10 Powerful Tips on How to Improve Public Speaking Skills

• Master techniques to improve public speaking skills – from embracing anxiety, crafting a compelling story and mastering non-verbal communication.
• Utilize visual aids, rehearse with passion and seek constructive feedback for continuous improvement.
• Overcome common challenges of technical difficulties, limited time & Q&A sessions by preparing ahead & adapting on the fly!

Speaking in front of a group of strangers is a harrowing experience for many. You step in front of an audience, and suddenly, all the carefully ordered thoughts in your head get jumbled as if tossed into a blender. The result is a speech that sounded much better in rehearsal than in reality. 

I know I’ve been in this position before, and I’m sure many of you reading this have, too. 

Luckily for anyone who has ever experienced fear of public speaking, there is a simple solution to our problem: practice! 

With consistent effort, you can improve your public speaking skills and become a rockstar orator in your own right. In this article, I will share ten easy tips to improve public speaking—ones you can easily practice at home!

10 Powerful Tips on How to Improve Public Speaking Skills

1. Build Confidence with Body Language
2. Master Clear Pronunciation
3. Perfect Your Pace and Timing
4. Enhance Vocal Control
5. Overcome Filler Words
6. Develop Engaging Storytelling Skills
7. Develop Improvisation and Ad-Libbing Techniques
8. Prepare for Q&A Sessions
9. Connect with Your Audience
10. Utilize Recording Devices for Self-Improvement

How You Can Benefit from Public Speaking Skills

As listeners, we are naturally drawn toward skilled and charismatic speakers. Many people don’t know this, but anyone can develop the public speaking skills needed to command attention. 

Becoming a great conversationalist is something you can use in your personal and professional life.

Does your job require you to frequently pitch to prospective clients? Do you collaborate and share ideas and voice opinions with co-workers every day? There are many situations that arise in our professional lives where public speaking skills can come in handy for effective communication. 

Public speaking ability is of even more importance to presenters whose efficacy depends on how well they address an audience.

You’ll find that practicing the lessons needed to improve your public speaking also benefits your personal life. It will improve your confidence and boost your social skills. Being a confident speaker is an attractive quality that ensures your vibrant personality always shines through.

Developing public speaking skills is making an investment in your overall development. That’s why it’s so important to keep them sharp with regular practice.

10 Public Speaking Tips Every Speaker Should Master

Even though the benefits of having public speaking skills are largely evident, a shocking number of people continue to shy away from it. 

Glossophobia, which is the medical term for fear of public speaking, is one of the most common social anxieties in the world. It is quite widespread and is on the rise. In 2001, a Gallup poll found that 40% of Americans had a fear of public speaking. In more recent surveys, it’s estimated that the percentage has climbed to 75%!

Don’t let a fear of public speaking get in the way of your job opportunities or personal development. Use the ten lessons listed below, and you will be able to connect with any audience and become a more effective public speaker.

🏆 Tip 1: Building Confidence with Body Language

You’ve likely heard the phrase, “Fake it ’til you make it!” – well, it is a mantra for public speaking as well. Adopting assured body language while speaking can trick your brain into actually believing it. Audiences find confidence appealing and will pay more attention to someone with a confident demeanor rather than someone who is clearly unsure of themselves.

So, what’s the difference between good and bad body language? Well, if you want to convey confidence, maintain an upright posture, roll back your shoulders, and push out your chest. Make direct eye contact that lasts between two to three seconds with each of your listeners. 

Bad body language when speaking is the opposite – your eyes are downcast, your posture hunched, and your shoulders drawn forward defensively.

👄 Tip 2: Mastering Clear Pronunciation

Clear speech is a critical element of public speaking. Instead of wasting time and energy repeating yourself and clarifying your points, you can sail through your presentations if you speak clearly. Your pronunciation should always be audible within the space and easily understandable. 

If you want to master clear pronunciation, there are a few public speaking exercises you can do at home. Tongue twisters are a fun and challenging way to build control over your verbal delivery. Start with elementary tongue twisters like “She sells seashells by the sea shore,” and level up to harder ones like quickly repeating “Red lorry, yellow lorry.” 

It should be fun to see how many tongue twisters you can master—they improve your public speaking skills and also serve as neat party tricks!

Another good way to improve your diction is by watching and listening to experienced public speakers. For instance, TEDTalks on YouTube has hundreds of fantastic examples of how experts use clear pronunciation and captivating delivery to keep their audience engaged as they speak.

^{Related: Top Public Speaking Courses To Master The Art Of Communication.}

🕣 Tip 3: Perfecting Your Pace and Timing

Remember, public speaking is not about who can get to the end of their speech the fastest. Instead, it’s about who can most effectively communicate their ideas in the time given to them.

Remember, public speaking is not about who can get to the end of their speech the fastest. Instead, it’s about who can most effectively communicate their ideas in the time given to them. 

More importantly, public speaking should never be boring. This means you must avoid speaking in a slow, droning fashion that makes your audience zone out. 

Like Goldilocks, you need to find a happy medium for your speaking pace: not too fast and not too slow. According to the National Center for Voice and Speech, the average English speaker in the US can articulate 150 words per minute. While this pace is normal for one-on-one conversations, you might want to consider slowing it down to about 100 or 110 words per minute when making a formal presentation before an audience.

Furthermore, keep in mind that public speaking is further enhanced by non-verbal cues. This means you can communicate just as effectively using dramatic pauses and rhythmic speech patterns. 

