Studies show that women are excellent communicators. In fact, they actually have more neurons in the brain centers for languages and centers than men do. The female brain is unique and as the ability to connect deeply with audiences, ready tone of voice and facial expressions, and excellent verbal agility. Women are powerful, and they have the ability to connect with others through the spoken word in powerful ways. Learn to harness your power with these tips for public speaking.

Tip #1 – Always Speak with Confidence

You’re a strong, intelligent woman, and when you’re speaking in public, you need to be proud of that and speak with confidence. It’s easy to litter your speech with small words and phrases that detract from your confidence, shrinking the power of what you’re saying. Women often use the word “just” when speaking, which leaves doubt and takes away from the confidence behind the statement. The word “actually is another word to avoid, since it seems like you’re surprised to be in your position or that you’re asking the audience permission to share your opinions. Be confident when you communicate, watching for any shifts in your speaking that may take away from your message.

Tip #2 – Pay Attention to Your Tone of Voice

Your tone of voice and how you speak matters when you’re speaking to an audience. If your voice is already high, it will get higher as you get excited. You don’t want your audience to view you as shrill, you want them to see your passion. Take time to practice lowering your voice a bit so you have room for some voice fluctuation without sounding shrill.

Tip #3 – Don’t Be Afraid to Pause and Punctuate

It’s also natural to talk faster when you get excited, but audiences can have a tough time taking in everything if you’re speaking too fast. If you speak too fast, your audience isn’t getting what you have said, so you’re not making the impact you want to make. Take the time to pause and punctuate throughout your speech. Pauses show that you’re comfortable and confident as a speaker. Pauses also let your listeners absorb what you’ve been saying while allowing you to have a chance to breathe and collect your thoughts once again.

Tip #4 – Be Yourself When You Speak

You’re a woman, and women communicate in unique ways. Women tend to be more inviting, consensus-building, and collaborate in their communication. Don’t be afraid to be yourself and use your unique ways of communicating. Avoid changing your language for a speech. People can tell if you’re overcompensating and not being yourself, and this takes away the power of authenticity with your audience.

Tip #5 – Use Stories to Connect

Women are wonderful storytellers, but it’s easy to forget this skill when you’re in a business or formal setting giving a speech. Use that natural storytelling ability when giving speeches. Stories have the ability to draw your audience in to what you’re talking about. Stories can pull at your listeners in an emotional way that offers great results.

Tip #6 – Take the Time to Practice

You pay attention to the clothes you wear and how you look before you give a speech, but do you spend enough time practicing your delivery? Practice in front of a mirror, in front of friends, or in front of your kids. Find areas where your tongue trips up a bit over words and rewrite your sentences for a smoother delivery. Keep language simple so your speech becomes more like a conversation. Practicing also helps you cut out unnecessary words, such as “like” and “umm.” The more you practice, the more mistakes you’ll find. Then you can work on those areas and perfect your speech.

You have tremendous power as a woman, and the world needs to hear what you have to say. Use these tips to make sure you’re sharing your ideas boldly, fully, and without apology.