Top 10 Characteristics of Effective Public Speakers

Great public speakers are created, not born. Their desire to improve their public speaking skills drives them to strive for perfection. It is not an easy task to become an effective public speaker. A competent speaker must be able to convey information while also entertaining and engaging the audience. 

If you lack the qualities or eloquence to inspire, public speaking can be terrifying. If your public speaking skills are lacking, your presentation will most likely fail to effectively convey your message. Fortunately, if you have the drive, learning about the essential characteristics of effective professional speakers is a great way to start.

Below are some essential qualities and characteristics of effective public speakers that will help in enhancing your public speaking ability to inspire, influence, and have a significant impact on your audience.

1. Confidence

Confidence tops the list of qualities that contribute to a successful presentation. A confident public speaker is usually perceived by the audience to be more authentic, informed, smart, and likable than a speaker who is less sure of what they are saying. It's normal to get nervous while giving a presentation, but to ace as a good public speaker, you must overcome this nervousness.

If you are nervous before a presentation, you must find a way to let it go. One method for overcoming fear is to involve your audience more in your presentation to build rapport. Ultimately, the key to success is to practice, practice, and practice some more. If you get to the stage where what you do is second nature, confidence will naturally flow.

2. Storytelling skills

When a presentation does not feel like a presentation it is more effective and engaging. Understand how to tell your story. Give your audience context for everything you tell them. Instead of just talking about the facts and formal details, share your own stories, ideas, and experiences that reinforce your ideas. When you speak from a place of authenticity and passion, your audience is more likely to connect wth your message on a deeper level.

3. Conciseness

Even if you're one of the most intriguing and participatory public speakers, keep your presentation brief and to the point. Your audience's attention span is short. You must capture and maintain their attention by moving through your points smoothly and effectively. If your presentation is too long, then try to break it into smaller parts or introduce some variety – see next point.

4. Varied delivery

Attention spans are short, and you droning on for 20 minutes pointing at PowerPoint slides is unlikely to retain the attention of many audience members. So be sure to change position, change tone, change presentation method, interact with the audience, introduce co-speakers, show a video etc. before you lose them – i.e., change it up regularly. 
 

5. Knowledge of audience

Before you start your presentation, make sure you understand who your audience is. You should be familiar with who they are, what they do and what they want. Knowing this information will allow you to better connect with them and present to them in a way that they will respond to and learn from.

6. Authenticity

Always be yourself. Be open about your life, even failures, as your audience will connect with you through your honesty.  No matter how much you have practiced your speech, if you do not come across as natural and authentic, your audience will not trust you as an information provider.

7. Passionate delivery

You must be passionate about your subject to effectively communicate your speech. If the audience cannot see that the topic excites you, it’s unlikely to excite them. Your speech will have less impact if it is not delivered with passion. Emotions that flow naturally are elicited by passion. Emotions captivate an audience and effectively communicate a message. Emotions cannot be manufactured. To move your audience, you must exude a level of sincerity in your emotions. 

8. Self-Awareness and continuous self-improvement

To be a successful public speaker, you must first understand yourself and your strengths and weaknesses. Most effective speakers work hard to maximize their strengths and minimize their weaknesses. 

To begin with, make a list of all of your best qualities that distinguish you. Consider how these characteristics manifest themselves during a presentation.  Is it your sense of humor that elevates your presentation? Or is it storytelling ability? Understanding your strengths as a public speaker will help you engage with your audience.

Professional public speakers are also always looking for ways to improve areas where they are weak. Make a list of the qualities you believe are lacking and devise a program of improvement. 

9. Repeat key messages

Repetition can help ensure that your audience remembers the main points of your presentation. It promotes clarity and aids in the retention of an idea. Determine what you want your audience to take away from your speech and then use repetition to drive those points home. 

10. Voice awareness

Avoid speaking in a tone that appears overly rehearsed, but consider the pace and intonation patterns of your delivery. Modulate your voice naturally. As a public speaker, voice modulation can make or break a performance by helping to retain attention. 

Record yourself and listen to it afterwards to understand how your speech will sound to your audience. When listening back, consider whether you would be excited and engaged by your portrayal and the information you're providing. 
 

Conclusion

To be an effective speaker, you must continuously work to improve your ability to connect with, relate to, and engage your audience. A great way to understand what the potential areas for improvement are is to study and emulate the above characteristics of powerful public speakers. We hope these tips help you hone your speaking skills, and wish you the best in your speaking career.

About the author:

Harikrishna Kundariya, a marketer, developer, IoT, ChatBot & Blockchain savvy, designer, co-founder, and Director of eSparkBiz Technologies. His 10+ experience enables him to provide digital solutions to new start-ups based on IoT and ChatBot.