Aspects of Physical Delivery

There are six aspects of physical delivery that will be covered in this section: voice use, facial
expressions, eye contact, gesturing, and movement.

Effective voice use involves several elements. Naturally, one of the most important aspects is volume. As
a speaker, you must be loud enough to be heard by everyone in the room, but not so loud that you sound
unnatural or bossy. Monitor the nonverbal feedback of audience members in the back of the room, if they
are leaning forward or concentrating abnormally hard, you may need to speak up. It is also necessary to
vary the pitch, rate, and tone of your voice to avoid sounding monotonous. We’ve all experienced the
agony of listening to a monotonous-voiced speaker. This doesn’t mean that you need to be extremely
flamboyant or obnoxious. Overall, you should just strive for a casual, conversational voice.
Your audience gathers a lot of information from your facial expressions. If your facial expressions and
your spoken words conflict, the audience is likely to believe your face. So make sure that your facial
expressions mesh with the feelings and ideas being expressed. Basically, a good rule of thumb for facial
expressions (as well as gestures) is to do what comes naturally. There is no need to be overly theatrical
with your facial expressions in a speech. And remember, if it’s at all appropriate, you can’t go wrong with
a smile.
The simple rule on eye contact is this: The more, the better. A good strategy for eye contact is to make
brief (a beat or two) eye contact with members of the audience in one section of the audience and then
move to another section. Ideally, you should be making eye contact with someone whenever words are
being spoken in your speech. Beware of this trap: People naturally tend to focus their eye contact on the
person that is giving them the best nonverbal feedback (smiling, nodding, etc.). If you find yourself
focusing too much on this person, work on moving to others.
One of the most common questions that people have about public speaking is: What do I do with my
hands? The quick and easy answer is: Whatever comes naturally (unless clutching the podium is what
comes naturally). The key to good gesturing is variety, which most of us have in our everyday gestures.
The final aspect of physical delivery is movement. If you are positioned behind a podium, your
movements are obviously going to be restricted. But if you are not using a podium, feel free to walk to
different parts of the stage as you deliver your speech. This keeps different parts of the audience involved
and adds variety. Don’t just wander in place, though. If your feet move, go somewhere.

Types of Public Speaking

When it comes to being a public speaker, the type of speech to give depends on what you’re trying to
accomplish. The different types of public speaking are:

 Speaking to Inform (informative, argumentative speech)

 Speaking to Persuade, Motivate, or Take Action (persuasive, argumentative, controversial,
policy speeches)
 Speaking to Entertain (funny, special occasion speeches)
In this article:

The 3 Basic Types of Public Speaking

 1. To Inform – when the speaker is presenting interesting facts or lessons to the audience, or
explain how to go about doing something. This could be a teaching lecturing about the Civil War, a
student giving an oral report or showing how to decorate a cake or set up a blog, a museum docent
explaining the history of painting, or a doctor explaining a procedure.
2. To persuade, Motivate, or Take Action  – this is when the speaker will try influencing the
audience in some way. The speaker might be trying to change your mind about something, to
persuade you to change your opinion, to motivate to change a behavior, or to take action. Some
examples are explaining the benefits of a non-profit for the purpose of eliciting donations, trying to
get people to change bad eating habits by explaining all the benefits of eating healthily or
attempting to convince people to vote against a candidate in an election.
3. To Entertain – this type of speaking is often found at events like banquets, weddings, or dinners.
The speaker is usually sharing a funny story or other anecdotal information. Some examples of this
would be the best man speech at a wedding or an after-dinner speech given by a host of a party to
thank guests for coming. They could also be planned as entertainment at an event. Topics are
usually humorous and light and could serve a very specific purpose, like introducing a featured
guest or giving a toast.
http://www.myspeechclass.com/speech-speaking-types.html

Principles of speech delivery articulation

Articulation

You must fully open your mouth in order to distinctly enunciate the different
words.

Modulation

Modulating the voice or varying it.

A speaker should vary the speech in order to strengthen or reinforce the

message.
Pitch

Power

Power is referred to the vocal energy or intensity exerted by the speaker.

Speakers ought to utilize the power of their voice to emphasize points without
being loud.

Pace

Speakers must use a flexible pace to convey the message clearly.

The complex or important ideas are typically said slowly whilst the light and
exciting matters are often said fast or rapidly.

When you deliver your speech, change, differ or vary the pitch and intensity of
your voice, as well as your pace.

Stage Presence

When we talk about the stage presence, it involves speaker’s appearance,

projection, and manner on the stage.

To procure stage presence, the speaker ought to talk confidently and deliver
the speech wholeheartedly.

Facial Expressions

The speaker ought to ensure that his/her facial expressions do not contradict
his/her verbal message.

Gestures and Movements

The speaker ought to not be as still as a log. He/She must move.

The movements ought to signal the transition from one idea to what is the
proceeding  or the next.

Rapport with the Audience

Building rapport is defined as engaging with the audience and connecting with
them.

Have eye contact, speak naturally, and relate with the audience .e

Effective speech delivery is an important part of public speaking. No matter how

inspiring, informative or persuasive the speech you have written, poor delivery will leave
your audience feeling flat, and your presentation will be less than memorable.

There are some (lucky!) people that seem to be born to speak in public. The rest of us,
however, may need a little coaching and prodding to deliver our speeches more
eloquently.

Whilst it might take some work to feel like a polished pro, using the following practical
speech delivery tips will certainly help to get you on your way to being a more effective,
dynamic speaker.

Body Language
The way you present yourself, physically, begins speaking for you before you say
your first word.

When you get up to speak before an audience, make sure that your body language
does not betray you. Practice good posture, but avoid being stiff.

Even at a formal business event, you do not want to appear wooden in your physical
appearance. Avoid fidgeting and keep your head high.

Little signs of nervousness can damage your presentation, so try to keep these kinds of
nervous tics at bay. If you're struggling, try holding a tiny object such as a paper-clip.
Some people find that unobtrusively playing with such an item helps them appear
otherwise calm and relaxed!

Speech Delivery Tips

Once you feel that you are projecting a calm, relaxed and confident aura, then it's time
to think about how to deliver your words as effectively as possible.
You have to project your voice. Some people get nervous and mumble while giving
public speeches.

