A TEDx Speakers Guide on How to Easily Improve Public Speaking Skills

As a public speaking coach, many people assume that it was a piece of cake for me to deliver my TEDx talk at CHUK in Hong Kong.

That couldn’t be further from the truth.

From the moment of choosing what idea I wanted to share with the world, countless revisions of my script, turning to ChatGPT for help (which wasn’t helpful actually), and practicing every chance I got, whether that was out loud while walking our dog or reciting my lines in the shower… It took time, commitment, hard work, and some uphill battles.

I did put a lot of pressure on myself, especially seeing how many brilliant talks are out there.

But I knew that no matter how many TEDx talks I watched or how many books on public speaking I read, I had to go through it myself to understand and accomplish this task. It was only when I stopped trying to copy what was out there and show up authentically that I began to have fun with my TEDx talk preparation (and the delivery!)

Learning how to improve public speaking isn’t about becoming someone else. It’s about becoming more yourself, more clearly. At its core, strong public speaking blends three things: clear communication, confident body language, and thoughtful preparation. These are things you can learn, no matter where you’re starting from.

In this post, we’ll explore small, meaningful ways to improve your public speaking skills. 

Speak to Who’s Listening: The Key to Being Heard

Here’s something we don’t say enough: your speech isn’t about you. It’s about the people listening.

Before you write a single word, ask yourself: Who am I talking to? What do they care about? What keeps them up at night? What makes them laugh, nod, or tune out?

Understanding your audience is one of the most overlooked but powerful ways to improve your public speaking. When you speak directly to someone’s reality, their hopes, fears, and lived experience, you’re not just heard. You’re felt.

Think about their age, background, level of knowledge, even the kind of language they use every day. Are they formal? Casual? Visual learners? Data-driven? These tiny details can shape your delivery more than any fancy slide deck ever could.

And here’s the magic part: when people feel seen, they listen. Your message becomes more than just words, it becomes relevant.

When putting together my TEDx talk, I decided to choose a fundamental theme that all humans can relate to: success. 

When designing my slides, I opted for as little text as possible and made sure my slides had lots of images. Why?  Humans are visual learners, and visuals help capture attention, improve understanding, and make information more memorable. By minimizing text, I allowed the audience to focus on what I was saying while the images supported and reinforced the message. 

According to research by Medina (2014), visuals are processed 60,000 times faster than text, and people remember up to 65% of visual content after three days, compared to only 10% of written content. 

So ask yourself:

Answer those, and you’re not just giving a speech. You’re having a conversation, one they’ll actually want to be part of.

How to Plan a Speech That Feels Natural and Lands Strong

A great speech doesn’t happen by accident (I wish!). It begins with a clear, thoughtful framework.

Before anything else, define your topic, your purpose, and your main points. 

What are you trying to say, and why does it matter? Once you have that, organize your ideas in a way that flows. Think beginning, middle, and end. Your message should feel like a story, not a list.

Then comes the first 30 seconds. The moment where your audience decides if they’ll lean in or check out. Use that time well. 

Start with a hook: a personal story, a surprising fact, or a question that makes them curious. Don’t save the good stuff for later. Lead with it.

Here’s the opening slide of my TEDx talk, titled Let’s Talk About Success and Redefine It. I opened with the image below and said, “Take a moment and look at these faces. What do they all have in common?”

Once your structure feels solid, practice out loud. Don’t just read it in your head. Say it with your voice, feel the rhythm of your words. This helps you spot what doesn’t feel natural and adjust your pacing. Ask someone you trust to listen and give honest feedback. Not just praise, but things you can actually work on. The TEDx organization provided a speaking coach to help us every step of the way, and

One thing I did was that I recorded my TEDx talk and played back to myself to memorize it. I wasn’t looking to memorize word for word, but to get as familiar as possible with the content. Doing this, I could really put myself in the shoes of an audience and I could pick up on things to improve on with the sequence, or things like my speed and tone.

A well-prepared speech builds your confidence and helps you stay grounded when nerves show up. It’s not about memorizing every line. It’s about knowing your message well enough that it feels like second nature.

And if you forget a line or stumble? That’s okay. Your preparation will carry you through.

The Little Things That Make a Big Impact When You Speak

How you say something often matters just as much as what you say.

