This article was originally written in Turkish and has been translated into English with the help of artificial intelligence (AI). The translation may contain errors; the original Turkish version is the authoritative text.
Now that we have dealt with issues such as speaking well, breathing well, lip laziness and the rules of grammar, I believe the time has come to put them into practice. People have to speak in order to communicate with the person or people in front of them. Beyond one-to-one conversation, how to speak in front of an audience is a separate problem. So in this article I will talk about how to speak in front of an audience, because people find it very difficult. I believe that if, after doing the work described in my earlier articles, we pay attention to the rules I give point by point below, we will largely be rewarded for our efforts.
1. Before the speech, prepare yourself psychologically by telling yourself, “I will do this as well as I possibly can.” Keep your self-confidence with you at all times.
2. On the day of the speech, check your clothes before arriving at the hall where you will speak. Avoid wearing bright colours (red, green, blue, pink, purple, etc.). Bright colours distract the audience. Wear muted colours as far as possible, such as grey, black or brown. Women should take care that their scarves, and men that their ties, are in muted colours.
3. Before the speech, see the place where you will speak in advance and plan your speech. If there is a lectern, work out how you will use it; if there is a microphone, check it; look at how the audience will be seated; and if there is no microphone, check the acoustics of the hall. Do a short rehearsal with the person who will manage the sound system and visuals.
4. Once the audience has taken their seats, take your own place in the hall — if, of course, the speech has been planned that way. Alternatively, once the audience is seated, you can enter directly from outside or from the wings without taking a seat in the hall first. Decide in advance whether you will speak standing or sitting. Walk to the place where you will speak with confident steps.
5. As you walk to the speaking position, take a deep diaphragmatic breath through your nose and release it through your mouth.
6. When you reach the lectern, do not start speaking straight away. Give yourself and the people in the hall a brief moment to get acquainted through eye contact.
7. You can begin your speech with a touch of humour. This warms the audience to you and increases your listeners’ attention.
8. Throughout the speech, keep your finger on the pulse of the audience — in other words, stay in command of the room at all times. If you sense restlessness, or if the coughing increases, change your tone of voice: begin suddenly either in a low but audible voice or in a raised voice, and then return to your normal tone.
9. You can also give part of your speech while walking among the audience. But when you do this, remember that the listeners behind you will always hear you less well. Adjust your voice accordingly.
10. In question-and-answer sessions, your answers should show that you are in complete command of your subject.
11. When your speech is over, do not forget to deliver a good closing sentence.
TYPES OF SPEECHES GIVEN IN FRONT OF AN AUDIENCE
- Improvised speeches: These require broad knowledge of the subject you will speak about.
- Speeches read aloud: These are very boring. This is called reading from paper, which is why it cannot really be called speaking.
- Speeches delivered from memory: These are given by actors and others working in the performing arts after months of preparation.
- Speeches delivered from notes: These are given by glancing only at short notes.