The Art Of Public Speaking: 5 Tips To Sound Like A Ted Speaker

Suffer from public speaking anxiety? Here are five tips to help you master the art of public speaking and speak with confidence

Whether it's a company presentation, pitching to investors or talking at a conference, speaking to a live audience can induce public speaking anxiety in the best of us. Here, public speaking expert Roopi Mohandas Lakhiani of the KL Speakers' Club offers five tips to help you master the art of public speaking and talk like a Ted speaker.

1. Greeting protocol

This is important, and it doesn’t have to take long. Remember a smile goes a long way, as does your outfit. It's in the first 20 to 30 seconds that an audience tends to decide whether they're interested in listening to you, so your presence must be evident.

Above Roopi Mohandas Lakhiani (Photo: Khairul Imran/Tatler Malaysia)

2. Start with an "attention-getter"

The "attention-getter" is a must and is best done right at the beginning of any speech or presentation. You can use a quote, a story, a fact, a headline or even a joke that’s relevant to your topic.

Above Photo: Pexels

3. Ease them into it

Ease into your speech—there's no need to hit the audience with everything all at once. Begin by hinting at your topic before you present your content with the rule of three, a classic principle that ideas or stories presented in sequence of threes are easier to remember. This rule is based on the idea that humans process information through pattern recognition, therefore helping us to make our speeches or writing more memorable. It also helps to avoid potentially overwhelming the audience with too many points.

4. Finish with a summary

There's no need to rush to a close. Instead, to cue the end of your speech remember to summarise the content you spoke about, emphasising your main points.

5. End with a memorable statement

Your final sentence will be what is etched in your audience's mind as you walk off stage and leave the room, so make it punchy and memorable. It’s your moment to shine, so hit the audience with a strong final sentence to get some well-earned applause, or perhaps even a standing ovation.

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Topics

Public Speaking Presenting Pitching