Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 3: Speak Confidently
• Part 2 of 3: Speak well
• Part 3 of 3: Take Speaking to the Next Level
• Tips
• Warnings

Good communication is the key to success, whether you are speaking in front of a large audience or trying to get the message across to a friend. If you want to learn how to speak well and confidently, you need to believe in yourself, speak slowly, and be confident in what you are pronouncing. If you want to know how during a conversation you can give the impression of an intelligent and thinking person, then proceed to reading the article.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Speak Confidently

1. 1 Before you speak, you need to know if you really believe in what you are talking about. You don't have to sound arrogant to get your point across and give the impression that you believe what you are saying, but instead reach out to people for approval or approval.
   • If you start a sentence with "I think that ..." or "however, maybe ..." then no statement after these words will be as strong as just spoken without them.
2. 2 Make eye contact with your listeners. On the one hand, this is a manifestation of politeness. On the other hand, it will help others to listen more focused. Finding a few friendly faces and focusing on them will give you even more confidence, which will help you convey the message more clearly. Looking at the floor all the time will not make you look confident, and if you look around as you speak, people will think that you are discouraged or are looking for a more acceptable activity.
   • When talking to someone, look people in the eye - you can look away for a while, but in general, focus on the people you are talking to.
   • If it is obvious that people are anxious or confused, think about whether you are clear enough about your thoughts. However, don't let the confused person knock you off your head.
   • If the audience is large and you really struggle to make eye contact, focus on just a few listeners.
3. 3 Use the short phrase method. There is a chance that you will have to speak in front of an audience, as if playing part of the role. It can be intimidating, but the advantage of being able to speak well outweighs all fears. To become a more successful speaker, keep the following rules in mind (specially formulated short for easy memorization):
   • plan correctly;
   • practice;
   • interact with the audience;
   • pay attention to body language;
   • think and speak positively;
   • do not be nervous;
   • review the recordings of your speeches - each time it will help you get better and better.
4. 4 Explore the hall. Arrive early at your speaking area, walk around the audience, try speaking into a microphone, and use visual cues. Knowing what you are going to face and feeling where you will be standing, the gaze of the audience, and trying how you will move while speaking will definitely help calm your nerves. It's much better to know what's in store for you than to face the surprise (and blow to your confidence) on a big day.
   • If you really want to get acquainted with the premises, then you can come the day before the performance and feel everything.
5. 5 Visualize success. Visualize how you are delivering a speech. Imagine speaking: your voice is loud, clear and confident. Visualize a cheering audience - this will build your confidence. Close your eyes and imagine the most confident and eloquent version of yourself in front of the audience, how you amaze them with your words. Or, if you are worried about speaking in front of a smaller group, imagine the excitement of what you said to a small group of friends.
   • When the time comes for this great moment, remember what you imagined - how can you achieve this?
6. 6 Know your audience. Knowing your audience will go a long way towards building confidence. If the audience is large enough, then it is important to know where people come from, how old they are and what their general knowledge of the subject is. This will help you prepare your words accordingly. If you're reaching out to a dozen people, knowing things like their political beliefs and humor can help you find the right words (and avoid the wrong ones).
   • People do not like the unknown, this can be one of the reasons for nervousness; therefore, you should gather as much information as possible on the topic.
7. 7 Remember - your body language needs to be confident. Body movement can help give the impression that you are confident. Here's what you need to do this:
   • keep writing off exactly;
   • avoid slouching;
   • do not touch your hands;
   • don't walk too much;
   • look in front of you, not at the floor;
   • make sure your face and body are relaxed.
8. 8 Know your topic. Pick up topics that interest you personally. Know more about her than you are going to talk about when you speak. The more you know about her, the more confident you will be during your speech. If you were preparing just the night before your performance and are afraid that you will be asked a question you do not know the answer to, then your confidence will not be up to par. Knowing five times more than you are going to tell the audience will help you prepare well for the day of responsibility.
   • If you are going to give some time to answer questions, you can practice with a friend in advance; let him ask you the most difficult questions that can be.
9. 9 Praise yourself every day. This will increase your self-confidence, which is important when performing. Then people will take you more seriously. You don't have to think of yourself as perfect or amazing to genuinely praise yourself. Remind yourself of all the big things you've done or worked so hard on. Look in the mirror and say at least three things about yourself or a list of those good things that make you who you are.
   • If you don't know what to praise yourself for, then you need to work on maintaining your confidence. Build your self-esteem by focusing on what you are doing, ignoring flaws, and spending time with people who genuinely care and give you faith.

