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Effective public speech involves three key areas of importance namely;
The Speaker- stop trying to be a great speaker, instead, just be yourself, bring out that X-factor in you that makes you unique. Communication is more effective when the speaker is calm and relaxed. Don't focus too much on your audience at the behest of your 'speaking'. Think of it as a conversation between you and your audience. Relax and talk directly to them. No one is perfect so don't try to be one. Even the most well-seasoned speakers we celebrate everyday make mistakes at times, and more often than not, the crowd doesn't even notice! Never apologize for petty slips here and there as you deliver unless the audience shows signs that they notice, even though laugh it out with a joke or two. Even as you joke a bit, remember, focus is the name of the game, don't throw in an irrelevant joke. Maintain good posture, square shoulder, eye contact and appropriate voice projection.
Topic- people love and appreciate originality, personalize the topic. A good grasp of the topic comes in handy here. Visualize whatever it is that you are talking about, remember, if you can see it, you can speak it.
Audience- how you deliver is mainly dictated by the people you have as your audience. You can't address a group of juveniles the same way you will address adults, your diction (choice of words) will vary even if you are handling the same topic. Be time conscious and check out for signs of boredom or lack of interest during your delivery. The last thing you ever will want is to be jeered by your audience.
