In current information age, public speaking skills are becoming more and more important than ever before. Mastering good public speaking skills can help you get a good job, get promoted, win respect from your peers, or maybe even help you get a date. Whether you speak to one person, or hundreds of , or even thousands of people, the basic principles are the same. After doing some research on the topic of how to improve public speaking skills, I put together some useful information to help myself as well as others to polish their skills in this area. Some contents are adapted from the book "Public speaking for dummies
".
First, getting started, you need to ask yourself: Who? What? How? When? Where?
Who: You need to know your audience. Analyze your audience and discover what the audience is thinking. Find out what the audience knows, what interests them. Then tailor your speech to relate to your audience, discussing the world from the audience's point of view.
What: After identifying the audience and decide on the topic, you need to make the most of research for what you want to deliver in your speech. There are a variety of resources you can gather information. You can first mining yourself for material to create a personal experience. You can interview other people for their stories, experiences and insights. Of course, you can utilize the library. Follow some advice from the late comedy coach John Cantu: Make the Children's Section your first stop at the library. A children's book about your topic can be the best way to begin an outline because it will probably cover most of the key points of your topic clearly. One of the most important resource you should not miss is the Web. You can search your topic using the search engine, google (
www.google.com) being the most popular one. Wikipedia is very useful in finding almost any information in ten languages. Malcolm Kushner recommended three best websites in his book of “Public Speaking for Dummies”: Virtual Reference desk (
www.refdesk.com), Online Speech Bank (
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/ ), Museum of Humor (
www.museumofhumor.com).
How: Figure out how to organize and outline your speech. Before you do that, you must first choose the material for your speech. Make sure to use a variety of material, such as anecdotes, statistics, examples, quotes, and so on. Choose material so that your audience will understand and find interesting. Then you can choose a pattern of organization for your speech. There are a few of the most commonly used patterns: problem/solution, chronological, physical location, extended metaphor or analogy, cause/effect, divide a quote, divide a word, theory/practice, topic pattern, etc. According to management communication advisor Jim Lukaszewski, one of the most powerful ways to organize information is in the form of a numerical list. For examples, you can say, “I have four good ideas.” The number makes the statement much stronger and easier for the audience to keep track of.
When and Where: Not only you need to know when and where to deliver your speech, but also how much time it takes to deliver the speech you've written in the time slot you've been given. Make sure to arrive at least one hour earlier to prepare the setup. It is even better if you can visit the location before your speech. Most of the people tend to speak longer. But longer does not necessarily mean better or more meaningful. Twenty minutes is usually a good length. You can estimate the time from the length of the script. Preparing a standard 20-minute talk is like writing a 10-page essay. Then practice your speech aloud to get an idea of how long it will take to deliver. However, be aware of that you will have a time increase of about 33 to 50 percent when you speak in front of people. Always be prepare to cut. But do not cut the conclusion. If you are running out of time, find a logic place to stop and sum up what you've already said.
Second, preparing your speech by working on the content, introduction and conclusion of your speech.
Content: You can find stories, quotes, statistics, definitions, analogies and examples to make up your speech.
1.Stories: Everyone loves to hear stories, but you have to tell stories for a purpose. You can also tell your personal stories and success stories. You should always to try stories out first on your friends, neighbors, colleagues, and anyone willing to listen. Their responses give you an idea of how to tweak the content, delivery, or timing of your story. You can also make more powerful stories by asking yourself questions about the story: what is the purpose of the story, what is the plain-language synopsis of what you're trying to get across, what are the beginning, the middle, and the end, who are the main characters, why are they interesting, what events and facts should be put into the story.
2.Quotations: If you want to use quotation effectively, you have to use your quote to make a point. Also, try to use quotations from a variety of sources, and keep it brief. You can even cite quote from an unlikely sources. If you are in doubt about who said the quote, you can simply say, “I believe it was Mr. Famous name once said...” or use the great cover phrase, “As an old philosopher once said....”
