Public speaker, entertainment presenter and voiceover artist Ebs Akintade is well versed in the art of voice projection. This article will share simple yet effective public speaking tips, helping presenters to win over their audience and get their message across.
Projection ensures a speaker’s voice is heard, loud and clear, even at the back of the room. Much more than merely shouting, projection is the ability to use the voice loudly, powerfully and clearly. Projection is an essential tool for public speakers.
Voice projection is important in terms of:
- Capturing and keeping an audience’s attention
- Enabling an audience to hear a speaker clearly and follow their story
- Helping speakers to feel more confident
In terms of improving voice projection, there are several ways a public speaker can achieve this. First, knowing their material is crucial. Great moments during a speech require many components to come together seamlessly. The better the speaker knows their lines, the more fluidly they will be able to interpret and deliver their words, ensuring they are audible and easily understood.
Equally, it is crucial for public speakers to know their space. Will they be speaking in a large auditorium, on camera or outdoors? Each of these spaces has its own unique acoustics. It is prudent to visit the space ahead of time to rehearse. Equally, it is important for the speaker to ascertain whether their voice will be amplified by means of a microphone.
A good speaking voice is low rather than high-pitched. Rather than being flat and monotonous, it resonates. Certain breathing techniques can be used to create a reverberating chamber in the chest, with numerous tutorials available from some of the world’s most eloquent speakers.
It is vital for public speakers to vary their volume throughout their presentation. Doing so will enable them to stress importance, generate excitement and enthusiasm, re-engage distracted audience members, compare and contrast between different concepts, and create a sense of urgency.
Before their speech, the speaker should always take time to warm their voice up properly. It is also important for speakers to articular clearly, practicing articulation drills regularly. As with most things in life, with voice projection, practice really does makes perfect. The more public speakers invest in learning how to project their voice, the better they will get at it.
