First, just let me state that I am an experienced speaker, but that doesn’t make me perfect. If you were in attendance at a certain unnamed association luncheon at a local venue, you witnessed your featured speaker with her skirt caught up in her hose. I subscribe to the philosophy “Ignore what just happened, and continue as if they didn’t catch it.”
I DO, however, have a pretty good mental list of what works for me in persuasive public speaking. The list falls into the categories of managing both your verbal as well as non-verbal movements. Here’s an easy list of 4 tips.
Stand Still
A little milling is good. Too much wandering just makes the listener have to work and makes you look nervous. If you stray over to one area of a stage, stop there and stand still for a little longer than you think you should. Then change position.
2 Gestures
If you are nervous, you probably underutilize your gestures. Start with just two. Find 2 typical gestures that are comfortable for you and appropriate in speaking. Perhaps the cupped hands, the open arms, or the Clinton thumb-pointer. If you use your arms, use them comfortably, not as if you are unsure about outstretching them.
Short Sentences
You may have lots to say. You may want to rattle on with it too. Intersperse your detailed delivery with something to let the listener breathe by stating something simply. Oversimplify occasionally. Generalize intermittently as well.
Tone & Speed
The listener can get weary with someone that drones on, as well as with an intonation too intense. Think of your content as paragraphs. Pause at the end of a paragraph or a key point. Modulate your tone so that some parts can be emphasized and to create a more interesting variety of delivery. Speaking in bullet points and lists is also a great way to give structure to your speech, keeping the listener more aware of where you are in a delivery.
And yeah, okay, I hear what you are about to suggest as an added tip – remember to check yourself in a mirror before you enter the room.