It’s time to pull back the curtain and talk about how you can shine as a speaker on stage. I’m bringing in my theater background and we’re diving into acting here. Because it’s beyond having an exuberant personality. I want you to have the techniques actors use to help you develop your presence as a speaker. Good speakers are also good actors. There are many ways to shine on stage and connect with your audience. I have a wealth of tips and techniques to help you become captivate your audience.
“Good actors are not always good speakers. Good speakers make good actors because we know to incorporate acting techniques in our speaking.”
Here are some of the ways you can shine on stage:
1. Create a Character and Be an Actor
When you’re telling a story on stage, you want to exaggerate the character in your story. This is what actors do. Life is boring and no one pays to see boring Create curiosity. Make it action-packed.
Actors don’t portray ordinary or average lives but rather exciting and action-packed ones. When speaking, individuals should also have qualities like action, curiosity, and excitement. To create a character rather than just talking about someone like a boss, exaggeration is necessary to keep things interesting because life can be boring. People should act like actors to keep the audience engaged.
2. Act “As If” You Are a Great Actor
Actors put themselves into the character they always wanted to be. If you want to be more confident, step into your power. It’s not faking it. Don’t ever “fake it until you make it.” Instead, put your heart entirely into who you want to portray on stage. Doing this will help you overcome inhibitions and become more confident. Do it as if you are confident.
Every time we do anything, we are acting “as if”, whether it’s sitting down, taking a drink or even walking. You can harness this power of acting “as if” to become a truly confident and engaging speaker.
3. Act Your Heart Out
Act every single word. Feel into what you’re saying. Like when you’re uninhibited and dancing your heart out.
4. Become a Master Storyteller
Becoming a master storyteller requires training and practice. You can look for classes to take on storytelling. If you don’t have time for classics, start reading classic fairy tales, folktales, and tall tales. This will help you get familiar with how to tell stories well. After reading story after story you’ll see the general formula. It starts with a place and time and main character development. Then the villain comes in. Then there is the path to recovery and resolution, and the happily ever after.
Read my blog post on how to craft a story like a fairytale here.
5. Do the Unexpected
On stage in your speech, you do something that the audience does not expect. The only way to do this is to know your script inside and out, so that when you add something unexpected, you don’t lose your place in your speech.
I’m practicing for my body-building contest and I’m practicing in 6-inch heels poses and staying steady. Even though it’s hard, I’m going to practice way more than the average person. I don’t have dancing legs and feet. I am not a smooth-move ballroom dancer by any means. But I know if I practice, I will be more confident and can handle anything unexpected.
You could go into the audience (pick someone you know) and do something to a member. You can high-five, take a bit of their food, take a drink of their drink or sit in their lap. Think about. Drop or throw something playfully. Make sure it’s fun. Pop a balloon. Talk in gibberish or another language – make a joke — oh that’s my Spanish kicking in. Make it creative and a bit crazy.
6. Block Your Moves
For a big stage, blocking is important to avoid standing in one place. For a small stage, blocking is not as important You’ll want to know exactly when and where you’re going to place yourself and move your body on stage. Be deliberate with your body movements. This will help you emphasize points. Don’t just randomly move on stage. Check out the stage early in the day before you speak so you can best plan your blocking.
7. Interact with Your Audience
Talk to one individual for a piece of time. Just like actors, you are interacting. Respond to the vibe you get from them. It should feel personal to each of your
Storytelling plays a huge role in creating a connection with the audience, even in everyday conversations. Doing the unexpected and interacting with the audience can make a presentation more engaging. Adding humor or surprises can help liven up a serious presentation. Creating an environment and showing the bigger end game can make a conversation more open and relatable. A speaker did something unexpected and creative at a women’s event by handing out purses to the attendees. The speaker suggests being creative and unexpected in speeches, but it depends on the environment.
8. Come on Stage Active
When you come on stage, come on with high energy. You don’t necessarily want to start speaking. You want your presence, however, to feel alive and full of energy. Actors do something like this. They’ve even been known to think of seeing a cockroach and boy does that get the energy going.
If you think of something fun the moment before you step on stage, you’ll project that energy out to your audience. Enter the stage with an active mind ready to share your message from your heart.
Simply think of something real and engaging before entering the stage, so that you come on engaged and ready to serve. This helps to create a sense of authenticity and connect with the audience.
Shine with Simple Strategies & Resources
Overall, there are many ways to shine on stage as a public speaker. By embodying your message, being an actor, acting “as if”, creating a connection with your audience, experimenting with stage blocking, and doing something unexpected. You’ll want to be authentic and creative. Furthermore, as you develop and become a master storyteller on stage, you’ll captivate your audience. The next time you step onto the stage, incorporate these tips and techniques and watch how they can help you shine.
Want more strategies, let’s hop on a call. I’d love to learn about you and your message and help you get it out there in a big way. https://calendly.com/arveerobinson/30min
Before you agree to step on any stage, be sure to review my ebook with 10 questions every speaker must ask to be most prepared when they step on stage (and when not to). You can request a free copy here: https://arveerobinson.com/10questions