Practice Makes Perfect in Public Speaking and Presentations

Why is it that some speakers captivate our attention and move us to action, while others put us to sleep?  And how can you learn to be one of the good ones?

Contrary to popular opinion, great speakers are not born—they are made.  You don’t have to be extremely extroverted or a student of theater arts in order to get up on a stage in front of dozens or even hundreds of people and knock ‘em dead with your presentation.  All you need is for someone to let you in on the secrets to making a persuasive speech. 

What we found is that dynamic presenters follow a repeatable formula whenever they get up to deliver a winning speech.  They know that there are certain essential elements they’ve got to include if they want to captivate their audience. 

A persuasive speaker is someone who is able to clear away all the chatter and say to the audience, directly and convincingly, “This—what I am "selling" you—is all that you need.  You can forget about those other products.  You can forget about those useless services.  This is it.”

This is true no matter what kinds of speeches you deliver.  Even if you are not a “salesperson” in the literal definition of that word, when you are up on stage in front of an audience, your mission is selling your message.  Whether or not the audience buys that message depends upon how persuasive you are.

Good speakers seem to ooze confidence.  Again, this isn’t because they are naturally confident and brazen people.  It’s because they’ve gained confidence through learning the essentials of persuasive speaking.  They’ve grown sure of themselves over time because of the amazing reactions they get when they follow the very same rules that are outlined in this report.

You, too, can have that wonderful, confident feeling each and every time you take the microphone, as long as you know how to get the audience to move with you—

To your speaking success.

Fran Watson  

P.S.  If you need help to develop your skills, check out a local Toastmasters Club.  There you can practice your talks in front of a supportive audience to build your confidence.

Presentations

To quote Mark Twain: “If you want me to give you a two-hour presentation, I am ready today. If you want only a five-minute speech, it will take me two weeks to prepare.”

The communicator's job is to make the important, interesting. John Howze

Remember that accomplished speakers set themselves up to deliver high-value information, not to convey detailed, pedestrian material that is best read in written format.

The shorter a presentation, the better it needs to be organized. Use the time-tested “power of three” – introduction, body and conclusion – to structure your talk. Schedule three minutes for the introduction, 12 for the body (with four minutes for each of your three core points), and three for the conclusion.

However long you’re scheduled to speak, you simply cannot go over your allotted time. 

Many attempts to communicate are nullified by saying too much. Robert Greenleaf

You can be a brilliant orator, but the moment you roll past your limit, your credibility begins to suffer. Today’s audiences, with busy work lives, have less tolerance for speakers who lack the discipline and manners to stop at the appointed time. 

Rehearse your talk often enough so that if your presentation time is reduced for whatever reason (perhaps a technical malfunction at the venue), you can still deliver your material with confidence and clarity. It’s not about how long you speak. It’s about how well you connect

Jim Gray
Jim Gray is a speaker and communication skills coach in Toronto author of How Leaders Speak: Essential Rules for Engaging and Inspiring Others. Website: jimgray.ca.

Press on: nothing in the world can take the place of perseverance. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. Calvin Coolidge (1872 - 1933)

To your speaking success!!

Fran Watson

Dealing With Self-Induced Stress

Do you have just 2 minutes? That's all the time it takes to read the following article. But if you're really short on time, just read the first paragraph. It summarizes the whole text.

Enjoy!


Free article no. 134
DEALING WITH SELF-INDUCED STRESS
by J.A. Gamache
Third place Champion at the 2001 Toastmasters International World Championship of Public Speaking

I learned an important lesson when I first presented my inspirational keynote entitled "Cross the line!". When striving for perfection, we can sometimes create our own stress.

After many years as an amateur speaker, I had accumulated enough material to give a strong sixty-minute speech.

One day, the president of a company saw my free presentation and was thrilled with it; so much so that he hired me on the spot to present it to his employees.

I was nervous. It was the first time I was being paid a professional speaking fee, so disappointing my client was out of the question! I interviewed him, adapted my presentation to his employees' needs, and then organized a rehearsal in front of a dozen people.

The rehearsal was a disaster! I was shaking like a leaf and my mouth ran dry. I had lost my usual stamina and was constantly looking at my notes because I was forgetting my text.

