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How to Become an Influential Speaker

Having good speaking skills is required in both formal and informal setups.  Sometimes we need to express our views on a topic in front of people, e.g. in a classroom, in a meeting, seminars, workshops or other similar activities. We may have to record a message for audience to be telecasted on television channel or published on an online website. We need to negotiate with people in our routine life. We have to express ourselves in an interview for a job. We engage in discussions in informal setups, e.g. with family members, friends, colleagues, strangers and so on. All of the mentioned interactions involve verbal communication. How well you perform in all these interactions depends solely on your communication skills.

The primary purpose of speaking to someone is not only to convey information to them but to influence them depending upon information conveyed to them. This influence, whether intentional or unintentional, is to make the listeners act or think in a specific way, to change their view or attitude towards something, to convince them, to impress them, or at least to make them believe that we are true in what we said. Our communication may be aimed at creating any kind of impact on the audience but it requires really influential speaking skills to create that impact.

The most important skills to become an influential speaker are as follows:

   Confidence

Confidence and boldness are two qualities of successful speaker. Have confidence in yourself and in your words. You confidence should reflect on your face. Never shy while talking to other. Be expressive.

Speaking to a large number of people makes us a bit nervous. It is natural. The presence of others exerts a kind of social pressure on us. If you have to deliver a lecture or a speech in front of many people, don’t be panic. Just think that they are also human beings like you.

   Clarity in utterance

Uttering words clearly is very much important. Don’t talk too hastily mixing two or three to sound like one word. Speak clearly so that others can grasp what you are saying.

   Use varying tone

Your voice tone should change according to nature of ideas you are expressing. Speaking in a same tone for long time will bore the audience. There should fluctuation your voice level as well as the flow of your voice. Adopt the tone of voice according to nature of ideas being expressed, e.g. serious, joyful, exuberant, excited, and so on.

   Sound logical

Your ideas should make a sense to the audience. If your words should sound logical, it will draw the attention of the listener. Your statement should be based on notions which are widely acceptable. Depending upon the setup of your discussion, you can also justify your statement by giving facts, quotations or examples.

   Body language

Good body language is vital for influential speaking. Moving your hands back and forth while speaking has a deep impact on the audience. It adds to the influence of your words. Don’t just stand or sit firm while speaking for a long. Move your hands according to your ideas. For instance, you are to motivate the people, use fist with folded arm to show a strong determination. Similarly, while referring to a near or a far thing, you can move your hand to represent it by your body language.

   Facial expression

Never look too serious or too humorous during general discussions. Give a relaxed look to the audience. Our facial expression changes with the content of our verbal expression. To enhance the influence of your verbal expression, it is better to focus on molding our facial expression according to the content of our verbal expression.

   Eye contact with audience

Maintain a proper eye contact with the listener. It makes them feel the importance of your message. It helps you engage them in understanding your words. While delivering a speech, or being interviewed it is very important to have proper contact with the audience or interviewer respectively.

   Be a good listener

You should be a good listener to become a good speaker. Never keeping talking without giving turn to the listener to respond to what you say. When someone is speaking, give them time to speak and listen to them carefully. Value their ideas. It is all about building a rapport with others while speaking to them.

   Convincing power

A good convincing power is a quality of successful speakers. If you have good communication skills, you will convince other easily. Sounding logically, using varying tone, valuing other’s idea and speaking relevantly help you develop a good convincing power.

   Don’t be boring

You have to engage audience to listen to you attentively. For this, your discussion should be appealing enough to catch their attention for long. Don’t be boring by remaining serious while speaking for a long. Even if you have to deliver a very serious lecture or speech, try to have a room for cracking a joke or sharing some amusing information with audience. It helps you to engage them listening to you and grasping your ideas for as long as you continue.

   Practice

Developing good speaking skills require practice. Practice the above hints as much as possible to refine your communication skills in general. For specific occasions like delivering a speech, you should really plan about the content of your speech and practice how to deliver them before the real day of the speech.