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Addressing an audience however big or small, is always a daunting task for many. If you’re one of them, then these tips below will put you at ease.
- Have A Clear Objective: What is it you have to say? This is an important question you need to ask yourself before you get on stage. Remember, whatever you say is a reflection of your thoughts. So, if it’s chaos up there, there’ll be chaos out there! What’s the message? What do you want the audience to leave with? These questions will help you speak with confidence and clarity and keep the audience tuned in!
- Do Your Homework: Now this is in case of a scheduled speech which are more common than spontaneous unscheduled ones. So homework tips- 1) find out who’s your audience—age group, the industry they work in, the company they’re representing. 2) know your subject matter in an out. Make sure you’re up-to-date with the latest trends 3) Practice Practice and Practice!
- Use Comic Relief: Humour never fails to attract attention! You can open with a joke or can make space for it somewhere in the middle. Plan your punch lines and practice delivery well! Humour is all about delivery.more importantly, don’t force humor. If you have something planned well and good or it’s even better if something jumps out spontaneously. But don’t try too hard, because when you do, it’s pretty evident.
- Embrace Your Folly and Move On: Don’t let some stammers and stumbles break your confidence. If people miss your punch line or the crowd is too big and scattered or you face a technical glitch—don’t let any of it get to you. Embrace and forge ahead. If you start sweating and people notice, go on. What matters is that they listen to what you have to say.
- Be Honest: Honesty is really underrated. It can really get people to your side. For eg, If you’re nervous and admit it with sheepish laugh, they might just laugh it off with you. If you blank out in the middle, you can say something like, ‘hold on now, where was I’ while you get back on track or even better, you can ask someone from the audience to help you remember. This way you include them and capture their attention by being you. No facade, no charade! After all that’s what they’re there for, to listen to you.
