3 Things You Must Always Do To Be A Good Speaker

Do you have a friend who looks good at her age? She is nearly 50 but she is in a great shape. Her skin is flawless and not a wrinkle in place. Anyone can easily make a mistake by thinking that she is still in her 30’s. She must be doing something right!

And do you know anyone who is so good at giving a speech? It seems that this person makes no error at all. It is as if the words just come out from the speaker’s mouth and go straight into your ears. The speech always sounds like beautiful music coming down from the sky. How does this person do it?

Could it be magic? Well, of course not. Perhaps they are just lucky? Maybe they are blessed with great health, great looks and great talent? That might be one of the reasons. But the truth is; it is because these amazing people do things differently than normal people.

I started giving a speech when I was in school. I was alright but not great. I gave speeches just like any others youngsters at my age. Back then, I have seen some good speakers delivered their speeches. They were fantastic. I have always wondered what their secrets were.

Until not so long ago, I began taking public speaking seriously. After many years of searching for answers, finally I found the answers to my questions. What do these good speakers do differently than the rest? So here, I am sharing with you 3 things that you must always do if you want to be a better speaker like them.

No 1: Be Well-Prepared

What does it mean by being well-prepared? It means having a plan, getting ready, putting ideas together, visualise and taking necessary steps.  You might say to yourself, “Oh, I never prepare for anything. I just do things straight away”. Are you absolutely sure you never prepare for anything in your entire life? One simple question, do you have a calendar?

Some people might not like the idea of preparing for a speech. Some prefer to just jump into the boat, let nature take its course and see what happens. It is alright if you are going for a trip. Still, don’t you think you have to at least pack your bags and book a place to stay?

Well in the case of giving a speech, I don’t think this way is suitable for everyone, although I hate to admit it that it can work especially if the speaker has an extraordinary talent and truly gifted. 

I repeat; extraordinary talented and truly gifted.

But just to let you know; even the best speaker makes enough preparation before going up the stage. That is how they become the best of the best. Preparation is by far very important in giving a speech. Why any speaker including you should be well-prepared before delivering a speech?

a)Preparation helps your public speaking process from writing a speech to delivering the speech to be much smoother and well-structured. This definitely will reduce some headaches of yours!

     b) Preparation assists you in avoiding unnecessary mistakes. Of course, there will be some errors but can be minimise. I mean nothing is perfect, right?

      c)Being well- prepared makes you more confident and stops yourself from worrying too much about the speech presentation. If you are ready, most probably you will be fine, right?

   d) Preparation provides you with backup plan just in case things do not turn out exactly as you planned. Trust me, this always happens to me!

So what exactly should you prepare before your speech? How do you prepare for a speech?

  a) Prepare the speech content. Research your topic well. Make sure your points are relevant and based on true facts. I’m sure you do not want to come up with points which only come from theories, speculations or allegations without solid evidence. Remember that your speech content reflects your reputation as a speaker. Please do not ever take this matter lightly.

  b) Get ready a script. Type it nicely. You can even write the script on note cards for your reference. Should you memorise the script or not? This is up to you. Only you know what type of speaker you are.

If you are the type who needs a script then by all means, memorise. Even If you are not the ‘based on the script’ type of speaker, please plan what you want to say. Make sure you have a well-planned speech outline in your mind. It will come in handy if suddenly your mind is completely ‘blank’. We can’t predict the future, can we?

   c)Write your speech draft many times if you need to. Write your draft until you get it right. Evaluate your speech content. Read it over and over again until you say to yourself, “That’s it!” Be humble and ask others (with experience) for opinions. Be open for suggestions and choose the right one for you. I recommend that you ask opinions from just a few people. This is because too many people and too many views will only make you confuse instead of helping you.

  d)Plan your presentations and visualise how you want it be presented. Picture how you are going to deliver the speech. What are you going to wear? Will you be using any visual aids or props? How are you going to start your speech? Where are you going to stand? How are going to say the words? How are you planning to end the speech?

Please take note. Having a plan and be well-prepared for your speech does not mean you should be rigid. Even if you plan every detail, there must be some flexibility. That was what I meant by backup plan.

