There are many verbal and visual cues that can make a speech powerful and impactful. Taking deliberate steps, making hand gestures and controlling the volume of your voice are all the basics of adding impact. Silence is another key ingredient. Taking a pause during a speech will create a moment, drive home a message and connect with an audience. These public speaking tips will show you the fail-safe spots to pause during a speech.
The Beginning
While speaking at a conference or event, being presented onto the stage will allow the audience to give you a warm welcome of cheers. It’s appropriate to thank everyone for their response, but don’t let this courtesy bleed into your presentation opening. Instead, take a pause between the applause and the first line of your speech. Look at the audience for 3 seconds before speaking. This moment of silence will set the tone and allow the beginning of your speech to come out with a bang.
The Climax
Building tension in a presentation will make the biggest moment of revealing your message unforgettable. Don’t ruin the moment by rushing into the climax of your story. Take a breath. Allow all the information you just shared to settle. Then unveil the biggest takeaways that you want an audience to remember. If you can pull this off, you will elevate your public speaking skills from basic to expert.
The Conclusion
Make the most out of your final victory lap by soaking in the glory. No, we don’t mean run an actual victory lap around your audience. But we do mean deliver your call to action with enough energy to excite the room. This pause during a speech is most commonly found in political campaign speeches or motivational speeches. You can make this work for your presentation by crafting a compelling call to action for your audience. End your presentation with the benefits of your product, service or message and use them to create an exciting conclusion.
Public speaking tips are not only helpful for the spoken word. Pausing during a speech is also an effective tool. Make presentation powerful with a short pause either at the beginning, middle or end of your speech. For more presentation tools, download our free presentation starter kit to get the best preparation, training and public speaking tips that you need to know.
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