Once you have written a speech or presentation then it is important to practise your delivery. There are basically two ways to practise a speech, inputting and outputting. Inputting is reading your speech to yourself whereas outputting is actually delivering your speech out loud. You should practise using both methods but there are ways to maximize your results.

To input your speech all you need to do is sit down in a quiet room, free from disturbances, and read your notes to yourself. This aides in memorizing your speech so you can make eye contact with your audience as opposed to just reading from your notes. You may also spot small mistakes at this stage that you can correct before moving to the outputting process. There are no real keys or tricks to this method, only constant repetition.

There any many different tricks you can use to improve your outputting your speech. To perform at your best on the day of your speech you should aim to replicate the conditions you will be giving your speech in during practice.

Variables you need to consider when outputting your speech include whether you’ll be stood up or sat down, if you’ll have a microphone to speak into, if you have technology such as a laptop and projector at your disposal and what type of clothes you’ll be wearing. The more accurately you can simulate the conditions in which you are giving your speech the better prepared you will be.

With practice you can perfect your delivery and timing and really get to grips with what it is you are saying. However even after much practise you will probably want to write down some key notes on a piece of paper or a number of small cards. Well written notes/bullet points will help keep you on track and provide a reminder of the details you want to get across.

As one last little tip I would recommend practising your speech in front of a mirror. This will help you get used to making eye contact with an audience and quell any nerves you have about speaking in public. Just remember practice makes perfect! Jake Rhodes is the author of many self-help articles and currently runs top hypnosis site http://www.hypnobusters.com along with professional hypnotherapist, Jon Rhodes.

Whenever a survey is published on biggest fears you can always guarantee that public speaking will be towards the top of the list. It’s easy to why this is the case – you’re stood up in front of a group of your peers purveying your thoughts and ideas. The nerves and anxiety felt by many just thinking about being in this situation is enough to put them off public speaking for life. However with correct preparation public speaking can actually be very easy and create an adrenaline rush unequalled by anything else.

Whether you just have one speech to deliver as a best man or matron of honour, or you’re a businessperson who wants to make confident presentations to enhance your position in the company then ask yourself the following questions to fully prepare for your speaking duties.

Who Will The Audience Be?

Before you give a presentation or a speech you should carefully consider exactly who the audience will comprise of. This includes how many people you will be speaking to and the relationship between yourself and the audience. The more you learn about your prospective audience the easier it will be to prepare your speech.

What Do Your Audience Want To Hear?

If you’ve been asked to give a presentation to upper management types then they’ll want to hear a lot of stats, facts and ideas for the future. On the other hand a best man’s speech will be a lot more humour based with a couple of stories and is generally best kept to a short length of time so that the festivities can continue.

How Long Do You Need To Speak For?

Always ask how long you need to speak for. “Just get up and say a few words” isn’t specific enough, push for an exact length of time. The vast majority of public speaking doesn’t last much more than five or ten minutes.

What Should The Tone Be?

Depending on who the audience are and the purpose of the speech you should be able to grasp what the tone should be. If you’re making a short speech at a close friend’s birthday party then you can afford to be a little more risqué than you could giving a eulogy at a funeral. Similarly when you’re giving a business presentation there are circumstances where you can be more informal than usual depending on who the audience are.

Where Will You Be Speaking?

Always consider where it is you’ll be speaking as it makes a big difference. If you have access to a laptop and a projector then you have the option to use visual aids which makes public speaking easier as you no longer have to worry about the audience visually focusing on you. If you’re making a wedding/party speech then there’s a good chance you’ll have a lot of background noise to contend with. Will you have a microphone or will you just have the power of your voice?

The more information you have the better. With clear guidelines you are much more likely to make a speech that stays on point and serves the purpose it was intended Jake Rhodes is the author of many self-help articles and currently runs top hypnosis site http://www.hypnobusters.com along with professional hypnotherapist, Jon Rhodes.

Not everyone has severe stage fright or fear of public speaking. Many people tell me the first few minutes of a talk or speech are filled with tension and anxiety. But, they say that once they get past the first five or ten minutes, they feel OK. When I ask them to evaluate what happens in the first few minutes, they realize that it is making genuine connection with listeners that allows them to relax and share their ideas.

For years I struggled with stage fright and fear of public speaking. My struggles led me to develop ways to manage my tension and eventually to create a method that transforms the tension of stage fright. One of the greatest things I have learned is how to consciously generate connective presence before I start to talk. As a result, I now feel at home and comfortable from the very first minute of a talk. There is no waiting to get comfortable or hoping to get relaxed since I have learned to be present with audiences. There is just a stepping into being with my audience from the first moment. All my efforts can then be put into building deeper and deeper rapport with listeners and on sharing myself fully with them.

Here is how you can create connective presence at your next opportunity to speak up or to speak in front of a group. The following steps will help you to manage your tension, intention and attention so that comfortable connection is a natural outcome of your presence.

First, get yourself into a state of presence by focusing your awareness on being in your body. Simply place your attention in each part of your body, one part at a time. Start by focusing your attention inside your head for 5 or 10 seconds. Be aware of being in your head. Then focus in your neck, then your chest, etc, working your attention all the way down to your feet. You will notice that energy flows where ever you put your attention. By the time you get to your feet, you will be grounded in your body, feeling connected to yourself, filled with energy and present to the moment.

