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

Public Speaking - Connect With Your Audience

Although speaking in public is really a monologue of sorts, this monologue is addressed to a ready, able and receptive audience who wants to learn from you as much as you want to learn from them.

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

How to Improve Your Public Speaking Skills

For some, spiders; for many, ghosts; others would say heights, but there are those who would admit that public speaking is their greatest fear.

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

How are YOU Successful?

This is a question that I have been considering over the past week as I began my studying with Mark Hendricks and the Ultimate Success Program.

Mark's goal is to help me (and everyone else) change my mindset from lack to prosperity.  He had us begin by listing all the ways we have been successful in the past so that we can build on that success to create a new fuutre.

It's like moving through the Toastmasters Competent Communicator manual, building on the successes of each speech and moving on to the next one - from the Ice Breaker to Organizing Your Speech, to Vocal Variety, Body Language, Researching Your Topic, Using Props, etc., until you ultimately complete your final speech inspiring your audience.  Then you move on to the Advanced Manuals, choosing one that will enhance your skills in a particular area.

The Ultimate Success Program ia another way to build your skills, to achieve success in your life.  Each week you work through the lesson using audios and print outs and then a simple test before you move on to the next lesson. 

Why don't you join me?  We can work through the lessons together and share experiences.  I have already learned so much about myself and the successes I have achieved.  Just click here for more information.

Hope to see you there.

Fran Watson

Body Language in Public Speaking

Body language is very important when delivering a speech.


Have you ever seen our great leaders fidget or make unnecessary movements while addressing the nation?

Since you are the center of attention while making the presentation, you should mind every move that you make so as not to bore or distract the people listening to your speech.

You already have a speech prepared, you know the topic well and you are now standing in front of the audience.  They are in for a treat because you have prepared a great presentation, yet you also know that they have a very short attention span.  How would you keep them interested with what you are saying?

The answer is to maintain eye contact.  This is one public speaking technique that great speakers use when addressing a large group of people.

Here are some tips on how you can use this "trick" to keep your audience interested while delivering a speech:

Once you have started speaking and have delivered your introduction, take a look at your audience.  Do not be nervous if you see one or two people frowning as you are not sure of exactly what they are thinking.  Instead of looking out for unfriendly or blank faces, search for the people who are smiling and nodding their heads.  Try to focus on this person for a couple of minutes and look him or her in the eye.

This way, you have an immediate "friend" in the audience to whom you can look and gain confidence from.  This will not just increase your confidence but also help relax you in the course of your speech.

Gaze steadily at your audience, moving from one part of the room to another, catching one person in each section.   This way, you would immediately grasp their attention as each person feels you are speaking just to them.

Make it a practice to never read your speech. Just make an outline of the important points that you can expand on.

If you have visuals, do not read the bullet points word for word as this might imply that your audience cannot read that themselves.  Allowing them to read what is on the screen creates a "bond" with your audience as a speaker since you do not have to keep on looking at your notes through the course of your speech.

The key to delivering a great speech is to know what your message is for your audience (why this message and why this audience) and then to just breathe, relax and make eye to eye contact with your audience.  Thus, you are not just making a physical connection with them but you are also ensured that you come out as a sincere speaker who wants to inform and interact with the audience through your speech.

To your successful speaking
  Fran   P.S.  Check out John Maxwell's books for more tips on public speaking and leadership - Click here

Fear of Speaking in Public?

In a survey done by Dr. Laurie Rozakis, author of Idiots Guide to Public Speaking, it was found that many people are scared to speak before a group. It is the number one fear among Americans, "--and the number 6 is fear of death," according to Dr. Rozakis.


Even the most experienced speaker gets anxious when speaking in public. However, this fear can be controlled so that you can put your fear to your advantage. This topic teaches us why people are nervous when speaking in front of a crowd and how you can conquer your fear.

FEAR OF THE AUDIENCE

People are afraid of rejection by their audience. Thus, many are terrified of speaking in public for fear of being criticized by the crowd for how they look or how they deliver their speech. On the contrary, audiences are very understanding about the speaker's problem with stage fright. You become more nervous when your fear of the audience increases.