When you deliver a speech, your tone, volume, and pace all work together to shape how your message is received. Speak clearly, and give your words room to land. Don’t be afraid of a pause. Pauses give both you and your audience space to think.

Eye contact is key. Making eye contact helps establish a personal connection. It makes the audience feel seen and engaged, which builds trust and rapport. Plus, eye contact signals that you are confident, prepared, and in control of your message. Avoiding it can make you appear uncertain or disengaged.

Gestures can help. But only when they’re purposeful. Use your hands to emphasize a point or guide attention, not to fill nervous space. Think about the emotion behind your words, and let your body reflect that.
The best speakers aren’t just talking, they’re connecting. And that happens when you’re clear, honest, and tuned into your audience in the moment.

Confidence Isn’t Magic! It’s a Skill You Can Build

Confidence as a public speaker isn’t something you’re born with. It’s something you build, one moment at a time.
The more chances you give yourself to speak, the more comfortable it becomes. Try joining clubs or groups like Toastmasters, where you can get experience, build confidence and receive helpful feedback. These environments are designed to be supportive and give you space to grow without pressure.
Confidence also comes from taking the time to work on your oration skills. Identify where you feel unsure, then practice those areas with intention. Constructive feedback is a gift. Use it to sharpen your strengths and smooth out the rough spots.
I’m going to be vulnerable and admit that I’m not very good at taking criticism, but I’ve learned that constructive feedback is so beneficial to grow as a speaker myself.
When I went over my first TEDx talk draft with my coach, he really dug in and drilled me with questions about my script. While before I could’ve seen this as a personal attack, this time around I understood that those questions were necessary for me to truly understand what I was writing about.
Speaking in front of others, even just one or two people, can make a big difference. Start small. Practice in front of a family member or a friend. These smaller, safe settings help you find your voice and improve your communication skills without the weight of a crowd.
And when you speak from a place of truth, when you let your personality show and focus on your message, it’s easier to feel confident. You don’t need to be perfect. Just present, prepared, and real.
During my TEDx talk preparation, I felt a part of me wanted everything to go perfectly. To say every single line well and not make a mistake. It was only afterwards that I learned that the audience doesn’t care about a perfect presentation. It’s about showing up authentically and connecting with them, whether that’s by teaching them something new or inviting them on a journey through my talk.

Simple yet Effective Public Speaking Tips

The best public speakers aren’t always the loudest or the most polished, they’re the ones who make people feel something.

• Start with a story. Personal stories, humor, or honest moments make your message stick. When you share something real, you invite the audience in. Suddenly, it’s not a performance, it’s a connection.

   

  In my TEDx talk, I weaved in my personal story of my pursuit of success. And I shared vulnerable moments in my journey, like how I thought winning a beauty pageant would make me feel fulfilled and accomplished. But instead, I felt empty.

• Use language that’s simple and clear. Big words don’t make your message stronger. Clarity does. Speak like you’re having a conversation, not giving a lecture. Let your words be easy to follow and honest in tone.

   

  I previously thought that using big words would make me sound smarter. But that’s not the case. And I was glad that I switched out all the complicated language in my TEDx talk the moment I saw kids in the audience! 

• Nonverbal cues matter. Your facial expressions, gestures, and your overall body language tell a story, too. Make sure they support your words. If you’re sharing something personal, let that emotion show. That’s what people remember.

   

  I’m a big fan of nonverbal cues, and of using hand gestures to elevate what I’m saying. As a theatre kid, I also love to add more facial expressions in my speeches and presentations, because what we can keep in mind is that part of our presentations are also entertainment.

• Keep filler words in check. “Um,” “like,” “you know are not the enemy, but too many can distract. Practice pausing instead. Silence is a powerful ally to presentation skills.

   

  I loved using pauses in my TEDx talk when asking a question to the audience (to actually give them time to think!).

• Visuals and aids? Use them wisely. Slides and props should support your message, not carry it. Keep things simple. One main idea per slide, minimal text, clear images. You want your audience looking at you, not reading behind you.

   

  For my TEDx talk, the TEDx organizers suggested that we use as little text as possible, and blast up the size of the images on our presentation slides. 

And above all, speak with a personal touch. When you let your personality show, your quirks, your cadence, your way of telling a story, your speech becomes something people feel, not just hear.