Part 2 of 3: Speak well

1. 1 Speak loudly so everyone can hear you. If you do not want to shout out, then you need to speak loudly enough so that the audience does not ask again. If you speak softly or softly, people will think that you are shy and not sure what you are talking about - you don't need it.
   • If you speak quietly, not only will you not be heard, but may also be considered humble, which often betrays insecure people.
   • On the other hand, you don't need to speak too loudly, as if you are trying to convince people to listen. The words themselves should draw attention to them.
2. 2 Expand your vocabulary. Read as much as you can, from online magazines to serious works like Anna Karenina. The more you read, the larger your vocabulary will be. You will learn new words and their use without even knowing it, and soon you will start using them in speech. A wide vocabulary is the basis for beautiful speech.
   • This does not mean that you have to insert fifty difficult words into your speech or every speech. But a few key "buzzwords" will make your speech more intelligent, and your speech will not look like you are doing it on purpose.
   • Take notes in your notebook. Write down all the new words that come across to you while reading, with their explanation.
3. 3 Don't use too much jargon. If you want to sound good, then you shouldn't use slang words or vernacular expressions. Of course, if young people are listening to you, you don't need to overuse formal expressions, but you shouldn't be vulgar either.
   • It's okay to use slang when talking to friends. But if your audience is more mature and you want to speak beautifully, then avoid it.
4. 4 Don't be afraid to use pauses. Some people think that pause is a sign of weakness, but it is not. It's okay to take a break to gather your thoughts together and think about what to say next. It is much worse to speak very quickly when it sounds like a mumble or that the speaker is in a frenzy and says something that he will soon regret. Slow down and speak thoughtfully, and then pauses in speech will be more natural.
   • If you use verbal pauses (like "hmm" or "aa") during your speech, don't worry too much about that. This is a natural way to collect your thoughts.If you think that there are too many of them in your speech, you can try to pronounce them more quietly, but do not feel that you need to avoid them completely.
5. 5 Use gestures only when needed. Gesturing during speech helps to convey a thought and emphasize what has been said. However, do not overuse gestures, otherwise the audience will think that you are reinforcing your words, which by themselves are not convincing enough. Therefore, keep your hands on your sides - use them when it helps to capture the essence of what is being said.
6. 6 Be brief. Know that not must speak. You may think that you need to give ten examples to prove the point, but in reality it is better to pick one or two that are most striking, which will help the audience understand and not overload them with evidence. During the speech, every word should make sense; if you are just talking with friends, then in this case it is better to avoid incoherence of speech.
   • If you are giving a speech, write it and speak it out loud. Reading your own words will help you determine where there are too many repetitions and what is best to remove.
7. 7 Review the main points. Perhaps you think that it is enough to repeat the main points of the speech only once, and the listeners will immediately understand in which words the essence is expressed. In this you are wrong. If there are several important things you want to convey - whether you are addressing a crowd or proving something to a friend - repeating the key points at the end of a line or speech will help to convey what you want to say more clearly.
   • Consider writing a statement. You have to repeat the key points at the end of each paragraph and at the end, right? In general, speech is not much different in this.
8. 8 Use specific examples so that the audience understands what is being said. Clear examples are the foundation of any speech or conversation. It doesn't matter if you want to convince your audience to use renewable energy or convince your girlfriend to dump her loser boyfriend, you will have to provide some clear, unwavering facts to grab your audience's attention. Use the statistics, anecdotes, or incidents that best reflect your words. Remember, this does not mean bombarding the audience with facts - there are only a few cases that the audience will remember better.
   • Tell a few stories. If you're giving a speech, a story at the beginning or end will help convey the message more vividly.

