Speaking in public is an art. Some people are more used to it than others. Some people are just natural speakers will others really struggle. No matter what sort of person you are there are a few things you can do to deliver a better speech.
Here are some tips that are hopefully going to help you to create a much more powerful speech.
Get the Beginning Right
There is nothing more important than the beginning. My tennis teacher in the U.S. once asked me what the most crucial part of playing tennis is. I didn't really know it. He told me "It's the serve."
I believe the same applies to every speech. If you don't get the start right it can throw off your whole game. On the other hand if you deliver a great serve then you might end up dominating the whole game.
So be sure to practice your introduction and beginning over and over again. Use a personal story or a joke (but be careful with jokes in order to deliver them successfully you really have to know your audience).
End Your Speech on Time
Don't delay your speech too much. Don't make it too long. You should be able to know the exact time that your speech is going to end.
If you take too much time then originally planned then this is going to be bad. Be rather genuine and plan in some extra time for questions among other things.
Also if there are a whole lot of other speakers then the organizer of the event might not appreciate you taking too much time. He might end up not inviting you to their next event.
Outline Your Speech
A speech can be very engaging but it can also be quite boring. It can be interesting but it can also be hard to follow.
To make it easier for your listeners to be able to follow you I recommend you to outline your speech. This doesn't mean that you write down everything you are going to say in your speech, it rather means that you get a clear picture of the structure of your speech. Write down the main points of your speech. You could also right down how you are going to move on from one point to the next.
After you have done that be sure to show it to a friend of yours. Then give a speech in front of him and ask him about the things you should correct. It will give you great insights for delivering a better speech.
