7 ways to make a speech more impactful

Speaking to an audience creates stress for even the most seasoned speaker. By adequately preparing your message and empathizing with your audience, you will have more impact on them. Every speaker gets nervous when he or she needs to talk to a large group of people, and that is very normal. We speak with a purpose, we want to make an impact, convince people, but we do not know our audience. Or maybe we do know our audience and that makes us even more nervous. Because in any case, one is vulnerable as a speaker.

Keep the 7 tips below in mind and you will address your audience more calmly and with more impact:

1. Think before you speak

By organizing your thoughts in advance, you can eliminate many of the awkward pauses that occur when speaking. It will also help you relay your information more concisely. While writing down your thoughts is not always possible in impromptu discussions, it is still effective to take a minute to organize your thoughts in your mind before you begin to speak.

2. Be clear and concise

The most effective way to get your point across is to make it in a clear and concise manner. Avoid using complex, convoluted sentences, and try to state your argument in direct language. Before speaking, ask yourself, “What is the clearest way I can make my point?”

3. Speak with confidence

Speaking in a confident manner will help you build trust and command the respect of your audience. There are several factors that can impact your ability to speak confidently, including your command of the subject matter, your word choice, the tone of your voice, your body language, and your ability to make direct eye contact with your audience.

4. Vary your vocal tone

Speaking in a monotone voice will undoubtedly bore your audience and show you’re disengaged. Instead, use voice inflection to add emphasis to important points, and vary the pitch of your voice to express emotion. This will help keep your audience engaged in your message.

5. Be an active listener

Being a good listener is as important as being a good speaker, and it will improve the quality of your verbal interactions. Keep the 5 stages of active listening in mind:

1. Receiving

2. Understanding

3. Remembering

4. Evaluating

5. Responding

It shows the people you are speaking with that you genuinely care about their ideas, and it helps ensure you understand their needs. Summarize what you’ve heard and ask further questions. This will enable you to build trust and rapport much quicker.

6. Be aware of non-verbal communication cues

Your body language significantly impacts the way others interpret what you say and your attitude about the conversation. Pay attention to the gestures you make, your facial expressions, and your body language to ensure they align with the message you are trying to get across.

7. Think about the perspective of your audience

Just because you have a strong command of a topic doesn’t mean the people you are speaking to have the same knowledge as you. Try to think about how someone else will understand what you are trying to communicate, particularly if they lack the technical knowledge about a subject that you possess. The best advice is to simplify your pitch.