How to Improve Public Speaking Skills

HOW TO IMPROVE PUBLIC SPEAKING SKILLS

Public speaking has been a common phobia in line with death and spiders. It affects 73 percent of the population and is considered a social anxiety disorder. It stems from the fear of rejection and judgement by others. 

In podcasting, there are times when you have to host the show yourself or carry the conversation. There might be times that you feel awkward or insecure when you do this which result in fumbling and mumbling. Remember that aside from your message, the quality of your voice also matters to the listeners. It shows confidence and authority that you are worthy to be listened to.

If you’re wondering “How can I improve my public speaking skills?” Here's how. 

Organize your Material 

Do your research and organize the data before each episode. This lets you familiarize yourself with the topic and references. This process builds your confidence and lets you give information more fluidly. Create a framework with the topic, purpose and central idea so your talk is consistent and easily understood. This also lets you cut out the fluff and give yourself focus when recording. 

Know Your Audience 

Knowing your audience’s interest, language and humor can give you an idea of how to address the crowd. You can prepare the proper icebreaker or the right opening sentence to grab their attention. Having a psychographic of your audience can give you a chance to visualize who your listener is so you will be more confident when recording your podcast.

Avoid Reading Verbatim

Rather than reading a script verbatim, try to write down bullet points and notes to each section of your podcast. That way it wouldn’t sound robotic and would come off as natural and light. With this flow, your personality can come through while you’re speaking. Don’t forget about voice modulation to keep the episode from being too monotonous.

Practice and Criticize

Getting better means just doing it. Practice your episode with your notes and record it. That way you can be familiarized with the flow and prevent errors during the recording. 

When listening to the recording, give yourself an honest assessment. Have a friend or colleague listen to it as well for points on improvement. Improving step by step can help you improve your craft. 

Upskill and Check Other Great Speakers

Public speaking is a continuous learning journey. There are training seminars that have public speaking courses that focus on vocal training and voice modulation. If you haven’t attended one, you can check out free courses, listen to veteran podcasters, and watch great speakers like Simon Sinek. Barack Obama, and others. 

Public speaking in podcasting can be a fun practice to do. You just need to make an effort to improve not just for personal growth but also for the audience. Never let the message get lost with the medium (which is your voice and recording). Now it’s time to practice and start getting better.

Want to start a podcast or grow your existing show? Check out the Podcast Town Academy!