Part 3 of 3: Take Speaking to the Next Level

1. 1 Find a way to relax. Start by reaching out to your audience. This will give you time and allow you to catch your breath. Pause, smile, and count to three before you say anything. (“Twenty-one is one, twenty-one is two, twenty-one is three.” Pause. Begin.) Turn nervousness into enthusiasm. A way can be found to help you. Perhaps it will be drinking water from a glass every five minutes. Once you find your way, use it to the fullest.
   • You can take the practice of communicating with a friend. Find something that calms you down when speaking - perhaps squeezing a foam ball in your jacket pocket or smiling.
2. 2 Practice, practice and practice again. Rehearse if necessary. Work to control linking words; practice, pause and breathe. Train with a stopwatch and leave time for surprises. And the better you know what to talk about, the more confident you will be when it happens.
3. 3 Don't ask for forgiveness. If you’re nervous or accidentally misspelled, don’t draw people's attention to it with an apology. Just keep going and people will forget about the misstep. Apologizing will make everything more awkward. Everyone makes mistakes - you shouldn't focus on them, unless you have learned how to translate everything into a joke.
4. 4 Concentrate on the essentials. Do not pay attention to your own nervousness and concentrate on the essence of speech and the audience. The main thing is to get the message across, not look like Steve Jobs. By focusing less on yourself, you can feel like a delivery person, which can release tension. Before you speak, remind yourself how important your speech is and why it is important to you. This will help you stop worrying about excessive sweating or the speed of your words.
5. 5 Gain experience. Basically, your speech should represent you as a person and as an authority figure. Experience constitutes confidence, which is the key to effective speech. A club toastmaster can provide you with a safe and friendly experience. Getting into the habit of giving speeches at parties will help you too. Even if your goal is to learn to speak confidently in front of friends or strangers, the more you do it, the more you will succeed. Everything is the same here as with any other skill.
6. 6 Know that people want you to succeed. Listeners want you to be interesting, inspiring, informative, and funny. They feed on you. Think positively about what you need to do first and know that no one wants you to get confused or forget what you are about to tell. Everyone wants the best for you, and you should want that too. If you are scared - it doesn't matter if you speak with a full stadium or a class - remember, everyone wants you to do your job.

Tips

• Practice is truly the path to excellence. If you have to give a speech, rehearsal will help you sound clear and confident on a crucial day.
• It may seem that pauses in speech are inappropriate, because they can cause listeners to think that you are forgetful or do not know what you are talking about. In fact, they are designed to grab the audience's attention. If people start to lose interest in your words or you need to emphasize something, take a break!
• If you are shy and uncomfortable looking people in the eye, don't do it, or you may get confused. Look at their heads and constantly move your gaze so that it does not seem like you are focused on something else, and so as not to lose the attention of the audience.
• If you are completely unfamiliar with the people you are speaking to, imagine that your family is there to support you.
• If you look over people (at their heads), they won't even notice it. Don't forget to rate their hairstyles.
• Clothes play an important role. It is necessary to choose clothes in accordance with the theme of your speech, as well as for the figure. A little bit of accessories and embellishments will do the trick.

Warnings

• When complementing your speech with your thoughts, remember to listen to others! Otherwise, people may perceive you as a self-centered person, and you will lose the advantage of knowing their opinions.
• Remember, there is a significant difference between confidence and arrogance. Don't try to portray exaggerated confidence, or it might be interpreted as arrogance and overconfidence. There is nothing worse than being confronted with the belief that your opinion is much better than the opinion of others.