How to speak in public

Public speaking can be a situation that causes a lot of discomfort for some people, which can result in cold sweat, trembling voice, cold in the belly, forgetting and stuttering, for example. However, the performance in front of more than one person is important both in the personal and professional aspects.

To lessen the signs of nervousness and allow people to speak more quietly, confidently and confidently in front of several people, there are several techniques and tips that ensure success in public speaking, such as relaxation and speaking skills high, for example.

Exercises to speak in public without stuttering

Stuttering usually arises due to shyness, embarrassment, insecurity or nervousness when it comes to speaking to more than one person, which can be solved by some exercises that relax the voice and mind, helping to reduce stuttering, for example :

• Read a text aloud and clearly in front of the mirror and then read the same text to one, two or a group of people as you are feeling more comfortable;
• If you stutter, assume that you stammered, as this gives you more confidence and makes you more comfortable in these situations;
• Do relaxation exercises for the mind, such as meditation, for example, because it allows one to take more attention to breathing, which helps to relax - Check out 5 steps to meditate alone;
• In addition to reading a text in front of the mirror, try to talk about anything else, since how your day was as well as a random subject, as this helps in times when something does not happen as planned, which could make the person nervous and consequently, stutter;
• Try to put rhythm in the speech, because when the words are prolonged, they are pronounced more naturally, reducing stuttering.

Also, when in front of an audience, to avoid not only stuttering but also nervousness, one can avoid looking directly at people by focusing on points further down the room. As the person feels more confident and comfortable, it is important to make eye contact with the audience as this gives more credibility to what is being said. Learn more about stuttering exercises.

Public Speaking Tips

It is normal for nervousness to arise before a job interview, presentation of a job, lecture, or an important project, for example. However, there are tips that help you relax and make the moment light, such as:

1. Know the public

One of the ways to gain confidence in public speaking is to get to know your audience, that is, who you are going to speak to, the average age, the level of education and the knowledge on the subject, for example. Thus, it is possible to build a dialogue aimed at the public, which can make the moment more relaxed.

2. Breathing

Breathing is a key factor as it helps you relax in times of nervousness and anxiety. It is interesting to pay attention to the breath so that you can relax and leave the moment lighter and natural. Also, when the presentation is too long, it is interesting to take a break to regularize the breath and organize the thoughts, for example.

3. Study and practice

The study and the practice allow the person to feel safer when presenting a certain subject to the public. It is interesting to practice several times loudly in front of the mirror, for example, to make the person feel more confident and as this happens, present to other people.

It is important that during the presentation the person does not hold too many papers, for example, or speak mechanically. It is more valid that you have small cards that guide the presentation, for example, in addition to speaking in a relaxed way, as if it were a conversation. This makes the audience more interested, the presentation is not more monotonous and the person who is presenting feels more at ease.

4. Use visual aids

An alternative to the cards is the visuals, which allows the person to construct the presentation in a coherent way and does not get so monotonous, for example videos or texts can be added. In addition to making the presentation more dynamic and interesting, the visuals act as a support for the presenter, especially in times of nervousness or forgetfulness.

5. Body Language

Body language during the presentation shows the audience how the person is feeling. Therefore, it is important to adopt a posture of trust and seriousness, avoiding to remain static, to perform the same movement every minute or to lean against a particular object, for example, this may show the public a little insecurity and nervousness.

It is interesting to gesticulate during the presentation, interact with the audience, even if only through looks, speak with confidence and do some tricks to disguise the tremor of the hands if it happens. It is also important to take care of the appearance, in regard to being appropriate to the environment, in order to convey an image of seriousness and trust.

6. Do not be afraid of questions

It is normal for questions to come up during or after the presentations and this can make the person very nervous. However, one of the ways to verify the success of your presentation is through questioning, that is, it is positive that people have doubts, that interest. Therefore, it is important that during the presentation the person is left open to questions and knows how to conduct them in a clear and comfortable way. For this, one must be confident and with mastery over the subject presented.