How to Practice your Public Speech
Once you have written your speech, from outline to full presentation, you must now face the task of rehearsal. The only way to appear familiar with your material is to have practiced it many times beforehand. No one expects you to memorize your speech so you know it word perfect, but you need to be comfortable with your topic of presentation so you look and sound like a creditable speaker. Try practicing your speech in the following ways:
- Read your speech out loud. Hopefully your speech has been written in a conversational tone, no matter what the subject. It should read, as you would speak on a day-to-day basis. If this is how it is written you will feel much more comfortable with the material. By reading your speech out loud, you can hear how the words sound together. Do they flow? Do they make sense?
- Tape your speech once you have read it aloud and are starting
to feel comfortable with it. Listen to the pitch and intonation
of your voice. Is it appropriate for the subject matter? Do you
vary it to add interest for the audience? Are you projecting your
voice well? Be critical when you listen back to your taped performance
and see where you can improve.
- Rehearse in front of the mirror and use body language and gestures
to help convey your message. Are you comfortable moving around giving
your talk? Do your gestures punctuate important points or do you
just look like a crazy windmill? Watch your facial expressions and
see that they are in sync with your message.
- Once you have practiced for a while and are feeling comfortable
with your material, it’s now time to rehearse in front of your family
and friends. Ask them for feedback on your performance and delivery.
You don’t want to hear “yeah, that was great”. You want constructive
criticism about content, presentation and voice control. You want
to know if you come across in a conversational way or a not. If
your practice audience says you sound like a pompous fool take what
they say on board and improve where you can!
- If part of your speech will involve a question and answer section, practice this as well. Note down questions you think you will be asked (especially difficult ones) and think about how you might answer them. Being prepared for this section of your speech will add to your credibility.
If you have had sufficient practice then your audience will be impressed by your presentation. You want them to remember you and your message and perhaps even take action because of what you said. A well-prepared and well-rehearsed speech will enhance your chances of achieving these goals.