Maintaining the audience's attention in public speaking

A few boring theoretical propositions about what is attention and of what types it may be. But this is quite important matter, because to learn to work with some object means to understand what this object is. To understand what we are dealing with. Fortunately, this theoretical typing has a direct and immediate practical importance in public speaking.

If you still can't begin to speak in public, you know for sure that something stops you. And if you have already started performing, you know it even better. In this chapter, we will look at 3 main types of barriers, that very often arise between the speaker and his audience. Even if the speaker is very experienced and advanced. The difference is that experienced speaker knows about existence of such barriers, he is ready for them, and knows how to break them. Find out it too by studying this chapter.

It isn't so easy to decide, what is more difficult: to attract attention or to maintain it. However, it is obvious, that in order to maintain attention of the audience, at first it must be attracted. Therefore, the orator's work on maintaining attention always begins with its attracting. Here you will find some useful practical tips on how to easily and naturally make this first important step.

Many people think, that the most crucial is to talk about something interesting and important. Then attention of listeners will be guaranteed. It certainly is. But only to a very small number of deeply interested listeners. To interest the entire audience, it is not enough to say smart and important ideas. There are many other factors, that make content of a speech a really effective speaker's tool. In this chapter, we will discuss the main ones.

Paraverbal methods of holding attention are often much more important in public speech, than its content. In other words, it is important not only what we say, but also how we say it. The voice is the speaker's main asset, his main weapon. Managing the possibilities of your voice and ability to use them in a speech is a necessary condition for any successful performance.

We all know, that there are people to listen to whom is a real pleasure, and also there are those who are impossible to be listened, so their speech is unpleasant. Here I will share some features of speech that may be useful to ambitious orator. Speech itself is a powerful tool for maintaining attention, no matter what exactly we say.

Even speaking not about public performance, but about ordinary conversations in everyday life, we all know how it is important to look into the eyes of interlocutor. In the art of public speaking, ability to make and maintain eyes contact has rather significant specificity. Talking to the audience is not the same as talking to a friend face to face. In this chapter, we will discuss why eyes contact is essential to public speaking and figure out the key rules for managing it.

A confident speaker should demonstrate confidence. His gestures, movements and overall body language say a lot to the audience about him. Without any words. You need to learn how to be confident on the stage, and be able to control your body: not make unnecessary movements and make the right ones. Let's study together to move correctly.

There is no limit to perfection! In this chapter, we'll talk about additional tools for advanced speaker. Of course, such tools aren't always needed and required. But if there is a convenient moment for them, then you could remember this chapter, use visualisation or objectization and make your speech better.

Nothing grabs the audience's attention better than direct involving them in your performance. People may not listen to you, people may even sleep, but not when they personally participate in what is happening on stage. Here are some simple and effective interactive techniques for advanced public speaking.