Five Tips on Public Speaking

culled from:http://spinsucks.com

1. Know your audience. If you’re giving a presentation to colleagues, then you probably know who will be there and feel comfortable in front them. But if you’re ever invited to make a presentation, or are giving a sales presentation, you need to know who will be listening. How many people will be there? Who will they be?
2. Timing is essential. There is no better way to undermine a great presentation and lose the interest of your audience than by exceeding your allotted time. Ask beforehand how much time you are allotted and plan to use less. More than eloquence, listeners appreciate respect for their time.
3. Outline your thoughts. Write down the main points you want to make and supporting information. Organize, add, and cut until you have a good set of notes that flow logically and easily. Speaking extemporaneously from this sort of outline is ideal – but to do so, you have to be familiar with your material. Which brings us to…
4. Practice. Out loud, as many times as you can. And time yourself until your presentation comes in a little short of your allotted time. We can debate the utility of practicing in front of the mirror, but there is no substitute for rehearsing what you want to say out loud until you know it well and are comfortable saying it. Record yourself on your phone (video or audio); listening to it may make you uncomfortable, but it will help you improve.
5. Dress for success. This may be a cliché on the one hand, but people often underestimate the importance of their clothing – not for the audience, but for themselves. We all have clothes that we feel make us look our best, so when you have to give a presentation, wear them. Likewise, take some extra time for grooming. When you feel you look your best, you are more confident.