10 Powerful Public Speaking Tips for Beginners

Public speaking can be a daunting task, especially for beginners. But rather than simply avoiding it, how about learning some tips so you can add this useful skill to your résumé?

Whether you’re preparing for a presentation at work, giving a toast at a wedding, or speaking at a community event, the fear of standing in front of an audience – whatever its size – and delivering a speech can be overwhelming. However, with the right techniques and a bit of practice, anyone can become a confident and effective public speaker. Even you!

Here are our 10 essential tips and tricks to help you stand up and speak.

1. Understand Your Audience

Before crafting your speech, take the time to understand your audience. Find out what they might already know about your topic. What are they hoping to learn from you? And – this will come into play in tip eight – what are their interests?

Tailoring your message to your audience’s needs, expectations, and interests will make your speech more relevant and engaging.

2. Structure Your Speech

A well-structured speech will help your audience follow your message more easily.

Start with an engaging introduction, just as you would with a story or blog post. Follow that with the main points you want to convey and finish with a strong conclusion that reinforces your key message.

Having a clear structure will not only help your audience understand and remember your speech but also make it easier for you to deliver (see tips five and eight).

3. Understand and Use Body Language

Your body language can greatly impact how your message is received. Don’t believe us? Albert Mehrabian, Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of California, found that 55% of all communication is made up of the speaker’s body language and facial expressions.

Maintain good posture, make eye contact, and use natural gestures to emphasize your points. Avoid crossing your arms, fidgeting, looking at the floor, or staring steadfastly at your notes, as these can be distracting and make you seem disengaged.

4. Focus on Vocal Delivery

Your voice is a powerful tool in public speaking. In the study mentioned above, Albert Mehrabian also found 38% of communication to be down to tone of voice.

Pay attention to your intonation, volume, and pace. While a monotone delivery can be dull, speaking too quickly can make it hard for your audience to keep up. Vary your pitch and emphasize key points to keep your audience engaged.

And pausing is good! It’s a chance for you to take a breath, have a sip of water, and gather your thoughts. Time your pauses to come just before or after your key points and they’ll also work to allow those to sink in with your audience.

5. Practice, Practice, Practice

The more you practice your speech, the more comfortable you’ll become with the material.

Remember what we said about a monotone delivery being dull? The more familiar you are with your material, the more natural your tone will sound. By all means, have some notes as a backup, but see how much you can deliver without them – it’ll be one less thing to juggle.

Practice in front of a mirror, record yourself, or rehearse in front of a friend or family member. Pay attention to your body language, tone, and pacing. Remember how important those were? See tips three and four if you’ve skipped ahead.

The goal is to become so familiar with your speech that you can deliver it smoothly and confidently.

6. Manage Your Nerves

No matter how much you’ve practiced, it’s natural to feel nervous before speaking in public, but there are techniques to help you manage anxiety. Take deep breaths, visualize a successful presentation, and remind yourself that it’s okay to make mistakes.

Concentrating on your message and the value it brings to your audience can also help shift your focus away from your nerves.

7. Admit to Your Nerves

If the previous point seems like an impossible task, you need to know this: as many as four in ten of us list public speaking as one of our top fears, sometimes even ahead of heights and spiders. So if you’re nervous, you definitely won’t be alone. And if you admit to it, only the meanest of spirits wouldn’t then be willing you to succeed.

But while you can admit to being nervous, you shouldn’t apologize for it – of all those who would feel the same way, you’re the one actually doing it!

Admitting straight off the bat that public speaking makes you nervous can actually help to beat the nerves, too. You’ll no longer have to worry about ‘being found out,’ for example, which can help you concentrate on what you need to say.

8. Engage With Your Audience

Here’s another benefit to having practiced. If you’re familiar enough with your material to deliver it without having to keep your eyes glued to the page or screen, you can properly engage with your audience all the way through. This will keep them interested and make your speech more memorable.

And if you’ve taken the time to find out about your audience (see tip one), you’ll be well placed to read the room.

Ask questions, invite participation, or use anecdotes and humor to connect with your listeners. Interaction not only breaks up the monotony but also makes your audience feel involved in your presentation.

9. Use Visual Aids Wisely

Visual aids, such as slides, infographics, and videos, can enhance your speech by making complex information easier to understand. Include too much information, however, and you risk your audience paying more attention to them than to you.

Your audience should be focused on what you’re saying, so use visual aids to complement your words, not replace them.

10. Seek Feedback

This might be even more daunting than giving the speech itself, but it’s an important step. After your speech, seek feedback from trusted friends, colleagues, or mentors.

Constructive criticism can help you identify areas for improvement and build on your strengths. Reflect on what went well and what could be better next time.

Public speaking is a skill that improves with experience, as well as with the practice we talked about in tip five. And the more you do it, the easier it will become for you to manage those nerves.

Becoming a Public Speaker

Becoming a confident and effective public speaker takes time and practice, but it can be highly rewarding. You might land the job you’ve always wanted, get that raise, or be the toast of the wedding (after the happy couple, of course).

Remember, every great public speaker started as a beginner. Embrace the journey and keep refining your skills. With the tips we’ve given, you’ll be well on your way to speaking in public with confidence.

For more in-depth training and further tips, why not take our Becoming A Public Speaker course? You can even try two lessons for free!