Improving your speech delivery is all about getting your message across, so make sure
that everyone can hear you. If you have a microphone available, by all means use it. If
not, simply concentrate on the person at the back of the room and imagine that you are
speaking to them directly. This will ensure you pitch your voice at just the right level.

Try to avoid speaking in a monotone fashion. In an effort to be clear and concise,

people often become monotone... and that equals bored listeners!

While you don't want to go overboard and have too much emotion in your voice, you
should be animated enough to let your listeners know that you are a human speaker
and not an animatronic robot.

Nothing causes listeners to drift off faster than a monotone speaker, so avoid this habit
at all costs.

Don't be a ditherer!
A final tip for delivering your speech is to avoid the nervous little words, like "um",
"ah", and "mmm". Many people don't realize it, but they use these little space fillers
constantly in their every day speaking.

Don't let them creep into YOUR public speaking. Nothing indicates a speaker who is
nervous or unprepared faster than these habitual, little sounds.

Record yourself giving your speech before the actual event. If you notice them popping
up in your speech, take measures to cut them out when you give your speech in front of
an audience.
Public speaking can cause a lot of anxiety for people who are not used to doing
it. Even the seasoned pros and naturals get nervous sometimes.

Keep these tips in mind and practice the art of good speech delivery prior to your
speaking engagement, to give a talk that will wow your audience.
Lesson 18 principles of speech delivery 2
1. 1. Lesson 18. Principles of Speech Delivery
2. 2. 1. Articulation Pronouncing the words and speaking with clear diction that effectively
transmits the Message of the Speaker. The correct way of saying the word, whether they
are familiar.
3. 3. 2. Modulation The capability to adjust or manipulate the resonance and timbre of the
vocal tone.
4. 4. 3. Stage Presence The ability to “own” the stage, of the Speaker being able to fill the
space and project his/her personality to the Audience. The opposite of stage presence is
stage fright, which is considered by many as the topmost fear in the world of public speaking;
making one feel shaky and nervous.
 5. 5. 4. Facial Expressions, Gestures, and Movements  Facial expressions:  It builds a
connection with your audience.  It shows sincerity and credibility to the message.  It
conveys the feelings of the speaker.  Gestures  It helps you:  -emphasize a point 
-express emotions  -release tensions  -engage your audience  Movements  It adds
drama to your speech.  It breaks monotony of where you are placed.  Audience Rapport 
Establishing a connection with the Listeners or Audience.
Stage Presence
the ability to own the stage, able to fill the space and project his/her
personality to the audience
Stage Fright
topmost fear in the world of public speaking
Facial Expressions, Gestures and Movement
without these nonverbal elements, the speaker may be judged as
boring with flat delivery and an unemotional voice
Audience Rapport
able to write a speech that would appeal to the audience, connect
with them at a deeper level

Vocal Aspects of Delivery

Though we speak frequently during the course of a day, a formal
speech requires extra attention to detail in preparation of a more
formal speech presentation. What can one do in advance to prepare
for a speech? The challenge is partly determined by the speaker’s
experience, background and sometimes cultural influence and existing
habits of speaking. Articulation, Pronunciation, Dialect, Tone, Pitch,
and Projection each depends on long-term practice for success.
These aspects are like signatures, and should be developed and used
by each speaker according to his own persona.

Voice, or vocal sound, is made when controlled air being exhaled from
the lungs, passes over the vocal cords causing a controlled vibration.
The vibrating air resonates in the body, chest cavity, mouth, and nasal
passages. The vibrating air causes a chain reaction with the air in the
room. The room’s air, set in motion by the voice, is captured by the
listener’s ear. The vibration of the air against the eardrum is
transferred to electrical impulses that are interpreted by the listener’s
brain. Thus, the sounds we can make are predicated on the breaths
that we take.

“Crying baby” by Brazzouk. CC-BY-SA.

TRY THIS! BREATHING
Talk without breathing. It cannot be done. So if you are screaming (like a
baby), you are also breathing!
The first word of advice on speaking to an audience: BREATHE!
Articulation
We are often judged by how well we speak in general. A measure of
perceived intellect or education is how well we articulate. That is: how
well and correctly we form our vowels and consonants using our lips,
jaw, tongue, and palate to form the sounds that are identified as
speech. Diction and enunciation are other terms that refer to the
same idea. For instance, saying “going to” instead of “gonna” or “did
not” instead of “dint” are examples of good versus poor articulation.
Consonant and vowels are spoken with standard accepted precision,
and serious students and speakers will strive to practice the clarity of
their sounds. Proper diction is as integral to the English language as
proper spelling, but it takes practice.
Pronunciation
Proper articulation applied to a given word is that
word’s pronunciation. The pronunciation includes how the vowels
and consonants are produced as well as which syllable is
emphasized. For generations, speakers depended on “markings (such
as the International Phonetics Alphabet or similar Dictionary Symbols)
to discover or decide how words were officially pronounced. With
online dictionaries now readily available, one needs only to “look up” a
word and select “play” to hear an audible recording of the official and
precise way a word should be pronounced. Now there is no excuse for
mispronouncing a word in a speech. A mispronounced word will
obliterate a speaker’s credibility, and the audience’s attention will be
focused on the fault rather than the message.
TRY THIS! PRONUNCIATION
1. Flip though a book, article or scholarly work until you come to a word that is
unfamiliar and you can only guess its pronunciation.
2. Go to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary website, and look up the word.
3. When the definition appears, click the icon of the loudspeaker. The word is
audibly pronounced for you.
The online dictionary is useful in both articulation as well as pronunciation.
Accent, Dialect, and Regionalisms

