Three Tips For Talking On The Mic
If you’ve never had the pleasure of standing in front of a room of people staring blankly and speak to them on a microphone, you might think it looks pretty simple. But if you’ve done it once, you know it has the potential to be terrifying. So why is it so easy to talk to a group of your friends, but when it comes time to deliver your best friend’s wedding toast, you feel like Theon Greyjoy instead of Princess Daenerys Targaryen?
After MCing and speaking at thousands of events, I’ve learned some helpful tips to share with my clients to combat the nerves:
1. It’s A Whole Lotta People
Most people don’t have to speak to groups of more than 5 or 6 people at a time, ever. So whether the guest count is 50 or 500, it can be intimidating. Despite what you may have learned on Saved by the Bell, picturing the crowd in their underwear is not the best way to calm your nerves. Preparation is. Write your speech in advance, and practice it. It should be very familiar to you, even if you choose to read it.
2. Minimize Distractions
There is more stimuli at a wedding than Disneyland these days, and since we’re all developing a little ADHD, it can be hard to focus. Most of these distractions you can’t control, but you can:
Make Sure It's Quiet - Some weddings can get pretty rowdy, even early in the night. If guests are chatty, politely request their attention for the sake of the happy couple (not for your own sake). Sometimes simply waiting a few moments in silence will cause a crowd to quiet itself.
Know Where To Stand - Next to the couple is usually the best place to deliver a toast. Be sure that you’re far from the speakers and that you hold the mic close to your face. Poor microphone placement will cause feedback, which can be a huge distraction for everyone.
Do NOT Read Your Toast From Your Phone - I have few pet peeves at weddings, but this is one of them. You run the risk of looking like you are reading texts, wrote your toast 10 minutes ago and as if you don’t care. That’s pretty offensive to the couple who’s asked you to speak at their wedding. Additionally, when you hold a cell phone close to a wireless microphone, it can cause interference and distracting noises. If you choose to read your toast, it should be printed or handwritten on proper paper, not folded more than twice.
Make Eye Contact - If that’s too intimidating to make eye contact with all the guests, just pick 3 people you know and are comfortable with to shift your gaze between while speaking. As a last resort, you can keep your eye contact with the bride and groom and pretend you three are alone.
3. It’s A One-way Conversation, Not A Dialogue.
It’s just you, carrying the whole toast by yourself. No one can chime in, finish your incomplete thought, elaborate and embellish, or do any of the other one things that make interpersonal communication spontaneous and great. While working as a radio DJ, you learn that there are really only three things you need to worry about: How you’re starting, the point you want to make, and how you’re ending. If you memorize any of your toast, make it these three sentences, and you can’t go wrong.
Cheers!