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O.K. This may go without saying, but I’m going to say it anyway. Before you speak to an audience, you need to research your topic — even if you know it like the back of your hand.

Why is researching important?

Quick! Cover the back of your hand. Now describe it in detail without looking. No peeking!
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Would you read this if it didn’t draw you in? Then don’t expect your audience to listen to you if your talk doesn’t do the same.

When you open your speech with a bang, you get the attention of the audience. This is a very important stage in your speech. As you deliver what you have prepared, you need to have the attention of our audience.

How do you do that? There are numerous tips available, some are tested and proven while others are not yet common but may work for you. Here are four ideas for opening your next speech with a bang.
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Have you ever had to speak before an audience who was hostile toward your topic? If not, it will surely happen sometime. The following tips may help you ease that hostility:

Be attentive and understand the question being raised
A person from the audience is asking you questions just for the sake of asking questions. Do not respond with sarcasm. No matter how challenging the question is, keep your cool and answer accordingly.
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Imagine if public speakers were super-heroes. What wold their powers be? If I were to describe the powers of Public Speaking Woman or Orator Man, this is how I would do it:

The Power of Eye Contact
Sincerity is a great element in public speaking. No other part of the body can show it better than the eyes. When Public Speaking Woman speaks in front of people, she looks at them, and makes eye contact with several people in the room. This way she helps establish rapport with her audience and shows them that she is honest about what she is sharing with them.

The Power of Visual Aids
Not all people are willing to listen that long. So, in order to retain their attention, Orator Man uses powerful visual aids. He shares charts, graphs and illustrations that help him communicate his points. His visual aids are clear and uncluttered, and they always support what he is saying.
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Are you a natural-born good speaker? Unless you just took to the stage like a fish to water, you more likely to be among the majority of the population that takes to public speaking more like a newborn calf — wobbly at first, but gaining ability through experience.

You don’t need to be born with the gift of eloquence in order to be good at public speaking. Like a lot of skills, public speaking can be learned. And, luckily enough, there are plenty of training opportunities available to you. Here are just a few:
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