Next, set your intention to care about your listeners. Decide to love them rather than worrying about whether they will like you or not. Decide to be there for them to share your ideas, insights, expertise and talents.

Finally, open yourself to receiving their attention. As you step into the center of attention, be intentional about taking in their attention as support. You will literally sense their energy coming towards you. When you can take their energy in, there is no need to defend, protect or deflect their attention. It simply comes into you, filling you up with a bodily-felt sense of support. You are now in a state of connective presence, being with your listeners and ready to share your ideas.

Managing tension is about consciously focusing human energy through intention and attention. It is what athletes do to get into the ideal performance state so they can play their best game. If athletes can learn this skill, then so can you. Try it and report back to me. If you need some help with grounding in your body, try my Grounding Meditation to support the process of developing your own connective presence.

Sandra Zimmer works with high achievers who are struggling with communication and who may be uncomfortable speaking in groups. She helps them transform the way they express who they are so they feel confident to share their ideas, insights and expertise. Sandra has developed the Zimmer Method for Authentic Communication. Her method guides people through an experiential process that connects them to their natural abilities to express themselves

Confidence does play a big part in effective public speaking and that is why I have posted on this many times in the past. Being thoroughly prepared and well practiced contribute greatly to developing self confidence to being able to present confidently.

 Further to these 2 areas, are 3 factors that support confidence in yourself and in your ability to deliver your speech effectively;-

1.       Appearance. When you are dressed for the occasion you feel better about yourself. And this is the same in public speaking.  Usually if you are smartly dressed and neatly groomed you will be appropriately dressed. You, not only feel better and your audience will appreciate you more. This contributes to your sense of well-being and confidence.

2.       Well rested. Tiredness can make cowards of us all. It takes away our resolve and reduces our energy levels. We can come across ill prepared and not caring when too tired. So getting enough sleep and being relaxed increases our courage and helps us to be calm. We appear more in control and confident to our audience.

3.       Fitness. When we are fit and healthy we generally feel better about ourselves and look better also. It also helps us to handle stressful situations.  The better we feel about ourselves and the easier we can handle stress the more we can speak with ease and confidence to groups of people.

These factors do not replace preparation and practice in developing self confidence but will help in improving how we feel about ourselves and make it easier to speak up with confidence in public speaking or presenting.

A resource that I have found useful in improving my health and fitness is called Truth About Abs. It covers many aspects of health and fitness.  Click here to find out more information on Truth About Abs.

I am looking for some resources to recommend on relaxation and appearance but have not yet found any I like enough.     In the meantime check out Truth About Abs and let me know what you think. 

Some people are more afraid of public speaking than they are of flying or driving on the motorway. Fear is a survival mechanism. It motivates us to do or stop doing something, which means at times it keeps us off trouble. However, fear is a problem when it interferes with people’s goals. That’s why it is vital to learn how to control your fear and use all your energy to achieve what you have set your mind on.

You know that fear causes avoidance and avoidance causes more fear. Thus, by staying away from what we are afraid of we won’t be able to overcome fear. The only reasonable approach to this disabling state is taking the bull by the horns and fighting against our weaknesses.

A pounding heart, trembling hands, butterflies in your stomach and your legs turning to jelly are a few of the most common human reactions in exceedingly stressful situations; a racing voice and cluttered mind, even tension in the shoulder and neck area may be added to the list for the public speaker in particular. Such reactions are unhealthy and in most cases bring about undesired results. It is very important to learn how to recognize your body’s reaction to stress and anxiety and of course how to overcome your fears and gain self-confidence.

For public speaking, there are several exercises meant to help you get rid of the feeling of panic and the physical sensations it comes with. Anxiety tightens the muscles in your chest and throat. A restricted airway will not allow the necessary quantity of oxygen into your lungs and brain so deep breathing will expand the throat and chest, promoting relaxation. A couple of sighs before the speech are also known to do wonders.

Yet, a few breathing exercises before a public speaking event are not enough. We were born with the ability to breath from the abdomen, but later in life our breathing has become shallow; it is much easier to breathe like that and we think our lungs get enough air anyway. This is not true. Breathing from your stomach does not send the right quantity of air into your lungs and undoubtedly can’t reduce anxiety either. Learn to deep-breathe again and you will feel a lot better.

Specialists claim that your whole body needs some exercise for you to relax. Progressive muscle relaxation therapy is based on a series of exercises in which certain groups of muscles are tensed for about ten seconds and relaxed again for another ten seconds. Each group is tensed and relaxed twice before you move on to the next. Therapists will show you the best exercises for each muscle group and, though it is not easy, with some practice you will learn how to bring the feeling of total relaxation to your body.

Actors, for example, are in the habit of alternatively shaking their legs before the performance. Stand on one leg and shake the other, then switch legs. Next, shake your hands; hold them above your head and bring them back down. Finally, start chewing in an exaggerated way to warm up your face muscles. Shoulders and neck rolls are very effective too as they prevent the tension that might later affect the muscles of your neck and shoulders.

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