Fran Watson, DTM, a Toastmaster presents Tips about Public Speaking for public speakers, those who want to become better speakers and those who fear speaking more than death.
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Public Speaking Tips
I found this recently in my collection of quotes and other interesting things. It was written by Christian D. Larson.
Promise Yourself:
To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person you meet.
To make all your friends feel that there is something in them.
To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.
To think only the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.
To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile.
To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.
To think well of yourself and to proclaim this fact to the world, not in loud words but in great deeds.
To live in faith that the whole world is on your side so long as you are true to the best that is in you.
As Jim Rohn said - "Look at each day as a chance to invest life into life. A chance to share your experience and deposit it into someone else's conscience. Each day is a chance to work miracles in the lives of others."
Ideas for speech topics are everywhere. Look around you and let your eyes rest on a number of different things. For each thing come up with two or three ways they can be used or how they impact your life. For instance, your kitchen table - what do you do at it besides eat? Is it a place for gathering family and friens to engage in conversation, games, puzzles, etc? What about your couch? A place to nap, watch tv, take the cushions off to build forts? You get the picture. Get creative and get speaking.
To your speaking success
Fran Watson
P.S. For more speaking tips, click here
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Distracted Listeners ?
HOW TO RE-FOCUS THE ATTENTION OF DISTRACTED LISTENERS
by J.A. Gamache
Third place Champion at the 2001 Toastmasters International World Championship of Public Speaking
Although you may be an energetic and interesting speaker, it's still normal to lose the attention of some of your listeners. To remedy this situation, plan to include in your presentation some attention-getting elements that will pull in absent-minded audience members. In other words, make your crowd react regularly. There are many ways to make a room react. I find that I can snap out of my daydreaming if a speaker uses one of the following methods:
1- LAUGHTER When I hear everyone laugh, I stop daydreaming and ask my neighbor what the speaker said. After that, I'm on the edge of my seat so I don't miss the next joke.
Since almost everyone likes to laugh, inject humour into your presentation when it's appropriate. The more laughter you get from your presentation, the more you motivate your audience to listen.
2- MOVEMENTS OF OTHER AUDIENCE MEMBERS When everyone around me starts to move, it obviously gets my attention. I ask my neighbor what's happening and the person explains that the speaker has asked everyone to participate to an activity. In spite of myself, my interest re-focuses on what's happening in the room. That's why professional speakers often ask audience members to shake hands and say something to their neighbor.
A participating audience is an attentive audience. Make it a habit to incorporate a strategy to refocus absent-minded listeners, and make them react regularly. An easy way is to have humorous moments in your speech and invite audience participation. These are all good methods to reclaim the audience's attention.
Happy speech! ©
MMXI J.A. Gamache www.jagamache.com.
All rights reserved. ---------------------------------
To your speaking success!
Fran Watson
P.S. Sign up for some more speaking tips on my websitehere
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Public Speaking to Attract Clients?
How To Use Public Speaking To Attract Clients
When Robert Middleton moved his marketing consulting practice, Action Plan Marketing, to Palo Alto, California several years ago, he started his business from scratch. He had left his well-established client base several miles away and now had to find strategies to generate new clients.
Because Middleton had always spoken to promote his business, he turned to public speaking with a vengeance. He researched local organizations whose members comprised professional business owners, his target clientele. He called chambers of commerce, business groups and others likely to be interested in his three-hour marketing workshop.
Within a few months, Middleton had spoken at over a dozen organizations, establishing his reputation as a marketing expert for professional service firms. He quickly became a known entity, having personally introduced his business and credentials to hundreds of prospects.
Better yet, Middleton's speaking strategy helped him land all the business he could handle in a relatively short time period.
Over the course of sixteen talks, he averaged one new client each time.
Speaking Is Selling
Many business people never consider standing in the front of their buying public to share professional wisdom. If you're one of them, you're missing the boat.
Speaking is a marketing strategy you can immediately embrace to get in front of potential customers. Speaking puts you within handshaking distance of your best prospects, many times helping you close sales before you leave the room.
By speaking regularly you can end the uncertainty of knowing where your next client will come from. Speaking can help you reach dozens, and sometimes hundreds of your best prospects every time. Speakers report that speaking regularly continuously fills their prospect pipelines, ensuring a steady stream of new clients and customers.
Speaking is effective because it showcases your knowledge before groups of people who eagerly show up to hear it. Your prospects may tune out advertising, but they'll pay attention to your talk because it presents your knowledge in polished form to people who think it will help them.
Speaking gives you tremendous visibility and credibility that increases over time. Whenever you are in the front of a room, you get noticed. People will remember who you are and what your business does. The more people see you speak and see your business name, the more successful people think you are.
Speaking gives prospects a taste of what you offer in a non-threatening environment. When they are in a room full of people, they feel comfortable. There's safety in numbers. They do not feel the sales pressure of a one-on-one meeting. It's also low risk, as chances are, they didn't pay as much to hear you speak as it would cost to hire you.
Get On The Program
You don't have to be a seasoned speaker to put speaking to work for your business. If you're willing to speak for free, you'll find that there are more outlets available than you'll know what to do with.
"If you can get up there and do a decent job you will immediately position yourself as an expert in the minds of an audience," says business coach, author and professional speaker Caterina Rando. "You only have to be 'decent' to make an impact. Even though speaking can be scary at first, anybody can find groups to speak to and master the basics of giving a good speech."
Choose the right topics
Before you contact an organization about speaking, create sample talk descriptions with catchy titles. For example, a financial planner could avoid generic descriptions like "Planning Your Retirement," and use a more snappy title like "Enjoying Your Gold Years On A Champagne Budget".