“Iraqi speaker” by Office of United States Rep. Ellen Tauscher. Public domain.
Subtleties in the way we pronounce words and phrase our speech
within a given language are evident in accents, regionalisms,
and dialects. An accent refers to the degree of prominence of the way
syllables are spoken in words, as when someone from Australia says
“undah” whereas we say “under.” A regionalism is a type of
expression, as when someone says “The dog wants walked,” instead
of “the dog wants to go for a walk.” Dialect is a variety of language
where one is distinguished from others by grammar and vocabulary. In
Pennsylvania you might hear people say that they are going to “red up
the room,” which means “to clean the room.”
Those who depend on speaking for a career (broadcasters, politicians,
and entertainers) will often strive for unaccented General or Standard
English. Listen to most major network newscasters for examples
of regionalism-free speech. A given audience may be prejudiced
towards or against a speaker with an identifiable accent or dialect.
Though we would wish prejudice were not the case, the way we speak
implies so much about our education, cultural background, and
economic status, that prejudice is inevitable. Any speaker should be
aware of how accent, dialect, and regionalisms can be perceived by a
given audience. If you speak in a way that the audience might find
difficult to understand, make an extra effort to pay attention to the
accent and phrasing of your speech. Ask a sympathetic and objective
listener to help you when you practice.
We often refuse to accept an idea merely because the tone of
voice in which it has been expressed is unsympathetic to us. –
Friedrich Nietzsche

Vocal Quality
The quality of the voice, its timbre (distinctive sound) and texture,
affects audibility and can affect the articulation. Our voices are unique
to each of us. It is a result of our physical vocal instrument, including
diaphragm, vocal cords, lungs and body mass. Some examples of
vocal quality include warm, clear, soft, scratchy, mellow and breathy.
Each speaker should practice at maximizing the vocal effect of his
instrument, which can be developed with vocal exercises. There are
numerous books, recordings and trainers available to develop one’s
vocal quality when needed. The quality of one’s voice is related to its
range of pitch.
TRY THIS! INFLECTION
Your voice goes UP, and then your voice goes d o w n.
Pitch and Inflection
Identical to musical parlance, the pitch is the “highness” or “lowness”
of the voice. Each of us has a range oftone. Vocal sounds are actually
vibrations sent out from the vocal cords resonating through chambers
in the body. The vibrations can literally be measured in terms of audio
frequency in the same way music is measured. When the pitch is
altered to convey a meaning (like raising the pitch at the end of a
sentence that is a question), it is the inflection. Inflections are
variations, turns and slides in pitch to achieve the meaning.
In his writing “Poetics,” Aristotle lists “Music” as an element of the
Drama. Some scholars interpret that to include the musicalization of
the spoken word with dramatic inflection. The meaning and
effectiveness of a spoken line is greatly dependent on the “melody” of
its inflection.
Though archaic, the study of elocution formalizes the conventions of
inflection. In some contemporary cultures, inflection has been
minimized because it sounds too “melodramatic” for the taste of the
demographic group. It would be sensible to be aware of and avoid
both extremes. With good animated inflection, a speaker is more
interesting, and the inflection conveys energy and “aliveness” that
compels the audience to listen.

“Ice-T” by Tino Jacobs. CC-BY.

When public speaking was known as elocution, sentences were

“scored” like music, and spoken using formal rules. Sentences ending
as a question went UP at the end. Sentences ending in a period,
ended with a base note. And everyone had fun with exclamation
points!

For most of music in history, including Opera, Broadway, and early

Rock and Roll, songs were written so that the melody (raising and
lowering the pitch) was consistent with what would be spoken. Many
of today’s songs, notably Rap songs, depend solely on rhythm. There
is little if any inflection (melody) to enhance a lyric’s meaning. Certain
languages differ in their dependence on inflection. Japanese and
German seem monotonic compared to Italian and French, which offer
great variety of inflection.

The human voice is the most beautiful instrument of all, but it is

the most difficult to play. – Richard Strauss

Even someone one who is not a singer can be expressive with

inflection and pitch. Like the “Think System” of Professor Harold Hill in
the musical The Music Man. If you THINK varied pitch, you can
SPEAK varied pitch. Think of pitch inflections as seasoning spices that
can make the speech more interesting. Sing “Happy Birthday.” You do
not have to concentrate or analyze how to create the melody in your
voice. Your memory and instinct take over. Notice how the pitch also
provides an audible version of punctuation, letting the audience know
if your sentence has ended, if it is a question, and so on. The melody
lets the audience know that there is more to come (a comma) and
when the phrase is ended (a period). Remember that in a speech, the
audience does not have the written punctuation to follow, so you have
to provide the punctuation with your inflection.

TRY THIS! VOCAL VARIATION 

Find a listening partner. Using only the sounds of “la” ha,” and “oh,” covey the
meaning of the following:1. It’s the biggest thing I’ve ever seen!
2. I’ve fallen and can’t get up!
3. I’ve got a crush on him/her.
4. That soup is disgusting and spoiled.
5. I got an “A” in my Speech Final!
If you cannot relay the meaning with just sounds, try a second time (each)
with gestures and facial expressions until the listener understands. Then say
the lines with the expressive inflections you have developed using only the
sounds.

Those who do not use inflection, or use a range of pitch, are speaking
in monotone. And, as the word implies, it can be monotonous, boring,
and dull. A balance between melodramatic and monotonous would be
preferred. The inflection should have a meaningful and interesting
variety. Be careful not to turn a pattern of inflection into a repetitious
sound. Think through each phrase and its musicalization separately.

Many speakers have developed the habit of ending each sentence as

though it is a question. It may be becoming increasingly common. In
the wake of the Valley Girl syndrome of the 1980’s, a bad inflection
habit has entered the speech pattern: Some speakers end a
declarative sentence with the inflection of a question.

Do you know what I mean?

A word of caution: Inflection and varied pitch must be “organic,” that is

to say, natural for the speaker. You cannot fake it, or it sounds artificial
and disingenuous. It is a skill that needs to develop over a period of
time.

Rate of Speaking
Table 12.1: Finding the Right Pace for Your Speech

If you speak too quickly… If you speak too slowly…

the audience might get the impression the audience might think you
you have nothing important to say. are too tired to be presenting.

the audience can forget the

the audience has a difficult time catching
first part of your sentence by
up and comprehending what you are
the time you get to the last! (It
saying. They need time to digest the
happens!) And they lose
information. So plan on periodic pauses.
interest.

the audience might think you

the audience might think you really do are wasting their time by
not want to be there. taking longer than necessary
to relay your message.

