1 Simple Trick to ACTUALLY Improve Your Public Speaking
Reading Time: 2 minutes1 Simple Trick to ACTUALLY Improve Your Public Speaking
Imagine you’re in a board meeting. It’s been going on for hours, and the only thing keeping you awake is the hope that it will eventually end. Suddenly, the CEO starts speaking. He sounds like he’s reading off a grocery list… in a monotone voice. You can feel your eyelids getting heavy, and the next thing you know, you’re asleep.
Now imagine you’re at a networking event. You meet someone who seems really excited about their work. They tell you all about their business, and they make it sound so interesting that you can’t wait to learn more. You exchange business cards and make plans to meet up again soon.
Which scenario would you rather be in? If you said the second one, then you understand the importance of varying your tone when speaking to an audience.
When we speak in a monotone voice, we sound bored, uninterested, and flat.
Imagine if your favorite TV show was always shot in one location with the same lighting and the same characters wearing the same clothes day after day. It would get pretty boring, right? The same is true for our voices. We need to mix things up to keep our audiences engaged.
Here are a few tips for adding variety to your vocal delivery:
- Speak louder or softer depending on the situation
- Use inflection (rising or falling pitches) to emphasize important points
- Vary your tempo (speed) to add interest
- Change your volume (volume) to emphasize certain words
- Use pauses for effect
- Add emphasis by stressing certain words or syllables
- Speak in different tones (e.g., friendly, throaty, nasally)
- Try using different vocal techniques (e.g., whispering, shouting, Creeking)
Implementing these tips will help you avoid sounding like a robot or worse, putting them to sleep —and trust me, your audience will thank you for it! So next time you have to give a presentation or speak publicly, remember to vary your vocal delivery for maximum impact. Your audience will be glad you did.
In conclusion, it is important to vary your tone when speaking so that you do not sound like a robot or bore your audience to sleep. Mix things up by speaking louder or softer, using inflection, changing your tempo or volume, using pauses for effect, or stressing certain words or syllables. There are many different ways to add interest to your vocal delivery, so experiment until you find what works best for you. Your audience will appreciate it!