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4 things to do before speaking in public, according to a news anchor with over a decade of experience

LinkedIn Influencer Betty Liu published this post originally on LinkedIn.

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A side benefit of becoming a well-known and successful entrepreneur is that you suddenly get asked to speak at any and every event.

You realize that there really is an event for everything — from devotees of light bulbs to food science to birds. And surprisingly, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of people who attend.

speech presentation audience lecture
Ensure your speech makes a splash. Matej Kastelic/Shutterstock

Every entrepreneur gets asked to speak; not every entrepreneur can speak well. I saw Mark Zuckerberg speak at a recent event, and even he looked a touch hesitant just before taking the podium. Public speaking is not easy — but it's certainly teachable. And it's also good for your business.

So before you take the stage, read these four pointers. They will ensure that your speech makes a splash.

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1. Smile.

Seriously, don't forget to smile. One speechwriter I know makes sure to front-load his scripts with jokes — just to help his client remember to smile and laugh. It's easy to be nervous and in your head right before you take the mic — but if you're not careful, your pensive face may come off as grumpy. Not a great first impression. Your job right when you take the stage is to connect with your audience. So when you walk onstage, be sure to stand up straight, wave, and SMILE.

2. Get off script.

I used to rely heavily on scripts when speaking onstage. Now, I ad lib my way through with the help of some notes jotted down. Why is that? First and foremost: when speaking onstage, you want to have a conversation with your audience — and you can't do that if you're reading from a stack of papers.

Secondly, every single word you say has to be spoken with conviction, and you can't do that by reading the words. Lastly, getting off script allows you to come out from behind the podium and walk around onstage, which is so much better than being blocked by a big piece of wood.

Of course, in order to get off script, you have to have your crucial talking points memorized. Thankfully, memory expert Jim Kwik shared some of his best brain-boosting tips in this Radiate video:

 

3. Know your audience.

After a while, you might find that you are speaking about the same topic over and over again. You'll make the same points, tell the same jokes, and share the same stories. That's OK — a lot of people who speak publicly do the same thing. But just because you're giving the same talk doesn't mean you're speaking to the same audience.

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Take the time to learn who's attending the event. That way, you can speak directly to them and their experiences. A group of sales associates will react very differently to your talk than a group of advertisers. Remember to keep their needs in mind and, most importantly, respect them. Having the opportunity to speak to an audience is a privilege, not a right.

4. Storytell, storytell, storytell.

Call it the caveman in all of us. We human beings have been telling stories since the dawn of our species — first around a campfire, then in books, and now in whatever format we desire. Research shows that hearing stories triggers feel-good chemicals in our brains, and that we even get stressed when we hear tense parts in a story. Whatever is happening biologically, we know that stories will make your speech memorable.

"That slide was the best slide ever," said no one ever. You're far more likely to hear something like, "Wow, that story was really interesting." Remember that if you want to make a big impression, tell impressive stories. Stories happen every day — tap into that inner caveman to bring them out.

With these tips in your public speaking toolkit, you'll knock your next speaking engagement out of the park. Let me know how it goes in the comments.

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If you liked this article and want more content to help you become a better manager and leader, join the Radiate community by clicking here.

Betty Liu is an anchor on Bloomberg Television and founder of Radiate, Inc, a media technology platform that unlocks knowledge from the world's most successful people. An award-winning business journalist, Liu regularly interviews influential business, political and media leaders including Warren Buffett, Carlos Slim, Elon Musk, Steve Schwarzman and many others. Check out the Radiate podcast on iTunes and stay tuned for more updates at www.radiateinc.com.

Read the original article on LinkedIn. Copyright 2017. Follow LinkedIn on Twitter.
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