5 Mistakes Public Speakers Make (that cost them audience attention)

Don’t let this happen to you.

Public speaking is more than a skill. It is an art—a performance with a myriad of possible outcomes depending on the speaker’s level of preparation. This is why it’s one of the hardest things in the world to do.

Performing requires planning and rehearsal. It demands confidence and situational awareness during delivery. These tasks can seem overwhelming to those who don’t speak often, but the results of ignoring them can be nerve-wracking (not to mention embarrassing).

The good news is by avoiding the five mistakes listed below, you will be well on your way to becoming a phenomenal speaker:

1-Not knowing your audience and their needs
Some of the first questions I ask my speech writing clients are, “who will be in the audience and what action would you like them to take after listening to you?” Whether you write your own presentations or hire a speechwriter, knowing your listeners is paramount to delivering an effective presentation.

Talking to a crowd of disgruntled constituents and an audience of employees requires different approaches. Knowing the difference will determine the language you choose, the level of formality, what kind of stories to include, etc. Never have a “standard” speech that you deliver the same way to every audience. If you do, you’re guaranteed to lose attention much of the time.

2-Not practicing out loud beforehand
Reading a speech in your head is no substitute for standing up and going through it out loud. Practicing can give you a better grasp on the length of your speech. It can also help you with pacing and making note of nervous behaviors such as awkward hand movements or not making eye contact, etc.

Practicing is what builds confidence and confidence is key to reducing anxiety. You’ll be less nervous if you know what you’re doing. Rehearse as often as your schedule allows. Record yourself and watch for areas of improvement. It may be uncomfortable at first, but it will help you improve your stage presence over time.

3-Telling the audience that you’re nervous and not a good speaker
Many new speakers feel the need to disclose this to lower the bar. It’s better to be prepared than disengage your audience before you’ve gotten to the point of your talk. After all, why would anyone want to listen to you after you tell them you’re a terrible speaker?

4-Data dumping
Nothing loses audiences faster than a data dump (unless it’s a highly technical group that revels in such detail). Facts and figures are boring. Though statistics are important, they’re just not as engaging as telling a story that weaves them in. Avoid dumping charts and graphs on your listeners. Whenever possible, ditch the data and give your numbers a pulse. Give them life.

5-Reading from slides
Equally as disengaging as data dumps are presenters who read from slides (as if their audience can’t read it for themselves). If you need a slide presentation to support your speech, use it as an accent, rather than an anchor. Use it for imagery and with just a few bullet points (the things you want your audience to remember most).

These are just a few things to avoid in your quest to becoming a better speaker. If you’d like to add some tips to the list, feel free to list them in the comments.

(More tips on https://PhillySpeechwriter.com)