As a speaker, you cannot race with the audience, nor drag their attention
down. Like Goldilocks, look for the pace that is “just right.”
In order to retain clarity of the speech with articulation and inflection,
the speaker must be aware that there is a range of
appropriate tempo for speaking. If the tempo is too slow, the speech
might resemble a monotonous peal. If it is too fast, the articulation
could suffer if consonants or vowels are dropped or rushed to keep up
the speed. An audience could become frustrated with either extreme.
The tempo needs to be appropriate to the speaker’s style, but neither
paced like a Gilbertian Lyric (as in “Gilbert and Sullivan”) patter nor a
funereal dirge. A comfortable and clear pace is the best. An ideal
speaking rate will allow you to comfortably increase your pace to
create a sense of excitement, or slow down to emphasize the
seriousness of a topic.
It is simple nonsense to speak of the fixed tempo of any
particular vocal phrase. Each voice has its peculiarities. – Anton
Seidl

Pauses Versus Vocalized Pauses

A text that is read has punctuation that the reader can see…miniature
landmarks to define the text. When spoken, similar punctuation is
needed for comprehension, and the speaker’s responsibility is to offer
the text with pauses. Space between phrases, properly planted, gives
the audience the opportunity to understand the structure of the
speaker’s sentences and paragraphs. It also gives time for the
audience to “digest” crucial phrases.

Generally, spoken sentences and paragraphs need to be simpler and

shorter than what can be comprehended by reading. Pauses can help
increase comprehension.

However, pauses that are filled with “uh’s, “um’s,” etc., are
called vocalized pauses, or fillers, and should be avoided. They can
be distracting and annoying, and give the impression of a lack of
preparation if used excessively. Even worse is the use of vernacular
phrases like, “y’know” (a contraction of “Do You Know”) which gives
the impression of lack of education or lack of concern for the
audience. The use of vocalized pauses may be the result of a habit
that deserves an effort to be overcome. Avoid using phrases such as
“Uh,” “OK?”, “y’know”, “like…, I mean,” “right?”
Vocal Projection
The volume produced by the vocal instrument is projection.
Supporting the voice volume with good breathing and energy can be
practiced, and helping a speaker develop the correct volume is a main
task of a vocal trainer, teacher or coach. Good vocal support with
good posture, breathing, and energy should be practiced regularly,
long before a speech is delivered. There are numerous exercises
devoted to developing projection capabilities.

While there is no need to shout, a speaker should project to be easily

heard from the furthest part of the audience. Even if the speech is
amplified with a microphone/sound system, one must speak with
projection and energy. As with your rate of speech, you should speak
at a volume that comfortably allows you to increase the volume of your
voice without seeming to shout or decrease the volume of your voice
and still be heard by all audience members.

Do not expect to walk up to the podium and have a full voice. Actors
spend about a half-hour doing vocal warm-ups, and singers warm up
much more. You might not have an opportunity to warm up
immediately before your speech, but when you can, warm up with
humming, yawning (loudly) or singing scales: all while breathing
deeply and efficiently. It will loosen your voice, prevent irritation, and
fire up your vocal energy.

TRY THIS! PROJECTION

Go to the room in which you are to speak. Have a friend sit as far away from
the podium is possible. Rehearse your speech, talking loudly enough so your
friend can hear you comfortably. That is the projection you will need. When
you mentally focus on the distant listener, you will tend to project better.

One final note: If public speaking is or will be an important part of your

career, it would be sensible to have an evaluation of your voice,
articulation and projection done by an objective professional so you
can take any remedial action that might be recommended. There are
courses of study, private lessons, and professional voice coaches to
work with your voice projection, tone, and pitch.

Words mean more than what is set down on paper. It takes the
human voice to infuse them with deeper meaning. – Maya
Angelou

Visual Aids
There are four basic reasons to include visual aids in your speech:

1. To hold the audience’s attention – by getting the audience involved visually as well as orally,
you are more likely to keep their interest.
2. To serve as a memory aid or learning device – people learn in different ways, some people
easily recall spoken information, others written information. No matter what style they prefer, the
more you expose your audience to the information, the more likely they are to remember it.
3. To replace your speaking notes – This doesn’t mean reading directly from your visual aid.
However, a PowerPoint presentation or slide show will have keywords that you can use to
structure your extemporaneous speech.
4. To help indicate transitions – When you switch slides, for example, it reinforces the transitions
between the two ideas indicated on the slide.

Types of Visual Aids

As you can see, used effectively, visual aids can add a lot to a speech. Some types of visual aids you
could use in your speech include:

Charts and graphs

There are a number of different types of charts and graphs that serve a variety of purposes such as pie
charts, line graphs, bar charts, flow charts and organizational charts. Be sure to pick the one which best
conveys the points you are trying to make.

Use pie charts to present figures, outcomes of surveys and percentages of achievements in their context.

Use bars, timelines or charts to compare data, to demonstrate how something has developed over a
period of time, to illustrate a series of steps or processes.
Use an organography to provide insight to the structure or the communication and command levels of and
organization, process or program.
Use a flip chart if you do not have an electronic component to note or draw the main
points, arguments, theories or controversies of your visual aid speech topic for small audiences.
Note: All I wrote above about lettering and colors of overheads and slides go for visual aids like graphics
and charts too.

Slides
Microsoft PowerPoint is the standard for slide software today. Using PowerPoint, you can create highly
sophisticated slides with audio, video, animations and much more. An old-fashioned overhead projector
can still do the job, though.
Use slides to illustrate for instance travel adventures, collections, historial sights, Power Point-
presentations or the major points of your speech for small or larger groups.
1. Do not forget to darken the room somewhat.
2. Give your listeners enough time to see or read the slices, let’s say at least 25 to 30 seconds.
Watch out for increasing the amount of data per slide. One bit at the time.

Overheads
An overhead beamer projector is a very popular instrument to support visual aid speech topics. Use
overheads to show for example how a machine, building or a plane has been built, to present a
complex problem with its solution and benefits, and to illustrate processes, procedures, and steps in a
sequence.
1. Write large characters with a big marker pen.
2. Number your transparencies.
3. Keep the screen in full view of participants.
4. Darken the room a little bit.
5. Talk to the audience, not to the screen.
6. Use a slidshow pointer.
7. Do not offer too much data and info.
8. Use colors and large lettering. Be careful with the color red. Sometimes it is hard to see!
9. Write or print with dark ink.
10. Keep enough white space between the information you show wit the beamer projector. They have
to be easily seen and read.

