4 TOPPINGS FOR A SUCCESSFUL SPEECH

You would not disagree that at the end, we all want to be heard; we all want to be recognized, we all want to seem important. We all want to give an incredible speech someday and get heaped with applauds. But what steps us back? 


Perhaps the fear of being criticized. It is said that the fear of public speaking is one of the greatest human fears. But in the words of Dale Carnegie, “  Only the prepared deserve to be confident”. So when you prepare for your next speech, do not forget to keep the below things in mind. Below are the secret toppings to ace your  speech.


1. Care for your Audience 

I have observed several times; many speakers end up disappointing the audience with an extremely boring speech despite their wisdom and strong content. This happens because their speeches are often speaker-centric. A bad speaker always speaks about what he believes in and not what the audience want to hear from him.


The most important factor which determines your success as a speaker is your understanding of the audience. The audience should always be the focus of your speech. Engage your audience’s attention throughout. Remember, the subject on which you spoke, will be faded from the memory after sometime; but the audience would always remember how you made them feel at the end of the speech. Making a connection with the audience is very crucial a task. Therefore, before preparing your speech, do a research about your audience and their demography such as their age group, their social and economic status, their gender and ethnicity and their interests and affiliations and most importantly what they expect of you.


Knowing your audience and caring for them makes them the center of your presentation. Eventually, you make them feel important and more than anything else , you connect with them. This increases people’s urge to listen more of you.


2. Use a GPS

We all use a GPS to drive through an unknown terrain. If we don’t follow the GPS , we cannot reach our destination. So is the mechanics of a good speech. Having a map/ an outline/ a design or a structure prevents you from getting blanked out. An outline always keeps a check on the points you are going to cover. The audience also can imbibe your delivery in much better way. You may or may not memorize a speech. But having a design of your speech imprinted in your mind helps you a great deal. Trust me!


3. Enjoy your presence as a speaker 

OK! I understand. Nervousness kills a person inside. But, who would want to listen to a self-conscious, trembling speaker? If you do not enjoy your role as a speaker  , your audience won’t. 


Thus, wait! Take a deep breathe. Smile. Because it makes you more presentable and instantly makes a rapport  .  Do not make yourself fixed at one place. Go amidst the audience and use a conversational mode of presentation. Add ingredients  like humor, stories and provocative questions to keep the audience hooked up. 


4. Be Expressive 

How do you feel while listening to a dead, lifeless voice? Sleepy, right? No one wants to listen to a speaker whose content and expressions do not have a connection. Voice plays a vital role in delivering an effective speech. In order to make your presentation a memorable experience for your listener, you need to learn to use your voice to your advantage. 


Make sure you use appropriate pace and pitch with clarity in your enunciation. Use pauses to emphasize a point. Never underestimate the value of a confident eye-contact. Make your speech alive by creating a reaction amidst the audience. For that, you need to believe in what you want audience to believe. Use emotions to convey and compel by adding a personal touch to your content.


Leave behind your charisma for the audience to cherish. Speak like a leader and your audience is ought to listen and follow you. I know it’s not easy. As Ralph Waldo Emerson rightly says, “ All the great speakers were bad speakers at first”, it is OK to be nervous. You are not the only one in the race. Get a speech coach. Practice , Practice and Practice . And one day you will see yourself shine in the audience’s eyes.


Annwesa Abhipsa Pani

Email- annwesaabhipsa@gmail.com

Author's bio- Annwesa Abhipsa Pani is a professional speaker , public speaking coach and a soft-skills trainer. A bohemian, driven by  a strive for life, she  wishes to touch lives in the most meaningful way. A determined trainer who possesses unquenchable thirst to learn and deliver. She has trained many in the areas of personality development and leadership.