And the real presentation was only two days away!!!

Can you imagine how hard I worked over the next two days? I practiced my speech over and over again.

On the day of my presentation, just as I was announced to the audience, I realized that my notes were still in the car. Instead of panicking, I said to myself: "Tough luck. You know your text, and if you forget, you'll just improvise." So I went on stage.

That interior dialog was the turning point that made all the difference. Unlike rehearsal day, I didn't worry about being perfect, and most of my stress vanished away.

My speech was a success. Of course I forgot a small part of my text, but the audience couldn't tell. Having already put in all the hard work, I was able to relax on the floor and allow myself to perform without my notes.

This message is for perfectionists like me. Wanting to avoid mistakes at all costs during the performance may be the cause of your stress. It was a blessing that I forgot my notes that day. Instead of trying to be a flawless speaker, I was myself, and that made the day perfect!

Happy speech!

©MMXI J.A. Gamache www.jagamache.com. All rights reserved.


To your successful speaking

Fran
P.S.  Sign up for my free ezine and get 800 speech topics - Click here

---------------------------------
PERMISSION IS GRANTED TO REPRODUCE THIS ARTICLE in whole or
in part if a copy of the reproduced text is sent to J.A. Gamache at info@jagamache.com after publication and also provided that this byline, including the following paragraph, appears along with the reproduced text:

This article was reproduced from "Speaking in Public with J.A.", a FREE electronic magazine authored by J.A. Gamache, International Inspirational Speaker. To subscribe to his FREE e-zine or to find out more about his presentations, visit: http://www.jagamache.com.

Speech Contests

For Toastmasters spring and fall provide opportunities for speakers to compete against others in Speech Contests.

In the spring, the International Speech Contest draws in speakers from all over the world, competing in their districts and regions for the opportunity to compete at the conference in August and the chance to become the World Champion.

The other contests may end at the local District levels, but they too provide an opportunity for fun and competition as contestants share their funny stories in the Humorous Speech Contests or the Tall Tales Contests.  They also develop their impromptu speaking skills in the Evaluation Contests and the Table Topics Contests.

Why would a person want to subject themselves to such a practice?  Isn't it tough enough to get up in front of your fellow co-workers to give a presentation?  Or in front of your local club? 

They do it to grow, to enhance their skills. 

People who participate in Toastmasters develop their confidence as they participate in weekly meetings, taking on the various roles of Toastmaster, Table Topics Master, Grammarian, Timer, Educational Tip, Ah Counter.  Each time they speak at a meeting, or challenge themselves to present a speech, they grow. 

When they want to challenge themselves further, they participate in contests - from club level, to area level, to division level, to district level, and in the case of the International Speech Contest, to the International level.

If you are thinking about developing your confidence and leadership skills, check out a Toastmasters Club near you.  Who knows, you just might get hooked on speech contests and challenging yourself to grow.

To your speaking success

Fran
P.S.
More youtube videos on humourous speeches

How To Give A Presentation

Almost everyone feels a bit nervous about delivering a presentation before a group. It seems that some people would rather undergo a root canal than experience the anxiety of giving a speech.  They must have a really good dentist!


If you can follow some basic guidelines for preparation and delivery, you can transform your nervousness into positive energy that will allow you to achieve the results you desire.

The secrets to successful presentations are simple and are based on common sense. Unfortunately, many people fail to discover these secrets.

Step One: Purpose

This first step is the most important step.  You need to ask yourself some hard questions, such as:

* What’s the purpose of your presentation? Why this topic?  Why you?  There are many reasons to make a speech or announcement, and you need to clearly define your goal.
* Do you have to deliver bad news to your department?
* Do you require a decision from your superiors on a problematic business situation?
* Do you have a solution and want to convince people?
* Are you trying to sell a solution or product?

The reason you are giving your speech is to persuade your audience to buy into specific ideas. You must sufficiently inspire and motivate listeners to take action or give the green light to act on suggested solutions.

 However, unless they believe they “own” the decision, they won’t act upon it.  You need to lead your audience through the decision-making process so the audience members can go through it with you.

It’s critical to avoid spelling everything out for them. Let them “see” what the problems are and which decisions are needed. They will then be happy to engage in finding solutions and be enthusiastic about acting on them.

