By Staff Writer | Last Updated August 4, 2015
Aspects of speech delivery include nonverbal cues, voice quality, pronunciation and audience engagement. These components work together to create a delivery that sounds natural and conversational.
A solid speech outline with quality content creates the basis for quality delivery. Once the speech itself is ready, the speaker needs plenty of time to practice. Knowing the information well allows for a smooth, natural delivery.
Nonverbal cues include any actions or mannerisms associated with the body. This includes posture, hand gestures, facial expressions and eye contact. A natural delivery includes eye contact with several audience members rather than focusing only on one or two people. Gestures should feel natural and help emphasize the content of the speech.
Movement is another component of nonverbal communication during speech delivery. Standing stiffly behind the podium doesn’t create a natural presentation. If the sound system allows, moving around the presentation area occasionally adds some variety to the speech.
Voice characteristics play a large role in how the speech is perceived. The speaker needs a volume loud enough for the audience to easily hear the speech, but that doesn’t mean the speaker should only use one loud volume. Varying the volume holds the audience’s attention. Changing the pitch also helps create interest.
Speakers need to enunciate words clearly so that the message is heard correctly. The delivery rate should be paced so that it is not so fast that it is difficult to understand and not so slow that it distracts the audience.
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