Speaking in public? Have a crucial presentation coming up?
Not to worry, here are 5 Quick Tips to enhance your success:
1) Are your stilettos too wobbly? Save them for your evening out clubbing. Are your earrings jangly? Wear attire that is flattering to your figure and appropriate for the audience and the occasion. As a speaker/presenter, you should always be more dressed up than your audience. Keep in mind that chandelier earrings can be a distraction and necklaces can interfere with the microphone and sound. Consider options that accessorize well and still allow for superb sound. Gaping blouse or hanging hem? Use two sided tape (www.galpal.com) and never worry about showing anything that is best left covered. Great to travel with, too!
2) Coach yourself by practicing often in front of a mirror or using a video camera. If possible have a friend video tape you, so that you can move around and use gestures and expressions to enhance your talk and minimize distractions.
3) Cultivate a pleasing tone and volume to your voice. Record yourself and objectively analyze your vocal qualities. A shrill, high voice is not pleasing to the ear. A well modulated voice with sufficient volume and varied pitch is pleasant to listen to and commands attention. Your voice is your tool and your cachet…use it effectively. If you have a strong accent, work on moderating it for ease of understanding.
4) Stand with weight balanced on both feet, to suggest comfort, power, presence; don’t cock a hip, or cross your ankles while standing. Use expansive, open, welcoming gestures, rather than closed body language. Ensure that your gestures and language support your message at the appropriate times.
5) Stride confidently and smoothly to the stage…this is not the time to make a dramatic entrance to the stage, windmilling arms, while tripping over the strap of a handbag left in your path. (I saw this happen once…showing knickers was involved!)
For more information about how to prepare for a talk, cultivate an attractive voice, or make an entrance with assurance and pose, contact CML International.
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