by Tom Antion
I have done many public speaking engagements in settings where meals were part of the program. You may want to politely remind the program coordinator to consider some of the following points:
ROOM SET-UP
(Many of these tips work whether food is being served or not)
Avoid spacing round tables widely apart in an attempt to fill the available space. Distance makes audience involvement and participation in the public speaking much more difficult. A better idea would be to space the tables as close together as practicable (allowing enough room for comfortable waiter and waitress movement). Empty room space could be filled with a decorative divider of some sort. Interaction enhances the effectiveness of the public speaking engagement.
Avoid a great distance between the head table /dais / speaker area and the first row of tables. Again, distance is a great barrier to public speaking and interaction.
Try to set the head table / speaker area on the long side of the room. This means that the back row participants will be closer to the public speaker than if you set the head table / speaker area on the short side of the room (participants will feel they are really far from the action).
Consider allowing the public speaker an option of public speaking areas. Many of the top people in public speaking can do a better job if they are not confined behind a head table and/or lectern. Most public audiences like being closer to the speaker too. To accomplish this, place extra chairs near the front of the room to be used by the head table participants after dinner (of course, this would depend on your overall program). You would not want them seated behind the speaker during the program. Set head table back from the front of the podium. Speaker can perform in front of the head table.
Set buffet tables far to the side or on the opposite end from the speaker area. If someone goes back for late seconds or arrives late, he or she will not be disruptive to the public speaking.
Discourage use of doors anywhere near the head table/speaker area.
TIMING
When on a tight time schedule in your public speaking engagement, have desserts placed on the table midway through the meal.
Arrange with banquet staff to cease all bussing of tables on a pre-arranged signal. Many functions have less than interesting openings because service personnel are running around for the first 10 minutes of a talk. This gets everything off to a bad start.
Ten minutes before the public speaking program is to start, it is very helpful to announce something like the following: "The program will start in ten minutes. Please get your drink refills, go to the restroom, get some more dessert, and then take your seats and get ready for a great program!"
When planning lighthearted / humorous public speaking programs, avoid heavy subjects before the speaker, i.e., don't show tearjerker slides of starving children (actually happened to a speaker friend of mine), in an effort to raise funds. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for raising funds for good causes, but if you do this just before a humorous public speaking event or comedy show, you may have wasted your money on the talent and actually made it inappropriate for them to do the job for which they were hired.
When the public speaking engagement is at settings where food is involved you must make a special effort to take care of logistical details so your speech will be well received.
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You can find out more about Tom at this website: www.professionalspeaker.com
Fran
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