Mastering the Art of Public Speaking: 5 Essential Tips for Success – Part 2

In this article, we delve into the second strategy (part 2 of 5):

Strategy #2: Practice, the right way

I am sure you have heard of the phrase “Practice makes perfect”. That’s incomplete. It is “Perfect practice makes perfect”. If the way you practise is ineffectual and misguided, it will only serve to calcify your bad habits and make your presentation flaws even more entrenched.

Verily, the ‘right’ practice and exposure and repetition are the key to public speaking confidence and competence. I am sure you have heard of advice such as – ‘Practice your speech several times’, ‘paying attention to your body language, tempo, and tone’, ‘practice in front of a mirror’ (this is the worst), or ‘to get insightful criticism and direction from professional and practicing public speakers and trainer, think about signing up for a public speaking course or joining a public speaking class (this is beneficial!). I am way ahead of you, I am sure you must be thinking “Of course you would say that, you are a public speaking academy! Of course you would be promoting training programs and courses”. Allow us to explain – in a live training class, you won’t be just watching a video or reading from a textbook, you will be interacting, participating and actually applying the public speaking techniques through practical opportunities throughout the course. It is 10x more effective than online courses or guidebooks (they have their utility value but relatively speaking, the most effective is still through proper guidance from professional trainers).

The more you practice, the better your presentation will be. Time yourself while you rehearse your presentation several times to ensure you don’t exceed the allowed time. Pay attention to your body language and adjust as needed. Using these recommended practices on the day of your presentation can help you feel more confident and less anxious:

To ensure that your presentation—with or without props, slides, quizzes, audience surveys, graphics, product demos, etc.—fits inside the allotted time, time yourself and make any necessary adjustments. Pro tip here: Always, always, plan for an exit strategy. What does that mean? Create a segue, or in other words, ‘quick transition pathway’, that allows for a summarized and swift way of concluding your presentation. For example, “Alright ladies and gentlemen, I shall stop here, I understand that we have gone through (point #1), (point #2), I have one final point, but not to worry, we can allude to that in the Q&A segment and I will be happy to share with you more about it there. Let me conclude by saying…”. If there is any exigent circumstance that requires you END your presentation summarily, an exit strategy will come in handy. Practice that exit strategy!

Practice using your body language (click for suggestions on strong body language!), hand gestures (click here for tips on hand gestures for more effect!), and stage motions to emphasize and underline important points and communicate confidence.

Think through and get ready answers for any queries your audience might have (click for advice on challenging Q&A sessions, difficult questions).

To identify your areas of weakness, think about recording a practice session and watching it later (check out the video below to learn exactly how!).

Learn how to operate the presentation equipment and technologies (such as smartboards in classrooms, projector, presenter pen, handheld or clip-on microphones, etc.) you’ll be using during the presentation, and be prepared with a fallback strategy in case something goes wrong.

***Watch on YouTube our full guide on How To Rehearse Like A World Champion (from our, founder, 2016 World Champion of Public Speaking, Darren Tay) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4raWBJLP-U

Stay tuned for Part 3 in which we share tips with regard to the third strategy on how to keep your audience hooked and engaged!