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This week’s read – Writing great speeches

Writing Great Speeches: Professional Techniques You Can Use (Part of the Essence of Public Speaking Series) 

by Alan M. Perlman

With endorsements from two of the largest and most influential public speaking groups — the National Speakers Association and Toastmasters International — this book is written by an expert speechwriter whose eloquent voice leads readers through the difficult process of writing a great speech. In these pages a seasoned speechwriter reveals his trade secrets – from analyzing the needs of an audience to leaving them with a satisfying sense of closure – as he guides readers through the process of planning, writing, and honing an outstanding speech.

How to Deliver and Outstanding introduction for a Keynote Speaker

image source

As the introducer, you are the connector – the broker – between the speaker and the audience.

The article is short yes, but oh so to the point. All are excellent reminders.

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How to Tell a Great Story

by Martin Jugmans

Everybody has a great story. To tell a story well it must be lovingly crafted and tailor-made.
We want to capture the audience’s attention and convey a memorable message.

Preparation:
We need to know who the audience is and what is the purpose of our story. Will it be a group of workers on an oil rig or school children? By making references within our story that directly relates to the audience’s interests will keep them engaged. Asking and remembering people’s names and asking questions we can get a good idea of who will be present.

By writing down the purpose of the story in one short sentence, we establish a clear direction that our story will take.

As an example, we are going to speak to a group of teenagers about “The Power of Writing Down Your Goals”.

What would interest a group of teenagers to write down their goals? What are their dreams and desires, to be a great football player, to have the latest gadget, money or a new car, travel or clothes? What are their fears? Exams, failing, lack of self-esteem. Doing this research pays dividends.

Before creating the actual content we need to determine how we want the audience to feel at the end of our story. Write this down:

We want the audience to feel empowered and inspired.

Content:
Now we can start looking for a story in our own personal experience that shows the benefits and illustrates “The Power of Writing Down Your Goals”. We want our story to show the audience that they can attain their goals and dreams and it starts by forming a clear picture in their minds.

If you don’t have a story of your own, (which I’m sure you do) perhaps you have a friend who in spite of hardship and difficulty went on to be great. Adapt the story.

The opening is vital. Pause for a breath or two and begin. Ask a question or invoke the audience’s anticipation and curiosity.

To make our story work we inject liberal amounts of sincere emotion and feelings. Excitement, difficulties and obstacles, disappointment, courage and joy. Above all, humour. Used appropriately, showing sincere emotion in tone of voice and body movements will colour our story and paint pictures in the minds of the audience. Find ways to include fun twists and turns and use an element of surprise. Make descriptions vivid and use poetic licence. Pauses and voice variations can be used to enhance effect. Consider yourself doing a masterful performance.
Masters practice and refine.

Eliminate all that does not help to convey the message (in this example) of empowerment and inspiration. Mould the story until it really begins to shine.

Spend time formulating a conclusion that is grabbing. We want to give our audience something to remember. A conclusion that wraps it all up, is decisive and leaves the audience feeling empowered and inspired.

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Do you need to be truthful in order to persuade?

Edward R. Murrow, and American Journalist early in the twentieth century said, “To be persuasive we must be believable; to be believable we must be credible; credible we must be truthful.”

Do you agree?

persuasive_believable

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The 2010 Slideshare Competition Winner – best slideshow!

The winning entry was created by Empowered Presentations

SMOKE – The Convenient Truth

View more presentations from Empowered Presentations, Honolulu, HI.

I love Slideshare – it is always an inspiration. But I am left so dissatisfied, because what I want to see is the speech that went with the visuals.

Still there is always lots to learn about design. What did you think of this one?

Four Persuasive Presentation Secrets

Being able to communicate persuasively with any audience is not just about what you say, it’s also about what you do. Here are four tips for making your communication more persuasive

1. Take Time to Build Rapport

When rapport exists, there is a sense of trust and confidence between people that makes each more likely to respond positively to the other. Although there are techniques you can use to accelerate rapport, it has to be earned.

You create rapport by being willing to meet the other person where they are rather than trying to drag them where you want them to be. The biggest mistake most people make in any type of communication is trying to communicate from their own perspective rather than trying to relate to where their audience currently is.

