Public Speaking Tips: What to Do Before You Start and After You Start

The following public speaking tips will ensure you open every presentation in a confident, interest-arousing style that will capture the attention of your audience:

One Minute Before

Just before you get up to speak, take 3 long, slow, deep breaths. The best way is to breathe in deeply through the nose, then hold it for two to three seconds, and then slowly exhale through the mouth.

The easy breathing exercise can have a dramatic effect on you as a speaker. You will feel more relaxed and your opening words will hit the audience with maximum impact.

Wait For Attention

If when you get up to speak there is still a lot of noise or distraction among the audience WAIT!

This doesn't have to be embarrassing. Just keep a relaxed expression on your face, look around the hall in a pleasant manner and wait until the message gets through that you are ready to start. If the noise continues, then, you may want to speak and welcome everyone, telling them it's good to see them present and suggest as they take their seats.

Alternatively, tactfully say something like: "When everyone is settled we'll begin the program."

Your First Words

Employ this public speaking tip and you will see a huge improvement in the attention the audience gives you when you are ready to start speaking.

Your first words should be given careful consideration seeing they are like a funnel which catches the attention of the audience and then channels it into your presentation.

Write out the first 1-3 sentences of your presentation and fine tune the exact wording. Learn them by heart so the launch into your subject is confident and unfaltering.

Use A Variety Of Openers

Get skilled at using multiple kinds of opening sentences to snatch your audience's attention. As your first few words can set the tone of your whole speech, it pays to give them very careful thought.

You can use:

A number of questions on different approaches to the subject which may be new to your audience

A quotation or statement from a recent news item or leading authority

A real life experience or story that highlights the main theme or title of your speech

The Introduction - How Long?

Make sure your introduction is in proportion to the length of your presentation.

An introduction lasting three or four minutes is probably a reasonable length if you are allotted half an hour for the whole presentation. However, if you are only speaking for ten minutes then your introduction will need to consist of a few simple sentences lasting 30 to 60 seconds, just enough to capture the attention of your audience.

Make sure the relationship between your introduction and the body of the presentation is not a case of the tail wagging the dog!

New, inexperienced speakers often start a presentation in a faltering way which advertises the fact they are lacking in confidence and increases their own feelings of nervousness. Use the public speaking tips above and launch into your presentation confidently every time taking the audience right along with you.

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