When the topic of public speaking comes up, it’s clear that most people aren’t comfortable talking in front of crowds. Some may even dread it! There are likely two key reasons for this.
First, people are afraid to look foolish in front of others. We may feel like if we don’t know what we’re talking about, we’ll get a bad reaction.
The second reason is a bit more subtle. We’re hesitant to speak in front of crowds because we feel they may not care.
If you’re struggling with the latter, this article is for you. Here are a few tips to help you give a speech that’s both entertaining and engaging.
Know Your Audience
The first step to giving a great speech is to read the room, i.e., understand who you’re speaking to.
Every speech has a target audience, and it’s important that you know your audience ahead of time, as your speech should ideally be tailored to the crowd.
Your audience will determine the tone, language, and even length of your speech. Therefore, get as much information on your audience or event ahead of time as possible.
The better your understanding of your audience, the likelier it is you’ll give a good speech.
Inject Your Personality When You Give a Speech
Truthfully, it doesn’t necessarily matter how well-written your speech is if you don’t have the charisma and charm to back it up.
Yes, it’s important that a speech is well-crafted. But it’s even more important that the speaker uses their personality to keep the audience engaged.
Don’t be afraid to ad lib, make last-minute adjustments, or gesture. People are social creatures by nature, so body language like smiling or gesturing may seem simple, but they’ll take you a long way.
Trim the Fat
As a general rule of thumb, it’s a good idea to revise your speech as much as possible. Think of it like drafting a paper.
Your rough draft is simply about getting your ideas on paper. Self-editing will only get in the way, so save that for the primary editing stage.
Next, you’ll refine and edit as necessary. During this stage, clear up any rough or unclear ideas. Maybe find a few sources for your information, too, to make your speech more authoritative.
By the end, you should have a short, concise speech.
Use Visuals
If you’ve ever been in a long meeting, you know that peoples’ minds tend to wander after just a few minutes. Don’t take this as a slight, it’s just how our minds work.
But that doesn’t mean your speech has to bore your audience to tears.
When you give a speech, you can combat wandering minds by incorporating visuals. Charts, graphs, really anything you can think of.
As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words, so be sure to incorporate visuals.
Last Thoughts on How to Give a Speech That’s Engaging and Entertaining
Giving a speech is hard work, no doubt about it. But these tips should give you all the advice you need to make a great speech that your audience is sure to love.
Want to learn more about the entrepreneur lifestyle or public speaking? Be sure to check out my blog for more great tips to help you become the next big thing.
