9 Public Speaking Secrets That Separate Amateurs From Pros

Lesson 1: The 30-30-30-10 Principle

Professional speakers sell one-hour experiences. But most people get the formula completely wrong.

When starting out, the mistake is thinking your presentation needs to be all education. So you bore people to sleep with pure facts and data.

Then you overcorrect—maybe you’re naturally entertaining, so you make it 80% jokes and stories. Now people are confused about what you’re actually trying to say.

Then you discover inspiration. You watch a Tony Robbins video and think “This is it!” So you go full motivational speaker mode. And it feels nauseating because you’re pretending to be someone you’re not.

The Perfect Formula

Here’s what actually works after years of testing:

• 30% Education – Solid, valuable content people can actually use
• 30% Entertainment – Keep them engaged and awake (you ARE an entertainer whether you like it or not)
• 30% Inspiration – This isn’t what you say, it’s HOW you say it. It’s the energy transfer, the way you use your voice
• 10% X Factor – What makes you uniquely you (your stories, your background, your personality)

That X factor could be anything—your cultural background, your previous career, your unique perspective. The speakers who get paid the most aren’t just knowledgeable. They’re also entertaining, inspiring, and authentic.

Get this ratio right, and everything changes.

Research from Harvard Business Review on executive presence shows that communication skills directly impact career advancement.

Lesson 2: Master Virtual Communication

Virtual communication requires completely different skills than in-person speaking. Most people show up to Zoom calls like they’re having a casual phone conversation. That’s why they’re forgettable.

The Three Critical Elements

1. Eye Contact = Look at the Camera

The most important body language element on video calls is eye contact. And most people get it completely wrong.

They look at themselves. Or they look at the other person on screen. Neither creates connection.

Look directly at the camera. That’s what creates the feeling of eye contact for the other person.

Pro tip: Use a Plexi Cam—a small piece of plastic that attaches to your screen and lets you position your camera in the middle. This way you can see the other person while looking at the lens.

2. Level Up Your Energy by 50-70%

Speaking to a camera is an unnatural environment. It causes people to drop their energy by 50-70% without realizing it.

In person, you might be naturally energetic. But sit down in front of a laptop alone in a room, and suddenly you sound like this: “Yeah, hey everyone, welcome to the meeting…”

You have to consciously amp up your energy. Yes, it feels weird. Yes, it takes more effort. But it’s the only way to hold attention through a screen.

Even if your camera is off, your posture affects your voice. Slouching makes you sound low-energy. Standing or sitting upright gives you vocal power.

3. Take Up Space

Don’t frame yourself too close to the camera. If all people see is your head, you lose the ability to use hand gestures—which makes you visually boring.

Position yourself so viewers can see from your head to your waist. This lets you use dynamic hand gestures while speaking, making you far more engaging to watch.

Lesson 3: Play With Your Voice

Most people just use their voice. Great communicators play with their voice.

Right now, as you read this, imagine someone speaking in complete monotone—same pace, same volume, same pitch the entire time. Boring, right?

Now imagine someone who varies their volume, plays with pauses, adjusts their pace, and injects emotion through their tone. Completely different experience.

The Vocal Playground

Your voice has multiple features you can play with:

• Volume – Go louder for emphasis, quieter to draw people in
• Pitch and melody – Vary your notes instead of speaking monotone
• Pace – Speed up for energy, slow down for importance
• Tonality – Inject emotion (excitement, curiosity, urgency)
• The pause – Strategic silence creates impact

Most people avoid this because they’re scared of judgment. “What if my friends think I’m trying too hard?”

You don’t have to do this all the time. But in high-stakes moments—presentations, important meetings, job interviews—playing with your vocal range makes you infinitely more influential.

You’re not stuck with how you currently sound. Your voice is just a series of learned behaviors. You’ve been repeating them for 20, 30, 40 years. But behaviors can change.

Learn more about Mastering the Five Vocal Foundations to elevate your speaking voice.

Lesson 4: Let Go of Perfection

The goal isn’t to be perfect. Perfection is impossible, and chasing it makes you more nervous.

