Speaking in public can be a nerve-racking experience for even the most accomplished business professional. People often feel nervous in front of an audience and this can be exacerbated by time pressures. Every week you have just 60 seconds to talk about your business, so it’s important to maximise this time and make certain you brush up on your public speaking skills. One way to do this is to study these 4 common mistakes many speakers make – and try to ensure you avoid them!
1. Speaking too quickly
Speaking too quickly is a common effect of nerves, and can make the speaker hard to follow. This is especially bad during a presentation, when it’s very important to be clear. Fast speakers often end up mumbling and rushing their words. Try to take a breath before you begin speaking; this simple action creates a natural break in speech and helps you to slow down.
2. Speaking too quietly
Another issue people need to be mindful of is learning to project and speak at the correct volume – especially is you have venue noise to contend with. Many people speak too quietly and so need to learn how to project their voice so everybody in the room can hear them properly. The best fix for volume is to breathe well. Projection problems generally happen when people tighten up, constricting their vocal chords and preventing a smooth flow of air.
3. Uptalk – phrasing statements as questions
Another issue in speech that very common in New Zealand speakers is known as uptalk – ending a statement on an upward pitch so that it sounds like a question even when it’s not. This issue is more common in women apparently! Often people will ask statements as questions, as though they’re not sure. Doing this makes the speaker seem far less confident. Speakers struggling with uptalk should record themselves and then make an effort to keep their pitch from rising at the end of a sentence.
4. Speaking in a monotone voice
Selling your business to an audience will not work if you are a boring presenter – simple. For this reason, vocal coaches say one of the worst speaking mistakes is to use a dull, monotone voice. It’s important to speak with natural passion so you are really able to engage the audience and present your business in the best manner possible. That doesn’t mean going over the top with high and low pitches, but rather allowing for variation in the tone of your phrasing. The easiest way to achieve this effect is to breathe and relax again.
It’s important to remember that public speaking is an acquired skill not something that comes naturally for the majority of people. That’s why it’s important to practice and prepare for any public speaking you need to do. By avoiding these four common mistakes public speakers make you will be well on the way to speaking with confidence and presenting your business in the best light possible and really being heard.
