the year, it might look like this.

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