The goal is to show up with energy and add as much value as possible.

That shift in mindset changes everything. Instead of obsessing over every word, you focus on serving your audience.

The Golden Rule From Theater

When mistakes happen (and they will), remember this:

If you don’t make a big deal out of it, they won’t make a big deal out of it.

Your audience doesn’t have your notes. They don’t know what you planned to say. Most mistakes go completely unnoticed—unless you draw attention to them.

Bad response to a tech failure: “Oh no, I’m so sorry everyone, this always happens, I should have prepared better, I apologize to all 162 of you…”

Good response: “We’re going to take 30 seconds to reset the mic. Back with you in a moment.”

The first makes everyone uncomfortable. The second is instantly forgotten.

Stop Being Self-Conscious

Self-consciousness comes from focusing on yourself. When all your attention is on “How do I look? How do I sound? Are they judging me?” you become more anxious.

But when you shift all your focus to serving your audience, you have no mental space left for self-consciousness. You’re too busy thinking about them to worry about yourself.

If you struggle with confidence, read our post on overcoming imposter syndrome in professional settings.

Lesson 5: Exposure Therapy

You know what causes nervousness? Unfamiliarity.

The first time doing Q&A, even knowing all the answers, it’s terrifying. Your mind goes blank. You freeze.

Not because you don’t know the material—but because you don’t know how to manage your stress, anxiety, and nerves in that specific situation.

The Only Way to Get Better

You have to expose yourself to the thing that makes you nervous. Repeatedly.

Nervous meeting new people? That’s because you rarely meet new people. The solution isn’t avoiding it—it’s doing it more often.

The 3-Level Challenge:

Level 1: Walk around in public and say “Good morning” to strangers. That’s it. Do this for a few days until it feels normal.

Level 2: Say good morning AND give a genuine compliment. “Good morning! I love your scarf—it’s beautiful. Have a great day.”

Level 3: Greeting + compliment + question. “Good morning! Your handbag is beautiful. Quick question—where’s the best coffee around here?”

Do this for three months. Watch your anxiety around new people completely disappear.

The same applies to public speaking, presentations, or any high-pressure communication situation. The more you expose yourself to it, the less scary it becomes.

You become desensitized through repetition.

Lesson 6: Be as Big as the Room

Some people are too big for the room. They meet someone new and explode with energy: “OH MY GOD IT’S SO GOOD TO SEE YOU!”

Others are too small. Seven people in a room, and they ask a question like this: “Um… do you want to… maybe go to Korean barbecue tonight?”

The secret is adjusting your energy to match the room size.

The Room Size Principle

• One-on-one: Dial it down. No need to be intense or loud when you’re close to someone.
• Small group (5-10 people): Moderate energy. Clear voice, engaged presence.
• Medium room (10-20 people): This is the sweet spot for on-camera presence. Bring this energy to Zoom calls and recorded videos.
• Large audience (100+ people): Go bigger. Your energy needs to fill the entire space.

For virtual communication, imagine you’re speaking to 10-20 people. That energy level keeps you engaging without seeming manic.

If you bring “one-on-one” energy to a camera, you’ll seem flat and disengaged. If you bring “large audience” energy to a small meeting, you’ll seem unhinged.

Match your energy to the size of the room (real or virtual).

Lesson 7: Managing Pre-Presentation Nerves

Nervousness shows up as shaky hands and shaky voice. Both are caused by excess adrenaline flooding your system when you’re in fight-or-flight mode.

The 3-Step Pre-Performance Routine

Step 1: Wim Hof Breathing (12-15 minutes)

Three cycles of Wim Hof breathing calms both body and mind. It’s the foundation for managing nerves.

Step 2: Get Rid of Excess Adrenaline

Do jumping jacks (or star jumps). Brisk exercise burns off the adrenaline that causes shaking.

When your hands and voice stop shaking, it sends a signal to your brain: “I’m not nervous.” This makes you feel more confident and competent.

