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Whether you’re giving a big presentation at work or just talking to new friends, you want to communicate your ideas in the smartest way possible. But how can you do that? Decode your audience’s body language to understand how your words impact them. Practice with Brainscape’s free flashcards to improve your vocabulary and grammar, a key ingredient in sounding smart.
1. Know Your Material
The first step in talking smartly is to have intelligent things to say. Whether you’re arguing politics with your friends or conversing at work, sounding wise and well-informed establishes your credibility. It’s easy to jumble your words or repeat yourself in an attempt to seem intelligent, but a few new habits can help you sound eloquent and confident.
One way to sound smarter is by preparing thoroughly for presentations. Writing down your main points on 3 x 5 cards that are easily identifiable and numbered is a good way to make sure you don’t forget your material while speaking. You can also write delivery cues on your cards, like “take a pause,” “emphasize this word,” or “look at audience,” to guide your speech.
It’s important to be familiar with your subject and the information you’re presenting. It’s also helpful to have plenty of supporting statistics that back up your key points, which will increase your credibility as a speaker. You should also be aware of how your tone affects how smart you sound, as vocal tics like “vocal fry” and uptalk can make you sound less intelligent. Expanding your vocabulary is a great way to improve the sound of your speech, but don’t force it; using jargon that your audience doesn’t understand will only confuse them and annoy them.
2. Be Confident
People are able to tell whether or not you have confidence in what you are saying by your body language. Slouching, fidgeting and pacing around can make you seem nervous or insecure, while sitting up straight and gesturing can project confidence.
It’s important to avoid over-confidence, though, as arrogance can turn listeners off from your message and make them question your credibility. Be sure to show humility and a sincere interest in the ideas of others when listening, as well.
Speaking slowly can also help you sound more confident and in control. Many speakers rush through their talking points in order to finish the conversation sooner, but speaking quickly makes your nervousness and self-consciousness obvious to your audience.
Using a monotone voice, yelling or overusing filler words can make you sound insecure and unconvincing. Instead, try to vary the tone of your voice and use pauses to emphasize important messages.
Your gestures can be another way to convey confidence, but be careful not to overuse them. Using too many hand gestures while speaking can make you appear nervous and frantic. In addition, you should avoid leaning on a wall or podium or slouching your shoulders while speaking. Instead, stand up tall to show your audience that you are in command of the situation. This is one of the best ways to look and feel more confident when speaking in public.
4. Focus on Your Audience
The best way to speak smartly is to think like your audience. You’ve probably sat through presentations in which the speaker seemed completely unengaged with their content and/or the audience. This lack of focus is a common mistake made by speakers who aren’t using an audience-focused approach to their marketing tactics. An audience-focused approach involves a deep understanding of the audience you are trying to reach, including their needs, wants, and preferences. This information is used to develop and deliver the right content at the right times, ensuring that you meet your audience’s expectations.
A great way to stay focused while speaking is to look people in the eyes as you talk. This can help you stay on track and avoid getting distracted by the occasional confusion or misinterpretation. It’s also a good idea to record yourself and listen to the recording so you can identify any filler words or pauses that may detract from your message.
Another great strategy is to use statistics and data when possible. These are proven to increase audience and listener retention, plus they can add a sense of veracity and credibility to your presentation. Adding this type of content can be especially helpful when you are talking about something that is a bit abstract or difficult to understand. This will make your audience feel as though you are being open and honest with them, and it can also help them visualize what you are discussing.
