It’s no news that women are excellent communicators. They possess more communication-centered neurons than men because of the uniqueness of their brains. Also, they can connect deeply with a wide range of audiences through their voice, facial expressions, and verbal prowess.
However, despite being blessed with these qualities, many of us are only just learning to put them to use because of being sidelined and relegated to the home front pre-civilization era.
Before the emergence of the digital age, society forced them to play more conservative roles. They had trouble expressing their opinions and getting their voices heard for fear of getting reprimanded or ridiculed.
Thanks to civilization, the rise of several women’s rights activists, women-empowering organizations, and years of struggle, female folks have been able to find their voice and feet in society. We now have many of them holding vital decision-making positions in business and government and having their voices heard.
One of the core areas in which women have achieved a significant victory over the years is public speaking. Before, this field was a no-go area for them, as it was pretty challenging summoning the courage to stand in front of strangers as a woman and getting them to listen. The few ones that pushed hard changed the narrative.
The situation has significantly changed. Nowadays, more women are joining the public speaking space and making exploits. Several public speaking opportunities allow women to show their communication skills while getting rewarded handsomely.
The Daunting Nature of Public Speaking and How to Build Your Skills
While public speaking has proven to be a highly lucrative venture and an excellent way of spreading your message and showcasing your communication expertise, the concept of putting yourself in the spotlight in front of an audience made up of strangers can be a daunting experience for anyone.
Due to its demanding nature, it’s not uncommon to see folks, even seasoned speakers, develop stage fright out of the fear of not meeting the audience’s expectations. However, it’s not something you can’t do
Public speaking is an exciting adventure, one that presents lots of fun if you know your onions. It could be one of the most fulfilling moments of your life. Taking charge of the room and wowing the audience isn’t rocket science – all you need is guidance and consistent practice. Besides enrolling for professional speaking training, you can acquaint yourself with a guide to paid public speaking.
If you’re a female and interested in making a career out of public speaking, you need to build professional speaking skills. Below are some tips to get you started on your journey.
1.Be Confident
Confidence is one of the essential qualities every individual requires to navigate the muddy waters of life successfully, and public speaking isn’t an exception. Even if you enroll for multiple professional speaking training without confidence, it’ll be all for naught. It’s an endeavor that requires you to be at your best and well-composed.
Mounting a stage and taking charge of a room filled with hundreds or even thousands of strange faces isn’t an easy feat. It’s even more challenging for a woman. To come out a winner, you’ve got to put your confidence gear on and act like the authority that you are. It would help if you reminded yourself that you’re solid and intelligent continually.
Never give in to self-doubt and avoid using small words and phrases that may water down the focal point of your presentation. Take the stage with the mindset of winning the audience over, and you will.
Don’t indulge in gestures, slang, or words that may take away the meaning of your message. Go straight to the point and avoid any dilly-dallying that might make you mix things up. The stage is yours – own it.
2.Always Invoke Your Storytelling Ability
It’s common knowledge that women are better storytellers than men. They’re pretty adept at recalling events and narrating them in the most exciting way possible. Stories offer an excellent opportunity to connect with your audience and have them on your side. They appeal to the emotional side of your listeners and are instrumental in helping drive home your point in the most subtle way possible.
Ensure you explore this option whenever you’re honoring a call for paid speakers 2021. Use your natural storytelling ability to connect with the audience, and you’ll see them give nods of approval at the end of the speech.
3.Regularly Check the Tone of Your Voice
The pitch of your voice during a speech goes a long way in shaping your listeners’ opinion of your quality as a public speaker. The ideal tone for giving public speeches is neither too high nor too low. You want to keep things balanced so that your audience can grab every point from your message.
If you’ve got a naturally high tone, consider engaging in voice practice to tone it down and go for professional speaking training to enable you to manage your voice effectively. You want listeners to see your passion, which is unlikely to happen if they view your tone as shrill.
4.Create Room for Audience Participation
During a presentation, it’s easy for listeners to get lost in their dreams and lose interest if the session is non-participatory. So, to ensure you keep your audience focused and actively invested in what you’re saying, create an avenue for them to take part.
Doing this helps liven up the room and allows you to see things from entirely new perspectives. It also helps elicit reactions and emotions from the audience, which may help drive home your point.
5.Avoid Rushing through Your Most Valuable Points
When delivering a public speech as a woman, all eyes and ears will be on you to listen to what you’ve got to say. You can use this to your advantage by delivering your points in a clear, concise, and steady manner.
Please don’t make the mistake of rushing through your content, as it gives off a lack-of-confidence vibe. You want to educate your listeners as much as possible, and the only way to achieve that is by slowing down and emphasizing key points to make them have the effect you desire on your audience.
Conclusion
Public speaking is an exciting endeavor, and women are bossing it out and making exploits. If you’re looking to lead a career in the field, putting in the time will help you win listeners over and earn you a standing ovation wherever you speak.
Nobody expects you to be perfect, as communication is never perfect. However, it would help if you made efforts to impress and excel. Check here for other life-changing tips.