If you take time to understand your audience, whether it’s one person or a thousand, you will find it much easier to build rapport and communicate with them more successfully. You create rapport when you use that knowledge to change the way you communicate to suit your audience.

2. Model Successful Communicators

One of the best ways to improve your communication skills is to notice what works well for others and then to incorporate elements of what you see into your own behavior. Modeling is not about copying people. That’s often illegal and it doesn’t usually work. However, if you learn what makes other people good at something, you can use that experience to improve your own performance.

The key to successful modeling is that it’s not just about watching what people do, it’s as much about understanding how they think and what they believe. Take advantage of any opportunity to talk to speakers you admire and read as much as possible about them.

3. Always Be Authentic

To become a great presenter, you need to be yourself. One of the secrets of the best speakers is that they appear natural. They are the same on stage as they are in person. Too many people try to invent a persona that they use in presentations as they think that’s what is needed. And many people hold off from speaking because they compare themselves unfavorably to other people. The truth is it doesn’t matter. People are interested in what you have to say not in your speaking abilities.

Former US President Ronald Reagan is now called the Great Communicator but that’s as much for the way his natural personality shows through as for great public speaking skills.

You can improve your speaking skills by enhancing your abilities. But speaking successfully is about using your existing abilities to their full advantage. Just be yourself and you will get the results that you want.

4. Value and Respond to Feedback

Like most things in life, giving presentations is a process of constant improvement – no matter how good you are.

In order to be able to improve, you must:

– Be willing to accept feedback constructively: If you want to improve, listen to what people say and incorporate it next time. Accepting feedback doesn’t mean you have to do what others say but all feedback helps you be aware of what works for you most of the time and what doesn’t.

– Actively seek opportunities for feedback: If you seriously want to improve your presentation skills, you should actively encourage feedback. Hand out surveys at the end of a presentation or ask someone you know well in the audience for some comments. Try to find people who will be both honest and encouraging.

– Keep doing more: The best way to improve is to keep getting more practice so that you improve your skills, incorporate more of what you learn and build your confidence.

Following these four secrets will help you build your persuasive presentation skills easily and confidently.

Robert Greenshields is a copywriter and marketing coach who helps consultants, coaches and other independent professionals attract more clients and make more profit by packaging and promoting their expertise as a high-value product. Download his free Profit from Presentations report at www.persuasivepresentationpower.com

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Our words – careless or profound?

The flood of careless, unconsidered, cheap words is the greatest enemy of the profound word.

— Stephen L. Talbott

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Effective Solutions For The Problems In Delivering A Speech!

Here are the solutions for the problems encountered in public speech.
These solutions increase the quality of speech and help in delivering a great speech

=> http://bit.ly/gRBW1F

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Is your expert knowledge ruining the stickiness of your message?

Kelly Decker writes on the Decker blog …

Are you cursed by knowledge ?

It’s a tough question.

Mostly because you probably don’t even know you’re cursed. Psychologists and behavioral economists who study this phenomenon find the more of an expert you become in your field, the more likely you are to be cursed by your own knowledge. That is, you don’t know what it’s like NOT to know what you know. This has HUGE implications in our communications. We end up communicating to clients, internal team members, and even our kids in a language they can’t comprehend and then wonder why our product doesn’t sell, that project doesn’t move forward and why our kids just won’t patiently wait when we ask them to. According to Chip and Dan Heath, The Curse of Knowledge is the villain to all things sticky – including your messages.

Tamer Osman, CEO of RGlobe was a participant in our August Decker Made to Stick Messaging program. He noted that throughout his career it has been challenging to create messages that resonate and have a lasting impression on customers. “I’ve struggled with pinpointing the best approach to delivering complex messages to any type of audience in the most simple, yet effective way.”

Read more => http://bit.ly/dNmaH1

Toss the Script ~ The Key to Engaged Public Speaking

Have you suffered through an executive presentation read from a script?
What was your reaction?

Talked to your neighbour
Played with your iPhone or Blackberry
Took a bathroom break
Or are you a perpetrator?

Why as presenters do we read our script word for word? Our head down, buried in our notes using a monotone reading voice…clutching to the lectern.
Because we lack faith in our ability as a subject matter expert and our memorization skills. Our voice of self-doubt takes over. But deep in our heart of heart’s we know that our audience is not engaged – they are disconnected from our words. As are we.
So where to begin?
http://bit.ly/f45M2a

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Gandhi on speech

We do not need to proselytise either by our speech or by our writing. We can only do so really with our lives.

