Small Business Today Magazine APR 2014 MONTGOMERY ROTH | Page 29

EDITORIALFEATURE

5 Public Speaking Tips
By Pam Terry

Y

ou’ve probably heard of
the top 3 (or 5 or 10) tips
for public speaking and
they most likely include
actually preparing your presentation (versus winging it), practicing it (in front of the mirror and/
or your dog), becoming familiar
with where you will be speaking (go by and check it out), and
dressing up.  These are all great
tips and they do work.  I wanted
to share 5 tips that you might
not have heard before.  They get
into specifics and knowing them
can build your confidence:

Own that stage and be confident in owning it.  Think of it
as your own home where you
feel completely relaxed and in
charge.  Your confidence will
be engaging.

2. Be Compelling.  Have you ever
been around someone who
has an incredible energy where
you might think (or even say out
loud), “Whatever it is you have,
I want some!”   Those qualities
can be happiness and gratefulness.  These are the two emotions that confident speakers
display.  These speakers are in a
1. Stage Presence.  Are you a mo- word, happy!  You display hapving target or a statue on stage?  piness in your voice and your
If you have ever watched a real smile.  You speak clearly, loudly,
pro on stage, you’ll notice that with emphasis at times, with exthey don’t move around like uberance, and you are genuinea hamster or just stand rigid- ly happy to be connecting with
ly in one place.  The key is to your audience.  Gratefulness is
stay in one place long enough displayed by slowing the pace
so that your audience can fo- at times, speaking softer, and
cus on you.  If you must move letting the audience know that
about, do so confidently and you appreciate them.  You can
move to a spot where you will generate these two emotions
stay for 10-15 seconds.  If you anytime by your intention to be
move around t