Targeting speaking opportunities
Once you are clear about your topic and its benefit to the audience, make some calls and offer yourself as a speaker.
• Chambers of Commerce
• Service Clubs
• Industry Specific Associations
• University Extensions
• Professional Associations
Getting the most out of your speech
The promotional value of your talks goes beyond your time on the podium. Often, when you speak to a group, the group publicizes the event. Many people who do not attend the event will still read the information, or will hear about you from other attendees, and may give you a call.
Consistency is the big thing. Getting out there and speaking on a regular basis keeps your pipeline full of prospects. When you're done, put a follow up mechanism in place, even if it's a simple mailing or newsletter. If you keep in contact with people who've heard you speak, you get more long-term leverage from your efforts.
Steven Van Yoder is the author of Get Slightly Famous™. He teaches small business owners how to attract more business with less effort by becoming a mini-celebrity in your field. Visit GetSlightlyFamous.com to claim your free Slightly Famous Marketing Plan Workbook.
To your success in speaking!!
Fran
P.S. Want more tips? Sign up here
Thursday, January 3, 2013
How To Give A Presentation
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
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Use of Pauses in Public Speakikng
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
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Public Speaking - Connect With Your Audience
Obviously the message would be more effective if it is listened to. Check out the following tips to maintain that necessary contact with the audience.
Greet them
Take some time before your actual speaking engagement to walk around the venue and familiarize yourself with the people who will be listening to you. As the people and the attendees arrive, give them a warm greeting. It is much easier to deliver a speech to a group of people whom you consider as friends than to a bunch of anonymous faces.
Be positive
Honestly, people expect and want you to succeed. Audiences want to be as informed, stimulated and entertained as they could be. If you fail, they cringe with you. Succeed and your audience benefits from your great speaking performance.
Do not apologize
If you mention to the audience that you are nervous or if you express your apologies about any problems you think may exist about your speech or your speech delivery, you may be setting them up to focus on that very thing you are apologizing for. You do not have to mention this to them, chances are they haven’t noticed this and won't notice unless you bring it up. Relax and be silent. Your audience will relax with you.
Establish eye contact
Connect with your audience, appear natural. Or better yet, be as natural as you can be, without overdoing it of course. You should be able to get the audience to nod their heads as an acknowledgement of what you are trying to convey. Choose one person from each area of the room to focus on and make eye contact with them at various points throughout your speech. Do not breeze/race through your speech. Pause for a brief moment, especially at those points you want to emphasize. This is also a good time to establish eye contact with your attendees as well as to catch that much needed breath.
Do not debate
If during the question and answer part of your speaking engagement an audience member expresses disagreement with any part of your message, you need not aggressively prove your point to him or her. A debate is not only a futile means to get your point across, but it also could just as well never be resolved. Acknowledge the audience member and invite him or her to talk with you after your speaking engagement, instead.
To your speaking success!
Fran
P.S. Overcome your fear of public speaking - click here
Monday, December 17, 2012
How to Improve Your Public Speaking Skills
It is actually normal. Come to think of it, there is nothing more frightening than having to stand up and speak in front of a group of people who could sleep, shout at you, laugh at you, or leave while you are talking. Even actress Debra Messing of Will and Grace surprisingly had this fear all her life. And she’s an actress! Imagine how much worse this could be for those who haven’t even had the chance to go on a stage ever in their lives.
Thankfully, public speaking is a fear that can easily be overcome. Perhaps you are not exactly fearful, but you think you still need improvement in your speaking skills, then don’t worry. You can improve your public speaking skills quite easily by following the tips below.
Be prepared and practice. The value of preparation can never be overemphasized. It adds confidence and substance to your speech. Research well about the topic you will talk about and try to find the best way to present it. Outline your points and use cue cards if necessary. Practice your delivery to make sure that your talk will not exceed the time allotted for you and so that you could also asses your delivery yourself. If you are to speak in a very important engagement, try to practice your speech in front of someone who could properly assess how you have done.
Know your audience. Technically, this is still part of being prepared but it is so important that it calls for a separate entry. Knowing your audience provides you with valuable insight on the type of presentation that would appeal best to them. It guides whether you can be casual and funny or whether you need to be serious and sophisticated. It also gives you great input in streamlining your speech by suggesting what you need to include and what you can do without.
Dress the part. As much as we refuse to admit, image is everything. How the audience responds to you highly depends on how they perceive you. Generally, you would appear as a more convincing speaker if you are dressed well. Also, since the audience will have to look at you anyway, might as well make that experience a pleasant one for them.
KISS. Keep It Short and Simple. Even geniuses have limited attention spans. Do not bore your audience to death with a speech that is too long. The faster you can get your message across, the better. A short and simple message also appears smarter and it prevents you from being perceived as someone who came unprepared. It also allows your listeners to retain what you have said easily.
In addition to these, your public speaking skills will also be improved if you practice establishing eye contact with your audience. Also, if the occasion and your resources will permit, you can use visual aids such as slide presentations, product samples, handouts, etc to stimulate your audience’s attention. To cap off your presentation, you should be able to answer the audience’s question confidently and with tact.
Remember that there would really come a time when you will have no other choice but to speak in public. So you might as well be ready when that time comes. It could either be a disastrous or a pleasant experience for you; and you have all the power to make the most out of it. Follow the tips above and you’ll surely be on your way to become a natural at public speaking.
To your successful communication
Fran
P.S. Get a list of 800 speech topics here and sign up for my newsletter on public speaking - Click here