3.Numbers: Make sure to use statistics from a credible source. And keep in mind that credibility all depends on your audience. When you use numbers in your speech, round them off and give your audience time to digest. If you want people to hear and remember an important statistics, say it more than once. Know that startling statistics can grab attention of the audience. Also, do not forget to relate the numbers to your audience. You can achieve that by explaining the numbers again in a way that people can understand, painting a picture, using visual aids and analogies.
4.Definitions: The simplest way is to use the dictionary definition. You can also make your personal definition. Another way to define a term is to use the derivation of a word. Explain the definition from the original meaning, then apply the meaning to the topic you're speaking about.
5.Analogies: A analogy is a comparison that highlights similarities between two objects or concepts. It's particularly well-suited for speeches that teach, train, or educate an audience.
6.Examples: You can use real and hypothetical examples. Real examples tend to be more powerful than hypothetical examples. However, hypothetical examples can be very effective in speeches that involve research, philosophy, law, or theoretical concepts.
Introduction
A great speech begins with a perfect introduction. Be sure to answer the following questions in your introduction: who, what, when (when will you be through), where (where is this talk going), why (why should I listen), and how (how are you going to make this interesting). Make sure to include necessary background information while keeping your introduction to the right length. There are fifteen ways to get started with your introduction: using a quotation, using rhetorical questions, using a story or anecdote, using a startling statistic or fact, using a historic event, using something that happened today, using the title of your speech, provoking your audience, showing your knowledge of your audience, developing a common bond with the audience, emphasizing the subject's importance, referring to the occasion, relating your talk to previous talks.
Conclusion
If the introduction is your first impression, the conclusion is your last one, and your last chance to make one. You can create the perfect conclusion by cueing the audience in advance. For example, you can say “turning now to my final point” and “I'll give two more examples before I wrap up”. You can also use phrases such as “in conclusion,” “to conclude,” or “in closing.” The conclusion should usually be about 5 to 10 percent of your speech. Also, the last few lines of your conclusion are the most important. So make them memorable. You can just say, “I have one final thought that I want to leave you with.” or “If you remember just one thing I've said today, remember this....” Then give them a heck of thought. Word it strongly and make it relevant to your talk and your audience. Other ways to wrap up in style include the following: referring back to the opening, using a quotation, asking a question, telling a story, reciting a poem, telling the audience what to do, asking for help.
Third, learn how to make your speech sparkle in the following three major areas.
1.Editing your speech: Reading your speech aloud is a good way to help you editing. Pay attention to the language you're using. Are they simple, conversational, specific? Try to use exciting verbs and avoid cliches and buzzwords. Another important area to edit is the transitions, which are the glue that holds the whole speech together. Transition is used to lead from one idea to another, to summarize and to get attention. It is better to use an assortment of transitions, such as “Now let's take a look at...” “In addition...” “The next point is ...” “For example...” “By that I mean...” The possibilities for transition lines are endless.
2.Getting the words right: You can hone your tone and style by polishing your word choice, using power words and jargon. Power words such as “interesting,” “unusual,” “decisive,” “hot,” “exciting,” “urgent,” “compelling” should be your word of choice. Just like the radio or television advertisement, you can pick an important point in your speech, build a catch phrase around it, and repeat it endlessly. There are many other ways to spice up your speech, such as hyperbole, allusion, alliteration, metaphor, simile, rhetorical question, the rule of three, and repetition.
Visual aids: “One picture is worth a thousand words.” A variety of visual aids are available for you to include in your speech. Charts and graphs are commonly used to depict numerical data and non-numerical relationship expression. PowerPoint Slides are probably most commonly used visual aids in presentations. Try to keep the text style simple with minimal text, only emphasizing the major points. Flipcharts have become ubiquitous at business meetings. However, they are not effective for audience larger than 50 people. To use flipcharts effectively, you should use as few words as possible on the top two-thirds of the sheet. Use two obvious colors. Leave two blank sheets between each sheet you use. Another very powerful visual aids is video and audio. Music and sound effects can greatly enhance your speech no matter what you're discussing. In addition, you can wow your audience with multimedia, the combination of video, text, graphics, and sounds. The basic software requirements are Windows and Video for Windows or Windows Movie Maker. Make sure to get permission to use content. Only items in public domain are allowed for anyone to use. Lastly, consider handouts to make your presentation more memorable.