What if you planned to use the PowerPoint for your speech but suddenly there is a technical problem? What if you planned for a 15 minutes speech but suddenly one of the other speakers can’t make it and you have to give a 30 minutes speech instead? Bear in mind, anything can happen. To get the point straight, having a plan is still better than not having a plan at all. Preparation is crucial in public speaking.

No 2: Practice, Practice and Practice

The next thing you must always do in order to be a good speaker is to practice, practice and practice! Why do you think most sports athletes practice like there will be sports tournaments every day? Why do you think some singers practice their vocal day and night?

Because practice makes perfect! (Nothing is 100% perfect, though). Practice is the key to success. You will become better at what you do if you do it with persistence. You will know it by heart if you do it every minute and every day! 

Do not panic. I am not asking you to practice your speech every minute of the day. I am sure you have other things to do too. But do practice every day before your speech presentation. Make time for practice and practice well. As for me, my favourite time to practice my speech is when I am in the shower and while driving a car. Weird, isn’t it? Yes, I know. Please don’t ask.

You see, every one of us has their own favourite spot and preferred hour to practice our speech. It could be anywhere at any time. It could be your bathroom, your garden, your basement or even the kitchen. It could be early in the morning, lunch hour or in the middle of the night. Find that special location of yours, your own special time and practice away.

Mirror… mirror on the wall, who is not practising at all? Yes, practising in front of the mirror is very effective. You can see how you look like while giving a speech. No, I don’t mean whether you look dead gorgeous or not. I’m talking about your facial expressions, your eye contact and your gestures. Does your facial expression suits your feelings while saying the words? Say it with me. Practice, practice and practice!

Feel free to record yourself on videos or tape recorder. Watch how your audience will see you in action. Listen to your voice in the tape recorder. Listen to it over and over again. Get into your speaking mood and start pumping up that energy. Observe yourself on tape, visualise your presentation and do trial and error. Make some adjustment if you have to. Do some improvement if you need to. Practice, practice and more practice.

By practising, you will most likely make fewer mistakes during the actual day. You will be less nervous too. Well, a bit of stress never hurt anyone. It is actually good for a speaker. With a bit stress, you will be more alert, focus and ready for action.

No 3: Get Feedback

The final thing you must always do to be a good speaker is to get feedback from your audience after your speech presentation. This is one thing that good speakers normally do to improve on their speaking skills. Who else should you ask to review your product if not your own customers?

Your purpose in giving a speech is to get the message across to your listeners. One way to find out if they got the message is by asking them! Get feedback, opinions, and suggestions from them. Talk to your audience. 

Be friendly and be down to earth. Ask them if they enjoyed listening to your speech. Ask them if there is anything they think you should improve on. Get ready to hear some criticism and listen to them with an open mind. Try not to be defensive. They are simply telling you what they think from their point of views.

Other people’s opinions can be good for you. Criticism can be a great help to you. However, remember one thing. At the end of the day, you must decide on your own. You should know what is suitable for you or not. Choose what is best for you. Opinions and views are just guidelines and very subjective. 

Now let me refresh your memory or you can scroll up the page again if you want to…

3 things you must always do to be a good speaker; to make sure you are well-prepared, have enough practice and get valuable feedback after every speech.

By being well-prepared, you can come up with a well written speech, fewer mistakes and a peace of mind. By getting enough practice, your speech presentation will look well-polished and you will look confident on stage. By getting feedback, you will be improving from time to time and get different perspective from others which may be useful to you.

Great speakers out there may be gifted and may be talented. As I explained earlier, they pay attention to preparation, practice and feedback every time. But the real reason behind their success is the formula of any other successful people. Do you want to know what the formula is?

It is pretty simple. These successful speakers give their very best in whatever they do. They do it wholeheartedly and with passion. They just love continuous learning and take the initiative to improve their skills. Last but not least, they believe in their own abilities no matter what people say. 

Do you think you have what it takes?

Of course you do.

And one day you are going to tell me all about it.






Written by : Intan Salwana Anis
@2017 Public Speaking Is Cool. All Rights Reserved.