Step 3: Use Music to Shift Your Mood

Music is one of the most underrated tools for emotional regulation.

Want to feel energized? Play orchestral war music (Hans Zimmer soundtracks work great).

Want to feel calm? Play something soothing.

Want to feel happy? Play upbeat songs that make you smile.

Bonus: Watch funny videos that make you laugh. Laughter releases endorphins and dopamine, which completely override nervousness.

Your emotional state is controllable. Use these tools deliberately.

Studies on the Wim Hof breathing method demonstrate its effectiveness in managing stress and anxiety.

Lesson 8: Building Rapport With High-Status People

Meeting CEOs, executives, or people you admire turns most people into nervous wrecks. You put them on a pedestal, and suddenly your communication skills vanish.

Step 1: Humanize Them

Here’s the mental trick: When that person farts, it still stinks.

Sounds silly, but it works. Remind yourself they’re human. They procrastinate. They doom-scroll on their phone. They look silly in pajamas. They make mistakes.

This mental reframe calms you down immediately.

Step 2: Don’t Put Them on a Pedestal

There’s nothing inherently special about any person. What’s special are the lessons and experiences that shaped them.

Put the lessons on a pedestal—not the person. This keeps you grounded and confident.

Step 3: Use Storytelling to Build Rapport

Most people pitch features: “Our product is reliable, scalable, cost-effective…”

Better approach: Tell a story that connects to your point.

Example: “You might not know this about me, but I used to be a magician. Magic is just a problem you can’t solve. I loved it because I’m obsessed with looking at challenges from every angle. That’s what we bring to your business—problem-solving from perspectives you haven’t considered yet.”

Now they remember you. They remember the story. And stories build rapport faster than any list of features ever could.

Discover strategies in our guide on How to Stop People From Interrupting You to command more respect in conversations.

Lesson 9: All the World’s a Stage

Shakespeare said it best: “All the world’s a stage.”

Every day, you step onto multiple stages playing different roles.

This morning, you might step onto the stage as a parent. Then as a spouse. Then as an employee or entrepreneur. Then as a leader. Then as a friend.

As you improve your communication skills, you elevate how you show up on every stage in every role.

You’re not learning public speaking for that one presentation next month. You’re learning it to show up better in every interaction for the rest of your life.

The Higher Purpose

Master communication to achieve the abundance, career progression, and success you want. But also use it for something bigger.

Use your voice to spread more love, kindness, and compassion. The world needs better communicators—not just for business success, but for human connection.

You are a source of light. Use your communication skills to make that light shine brighter.

Key Takeaways

• The 30-30-30-10 formula: 30% education, 30% entertainment, 30% inspiration, 10% your unique X factor
• Virtual communication requires different skills: Camera eye contact, 50-70% more energy, and taking up space on screen
• Play with your voice: Vary volume, pitch, pace, tonality, and use strategic pauses to create impact
• Perfection isn’t the goal: Focus on adding value, not being flawless. If you don’t make a big deal out of mistakes, neither will your audience
• Exposure therapy works: The only way to overcome nervousness is repeated exposure to what makes you nervous
• Match your energy to room size: Be as big as the room requires—no bigger, no smaller
• Manage nerves deliberately: Breathing exercises + physical movement + music = controlled emotional state
• Humanize high-status people: They’re just humans. Use storytelling to build rapport quickly
• You’re always on stage: Every interaction is an opportunity to communicate better and show up as your best self

Take Action

Pick one lesson from this guide and practice it this week.

If you’re presenting virtually soon, work on eye contact and energy. If you’re meeting new people, try the 3-level exposure challenge. If you have a high-stakes meeting, prepare using the pre-performance routine.

Don’t try to implement everything at once. Master one skill, then add another.

Communication isn’t a talent you’re born with. It’s a skill you build through deliberate practice.

Want to dive deeper? Read our guides on Mastering the Five Vocal Foundations or How to Stop People From Interrupting You.

The world needs better communicators. Start with yourself.

Check out our complete guide to effective business communication for more career-advancing tips.