10 Public Speaking Tips to Help You Own the Room
Let’s face it – public speaking can be terrifying. Most people would rather jump out of a plane than stand in front of a crowd. But here’s the truth: even the most confident speakers once stood where you are now, knees knocking and voice shaking. The difference? They pushed through it. And with these ten no-nonsense tips, you can too.
1. Know Your Audience
Don’t wing it. Ever. The speakers who seem to be improvising? They’ve done their homework. Before you write a single word, ask yourself: Who are these people? What keeps them up at night? What problem can I solve for them? Answer these questions, and you’re already ahead of 90% of speakers.
2. Visualise Success
Your brain doesn’t know the difference between reality and imagination. So use that to your advantage. Before you step on stage, take 30 seconds to see yourself crushing it. Picture the audience leaning forward, hanging on your every word. It’s not just positive thinking—it’s mental preparation that works.
3. Use Visual Aids (But Don’t Hide Behind Them)
PowerPoint should support your message, not be your message. If your audience could get everything from your slides, why are you even there? Keep visuals clean, simple, and punchy. Remember: you’re the star, not your slides.
4. Share Personal Stories
Facts tell, stories sell. When you share something authentic from your life, something magical happens—people stop checking their phones and start listening. A well-placed personal story can do more heavy lifting than ten minutes of data.
5. Find the Right Focal Point
Terrified of eye contact? Here’s a hack: focus just above heads in the back row. It looks like eye contact without the intimidation. For smaller groups, find the nodders—those engaged listeners who are giving you positive feedback—and talk directly to them.
6. Ditch the Script
Nothing kills authenticity faster than reading verbatim from notes. And memorizing? That’s just setting yourself up for a brain freeze. Instead, know your key points cold and let the specific words flow naturally. Trust yourself enough to speak like a human, not a robot.
7. Keep It Simple
If your sentence needs multiple breaths to get through, it’s too long. Spoken language needs to be punchier than written language. Short sentences. Strong verbs. Clear points. Your audience will thank you.
8. Crush Those Filler Words
Every “um,” “like,” and “you know” chips away at your authority. Record yourself speaking and you’ll be horrified by how many you use. The fix? Practice pausing instead. A moment of silence feels awkward to you but powerful to your audience.
9. Move With Purpose
Your body talks even when your mouth doesn’t. Standing frozen like a statue screams “I’m terrified!” But bouncing around like a pinball is just as bad. Move deliberately—step forward to hammer home a point, use hands to emphasize, and command your space like you own it.
10. Practice Until It Hurts (Then Practice More)
There’s no shortcut here. Great speakers make it look easy because they’ve done the work. Present to your dog, your mirror, your brutally honest friend. Record yourself. Critique yourself. Then do it again. The only path to confidence runs straight through discomfort.
Now get out there and own that room. The world needs to hear what you have to say.