Still Get Nervous? Here’s How to Stay Grounded and Keep Going

Even with the best tips and preparation, nerves can still creep in. And that’s okay. Feeling anxious before speaking doesn’t mean you’re unprepared – it means you care. Instead of trying to erase the nerves, learn how to move with them. Let them be a signal, not a stop sign.

1. Start with your breath. When your heart’s racing, slow everything down with a few deep inhales. Try breathing in for four counts, holding for four, exhaling for four. Do this a few times right before you speak. It grounds your body and quiets your mind.
2. Use short sentences to start. They help you find your rhythm and give you space to think. If you stumble? Pause. Take a breath. Keep going. Most people won’t even notice.
3. Don’t rush. Nervous energy makes us speed up. But speaking slower not only calms you, it makes your words land better.
4. And if a mistake happens, don’t panic. Give yourself permission to mess up. Then keep going. That’s what makes you human and relatable.
5. Practice in a safe space before the real thing. Run through your talk in front of a friend or record it for yourself. The more familiar it feels, the less scary it becomes.
6. Most importantly, shift your focus. This isn’t about impressing anyone. It’s about sharing something with the audience. Put your attention on the people in front of you, and how you want them to feel. Let your message matter more than your fear.

How to Use Slides and Props Without Losing the Room

Once you’ve calmed your nerves and centered your focus, it’s time to think about what else supports your message, like visual aids and props. These tools can add depth and clarity to your speech, but only when used with intention.

Too often, slides or props become a distraction. If you overload your audience with information on the screen, they’ll tune out what you’re saying. And that connection you just worked so hard to build? It starts to fade.

So here’s a good rule of thumb: less is more. Use visuals to highlight key ideas or add context. One image. A few words. A simple graph. That’s often all you need to reinforce your message and keep your audience’s attention.

Props can be powerful, too, when they’re meaningful. Holding up a childhood photo during a personal story or showing an object that relates to your message can spark curiosity and emotion. But make sure it serves your point.

Keep your slides clean. Avoid walls of text. Stick to fonts that are easy to read and colors that don’t compete with your content. The focus should always stay on you, not your slides.

Let’s take a look at some examples. Which slide below would you rather read?

When used thoughtfully, visual aids can make your talk more vivid and memorable. But your presence, your voice, and your story? Those are what people really come to see.

You’re Not Just a Public Speaker, You’re Creating an Experience

When you stand in front of an audience, you’re doing more than delivering information. You’re creating a moment. And that’s what shapes how people think, feel, and act.

Being a public speaker isn’t about sounding impressive. It’s about being clear, honest, and present. Whether you’re leading a meeting, giving a toast, or speaking at a conference, your role is the same: to connect.

A direct connection isn’t just built through words. It’s in your body language, your tone, your timing. It’s in how you pause, how you look at someone while speaking, and how you react when the room shifts.

Your job isn’t to talk at people, it’s to meet them where they are. Consider their needs, their interests, their level of understanding. What do they care about? What do they need to hear? Not just to learn something, but to feel something?

And here’s the thing: you don’t have to be loud to be powerful. You don’t have to be perfect to leave an impression. You just have to show up with purpose, speak with intention, and care about the people listening.

Here’s an example of that, by the co-founder and CEO of Duolingo, Luis von Ahn. From his talk I want to highlight his relatability, approachability, clear mission and simple language:

I also want to mention that I work with many clients whose first language is not English, and I constantly remind them to not see this as a barrier or disadvantage. Because yes, foreign language anxiety is real (especially when presenting in a language that you don’t feel 100% comfortable speaking), but reframing how we think about our accents is absolutely essential. An accent is not a flaw. It’s a reflection of our experience, our culture, and the fact that we speak more than one language, which is an incredible strength. I always encourage my clients to see their accent as a mark of courage and capability, not something to hide.

Conclusion

Developing strong public speaking skills isn’t about transforming into someone else. It’s about growing into your own voice and presentation style, and learning how to share it with calm, clarity, and care.

It takes practice. It takes patience. 

From understanding your audience to preparing with purpose, from speaking confidently to using visual aids with intention: each step brings you closer to confidence. Real confidence. 

Public speaking is a skill you can build. Not overnight, but over time. With every word spoken, every story shared, and every moment you practice speaking and choose to be present instead of perfect.

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