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How often have you clicked on the YouTube to hear and see your favourite tidbit of information? This could be because you want to learn something new, or you just want to view what everyone else is touting about? Yet, what happens when you can't quite understand what the presenter is saying? Well, impatiently, you click off and move on.
Most presenters using YouTube video have two of the most common blocks of communication: speaking too quickly, and not speaking clearly enough. Both of these conditions cause the listener to miss a large percentage of hearing the content details; and moreover, not understanding what is being said.
Is this what you, a presenter on video, really want? The solution for you as a presenter is to do a series of exercises or techniques to slow your speech pace, and to clearly enunciate all of the words accurately.
First, take a look at these techniques to help you acquire a slower pace:
1. Make a conscious effort to slow down and look at the listener when you record your YouTube video.
2. Use a pause where there is punctuation in your script. Mentally count 1 for every comma or semi-colon; count 2 for a period at the end of a sentence; and 3 or 4 if you are starting a new paragraph.
3. Open your mouth wider as this will cause to you speak slower.
4. Add variety to the tone you speak using your inflection and nuances to enhance your words with energy.
5. Take breathing breaks in your script to match your pauses.
Second, pronounce and enunciate each word or phrase exactly as the sounds should be heard for the English language:
1. Focus on articulating the ends of your words and not dropping them off.
2. Open your mouth wider to allow more of the sound to be heard.
3. Don't mumble, take a look at yourself in the mirror as you speak and see if you are moving your lips.
4. Repeat a series of tongue twisters to exercise your tongue, lips, teeth, and all your speech muscles.
It used to be that all actors performed using exact clear enunciation for their role until the movie actor evolved emoting grunts and groans, or dialogue spoken with barely moving the lips. Then along came reality TV where the speech sounded like you were listening to your neighbour talking to his pets in three-word phrases.
Now, through social media the popularity of your YouTube show could lead to promoting your idea, entertainment value, or multimillion dollar sale. For these reasons, you do not want to take the chance that someone watching and listening to you is only capturing a part of your content.
Remember you are trying to communicate the image and content to the listeners so they will act upon it, or learn from it. During your YouTube preparation, be sure you schedule time to rehearse the quality of your speech, or at least hire a speech coach to point out where you could use a little tweaking and improvement. Your listeners will appreciate it.
By Brenda C. Smith
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