Boost Your Speech With Eloquence With These 9 Simple Ways

 

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Have you ever been amazed by a speaker’s eloquence in delivering the speech in front of hundreds of people? Fascinated by the confidence that they exude? Do you also want to be like that speaker? Do you also want to amaze your peers with your eloquent speech? Dazzle your boss with your skills and be admired by people?

Speaking in public is an essential part of life, and this is true for everyone. Be it discussing your paper in front of your high school class or giving a presentation about your new ideas to your boss. This skill will help you nail these events without wanting to bolt.

The skill of speaking in an eloquent manner can be learned over time with determination and persistence by putting in the required efforts to get the desired results. There is no shortcut to sharpening your skills. It is a multi-layered process with various steps. Here are some of the ways to bring eloquence to your speech.

1.    Read

For any aspiring speaker, the importance of reading just cannot be emphasised enough. An eloquent speaker is one who reads a lot and is in the habit of being aware of their surroundings. Reading helps in broadening your mind by telling you about different aspects of life. It also adds to your vocabulary and helps in sharpening your language skills. 

Reading is not only an activity meant for entertainment, but it is also a way to improve your concentration and works as an ice breaker for fellow book lovers. There is nothing wrong associated with reading but only benefits to reap. It is an addictive habit with the right kind of books at your disposal from brilliant authors.

2.    Practice in advance

‘Rome was not built in one day.’

You can only expect to achieve brilliance in a skill if you practice it thoroughly. Do not be disheartened if you are not able to ace your first speech. Nobody is perfect. As humans, we make mistakes, but what matters is that you learn from mistakes, practice, and dazzle your audience in the next speech.

Instead of being overconfident about your speech, it is always better to rehearse it first before going on the stage. You can practice in front of the mirror or rehearse in front of someone who can tell you the mistakes you might be making. Go through your notes before going on stage so that you do not stutter or break the flow of your speech, trying to remember the next point.

3.    Use clear words

In simple words, don’t be a Joey! You don’t need to use fancy words to sound smart. In turn, they make you look like you are trying too hard. Not only will they hamper your flow, but it will also go right over the head of your audience. 

Not everyone in the audience will have a vocabulary equivalent to Shakespeare, so tone it down a bit. In addition to this do not use technical jargon too. Even if you are giving a presentation that requires you to use it, try to explain it in layman terms. Using the language that is easily understandable by the audience is bound to present you as an experienced speaker.

4.    Enunciate

If you don't speak with clarity, your audience will lose interest in your speech after some time. It will give you a bad name as a speaker who cannot be understood by the audience. So enunciate your words clearly to come across as an eloquent speaker.

5.    Speed of delivery

Have you ever heard a speaker with such a slow drawl that you are snoring in your seat halfway through the speech? A speaker whose momentum is enough to give Eminem a run for his money? In both, the speaker is rejected by the audience because of the inability to bind them in a flow.

When you are up on stage, make sure that you choose a speed of speech delivery that is suitable for the audience as well as within the time limits of your session. Practice it first so that you know if you are going wrong with your speed. Take breaks in between after the points to let the audience grasp the previous point made by you. Consider your audience and their ability to soak in your words and adjust your delivery according to them. Your motive is to convince them of your point, and you cannot do it if they are snoring or feeling mugged up by your words.

6.    Start with a story

This technique is used by many speakers to capture the attention of their audience. It helps in building a foundation with your audience and helps to put them at ease. It need not be a personal story. It can be related to the topic you are presenting or just a humorous one. You can start with a story and continue it with your speech while making parallels with the main content.

7.    Engage with the audience

Many budding speakers make this mistake. You are there to present your thoughts to the people, and they are there because they expect it to work for them. How can you expect, if one party is entirely excluded from the session, your speech to be helpful?

Be attentive to the people present. Acknowledge them. Launch into a question and answer session to know of their views. Listen to them. Engaging with the audience is bound to make your speech more fun and present you as an excellent speaker.

8.    Body language

Body language is to be given its due attention as it is crucial. Your body language can make or break your session. A speaker who slouches or fidgets with his/her fingers gives the audience the impression that he/she is not confident. Also, no eye contact will give your audience a poor opinion.

So work on your body language to have a better image as a speaker. Stand straight and let the people know through your body that you mean business.

9.    Relax

It is important to relax before sessions. Fidgeting in your seat, wondering how you will perform or regretting your mistakes after it is not good. Neither is being tensed up during the session. Relax and let your confident personality through.

A confident speaker will be able to engage with the audience in a better manner than a non-relaxed one. Even if you make a mistake or forget a point, it is not the end of the world. You can get back to the track and continue to amaze your audience with your skills if you relax for a minute. Everyone understands how nerve-racking it is to speak in front of a group of people.

These are some of the tips that can help you be an eloquent speaker and make your audience love you. It will make them look forward to your next speech because of your skills to conduct an engaging and helpful session.

Written by - Isha Jain

Edited by - Shelton Prabhakar