Flipcharts
Flipcharts should only be used when you need to record information or ideas during your speech (such as
taking an audience survey). Using a flipchart as a pre-prepared visual aid will seem unprofessional in
most situations.

Audio and video

DVD’s and CD’s that relate to your topic will add interest and variety to your presentation. However, don’t
use up too much of your speech time playing these. Remember, the audience is there to see you, not
your media.

Use DVD’s and videotapes to emphasize the main points of your speeches about for
instance matches, movies, journeys, hiking trails, or instructions.
1. Tell them why you are playing the DVD or videotape.
2. Tell your listeners what they are going to see.
3. Keep the screen in full view.
4. Darken the room somewhat to increase the feeling of seriousness of you presentation, and in
order to give everyone a clear sight on the screen.
Use Audiotapes, CD’s and MP3’s to illustrate your speech about music, plays, poems, literature, or
perhaps even even famous speeches.
1. Ensure everybody can hear everything! Ask them if they can hear all. If not, speak out louder.
2. Use amplifying equipment that is powerful enough to reach all audience members in the back
row.

Handouts
Handouts are a good idea in a couple of situations: 1) Your topic is too complex for the audience to easily
understand from just your spoken words, and 2) If you need to ensure that the audience will remember
the information long after your speech. Be careful when using handouts, however. They tend to be
distrating to audience members if you don’t refer to them often. The audience also can get ahead of you
by skipping to later sections of the handout.
Distribute reports, invitations, quizes, questions, games, schedules, summaries after or before you
explain the visual aid speech topic.
1. Distribute them after your visual aid speech if you want them to act the way you proposed.
2. Distribute the handouts before if you want to guide your audience through the content.

Props
Props fall into two categories: objects and models. Objects are the actual physical item that you are
speaking about. Models are representations of the item that you are speaking about. No matter which
type you use, props are good to refer to if they help clarify your messages and increase understanding.

Look at things around you. All things you can show live to your public are potential props and therefore
candidate visual aid informative speech topics for a public speaking speech! Force yourself to think broad.

In many years I have seen lots of creative speeches about objects: someone who shows and explains
a favorite painting, book, camera, coins collection, pet, jewelry,fashion look, sporting equipment, toys etc,
etc. Use your imagination, elaborate further on these ideas, such as researching some fashion jewelry
online for getting the big picture. Some questions to develop visual aid speech topics with props:
 Why you use it or has it been used for?
 What is the story behind it?
 When did you buy it? Why?
 Who used it?
 Can you demonstrate it step by step?
 Can you teach the audience to do or to make it themselves during or after your speech?
 Why do you want to talk about it?
 Why do they have to hear your story?
 How does it work?
If you choose for a very small or little visual aid speech topic, then move it closer to your listeners. Pass
the prop round in class. Or if that is possible – think about images of expensive fashion jewelry online –
show them with a beamer projector.

If it is very valuable, protect it! And ask their assistance to be very careful with it. Sure they will.

Posters
Use a poster to highlight the key points of your visuals aid speech topics. When you talk about
a country, city, a very expensive drawing, or your home or automobile etc. you can show a picture printed
on a poster.
1. Use thick, stiff paper for your posters.
2. Hold them in a visual aid holder.

Five tips for your presentation

There is one major rule of thumb for a successful delivery of visual aid speech topics: A visual aid is not a
purpose in itself. Integrate them smartly. They have to support the content of your informative speech.

Here are five basic tips for a successful delivery of your visual aid speech topics:

1. Prepare your visual aid informative speech topics adequately.

2. Practice several times aloud in front of family and friends.
3. Check if your electronic component is running. Have a backup option in mind.
4. Constantly check if your public can see and understand what you say and present. Every
member of the audience must have the possibility to see your visual aids, hold them up as long as
needed.
 5. Point to parts in your visual aid speech topics when you talk about the features.

Audience Analysis

Adapting to Your Audience and Situation

At every point in the speech-making process, you need to ask yourself: “Self, what does my audience
want from me?” It is the audience and situation, and not you (the speaker), that should determine the
object and form of your speech.

Audience Expectations

To that end, your first goal is to meet audience expectations. Probably the most important of these is
their time expectation for your speech. If you fall significantly short of that time, they will feel
shortchanged. If you go significantly beyond that time, they will feel murderous. Make sure that you don’t
violate the audience’s time expectation.
The next audience expectation to worry about is their topic expectation. Have they been told that you
will speak on a certain topic? If so, you need to stick (within reason) to that topic. If you switch topics on
them unexpectedly, even a great speech will be met with mixed reviews. People like to know what they’re
getting into, and resent the “bait-and-switch”.
The final audience expectation to worry about is their tone expectation. Do they anticipate a funny
speech? A deathly serious speech? Something in between? Once again, deviating significantly from their
expectations will spell disaster for your speech.

Audience Needs
Once you know what your audience expects from you, you need to learn some more about them in order
to customize the speech to their needs. Of course, the standard demographic information comes in to
play here, characteristics like: age, education, gender, race, occupation, economic status, and religion.
These characteristics are important to know and understand because they can greatly impact a person’s
experience and perspective. You need to approach your speech with the audience’s experience and
perspective in mind.

At this point you also need to gather some additional information about your audience. You need to find
out:

How much do they know about your topic? Will you be able to discuss advanced or technical
information, or do you have to start with the basics? This can be tricky, you will lose the audience’s
interest if you tell them what they already know or speak “over their heads”.
What other speakers have they heard? You don’t want to cover a topic that’s already been exhausted
or step on the toes of the next speaker. If other people are speaking to this audience, it is critical to know
what those other speakers are speaking on.
What are the audience member’s attitudes and motivations? Are they attending the speech by
choice? If not, some extra motivation may be required (see the article on writing introductions). Are they
against what you’re speaking about, neutral towards it, or for it? You must know all of this before you
begin crafting your speech.

Analyzing Audience for Selecting a Speech

Topic
In any speech situation it’s important to analyze your audience, naturally. This is never more important,
though, than it is in a persuasive speaking situation.

