How to Speak in Public Effectively

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David Holt
How to Speak in Public Effectively

When speaking in public, the first thing to look for is to capture their interest and attention, in order for the communication to be effective. Speaking to an uninterested audience is wasting time.

If the public attends the event it is because they are interested, because they expect to obtain something (learn, know other points of view, have a pleasant time, etc.), so you have to try not to disappoint them. Do not see the public as the enemy.

Prepare the speech based on the audience

Addressing a topic that interests you (if the speaker has the option to choose). Using appropriate, understandable language; Do not use terms that are strange to you (it is not the same to address university students than to a group of retirees). The same topic can be approached differently depending on the target audience.

A presentation on the good behavior of unemployment in Spain will be different if it is made in the Congress of Deputies or if it takes place in a political meeting (in the first case it will be a more formal, distant and sober presentation, while in the second case can be more informal and passionate).

Although until the moment of the intervention you will not have an exact idea of ​​the audience, you should first speak with the organizers of the event so that they indicate what type of audience is expected to attend.

One aspect that should be taken into account is whether it is a homogeneous group (for example, law school students) or not (for example, the public at local festivals), since the speech should be addressed to all of them.

You should not use terms or expressions that part of the public does not know, or go into levels of detail that a part of the public may not be interested in, or that they simply are not able to understand..

Be interested in the number of attendees

You also have to find out the expected number of attendees. It is not the same to address 10 as 300 people. This will influence the ability to interact (ask questions, debate, etc.), the need or not to use a microphone, the possible means of support (whiteboard, projectors, etc.). If the audience is large, it will be necessary to speak louder (regardless of whether a microphone is used), an aspect that will be taken into account in the rehearsals. With few attendees, the style can be more informal, closer, compared to a more formal style when the audience is large..

Know if the public knows the topic to be discussed

It is necessary to take into account the possible knowledge that the public may have on the subject that is going to be addressed, since this will determine to what level it can be deepened, or what vocabulary, more or less technical, can be used.

One aspect that will also influence the speech is whether the speaker already knows the audience (has participated in previous occasions, works in the company, lives in the town, etc.) and why this could allow him to give his speech a touch of greater closeness , more informal.

It is necessary to try to anticipate whether the public will agree or not with the thesis that is going to be presented and in the event that discrepancies are foreseen, try to know the reasons for them.

In the presentation of you can refer to other possible points of view, treat them with rigor and respect, although indicating that you do not agree with them. You also have to consider the most likely questions that the public may ask, which will allow you to prepare the answers..

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