12 public speaking secrets

Crush your next speech or presentation:

1. Hook Not Bio
↳No polite warm-up, bio, or “I’m excited to be here”
↳Replace with a relevant question, bold claim, or short story

2. Start Still
↳Walk out, plant your feet, pause for two seconds, then speak
↳Let the room settle before you begin

3. Group in Threes
↳Break points into 3s – easy to follow and remember
↳”Three things you’ll learn today…” is magic

4. Short Stories
↳Keep stories under 90 seconds
↳Setting, conflict, payoff – cut the rest

5. Edit Actively
↳Replace passive voice and vague verbs (AI can help!)
↳”It was launched” becomes “We launched it”

6. Speak to One Person
↳Hold eye contact with one person per thought
↳Then shift to another in a different area – don’t scan constantly

7. Mark Your Pauses
↳Add slashes (/) in your script where you want to pause
Use silence to emphasize, not just fill

8. Move on Transitions
↳Step or gesture when changing topics, not mid-point
↳Stillness = power, movement = shift

9. Put Audience First
↳Cut “I want to talk about…”
↳Replace with “You’ll walk away with…”

10. Rehearse Out Loud
↳Practice standing, with gestures and voice at full volume
↳Record yourself and watch for filler words, pacing, and fidgeting

11. Memorize the Bookends
↳Know your first and last 3 lines cold
↳Everything else can be spoken from notes

12. Circle Back
↳Echo your opening idea or line at the end
↳It gives the audience closure and recall


Strong speakers aren’t born.

They use these secrets, and –
As cliche as it sounds –

Practice, practice, practice.

If you already love public speaking,
Use these to become even more of an expert.

If, like 75% of people, it’s one of your greatest fears,

Use these and push yourself to start – even if small:
↳An internal presentation to your team
↳A toast at a family dinner
↳A question or comment at a conference

You’ve got this!