There are a couple questions that you need to ask yourself after you’ve selected a persuasive speech
topic:

1. Does my audience agree or disagree with the position which I am advocating?

If they already tend to agree with you, you’ve got things a little bit easier, of course. The only problem
here might be that your topic and position may not be controversial or novel enough to hold the
audience’s interest. It might be a fine topic, though, and it will be your goal to convince your audience that
the position which they support is the correct position.

If your audience disagrees with your perspective, you’ve probably got a little more work to do. We’ll get
back to that…

2. How much does my audience care about my topic and how much thought are they willing to put
into my speech?
If the audience doesn’t really care a whole lot about your topic, it’s a double-edged sword. On one hand
(or edge), they are going to be easier to persuade. On the other hand, you may not have picked a good
topic if it isn’t an important issue to your audience. Again, if you believe in the topic, go with it.

If the audience really cares a lot about your topic, you’re not going to be able to win them over with flimsy
persuasive tactics and logical fallacies. They are going to need to hear solid arguments and evidence in
support of your perspective to be persuaded.

The Ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle identified three tactics which persuasive speakers had available
to persuade an audience, which he called Ethos, Pathos, and Logos.

Ethos: Aristotle said that if an audience wasn’t particularly interested in and willing to think about the topic
at hand that a speaker could be persuasive simply by demonstrating to the audience that they were
someone who was both credible and trustworthy. The idea was that this type of audience wouldn’t be
sufficiently motivated to think deeply about the topic, and that they would be inclined to blindly accept
whatever the speaker had to say. After all, the speaker is credible and trustworthy, right?
For some strategies on establishing Ethos, check out the article on writing introductions.

Pathos: Aristotle said that if, again, an audience wasn’t particularly interested in and willing think about
the topic at hand that a speaker could be persuasive by using various emotional appeals to win over an
audience. A few examples of Pathos appeals:
  Appeal to Fear – The speaker arouses fear in the audience by describing something bad that
could happen, then tells the audience that the can be relieved of that fear by simply doing what the
speaker desires.
 Appeal to Social Support – The speaker tells the audience that their perspective is a popular
one. The audience is supposed to think that because the position is so popular, it must have some
merit.
 Appeal to Scarcity – The speaker shows the audience how they can get some more of a scarce
commodity (usually time or money) by doing what the speaker desires.
 Appeal to Authority – The speaker tells the audience that people “in the know” support the
speaker’s perspective.
There are many more Pathos appeals.

1. Evoke an emotional response on recognizable family, community or neighborhood matters. Tell a

story or use a narrative in your persuasive speeches.
2. Provoke anger in the listener, stir them up to be as angry as you are.
3. Make a promise, and ensure they can count on your efforts – adhortatio
4. Suggest something that looks impossible, and explain that it isn’t impossible to accomplish at all –
this called adynaton.
5. Make an exaggerated comparison between two ideas, and state which one is the best option to
choose.
6. Act as if you are being overwhelmed with emotions when you talk about a special theme – also
known as aposiopesis.
7. Address the people who are not there in the public, give the listeners a we-feeling – in rhetorical
terms: apostrophe.
8. Make clear something is threatening the audience and describe what will happen if they don’t
agree.
9. Predict an evil prophecy or vision and the dangerous effects and impact in the future –
the ominatio
10. Describe how the consequences of the suggested acts and changes will influence their life –
scientists named this descriptio.
11. Make an imaginatively emotional exclamation – here comes the tongue twister: ecphonesis.
12. Show and proof how they are emotionally affected by the subject and the surrounding effects
– energiais the word.
13. Make a verbal mistake on purpose and correct yourself – a Freudian slip, called epanorthosis.
14. Ask provokative or indictive rhetorical questions and give simple and convincing answers
– epiplexis.
15. Transform a boring aspect of your persuasive writing topic into exciting main point – excitatio.
16. Stir the audience by showing fiery feelings, let them follow you in your enthusiasm and spirit
– exuscitatio.
17. Ask your public for help and valuable ideas, called mempsis, after you have stated there is a
threat, which is the pathos technique of perclusio.
18. Repetitionis one of the most powerful forms of pathos in presentations. You can use this art of
persuasion to enlarge the spectrum and context of the beliefs, values, and understandings in
persuasive speeches.
Logos: Finally, Aristotle said that if an audience really cared about an issue and were motivated to think
deeply about it, that the only way they were going to be persuaded was through the use of sound logical
argument.
In it’s most basic form, a logical argument is a claim supported by evidence. In most cases, when you see
a lawyer speaking in a courtroom, they are making a logos appeal to the audience (the jury). The “claim”
which the lawyer is making is the innocence or guilt of the person on trial. The “evidence”, of course, is
the support that the lawyer offers to back up their claim.

Your persuasive speech should follow the same process. Your “claim” is the position you support, your
“evidence” is the various facts, stories, statistics, expert testimony, and other backing that demonstrates
that your position is the position which the audience should also support.
Secrets to Build a Tie to the Audience
You need to build a tie to your audience, win them over, make a connection and you will win the game.
So, how do you make that connection?

There are a few guidelines that are very effective. You just need to find the ones that are good for you in
the next paragraphs.

Address Their Needs 

Address your audience’s needs and tie your public speaking speech into that.
This works on two levels:

 One, it shows that you not only recognize, but also address those needs.
 And two, it speaks directly to them, making it personal.
When you get personal, you get your audience engaged. E.g. A teenager who purchases music online
may feel pulled into the speech topics if you talk about the impact that illegal downloading of music has
not only on the musicians but on the fans as well.

At this time, the most popular musicians and singers are from several generations ago. This is because
the musician’s work is being downloaded illegally and they lose that valuable tracking device because
illegal downloads are not tracked.

Address Their Interests 

What interests your audience? Find a common interest in your audience and play on that. Make
statements and expressions that will speak directly to your audience.
Show Them The Benefits 
Show your audience what they will get out of listening to your public speaking speech. What benefits
come directly to them? By showing the benefits of your public speaking topic, you have made a huge step
in the direction of selling your central idea to your audience.
Show How Your Information Can Be Useful 
You want to show your audience how they can use the information. It has to apply to them and they must
feel that they are engaged in order for it to work.
Make sure that you show your listeners that all the information you present is useful, handy and above all
that it pertains (in)directly to them.

Try to find the benefits and even solutions for problems they have, although I admit that it may not be
necessarily easy to find useful things – I call it communicational education bullets – for your listeners in
your public speaking speech, particularly when it comes to specific cultures and individuals.

