4 Expert-Backed Public Speaking Tips for Entrepreneurs Remember, your opening is king. It's crucial to engage and capture people's attention from the start.
By Aytekin Tank Edited by Jessica Thomas
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
"Aytekin, I have no idea what he's saying," my friend Sam whispered under her breath. We were watching a lengthy slide presentation at a business conference, and nearly every word coming out of the presenter's mouth was laced with jargon.
He used terms like core competency, low-hanging fruit, and gain traction. The slides themselves were also hard enough to decipher, full of figures and stats.
What we desperately needed at that moment was a translator to put all of this into some kind of understandable context. As a CEO, I've become accustomed to attending more presentations like these than I'd prefer. It's one of the biggest hurdles I've seen in the business world: leaders struggling to break down their thoughts into easy, translatable ideas.
I used to be guilty of this myself. When I started my company, Jotform, 16 years ago as a programmer, you can imagine all of the jargon I'd accumulated as a techie — needless to say, my first presentations were riddled with them.
But after many such meetings watching colleagues yawn or simply "check out," I decided something had to change. So I looked to the experts for help. I researched speeches from compelling contemporary and historical figures; watched TED talks from inspiring leaders.
I knew there had to be a better way to draw audiences in. And what I ended up learning was that to be influential as an entrepreneur, I had to ditch the jargon and get real with people. Here are some of the essential speech tips I've since gleaned and would like to share so that you don't make the same mistakes I did.
Related: The 2 Unbreakable Laws of Public Speaking
Your opening is king
One of my favorite pastimes is watching comedy specials on Netflix. If I've had an especially stressful day full of meetings, they're like an elixir to immediately feeling more relaxed. If you pay close attention, those first few minutes are crucial for the comedian in getting our attention. They come on stage confidently and strong and know exactly what they're going to say. I always marvel at how they can get us laughing so quickly right off the bat.
One of the best ways you can do this in your organization is by using interaction. For example, you don't have to be a celebrated comedian to start your speech out with a joke. These are always great conversation starters and serve to relieve tension and create a more engaging atmosphere.
But if jokes aren't your thing, you can still create a compelling speech by following Inc contributor Katie Burke's advice to simply be yourself.
"The worst presentations I've ever given were when I tried to mimic someone else's style," Burke writes. "While we all want to present like Apple executives, we're better off finding our own voice, because when it comes to communications, authenticity is queen."
That's the power of a killer opening: engagement and capturing people's attention. As leaders, it's our job to develop a connection with our audience and hone our speech skills so that they're delivered successfully.
Related: How to Grow Your Business With Public Speaking
Always look for cues
When I think back to some of my favorite college professors, the ones that stand out the most were the ones who seemed to intuitively know how to read the room and act accordingly. If things became too serious, they'd soften their speech with a joke. If they noticed people getting distracted by their phones, they'd deliver a compelling fact or start asking questions. Most importantly, it never felt awkward because they were always looking for cues from their students.
This same practice applies to entrepreneurs. When you deliver a keynote, you can't just go on some lengthy rehearsed monologue, hoping for the best. The most influential speakers are the ones who are in a state of constant interaction, using both their words and their physical communication. Whenever possible, make your presentations as dynamic as possible: Use hand gestures, walk around the room and make eye contact.
Related: 7 Public Speaking Habits of Successful Entrepreneurs
Ditch the jargon
"Fairly or not, people judge you for how you speak just as much as they do for what you say," says speech expert John Bowe. And there's no better way to lose your audience than resorting to "corporate speak."
Perhaps you think these complex terms make you come across as more capable. As leaders — especially those of us who might struggle with confidence — we might think that jargon will give off the impression that we know our stuff.
But it's quite the opposite: Instead, it's a surefire way to put people to sleep or have them start staring at their phones for the rest of your presentation.
So, what's the antidote? According to Bowe, we should say what we mean in plain language. "Saying 'utilize' instead of 'use' doesn't make you look smarter," he explains. "Business jargon adds bloat, not gravity, to your speech. And more often, it confuses — or inadvertently amuses — your audience."
Related: 3 Steps for Getting Paid for Public Speaking
Be a storyteller
Let's face it, some keynote presentations — the ones that involve a lot of numbers and figures — are simply boring due to the nature of their topic. But as speaking coach Jean Hamilton explains, "People are best able to remember numbers when a story is attached."
I think one of my favorite things I've discovered about myself as an entrepreneur is that I've grown to love storytelling. Breaking down complex subjects into relatable anecdotes is something I've spent over a decade practicing. "Stories are best when you have directly experienced or witnessed them," says Hamilton. "Even a short conversation can be a great story."
She suggests we think about challenges that we or someone we know has overcome. Telling these stories is often what creates the greatest impact in our speeches, because even if our audience hasn't personally gone through these experiences, anecdotes like these help us connect on a universal level.
Bring specific details to life, but know when to pause and give your audience a moment to reflect.
Telling a story about how you overcame a difficulty from your past or how you persisted at a specific goal against all the odds not only engages people but also makes your point of view that much more influential and relatable.