You should also consider the overall timing of your speeches and presentations and tailor their content according to context. For example, a victory speech at a company party will be much more exuberant than a measured walkthrough of a new proposal delivered in an office boardroom. 

^{Related: 15 Effective Public Speaking Techniques.}

🎤 Tip 4: Enhancing Vocal Control

Unless you’ve delivered lengthy speeches before, you will be surprised by the strain it can put on your voice. After you’ve been talking continuously for 10 to 15 minutes, your throat will start to dry out, and your voice will begin to crack.

Sometimes, vocal inconsistencies don’t even wait until you are far into your speech to crop up. If you’ve been silent for a long while, having to speak up and address a room all of a sudden can make your voice sound croaky in your very first sentences!

Prepare for a public speaking gig with some simple vocal warm-up exercises. Humming under your breath is a great way to prepare your vocal cords for a louder and more extended delivery.

One technique I use before a speech is to breathe in deeply for four seconds, hold my breath for one second, and then slowly release it over four seconds. I repeat the cycle at least three times before speaking in public, and I find it helps combat any apprehension or fear that crops up.

^{Related: 10 Public Speaking Exercises To Boost Your Presentation Skills.}

💭 Tip 5: Overcoming Filler Words

Over-reliance on filler words is a common hurdle for most people when speaking in public. I’m referring to “um” and “ah” and “like” and “you know” that do not add to what is being said. These filler words detract from the effectiveness of your speech and break your audience’s attention.

The best way to stop using filler words is to practice speaking extemporaneously. Create a speech on any topic at length while consciously staying away from filler words. With practice, you will be able to scrub them from your vocabulary while giving important presentations.

📖 Tip 6: Developing Engaging Storytelling Skills

The best speeches and presentations all have one thing in common: they aren’t just doling out dry information; they are telling a compelling story. 

If you want to be an excellent public speaker, you have to become a good storyteller first. You want your audience to feel like they see, feel, and experience what you are telling them. And in the process, you will leave a much more memorable impression. 

There are specific skills and processes you will have to master to become a good storyteller. You can sign up for storytelling workshops where you can get expert advice from professionals on how to master these techniques. 

Two cardinal storytelling lessons are of utmost importance in public speaking:

• Show, Don’t Tell: Show your audience what’s happening instead of just telling them. Instead of narrating, use sensory words to set the scene. When you use descriptive language, including similes and metaphors, even complex topics become easier for your audience to understand and absorb. 
• Build a Narrative Arc: Every story has a beginning, middle, and end, and so should your presentations. Using this basic structure will make your speeches more compelling. When you treat your speeches as stories to tell your audience, they become much more invested in the journey to the conclusion. And they will surely pay more attention to what you are saying!

💼 Tip 7: Improvisation and Ad-Libbing Techniques

Things don’t always go according to plan. Every time you give a speech, there’s a chance that something might go wrong, like a projector failing to work or audience members asking unexpected questions. Simply accepting that these situations are inevitable will help you prepare for public speaking situations more comprehensively. Being spontaneous and thinking on your feet is invaluable for such scenarios.

Being able to improvise on the spot will also make you a more dynamic and engaging speaker. Exercises for impromptu speaking, role-playing, and participating in improvisational theater can further develop your ad-libbing skills.

^{Related: Conquer Your Public Speaking Fear: 5 Proven Strategies For Success}

❓ Tip 8: Preparing for Q&A Sessions

Interactive speeches have a better chance of capturing the audience’s attention. But before you invite your audience to become part of the presentation in a Q&A session, make sure that you are well prepared.

Conduct mock drills where your colleagues ask you questions about your speech before a major presentation. This way, you can anticipate the kind of queries your audience might have.

When answering questions from a live audience, never rush into a response. Always listen to what is asked in its entirety, and then take a moment to gather your thoughts and formulate a well-structured response.

💡 Tip 9: Connecting with Your Audience

What’s one trait that all engaging public speakers share? They talk to their audience and never at them. Forging a connection to your listeners is possibly the most crucial part of any speech.

Knowing your audience will help you create a connection with them. Your speech should cover topics that they care about. While speaking, address audience members by name if possible, and if not, then rely on eye contact and make direct statements. These tactics will make listeners feel more involved, so they remain engaged for the duration of your speech.

^{Related: 10 Powerful Public Speaking Quotes To Boost Your Presentation Skills.}

📹 Tip 10: Utilizing Recording Devices for Self-Improvement

The best athletes watch recordings of themselves to improve their performance, and it’s a habit that would benefit the best public speakers as well. Watching previous speeches will give you a chance to review your body language and vocal delivery. You can identify where you need to make adjustments to become a better public speaker.

There are many resources, apps, and tools that you can turn to if you want to analyze your public speaking skills. You can use Metronome Beats, Impromptu Generator, Orai, and PromptSmart Pro to hone your presentation skills by highlighting areas of development like inflection or speech clarity.

Summary

The Three Ps of public speaking are preparation, practice, and presentation. Mastering these three elements is all you need to become a skilled speaker. You will find that these skills unlock many opportunities for you on professional and personal fronts. 

Regularly putting these ten lessons into practice will give you a fantastic foundation to become a skilled public speaker who effortlessly commands a room. Each lesson identifies certain skill sets that will benefit your overall development. By mastering them, you learn that public speaking isn’t some daunting, insurmountable task; rather, it is the product of discipline and hard work.