Do you often rely on advice from people you perceive to be ‘experts’ or ‘experienced’ in a particular field or skill? Be very careful. Listening to misguided ‘advice’ may land you in trouble – it may even ruin your image or career.

The following are well-intentioned advice, but best avoided.

Learn the speech off by heart or read it!

This advice is supposed to prevent you from forgetting what you have to say, but it will most certainly prevent you from connecting with your audience.

If you use a script you will be tempted to read it and you will disconnect from your audience and if you try to memorise the script you will be under tremendous pressure to recall the material. You will set yourself up for failure because if you go off the script, there is no way back.

The best public speakers know their material very well, but they do not read it and they don’t try to recall it from memory. They use notes (mostly key-words that will remind you of what to say) in large print so that you can see it standing up.

Rehearse in front of a mirror

Several books and internet sites recommend that you should rehearse in from of a mirror. I find this most distracting. The only thing you could possibly gain from this is to know what you look like. There are other ways to determine how you come across. Ask someone! Or if you really MUST see for yourself, then use a video recorder.

You can’t learn your material by looking in the mirror because you need to concentrate on forming visuals in your mind to remember the main points, sequence etc.

Use a lot of slides or distract the audience with material handed out

This advice is meant to draw the audience’s attention away from you and onto something else. There is only one thing wrong with this advice - you are supposed to be the centre of attention! Your audience wants to look at you and they want to hear what you have to say. It is a good idea to use visual aids, but it should compliment your speech – not distract your audience from it!

The material handed out to the audience should only be a copy of the presentation – not your entire script and it should only be handed out beforehand if it is an important reference for the audience during your speech, otherwise it should be handed out after your speech.

Public speaking is about being in the spotlight!

Wear a cartoon tie or something funny for humour

This is the worst advice! You will not gain favour by dressing inappropriately. People won’t think that you are funny – they will think that you don’t know better. Always make sure that you are tastefully dressed. Men should wear a suit and tie and ladies should wear a business suit or dress. Remember, you want to be taken seriously. Your credibility is at stake. Looking your best will give you the confidence you need to make a brilliant speech.

Start off with a joke!

This is another misguided tip that is meant to get the audience on your side. Unless you are a comedienne, do not tell a joke. Humour is good, if it is appropriate, well-timed and relevant.

Admit that you're nervous

This advice is supposed to help you gain the sympathy and support of your audience. Some people even apologise for not being good enough and they will even say that this is their first time! This does not work!

The fact is that your audience wants you to succeed. They want you to deliver an awesome speech. Be careful, because if you suggest that your speech may be lousy, they will believe you and they will switch off.

A great introduction will help you to ‘wow’ your audience and you will gain the favour of your audience. It will give you the confidence you need to deliver an awesome speech. The introduction is one part of the speech that you can memorise to get you through the first few moments. Tell your audience who you are, what your speech is about and the value they will get from listening to it.

Stand still and don't use your hands

Don’t be tempted to stand there like a dummy. It is unnatural and you will create distance between yourself and your audience.

The best way to make contact with an audience and to keep their attention is to behave as if you are speaking to them in a normal conversation. It’s ok to move around and to use gestures. It's always better to look and appear natural.

Avoid some obvious distractions, like playing with something in your hands or pacing. If what you are saying is interesting, people will listen.

Stare over the heads of the audience

This is a way of pretending to establish eye contact without really doing so, because some people feel awkward about it. They don't really want to look at the audience. The idea is that, if you look out over their heads, they will think you are looking at them. Actually, they won't. They'll think "Why is this person looking over my head?"

The key factor in gaining an audience's attention - and keeping it (apart from the fascinating content of your talk) is eye contact. Your audience will stop listening if you don’t make eye contact. Scan the room. Don’t focus on just one or two people. Make eye contact with as many people as possible.

Have a drink to calm your nerves

No! Alcohol is never good for nervousness. You will make a complete fool of yourself. Alcohol will not calm you down, it will simply make you either slightly, or very drunk. Tipsy has never equalled success!

Imagine the audience naked

Now there’s a thought! This is supposed to calm the nerves! Malcolm Kushner, author of Successful Presentations for Dummies says there is probably half the audience who you wouldn't mind seeing naked. The other half you certainly would never want to see naked! Either way, it's not a calming thought.

Another 'tip' I have come across is to pretend that the audience isn't there. This probably works in a way because I can guarantee, if you pretend the audience isn't there, pretty soon they won't be!

By Elsabé Manning

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