Public Speaking Tips

Leadership in Action
Written By Kim Manunui
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Have you ever been in a room with 20 to 50 pairs of eyes just staring at you and all you can do is just freeze while you are reading an important speech? Don’t worry- we have all been there!

Here are some public speaking tips and activities to help you become a more confident public speaker.

The top 4 tips I was given for public speaking as a Student Leader:

Tip 1: Don't speak too fast.

We all know that speed talking sounds like a great idea but actually it's not. It's going to make your speech sound mumbled and people won't understand the point you are actually trying to make. 

Tip 2: Know your topic and keep it relevant.

Don't just ramble on about something you don't know about. If you are bored reading it, your audience is most likely going to be bored too.

Tip 3: Eye contact helps project your voice upwards rather than downwards.

If for example you are demonstrating how to plant a tree. Don't look down at the tree while you are talking as you rather than talking to your audience you will be speaking to the ground and you audience won't hear you clearly.  So talk then demonstrate (if you are demonstrating).

Tip 4: Keep it short and interesting. High school students for example get bored really easily so if you make it interesting and short then your audience will listen to you the whole time.  

Activity ideas to help build your confidence when speaking to an audience:

  1. Speak to a tree (literally): Write a 1-minute speech about anything onto cue cards (small cards with bullet points to help you stay on track with your speech). If you already have a speech to practice go get that. Read your speech out loud so that the tree can be your audience to start with. Make sure you refer to my speech tips above^

  2. Interview style practice for questions: Choose a topic or job that you don’t know much about. Ask someone to interview you about it and answer their questions as though you’re a well-informed expert. This will help you with both your delivery and answering questions on the spot.

For more public speaking activities click HERE.

Kim Manunui

Hi, I’m Kim and I work with a great team to help individuals, as well as small and not so small businesses get their message, product and services to the world using digital media and creating wonderful websites that don’t cost the earth.

I was born in Canada, and grew up around Vancouver and the mountains of British Columbia. My love of pristine environments led me to New Zealand and eventually to the mountains, lakes and rivers of the central North Island which is home. My family’s heritage is here, and it’s from here that Korio traverses the planet.

The digital world is never static and neither are we.

And I say ‘we’ because I work with an awesome group of talented people who I gather together as required to complete a project.  Whatever your business, not-for-profit or individual needs are we gather the best team to get the job done.

Collaboratively we are creative, share sustainable values and work hard for great outcomes because that’s the buzz of satisfaction that drives us.

If you have an audience and market to reach, we can make that happen. Creative design, words that work and smart behind the scenes stuff that cuts through the online noise. We’ll design your website and then build it. We’ll manage the content as well as all your hosting needs. We can handle your online advertising so you get noticed,
and we’ll manage your social media presence so you get the clicks, likes and engagement to grow your business. All within the budget you set, because none of this needs to cost the earth.  And the job doesn’t stop when your website goes live. We are your virtual business partner.

https://www.korio.co.nz
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