Like Attracts Like 

One thing to remember is that like attracts like. This means that if your audience is upper class with
expensive cars and million dollar homes, you want to mimic them as much as possible. Use the
expressions that they would use in your public speaking speech, dress the way that they do and assume
body language that is as close to theirs as possible.
People respond very favorable to others who have the same hair color, body size, eye color and even
how they put their hands in their pockets. It is an amazing science, but it is possible to sway your
audience in your own direction.

Dealing With Difficult People In Your Audience

Dealing with difficult people during your conversation and after a Question and Answer session could be
hard when there are hecklers and know-it-alls. I assist you to detect those individuals and offer you ways
out to cure the situation you fear for. How you deal with a person who is giving you a hard time depends
on what kind of person it is! There are several different types of personalities and egos, and for each are
a good methods to head them off.
There are some things that you can do in that case:

Dealing with difficult people starts from the beginning of your presentation.

Announce that you will have a question period at the end of your presentation and that all questions will
be answered then. When it comes time to answer questions or take comments let everyone know that
they need to raise their hands.

That way no one gets cut off. Once you do that you ready to give your presentation talk.

Heading off each personality type is pretty easy too. Dealing with difficult people is a piece of cake when
you’ve detected them:
The Heckler
You know this person. They have some remark about everything you say. Sounds familiar, isn’t it? Here’s
how to deal with hecklers:

1. You could ask them to leave, but that’s not always possible. The best way is to take the wind out
of their sails.
2. If you comment on what they are saying, bring it back to your speech topics. Or even better turn
the tables on them by asking them what they think about the public speaking field of reference at
hand. That will turn the tables on them and will put them on the spot.
The I-Know-It-All Grumbler
There is one in every group. They think that they know everything about everything, including your
speech topics.

If this is a group that you have worked with before you know who the person is and you can reduce their
damage to your presentation.

But if you don’t know who that person is before you get started, you will find out soon.

They are eager enough to spoil your talk and step forward in the first minutes.

1. The best method for dealing with difficult people who claim to know everything is to involve them.
2. Take them serious and ask them what they think of the speech idea, how they understand it, and
what they think should be done about the situation.
Public speaking may be one of the most stressful things that you can do, but it doesn’t have to be. Using
simple techniques you can conquer your anxiety, give a great speech and succeed in dealing with difficult
people

You will also be able to deal with anyone who gives you problems because you feel confident in yourself
and public speaking efforts.

You might even enjoy speaking in public or even look forward to it, and you canbecome an excellent and
relaxed motivational speaker in the end.
Seven Principles of Effective Public Speaking
Jan 24, 2019

By Richard Zeoli

When we watch celebrities, politicians, or business leaders speak on

television or in public, they seem so at ease that we may wonder: are great
speakers made, or are they just born that way? While it is true that some
individuals are born with this gift, many effective public speakers have trained
themselves to be so. Either they have received formal media training or they
have delivered so many presentations that over time they’ve learned what
works for them. So, what is the true secret to effective public speaking?

Here are seven principles of public speaking that I’ve developed in my role as
a media coach. Keep them in mind the next time you find yourself presenting
before a group.

Perception: Stop trying to be a great “public” speaker.

People want to listen to someone who is interesting, relaxed, and comfortable.
In the routine conversations we have every day, we have no problem being
ourselves. Yet too often, when we stand up to give a speech, something
changes. We focus on the “public” at the expense of the “speaking.” To
become effective at public speaking, you must do just the opposite: focus on
the speaking and let go of the “public.”

Think of it as a conversation between you and the audience. If you can carry
on a relaxed conversation with one or two people, you can give a great
speech. Whether your audience consists of two people or two thousand and
whether you’re talking about the latest medical breakthrough or what you did
today at work, be yourself; talk directly to people and make a connection with
them.

Perfection: When you make a mistake, no one cares

but you.
Even the most accomplished public speaker will make a mistake at some
point. Just keep in mind that you’ll notice more than anyone in your audience.
The most important thing you can do after making a mistake during a
presentation is to keep going. Don’t stop and—unless the mistake was truly
earth shattering—never apologize to the audience for a minor slip. Unless
they are reading the speech during your delivery, the audience won’t know if
you left out a word, said the wrong name, or skipped a page. Because “to err
is human,” a mistake can work for you, because it allows you to connect with
your audience. People don’t want to hear from someone who is “perfect;” they
will relate much more easily to someone who is real.

Master the art of public speaking and crush your next presentation with one of
our public speaking seminars, available online and in a classic classroom
format.

Effective Executive Speaking

Take your public speaking to the next level! Speak, present
and communicate with poise, power and persuasion.

Visualization: If you can see it, you can speak it.

Winners in all aspects of life have this in common: they practice visualization
to achieve their goals. Sales people envision themselves closing the deal;
executives picture themselves developing new ventures; athletes close their
eyes and imagine themselves making that basket, hitting that home run, or
breaking that record.

The same is true in public speaking. If you’ve read “10 Powerful Body

Language Tips” then you know how anxiety can impact presentation skills.
The best way to fight anxiety and to become a more comfortable speaker is to
practice in the one place where no one else can see you—your mind. If you
visualize on a consistent basis, you’ll prepare your mind for the prospect of
speaking in public, and pretty soon you’ll conquer any feelings of anxiety.

Discipline: Practice makes perfectly good.

Your goal is not to be a perfect public speaker. There is no such thing. Your
goal is to be an effective public speaker. Like anything else in life, it takes
practice to improve those public speaking skills. We too often take
communication for granted because we speak to people everyday. But when
your prosperity is directly linked to how well you perform in front a group, you
need to give the task the same attention as if you were a professional athlete.
Remember, even world champion athletes practice every day. Try taking
a class where you practice giving speeches.
Description: Make it personal.
Whatever the topic, audiences respond best when the presenter can
personalize their message. It’s a terrific way to get intimate with large
audiences. Take the opportunity to put a face on the facts of your
presentation. People like to hear about other people’s experiences—the
triumphs, tragedies, and everyday humorous anecdotes that make up their
lives. Telling stories will give you credibility, and help your listeners engage
more often. Whenever possible, insert a personal-interest element in your
public speaking. This technique will make your listeners warm up to you, but it
will also do wonders at putting you at ease by helping you overcome any
lingering nervousness. After all, on what subject is your expertise greater than
on the subject of yourself?

