Delivering your speech
"Heightened conversation" is one of the terms used to refer to the preferred delivery style that is most common in the United States today.
The idea is to strive for a natural, confident, and interactive style of delivery.
Effective delivery is important to both the speaker and the audience.
Effective delivery helps the speaker convey the meaning of their speech and helps the speaker hold the attention of the audience.
Delivery styles will vary according to the situation, the speaker, and the audience.
Some situations call for very formal delivery.
This is particularly the case in with large audiences and more traditional situations.
With smaller groups, particularly when you are more familiar with them, a more relaxed style of delivery will be most comfortable to you and the audience.
For delivery to be effective it is important not to focus your attention on what you are doing but, rather, on interacting with the audience.
There are two basic aspects of delivery:
- How you look (nonverbal) and
- How you sound (vocal).
Vocal delivery
Our minds are stimulated by variety and so variety in pitch and tone, rate, volume and inflection help to create an interesting tone and help the audience stay attentive.
The following video talks about how to do this.
Pauses are the speaker's friend when it comes to delivery.
Varying the length of the pauses; pausing before important statements to prompt the audience that what is coming is important; pausing after important statements to let the meaning sink in; and pausing to allow the audience to process what you are saying strategically throughout the speech all make the speech more interesting and engaging for the audience.
The following video discusses one of the most important techniques in vocal delivery.
What to avoid in vocal delivery
The most obvious thing to avoid is a boring tone.Reading a speech or delivery word for word from memory can often result in a boring, sing-song or unnatural tone.
You are striving for a natural, more conversational tone and interaction with the audience.
In the same vein, speaking too quickly or too slowly can feel unnatural to the audience and stop them from understanding your main points.
The second biggest mistake that speakers make is the use of vocalized pauses.
Instead of pausing to gather their thoughts, speakers use "um" and "uh" which can become very distracting for the audience and reduce the speaker's ethos because it gives the audience the impression that the speaker is not knowledgeable about the topic or is unprepared for the presentation.
A pause is the best substitute.
This will help the audience to process what you are saying as well as make you look on top of things.
Finally, be sure that you know how to pronounce words correctly.
When you prepare your speech, look up any words you do not know how to pronounce.
There is nothing that will reduce your ethos so quickly and completely as being unable to pronounce a word or phrase correctly.
Practicing your presentation aloud (especially in front of others) should help to pinpoint any words you are not familiar with so you can check on them.
Nonverbal Delivery
Appearance
I have always emphasized to my students that they should get "dressed up" for their speeches.
What I have learned is that while I was thinking of wearing more formal attire such as a suit for the women or a jacket and tie for the men, I have been amazed at how many people dress up in clothes they would wear to a club.
While this is certainly dressed up it does nothing to enhance their credibility.
Wearing something that is more formal will help the speaker to feel more confident and project a positive image.
The most important aspect of attire is to make sure that what you are wearing is not distracting to the audience and that you feel comfortable and confident.
It is a good idea to practice your presentation in the clothes you plan to wear for the event.
Although this may sound like an unnecessary step, it could help avoid some unexpected and unwanted distractions.
For example, if you are demonstrating something during your speech you may find that wearing a suit coat restricts your movement or wearing heels makes it more difficult.
Facial Expression
The audience will be watching you carefully and it is important that your facial expression match what you are saying to help build ethos.
If you are excited, happy, serious, concerned or any other range of emotions the most effective way to build pathos is to allow these feelings to be reflected in your facial expression.
Having a deadpan look will limit your ability to develop pathos in your presentation and could also contribute to losing the attention of the audience or reducing ethos.
Posture and Movement
Use posture and movement to add ethos and help build your logos.
When you look confident you will project confidence. Avoid shifting your weight from one leg to another or standing on one leg.
Avoid slouching or leaning on the lectern.
Don't fidget with things, rattle the change in your pocket, or engage in any other distracting habits that reduce your credibility.
Make movement meaningful.
If you want to move about the stage area, move at the end of a point before you move on to the next point.
Avoid pacing from one side of the audience to another.
This may be tempting if you are trying to include a large audience who are seated all around you but you will be more effective if you deliver one point to one section of the audience, pause, and then deliver the next point or sub point to another section of the audience and so on.
Believe me, the audience will still feel that you are addressing each of them directly.
Gestures
Gestures are important additions to the verbal message.
They help to clarify points, emphasize points, add variety to the delivery, hold the audience's attention, and enhance the flow of the message.
Remember, you would use gestures in conversation.
Use similar gestures in the speech.
Gestures work best when they are coordinated to the message and appear natural and spontaneous.
Avoid extremes when it comes to using gestures.
Do not overuse them or use gestures that are so dramatic that they distract from your message.
Do not stand rigid and unmoving as this will also be distracting.
Eye Contact
The most important aspect of nonverbal delivery is eye contact. Your eye contact should be sustained and you should scan the audience while speaking.
It is important to sustain eye contact with the audience and speak to them instead of reading from a paper. This will help to engage the audience as listeners and will add to your credibility as a speaker.
If a salesperson came to you and wanted you to buy a product of theirs, would it be effective for them to read to you why you should buy their product? No. You likely would find them to be less believable if they have to read their notes verbatim as to why their product is superior.
On the other hand, if a salesperson looked you in the eye while speaking and describing their product, you likely will find them to be more credible and are likely going to give them more attention than if they were reading a pitch to you.
In order to effectively sustain eye contact, speakers should practice their speech multiple times before delivering it. Use a set of notes to jog your memory for certain points, but do not use a full outline to deliver your speech. Remember to speak extemporaneously.
Next, it is important scan the audience while sustaining eye contact with them. Do not only look at one person while speaking. This can be uncomfortable for them and the rest of the audience. Look at each person in the audience while speaking. Speak to those in the front, the back, and the sides of the room.
Remember, for your speeches, you are to speak to the audience. Do not speak directly into the camera. While your speeches are recorded, you are not to speak directly into the camera, you are to speak and sustain eye contact to your live audience.
TIP: The best way to learn about good delivery is to watch what other people do and to learn from both the things they do well as well as their mistakes.