October 25, 2014: Didit’s Eric Wiggins, writing in the Long Island Business News’ Young Island section, offers some useful public speaking tips. He writes: “Presenting with assurance is a skill that can benefit both seasoned executives and young, up-and-coming professionals.
But how exactly do you learn public speaking? “In my case, volunteering at nonprofit events provided a huge help. Because my role called for me to have extensive personal contacts with strangers and address groups of people, I became accustomed to public speaking.”
Eric has some specific public speaking recommendations, including:
- Don’t be scripted. I usually only go into a presentation only with bullet points written on index cards. Language should be natural and free flowing. Sounding like a robot will make people stare at their phones and will cause you to lose your audience.
- Use simple, real-life examples. Do not use highly technical jargon. I try to scrub my brain of terms such as SEM and PPC when presenting digital marketing subjects to laypeople, and I try to use simple language that everyone can understand. I also strive to use examples from daily life. For example, using a search engine to find a bowling alley.
- Slow down. Don’t talk so fast. Talking at the pace of normal, daily conversation can sound like a blur when you’re up at the podium. Instead, I try to pace myself to talk about half as quickly. You have a whole room full of people looking and listening to you, so relax and take your time. Also, fast talking implies that you are nervous. Use comfortable body language, and smile.
- Talk with the audience. Have a conversation. Always make sure to end each section or set of slides with a question to the audience. You need to control the pacing, but talking with the audience and creating a participatory atmosphere will make the talk more enjoyable for everyone.
Read complete article on the site of the Long Island Business News.
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Summary
Article Name
Eric Wiggins: Developing Public Speaking Skills
Description
Didit's Eric Wiggins recommends that budding public speaking practitioners refrain from being overly scripted, use simple, real-life examples in their talks, speak at a moderate pace, and talk with -- not to -- the audiences they're addressing.
Author
Didit Editorial