Fourth, delivering your speech.
1.overcoming stage fright: Dealing with stage fright is like a mental battle. The success lies in the way you look at things. Always remember that the audience wants you to succeed and doesn't know that you're afraid. You have the knowledge that the audience wants. Try to think your speech as a bunch of one-on-one conversations. Small conversations are something your encounter every day. You can focus on one person for a thought, then move to another person for a sentence or phrase. In this way, you're able to connect every one in the room. You are better than you think. So visualize yourself giving your talk, Your voice filled the room with wisdom. People in the audience hang on your every word. Continuously talk to yourself into a successful speech using personal affirmations, such as “I'm the greatest speaker in the world,” “I'm an expert.” Change your irrational thoughts into positive ones. And face your fear directly. If you imagine the worst-case scenario, you will realize that it's not that awful. Try to master a few techniques to relieve stress, such as breathing, stretching and moving around. You can also write out your introduction and conclusion on cards as a reminder. Arrive earlier to set up the room and get familiar with the surroundings. The most important of all is that practice makes perfect. Familiarity breeds confidence. Rehearse your speech again and again and simulate real conditions. Anticipate questions and rehearse your answers. Videotaping your speech is a good way to provide feedback for your speech. Lastly, don't forget to time your speech, so that you will speak with confidence within the assigned time slot.
2.Body language: Much of your talk’s impact comes from how you look and sound.
- Facial expression: The single most important facial expression is the smile. Simply smiling at the audience can create instant rapport anywhere in the world.
- Posture: The basic, preferred posture for any speech is standing up straight with your feet slightly apart and your arms ready to gesture. Lean slightly toward the audience. Avoid standing with yoru hands on your hips, or your arms folded across your chest or behind your back. Avoid swaying back and forth. Avoid burying your hands in your pockets.
- Hand gestures: You want to share your hands with your audience. Create opportunities to use gestures, such as talk about how many points you’ll make by holding up your fingers. Make sure your gestures not fall into a pattern. The steeple position is a good position to rest your hands. However, do not keep your hands glued together in that position for much too long. Think about your gestures ahead of time, but don’t memorize them.
- Eye contact: As you gaze around the room, make eye contact with as many individuals as possible. Establish eye contact at the end of a thought. Make sure your establish eye contact with all parts of your audience. Spend more time looking at the audience rather than your notes. If you are nervous, look at the noses of the audience, not over their heads.
- Dress to impress: Your dress is part of your message. Dress conservatively and comfortably. Shine your shoes. Keep the pencils, pens, and markers from peeking out of your shirt or jacket pockets. Keep bulky stuff out of your pockets.
- Movement: Always move with a purpose and move in a irregular pattern. Avoid pacing or making nervous movement. Remember the power position si the front center. So return frequently to the power position after movements. If you use a podium, make sure you get out from behind it as often as possible, if you feel comfortable of doing so.
- Your voice: Try to pronounce your words clearly. Get rid of filler sounds and phrases: like, you know, um, okay, ugh, ah, acturally, interesting enough. And add variety to your voice. Use your voice for emphasis, your volume as a powerful tool. Never forget to pause, especially before a change of subject, major point, or interesting fact.
3.Handling questions：If you are going to have a Q&A session, it's better to have it at the end of your presentation. Prepare the list of possibly answered questions and write down the best answers for them. If you don't know the answer to the question asked, honestly admit that and promise to find the answer and follow up with the audience. Handle every question seriously and with patience as the audience consider this session as part of the speech.
Excellent speech can not be achieved without practice. Practice brings confidence. Let's all get started to polish our public speaking skills. Hope your next speech is a great success.
信.望.爱
and water. If you are considering using toothpaste before your child’s second birthday, ask your dentist first. 
” by Dale Carnegie. One of the most important principle I get from the book is that always be truthful to your own feelings and see things from the other person’s point of view. It is part of human’s natural tendency to talk about what we want instead of what the other person wants. We need to constantly remind of ourselves and make it our habit to consider other people first in our daily living. 
