The thing about public speaking is that, at some point or another, we all have to do it. And typically when we do, it’s either important to us personally, important for our careers, or both.
Now, public speaking doesn’t necessarily mean you’re walking on a stage in front of thousands of people. Your “stage” could be the front of the room in a meeting or a table in front of investors. But whether you’re delivering a TED Talk to be viewed by millions, you’re pitching to investors, or you’re trying to rally a work team to achieve a goal, there are three fundamental techniques you should enlist to ensure you win on the stage every time.
1. Get Your Story Straight
Finding the narrative behind your message is one of the best things you can do for yourself as a presenter. Storytelling is shown time and again to help audiences pay closer attention, empathize with your mission, and enable them to recall your message later.
Therefore, before you do anything else, be sure you have your story straight. And there’s always a story to tell, you just have to find it. Thinking through the emotional aspects of your message, how others will relate to it, and what real-life examples you can use to elaborate on it will all help guide you to your narrative. Keep in mind that your audience should feel like they’re on a journey with you; not like students sitting throw a mind-numbing lecture.
2. Give Thought to Your Visuals
A lot of presenters develop all of their content and then quickly create the supporting visuals as an afterthought. But the truth is, your visuals are just as important to your presentation as the verbal content you’re delivering.
Visuals paint the entire picture of your narrative. They help your audience better understand your ideas as well as feel more connected to your presentation as a whole. So rather than make them a quick afterthought, be sure that your visuals are developed carefully and thoughtfully, paying mind to details such as how certain colors, fonts, and designs influence emotions and evoke action. And if you’re stumped about how to do this, don’t sweat it. Our presentation design services can create effective, mind-blowing visuals for you so you don’t have to.
3. Don’t Just Practice; Rehearse
We can’t emphasize enough the importance of your delivery. It doesn’t matter how killer your content is; if you fail to deliver it in a way that compels, moves, and inspires your audience, then all of your hard work is for nothing.
Instead of spending all of your time memorizing what you’re going to say, spend at least half of your time rehearsing how you’re going to say it. Pay mind to places where you can pause to create more tension in your story, when you should use vocal inflections to emphasize your points, and any areas where it’d be beneficial to stop and interact with the audience for questions and comments.
Looking for more hands-on ways to elevate your public speaking game? Then check out Ethos3’s Catapult Training.
