Picture Post: 5 Quick Tips To Speak Better Suman July 31, 2015

Picture Post: 5 Quick Tips To Speak Better

Most world leaders are known for their impactful and memorable speeches. Their words have an enchanting charisma that leaves a lasting imprint on our hearts. And we remember and recall them to this day. So what is it that weaves magic in their words? Apart from their passion for the cause that made everyone hang on to every word of theirs, there are a few traits that even we can use to inject power in our speeches. Here are a few important ones:

1. Volume: If you are barely audible, people will lose interest. To be loud and clear. Adjust your volume according to the size of the space and the number of people you are talking to.

2. Rate of speech: Speaking too fast makes it harder to follow you. So take time to say every word clearly. Speak at a normal pace so that everyone can understand what you say.

3. Intonation: The variety in your tone will keep the audience alert. Speaking in a monotone is boring. Emphasise on important words, add emotion to words to convey your feelings and ensure that you maintain it throughout your speech. Intonation helps make an impact even if non verbal cues are missing, in case of a phone conversation.

4. Pauses: Pauses can have a great impact on your speech. For instance, begin your speech with a question and pause for effect. You have won the audience attention right at the beginning of the talk. You don’t have to fill every silence.

5. Smile: Beats nervousness, makes you come across as a friendly person and endears you to the audience. A genuine smile at the right places can make you connect better with the audience.

Eye contact with everyone on the audience and a confident body language can drastically improve the impact of your speech. Lot of practice is critical to becoming a good orator. Whether you speak to your team or address a larger audience, these basic tips can make a huge difference to your communication.

You can also read more brilliant tips here:

How to speak so that people will listen by the sound expert Julian Treasure

What we can learn from the world champion of public speaking

How the power of three cam make a difference to your communication