Inspiration: Speak to serve.

For a twist that is sure to take much of the fear out of public speaking, take the
focus off yourself and shift it to your audience. After all, the objective is not to
benefit the speaker but to benefit the audience, through your speaking skills
teaching, motivation, or entertainment. So, in all your preparation and
presentations, you should think about your purpose. How can you help your
audience members achieve their goals?

Anticipation: Always leave ‘em wanting more.

One of the most valuable lessons I have learned from my years
of communication skills training is that when it comes to public speaking, less
is usually more. I don’t think I’ve ever left a gathering and heard someone say,
“I wish that speaker had spoken longer.” On the other hand, I can imagine
how many speakers probably can’t count the times they’ve thought, “I’m glad
that speech is over. It seemed to go on forever!” So, surprise your audience.
Always make your presentation just a bit shorter than anticipated.
If you’ve followed the first six principles outlined here you already have their
attention and interest, and it’s better to leave your listeners wishing you had
spoken for just a few more minutes than squirming in their seats waiting for
your speech finally to end.
Want to learn more on being an effective speaker? Watch our free webcast on
delivering your message with authority and confidence.

I cannot overstate the importance of speech delivery in the overall success of a public speaker. There
are two equally important skill sets for public speaking. One is messaging, which includes speech
writing, organization, and word choice. The other is speech delivery. Speech delivery can be thought
of as a medium because it is how the message is delivered to the audience via voice and body.
Aristotle understood this division in his oratorical canon: Invention, arrangement, style, and delivery.

Aristotle believed speech delivery to be secondary to invention, arrangement, and style. The message
was more important than the medium. However, we know delivery is important because audiences
often judge orators based on their delivery. Excellent delivery can cover up a weak message.
Unfortunately, the speaker who leans too much on delivery can become one-dimensional and limited
in his or her ability. Beware of speech instructors who teach only delivery.

In this post, I will cover basic rules to help you achieve competency. I distinguish between
competency and mastery. Obviously, it is not a great compliment to say, “my, you sure are a
competent speaker!” But competency must be achieved before you can achieve mastery. This post
will discuss speech delivery in a general sense. Subsequent posts will divide speech delivery into its
parts to move towards mastery.

1. Speech delivery is nonverbal communication

Speech delivery is both physical and vocal. Physical delivery is how you use your body, face, and the
space around you. Vocal delivery has to do with tone, inflection, volume, and other vocal qualities.
Any non-verbal component of your speech constitutes delivery. Most people don’t take a course on
non-verbal communication. They learn it through a combination of socialization and nature. A few
basic facts about non-verbal communication helps our delivery.
A. Sincerity

Humans believe nonverbal cues more than verbal cues. And we judge the sincerity of a statement
based on how it is said. We also believe that we can assess truths and lies based on nonverbal cues
(we can’t). Imagine giving someone a birthday gift. You spend a lot of time choosing and wrapping
the present, and you want them to enjoy it. The recipient opened your gift and replied, “Wonderful,
I’ve always wanted one of these! Thank you!” How those sentences are spoken matters more than the
words themselves. If the thanks have great exuberance and excitement, you believe the words. A
monotone phrase delivered with a slack face and no eye contact will leave you thinking the receiver
didn’t like the gift regardless of what is said.

If the audience doesn’t trust the sincerity of the speaker, they will not listen or accept the message.
Sincerity is of particular importance if you are trying to sell something or someone to the audience.
When considering delivery, always make sure they match the message you are seeking to send.

B. Impressionability

We make decisions about people quickly based on nonverbal cues. One study suggests that most
people on blind dates make judgments about their partners by the time they exchange hello. Usually,
those judgments are predictive of a second date.

As a speaker, the initial impression you make is predictive of how well the audience will receive the
rest of your speech. Start poorly, and it will be difficult to win over the audience later on. Start well,
and it is easier to weather problems later on. In other words, the audience will judge the entirety of
your speech based on the delivery of the first few minutes.

C. Culture vs. Nature

There is debate over which nonverbal behaviors are learned and innate. As a user and receiver of
nonverbal communication, it feels like all nonverbal cues are natural. But that is not the case. If you
are in your native culture, it is best to treat nonverbal communication as natural. It is safe to assume
the audience will receive your delivery as you intend it. If you are not in your native culture, it is well
worth your time to research and observe some common elements of nonverbal communication.
 

2. Converse with your audience, don’t read to them

We talk differently than we write. People don’t sound natural when they are reading an essay as they
do in conversation. Manuscript and extemporaneous modes of delivery embody this difference.
Extemporaneous is a sort of expanded conversation. Most audiences react better to conversational
delivery, and it is easier to build rapport with an audience via conversation rather than reading.
Memorizing a written speech does not mitigate its disadvantages. I recommend using an outline and
practicing your speech in sections rather than attempting to memorize a speech word for word.

3. Don’t distract from your message

Physical movement can be a great addition to your oratory skills, but it can also be a huge distraction
if not done properly. On the positive side, movement draws attention, and large gestures and use of
space connote confidence. Conversely, repetitive motions like pacing or wringing your hands are
distracting and make you look nervous. I suggest you start with what comes naturally to you. From
there you can fine tune to increase or decrease your gestures and rid yourself of nervous ticks and
motions. I usually call this the first rule of delivery: don’t distract from your message.

4. Look them in the eye

In American culture, eye contact is an important sign of respect and caring. The term “contact” itself
expresses how we feel about looking someone in the eye. We think of it as a literal connection with
other people. Being a good public speaker is all about connecting with your audience, if you do not
make eye contact, you are missing a great opportunity and potentially causing harm. It is also not
sufficient to scan the eyes of your audience. Find someone and speak to them for a moment and then
move on to another. Unfortunately, some advise speakers to avoid eye contact as a method to control
the fear of speaking in public.
Conclusion

I could write pages on various topics related to speech delivery, but it is important to have a basic
understanding before moving on to more advanced topics. If you are interested in becoming a master
orator with impressive speech delivery skills, check back for more updates on delivery.