Below are some strategies that can help you overcome your fear of the audience.

> Choose a topic that you like and you are familiar with. The more comfortable you are about your chosen topic, the more confident you are in facing your audience.

> Concentrate on your topic. Focus on your topic and not on yourself. When you start to think of your subject matter and not yourself, your fear of speaking will likely decrease.

> Say to yourself: "I am the BOSS." Trust in your capability of delivering your speech. Showing that you are in charge decreases your fear and increases your confidence in facing the situation.

> Don't think of your audience as a threat. Bridge the gap between your audience and yourself. Analyze carefully to establish rapport. You should consider age, gender and their level of expertise. Remember to analyze your audience.

FEAR OF FAILURE

There are two ways to win over your fear of failure.

> Picture yourself succeeding. If you think that you will stutter in front of many people, chances are you will stutter. But if you visualize yourself delivering your speech well, then, you will.

> Face your fear. You cannot overcome your fear unless you show it and admit that you are afraid of it.

FEAR THAT YOUR SPEECH IS A BAD SPEECH

> Write well. Take time to write your speech. Review it and rewrite if necessary. If you are confident with your speech, the less terrified you will be about speaking in public.

> Practice and ask for suggestions on how you can improve your speech. Ask a friend of relative to act as your audience. Once you have delivered your topic, ask for their feedback. Don't be afraid to hear about what they will say. Their feedback can give you insight on what is good or bad in your speech.

Toastmasters is a great place to learn and practice your speaking skills.  You will be surrounded by people who want to help you succeed and who are willing to share their knowledge and expertise with you while giving feedback on the things you did  well and the things that could be improved.

There is probably a Toastmasters club near you.  To find out, simply go to www.toastmasters.org and click on "find a club".  Invest in yourself and your future.

To your speaking success

Fran Watson
A Toastmaster for 9 years

Public Speaking Tip

People have praised and respected over the centuries those who could speak well in front of a crowd. The audience is oftentimes left in awe at how these leaders express themselves well and eventually convinced them a great deal. Knowing how to speak well before a crowd is the best drawer of attention to a candidate leader.

Facing a crowd can be a serious jittery experience for some but for others, they found it fun and exciting to express themselves. But being a public speaker you ought to prepare your speech. You owe this to your audience.

Preparing yourself for a talk is not that easy. You always have to put your best foot forward. The best way to get your audience attention is to start your speech with conviction and end it with a thought provoking ending hoping to lead to positive action.

Some helpful tips are listed below to guide you in your speech.

Content

• A good speech summary is very important to wrap up your talk and get the message across effectively. Focus on the purpose of your speech: is it to persuade, inform or entertain?

• The body of your speech should be driven to one focal point meaning a message.

• Know the objectives of the event where you are invited to talk. Your speech should be tailored to your kind of audience.

• Be sure that your talk is meaty with facts, if necessary figures, but which you can explain easily during your talk and make it in layman’s terms. Facts should be accurate, objective and should be from credible resources.

• Have nice, catchy titles to draw more attention to your speech.

Acceptable Physical Appearance during Public Speaking

• Gestures, movements, facial and bodily expressions are very important because they reveal so much about you as a speaker and a person on how well-versed you are on the topic.

• Public speakers should exude pleasantness, enthusiasm and confidence.

• Do not read from your notes, instead maintain eye contact with your audience. Remember, you should speak and not read.

• Dress for the occasion.

Your Speech

• Speaking with conviction is very important in public speaking to gain credibility and respect.

• If you are to give a speech, train and prepare yourself to speak slowly, enunciate words clearly, pause and show the right emotions while sharing your topic. Most of all, talk to all members of the audience as a whole.

• Communicate with your audience – speak, listen, respond, adjust and adapt – if they have questions or reactions.

• Add-ons to speeches include: humor, handouts and audio-visual aids.

• and most important - Learn when to stop talking.

To your speaking success

Fran Watson