How to Practice Public Speaking Like a Pro
One question that we’re often asked is, “Where can I practice my public speaking skills?” Well, the answer to that is, “Where can’t you practice public speaking?” Public speaking is something you can practice anywhere in your daily life. It sounds too good to be true, but it is, and we’ll break it down for you, so keep reading…
You see, perfection in public speaking without practice isn’t practical. Now, speaking that sentence without mixing up the Ps would definitely take some practice. Speaking practice is important to master the skill, and we are here to tell you how to practice public speaking with simple tips and tricks.
Types of Methods
Plenty of methods and tricks can be useful for almost all kinds of public speakers. We’ll discuss three broad ones. Also, before you ask, “But can I practice public speaking at home?” Let us tell you that you absolutely can. So, let’s get into it. We have ensured that we only include economical methods in this blog as a cherry on the cake.
Self-Practice & Assessment Method
We are sure you have heard the expression “Change starts with you” or “Change starts at home,” right? Well, the same applies to speech practice; it starts at home, with you. Hence, our first method to practice public speaking is the Self-Practice & Assessment method.
Let’s start with the ever-so-popular method of using a mirror. Our answer to “Does practicing a speech in the mirror work?” is a resounding “Yes!”. Yes, a mirror greatly helps as it acts as an audience and yourself. It lets you practice in front of someone without actually doing that, and that’s the beauty of this trick. It helps you see your appearance and how your mouth and body move when you speak. It’s like a self-assessment technique that also reduces your reliance on notes. This technique has worked in our favor, so try it for yourself and find out.
Tongue Twisters Exercise
The next thing we would like to talk about is tongue twisters. They might sound silly, but they help. In case you don’t know, a tongue twister is a sequence of words or sounds, typically of an alliterative kind, that is difficult to pronounce quickly and correctly. They are a great yet fun way to improve pronunciation, fluency, and diction. Here are some examples: She sells seashells by the seashore, and He throws three free throws. You can find more of these here.
“Just a Minute” Daily
Now, one thing that we swear by is the power and impact of small but regular efforts. They are always more fruitful than the one-nighters we tend to pull before D-Day, so try what we like to call “Just a Minute” every day. Now, what’s that? Just a minute is simply you taking out one minute from your day and speaking on any random topic that comes to your mind. It works and is a great way to prepare for and practice a speech! Also, don’t take our word for it. Test it out in a minute!
You can also include simple breathing exercises or take musical breaks to calm your nerves and control your breathing, which plays a major role in public speaking. Discipline is also an essential element of practice, so figure out how much time can you dedicate to improve your skills and practice public speaking. It’s okay if you can only take out 5 minutes a day, just make them count.
Now, you can watch your preferred public speakers learn from them and maybe try to replicate their styles. This will help you practice and might also help you find your style of speaking.
You can even head over to our YouTube channel to hear Danish (our founder) out or to this blog to hear some awesome tips from our favorite speakers!
Speech Coach Method
Moving on, we come to our next method of practicing public speaking. Let’s talk about our favorite one. Use a Speech Coach, and not just any one that can fit right into your pocket and be carried around anywhere and everywhere. I’m talking about our Orai app, your personal AI Speech Coach. Also, don’t miss out on the bonus tips towards the end.
It’s our go-to for English-speaking practice online and gives instant feedback, which is great. The Orai App is available for both iOS and Android users. It provides fun and interactive sessions, detailed analysis, and feedback on your speeches. Here’s why it will surely be your perfect speaking friend :
Why Should I Use Orai?
- It gives you instant feedback based on a variety of parameters. It considers everything from your pace and conciseness to your confidence and expressions. It gives you an unbiased analysis anytime and anywhere. We’ve worked with a great team of speech coaches and speakers to work on these metrics, and trust me; they’re pretty apt!
- We understand that every speaker has different objectives and requirements. Some might want tips on “How to get better in presentation and speech?” or maybe just become a better speaker. Hence, Orai personalizes the user’s experience and goals according to the user’s needs.
- You’d like to track your progress if you’re working hard, right? Well, don’t worry because Orai helps you with that too. It tracks your progress as you practice public speaking using it over time and also gives tips and tricks to improve accordingly.
- The recording tool in Orai is a great one. It catches all flaws in your speech and suggests changes. It helps you identify all filler words such as ‘um, so, etc.’ and unnecessary pauses. It also catches parts of your speech that lack clarity and, thus, aids you in working to perfect all presentations and speeches.
With the Orai app, you don’t need to rely on anyone. Just take out your phone and practice away. It can evaluate anything from a motivational speech to a work presentation. So, it’s pretty reliable and affordable if you want to up your public speaking game!
Peer Connection Method
I tried all self-practice methods and am still not satisfied. Well, don’t worry and try the Peer Connection method, yes that’s what we’re calling it for the lack of a better title.
Once you’ve exhausted all self-speaking practice methods, you can get help from your peers or family. We’d say start small if you’re new to public speaking by asking a family member or a close friend to listen to you. Ask them for honest feedback, and then go from there. Just make sure it’s someone you can trust and someone who is not biased.
Then, you can move up by gathering a small audience of peers or anyone willing to listen. Deliver your speech and ask them to fill out a basic peer evaluation form. And, of course, work on the feedback and polish your problem areas. We suggest this method because we can easily be too critical or not critical enough of our speeches, so another person’s perspective can be helpful. [Insert picture of someone talking to a small group?]
Remember, speaking to smaller groups will help you conquer your fear of speaking in front of a larger crowd.
“Picture-talk” Exercise
You can also try some activities and games with others. Try the “Picture-talk,” we just made up the name, but it’s a great activity to practice. All you have to do is take a picture, look at it for 30 seconds, and then describe it to another person for up to 2 minutes. Don’t forget to create a visual with your words and let the person judge your craft and creativity.
(Fun tip: Choose a bizarre or funny picture). Check out other fun activities and games here.
What are the different types of speeches that one may need to practice?
In the realm of public speaking, plenty of methods and tricks can be useful for almost all kinds of speakers. Let’s delve into three broad strategies that can elevate your speaking game. And before you ponder, “Can I practice public speaking at home?” – rest assured, you absolutely can. So, let’s jump right in. We’ve curated this guide to ensure we cover practical and budget-friendly techniques for honing your public speaking skills. Now, let’s explore how you can enhance your speaking prowess from the comfort of your own home.
Bonus Tips!
Though we’ve discussed the three major methods, we thought we’d add some bonus tips for you to ace your public speaking game, so here you go :
- Public speaking isn’t just about the delivery, instead it focuses on a variety of factors. So, it’s important to practice effective communication and not just speaking. You can start by improving your vocabulary and finding synonyms of frequently used words.
- Try out face exercises that can help increase the range of your facial expressions and, thus, improve your speech delivery. You can also watch other speakers and performers to learn from them.
- Imagine a speaker who keeps their hands on the sides without moving like a robot. Will they pique your interest? We doubt it, so it’s also a good idea to work on your hand gestures. For example, a clenched fist can express anger or strength. So, try associating these gestures with your words and making them part of your speaking practice.
Well, that’s it for this blog: different ways and tips to practice public speaking and work on your speeches and presentations. It’s possible to be nervous, but practice, and you shall succeed, and Orai is right here. So, download and try it today!
