Public speaking is an impressive mixture of both art and science and can be a challenging achievement for those unfamiliar with its subtle nuances. In fact, it is the number one phobia among both male and female professionals.
Phobias aside, most professional public speakers are communicating with a broad audience that requires them to have great knowledge of the subject at hand and the audience.
Great public speakers are currently in high demand, and many self-improvement coaches earn $62,000 a year on average. Good speakers know that they need to address their audience to understand the message being conveyed.
This ability requires specific skills and personality traits that set them apart from other speakers, and we will help outline some of those for you below.
1. Good Storytellers Make Great Public Speakers
A public speaker who can add the value of storytelling to their audience almost immediately creates a bridge for building an authentic relationship. Not only do they add the value of real-world experience to verify what they are saying – but others in the audience may be able to empathize and relate with the speaker’s story, too.
2. Great Public Speakers Are Confident and Knowledgable
If you are knowledgeable about the subject you are speaking of, then don’t be afraid to exhume confidence in the process. A public speaker with confidence is a public speaker who is knowledgeable about the subject they are speaking about.
Great public speakers are groomed and not born. The only way to gain confidence in public speaking is to continue to practice and work on both your strengths and weaknesses – what you know and do not know.
3. Effective Public Speakers Engage With the Audience
Engaging your audience is an essential tactic to successful public speaking. Sure, you can continue your monologue at the risk of putting members of the audience to sleep – but you don’t want to do that. Instead, try to incorporate dialogue between the audience and yourself.
This can be achieved through making jokes, asking questions, showing off how horrible you are at one thing, or just getting everyone up and stretching – relaxing.
4. A Good Public Speaker Should Be Enthusiastic
Enthusiasm about your subject should come as no surprise, and often enthusiasm is not something to worry about for a passionate public speaker. However, if you are having an off day and not feeling your best – try to find other ways to pump yourself up. Remember, your audience will have no idea that you are having a bad day unless you show them directly.
5. Great Public Speakers Are Always Well Prepared
Being well-prepared means being able to focus on the topic at hand for your speaking event. Focusing on a single topic will allow you to share ideas about relevant subjects that the audience showed up to listen to. If your audience arrived to hear a motivational speech about writing their first novel and you veer off into your passionate hobby of stamp collecting – well, you get the idea.
6. Successful Public Speakers Are Authentic and Speak Naturally
When you have a look at all the former attributes of a successful public speaker – you will realize that they are authentic and natural speakers because of all that prior experience. They can take complex issues and theories and make them digestible to their audience in real-time. They can engage the audience and take them along for a ride – let them follow their logic without getting confused.
Great Public Speakers – Take Away
Public speaking and especially motivational speaking are both in-demand services across the globe. Great public speakers can identify both their strengths and weaknesses and are open to creating a balance between both. They know what works and what doesn’t and always strive to improve their connection to their next audience. Great public speakers know how to bring out the best in their audience.
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Andrea Parker is a reporter for Zobuz. She previously worked at Huffington Post and Vanity Fair. Andrea is based in NYC and covers issues affecting her city. In addition to her severe coffee addiction, she’s a Netflix enthusiast, a red wine drinker, and a voracious reader.
