The document provides tips for effective public speaking: (1) know your audience and greet some audience members as they arrive to make them feel more like friends than strangers; (2) speak about a well-researched topic you're interested in using personal stories, humor, and a conversational style; (3) practice your speech out loud with the equipment you plan to use and get feedback from a small test audience; (4) take deep breaths to relax and transform nerves into enthusiasm by addressing the audience and pausing with a smile.

1. Ron Bratt – Public Speaking Importance
Knowing your audience. Greeting a
few of the audience members as they
arrive. It’s easier to speak to a group of
friends than to strangers.

2. Knowing your material. Speak about
a topic you are interested in. Know more
about it than you include in your speech.
Try using personal stories, humor and
conversational language – that way you
won’t easily forget what to say
throughout the speech.

3. Practice! Rehearse out loud with all
equipment you plan on using. Try
speaking in front of a small audience
and ask them for critiques and advice.
Try controlling filler words; Practice,
pause and breathe. Practice with a timer
and allow time for the unexpected.

4. Take a Deep Breath, Relax. Start off by
addressing the audience. It gives you
time and calms your nerves. Pause,
smile and count to three before you
saying anything. Transform your
nervous energy into enthusiasm.

5. Visualize yourself giving your
speech. Imagine yourself speaking,
your voice loud, clear and confident.
Visualize the audience clapping – it will
boost your confidence before you
speak.

6. Realize that people want you to
succeed. Audiences want you to be
interesting, stimulating, informative and
entertaining. They’re rooting for you to
give them a great speech.

7. Don’t apologize. For any nervousness
or problem – the audience probably
never noticed it in the first place.

8. Concentrate on the message – not on
yourself. Focus your attention away
from your own anxieties and
concentrate on your message and your
audience.

9. Gain experience Through
Practice. Your speech should
represent you — as an authority and as
a person. Experience helps to builds
confidence, which is the key to effective
public speaking.

10.
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