Public speaking is one of the most valued skills in the workplace. Getting your ideas across to your peers clearly and concisely is crucial to being successful. Many people struggle with public speaking well into adulthood, holding them back in their careers.

I’ve personally struggled with public speaking throughout my childhood. In grade school, I was the shy kid who wouldn’t dare speak in front of an audience. Even though I struggled, I practiced and eventually overcame my fear of public speaking. In 8th grade, I gave a speech at graduation in front of an audience of more than a thousand people. This just goes to show that improvement in public speaking is possible. It’s not something you’re just born with!

If you start practicing while you’re in high school, you’ll be way ahead of your peers. Here are five tips that you can use to improve your public speaking now!

1. Inflections are important

Many students have a habit of sounding monotone during presentations or projects. The result is an extremely bored audience, causing your listeners to tune out and miss important information. To practice, focus on using more inflections in your voice in everyday conversations. When you practice a presentation or speech, recording yourself with Speeko, and listen to the recording to see if you sound like how you imagined in your head.

2. Eye contact can be easy

Eye contact helps you to establish a personal connection with your listeners. If eye contact makes you nervous, start by looking at your audience members’ shoulders or foreheads. No one will notice a difference, and you’ll still appear engaged and confident!

3. The power of the pause

You might think that pausing during your speech can make you sound unprepared or nervous. Rather, the opposite is true. When you become comfortable with pauses, you sound even more confident. Pauses allow you to pace yourself and improve your breathing, which keeps your body relaxed. Pauses also give your audience the opportunity to stop and reflect on your message. Think of pauses like punctuation. Pause whenever there would be a comma or period. It might feel awkward at first, but it won’t take long before you start noticing improvements in your vocal delivery.

4. It’s okay to be nervous

Even the most experienced public speakers feel nervous before they speak. A racing heart, an uneasy stomach, and sweaty palms are all natural responses. It’s perfectly normal to have these sensations. The goal isn’t to eliminate the butterflies — that’s nearly impossible — but to get them to fly in formation. There are easy techniques you can learn, like visualization and deep breathing, to start managing those pesky nerves.

5. Practice, practice, practice

When it comes down to it, practice is the only way to improve your public speaking skills. Just like for playing sports or learning a musical instrument, practice is how you make public speaking skills second-nature for the next time you go up on a stage or in front of a classroom.

With Speeko, you get guided practice for all these techniques, from pausing to managing nerves. You get tailored feedback and interactive activities that will help you reach your goals, whether you’re preparing for a presentation, an interview, or classroom discussions. Try Speeko for free today!

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Written by Eric Pan

Eric Pan, a current Junior at the Illinois Math and Science Academy, is a Business Development Intern at Speeko. He is currently a member of the Student Council and teaches leadership courses to Sophomores. As a student who has vastly improved his public speaking, he’s always enthusiastic about helping others with their public-speaking journey through Speeko!

So To Speak