Public speaking is one of those things you either love or hate. Some people thrive under the pressure of getting up and delivering a presentation to an audience whereas others can think of nothing worse!

Public speaking at corporate events is something that most of us have to do and it’s extremely easy for people to switch off during such times. As a result it is essential that you master the art of engaging with your audience at corporate events so you don’t look out onto a group of uninterested faces.

Consider the layout and format of the room

Something that many public speakers neglect to think about is the layout and format of the room. This is a huge oversight, as such things will have a major impact on the way you carry yourself.

Will you be in a large room with people spread out or is everyone in quite a confined space? The answer to this question will dictate how you deliver the presentation.

Another important thing that you need to consider is seating. If people are sat in one space for a long period of time you want to make sure they are comfortable and if you need to fit a large number of people into a small room you’ll need to get tables and chairs that don’t take up mountains of space.

Rehearse

Rehearsing your presentation is key. As the saying goes, ‘practice makes perfect.’

If you constantly practice your presentation in the build up to the event you’ll be far more confident about what you are saying and this will come across in your body language and the way you carry yourself whilst speaking in public to an audience.

Body language is key

If your body language is wrong you’ll find it almost impossible to engage your audience. Ultimately, if you don’t appear interested and passionate about what you are saying there is no way that you can expect the audience to hold an attention span strong enough to last the duration of your presentation.

Different body language is required for certain situations, but during public speaking you need to appear confident. A great way to do this is to stand tall, make eye contact with the audience and adopt an open body stance.

To find out more about how you adapt your body language to help you in different situations, take a look at this guide to attentive body language.

Embrace the nerves

A major part of executing your public speaking at corporate events is to keep the nerves under control.

Remember that even the most experienced and accomplished public speakers will still get nervous in the build up to an event, it is a completely natural feeling. Furthermore, if you are able to channel these correctly you’ll be able to use them to your advantage and deliver an adrenaline filled pitch.

Just take a deep breath before you step out in front of the audience and if you have prepared well you will find that the nerves are much easier to manage.

Get into the habit of focusing on employee engagement

Realistically you won’t find yourself speaking at a corporate event every day. Therefore it is essential that you focus on employee engagement in your everyday working life. If you can regularly engage your workforce you’ll find it much easier to keep the attention of an audience when speaking at a corporate event.

Employee engagement is about a member of staff’s commitment to a company and its goals and values. Ultimately this commitment stems from an employee feeling respected and that their work is of value.