Step Two: Know Your Audience

Your audience includes those who may be influenced or affected by your proposal. Before you think about what to say, you must determine who your audience is and what they’ll need from you to buy into your argument.  Always focus on your audience's interests.

Make sure you’re selling the benefits of your solution—not the features. For example, if your new program benefits the company by saving time and money, this is what you should emphasize. It will appeal to your audience much more than any discussion of actual program features. 
Step Three: Structure Your Presentation

Most of the time, it’s a good idea to open with a story that reveals a picture of the problem at hand. Stories engage people, especially if they’re personal and real. They create an authentic connection and grab people’s attention. Remember: Your first 30 seconds are the most crucial.

Follow up your story with an honest analysis of the problem, and back it up with research statistics. The Internet makes this part of your task easy, but be cautious about spending too much time on stats.

Then, present the solution. This is the “good stuff,” as people want to know relief is in sight. Spell out the benefits to your audience.

Strengthening Your Presentation

Slides or PowerPoint graphics should supplement your talk and illustrate key points, not deliver the presentation for you. Don’t use graphics that contain every word you say, and never read directly off the screen.  After all, if people can read the information, why do they need you?

Limit text to subheadings, which should be large enough to read from the back of the room. Don’t talk to the screen instead of your audience. And always be prepared for the possibility of a power or technological failure; bring handouts and have an alternative way to deliver your speech in case there’s no screen.

Managing Anxiety

Some experts suggest memorizing the first 60 seconds of your speech. If you do this, make sure it sounds natural and authentic. Because you’re likely to open with a personal story, introduce yourself and explain why your topic is so important to you. This makes the first 60 seconds sound natural, even if you memorize your text.

Don’t draw attention to your nervousness by telling your audience about it. You can share your feelings, but not your anxieties. Your goal is to present yourself authentically, as a real human being.

Don’t fidget or fiddle with your hair, clothes or body parts.

Practice your speech in front of a mirror as often as you can, and minimize nervous tics by standing behind a lectern, if necessary.

Practice drawing a deep breath for instant relaxation.  Take two or three deep breaths before you get up to speak.

To your success in speaking!

Fran

P.S. If you would like some more tips on public speaking, click here

Use of Pauses in Public Speakikng

Timing is essential when speaking in public. The cliché: "It is not what you say but more on how you say it", applies so much to public speaking.

Where you put your pauses during your presentation is one of the important aspects of maintaining an audience that is free from falling asleep. Couple this with humor and you are definitely on a roll.

Timing is the element involved to achieve reactions that are spontaneous especially on developments during important aspects of your delivery that are unexpected.

Do not forget, though, that when you expect laughter to burst any time soon, pause after your delivery and avoid speaking as your voice and whatever it is that you are saying will probably (hopefully) be drowned out by the noise of the audience.

Make sure to remember that laughter is extremely difficult to get and so very much easier to discourage. Try as much as possible to maintain eye contact with the audience for a little longer when you deliver that punch line.

The audience size could also affect the way you use your timing. When the audience is small, the presentation you have will most probably be delivered in a shorter time compared to if you have a large audience. The reaction of a large audience will be a little longer and not as quick as in a small audience. You also have to wait until the seemingly ripple effect of your punch line gets to that audience in the back row.

Believe it or not, putting that much needed silence in your presentation is one of the hallmarks of a skilled and good presenter. No public speaker should jabber constantly away in the hopes of keeping an audience glued to anything it is you have to say. Ironically, this is one effective way to keep their focus off you. The use of silence adds that much needed polish in your presentation making you appear as a confident expert.

Short pauses are effective to use in order for you to separate your thoughts. These pauses last from half a second to two. You do not have to literally count though, just keep in mind to slow down. This gives the audience a chance to absorb all of what it is you are getting across. It also helps if you change the inflection in your voice during the end of a thought as this could also signal to the audience that another thought is coming their way. Pauses are also an effective means if you want to highlight something. Put it before any word or thought you want the audience to focus on, they will most definitely get that.

To your effective speaking

Fran

P.S. You can get a list of speaking topics and sign up for my public speaking tips here