If you have the option of using a microphone for your
next presentation, use it. You will be
able to speak at your normal volume while also allowing the audience to hear
you without difficulty. Here are five
tips on how to use a microphone effectively, without it being distracting:
1. Practice.
If you've never used a microphone before, using it
flawlessly for the first time in front of a live audience will be difficult. Instead, make the time to practice so you can
get used to the sound of your voice coming through the speakers; it may sound
strange to you at first. And be sure to
test out the microphone in the actual space to make sure there is no speaker
feedback (that awful, high-pitched whistling sound that will have your audience
scrambling to cover their ears).
2. How to Wear a Clip-On Microphone
Clip it to the center of your shirt or jacket where it
can pick up your voice regardless of which way you turn your head. The rest of the unit can clip to your waistband
or slip into your pocket, with the wire coiled so it doesn't get in your
way. Practice wearing the microphone so
it doesn't distract you from your presentation.
Once while competing in a Toastmasters Tall Tale speech contest, I jumped
across the stage as I was shaken out of my car and taken into an alien space
ship (yes, this was a Tall Tale). The microphone
flew out of my pocket and across the stage while the rest of it was still
clipped to my jacket lapel. I kept speaking while I walked over and picked it
up; thankfully, it kept working!
3. How to Hold a Handheld Microphone
If you're using a handheld microphone, remember to hold
it close enough to your mouth so it picks up your voice. Practice holding your notes or the remote in
your other hand without hitting the microphone and producing a resounding
"thud."
4. Check the Battery
Before you use a microphone, check the battery. Nothing is worse than having the battery die
in the middle of your presentation and not knowing where to get a
replacement. Ideally, someone in the
room should have an extra battery handy and know how to change it.
5. Remember to Turn it Off
Always turn the microphone off when you're finished
speaking or at break time. This sounds
obvious, but sometimes people forget to switch it off. In a class that I attended in graduate
school, a teaching assistant who forgot to turn off his clip-on microphone
walked down the hall, cursing out the professor who had sent him to the
department office to fetch some handouts.
The entire auditorium of students – and the professor – heard him. That's what we refer to as a
"career-limiting move."
If you follow these five tips, you'll be able to use a
microphone like a professional. And it
will be easier for your audience to hear you and understand your message.
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