–Mahatma Gandhi

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Public Speaking – 5 Powerful Tips for Persuasive and Captivating Presentations

Let’s face it. Most of us are not comfortable speaking in front of groups, especially when giving formal speeches or presentations. Standing on stage under bright lights, with all those blank faces staring at you, can be incredibly nerve racking. In fact, some people tremble at the mere thought of public speaking.

Did you know the fear of public humiliation is greater than the fear of death? It’s universally true across all cultures. It’s why most people are deathly afraid of public speaking.
Now here’s the paradox. To reach that “next level” of success, socially and professionally, the ability to speak in front of a group is a fundamental necessity. Overcoming this fear will release your untapped potential. It will unlock opportunities that you may currently find unattainable.

One of the most important life skills is communication. Being able to effectively communicate to groups of people gives you an incredible advantage.

Sooner or later you will be presenting. Maybe you need to pitch a proposal at a company meeting… give a sales presentation to prospective clients… or something as simple as voicing your opinion in front of some friends or colleagues. No matter how big or small your audience, the following 5 Tips will help you deliver persuasive, powerful presentations – guaranteed!

…But first thing’s first! I am not a professional speaker. I was no less afraid of public speaking than the next person. When I was young I avoided large groups. They intimidated me. So it wasn’t in my scope of reality to speak to a group of people!

Then as I got older I realized that shyness and greatness don’t mix.

Through training, I overcame that barrier. Not only did I learn to speak in front of a group, I learned how to present. My fear of speaking was replaced with the confidence to deliver impactful presentations to over a hundred people at a time. Now I’m even more comfortable on TV and on camera. So I can say first-hand that applying these skills has absolutely improved my life!

There are a lot of good resources for public speaking. You can find speaking groups, (like Toastmasters), in every major city. It’s a terrific way to develop some speaking skills. But, what I’m about to share with you is far more valuable than speaking skills alone. I’m not going to talk about articulation, creative use of language, vocal variety, filler words, verbal crutches, hand gestures, and other techniques.

Although public speaking techniques are invaluable for giving speeches, presentations are more interactive and often require facilitating audience engagement. When you’re able to deliver captivating presentations, every aspect of your public speaking skills will improve automatically.

The magic of a powerful presentation is in the ability to make an emotional connection and build trust.
This is achieved by creating the proper setting, or [context], which engages your audience as part of your presentation. Logic, facts and figures may build interest and even impress your audience. However, it won’t spark the emotional motivation that decisions are made from. And, it certainly isn’t enough to earn their trust. Win over your audience by speaking to their hearts, not their minds. Remember, presenting is “facilitating a conversation”. It’s not lecturing.

Creating context is how the best speakers in the world influence and inspire. The process can be so subtle that unless you know what to look for, you just think they’re amazing speakers – which of course they are! The point is, it can be duplicated. The process will even give you instant confidence. How’s that for a great by-product?

…Communication is an emotional contact sport. Presenting to groups is no different. The common mistake is to think that presenting is a one-way street.

5 Tips to Connect With Your Audience:

Yes, it’s your audience. And, no matter what you previously thought, “presenting” is two-way communication…even if you’re doing all the talking!

Remember, the majority of all communication is non-verbal. Just because the audience isn’t talking doesn’t mean they’re not communicating with you. You just gotta learn to “listen”.

1. Get Present:

It’s called present-ing for a reason, so be in the now. This is one of the most overlooked factors in giving presentations. It’s so easy to get caught up in your “content” or presentation notes that you may as well be speaking to a wall.

There’s a story of an actress who was having a conversation at a party. She talked about herself for 20 minutes then asked, “Enough about me. How did you like my last movie?”
Yes… you may have the stage, but it’s not all-about-you!

Your audience is consciously or subconsciously looking for [what’s in it for them]. For the most part, they’re watching and listening to you for self-serving reasons. Address those reasons and you’ll get their undivided attention.

Remember, in a presentation you’re directing “a conversation”. Yours is verbal and theirs is non-verbal. Take moments to stay connected to your listeners. Just as you would make eye contact in a one-on-one conversation, continually scan the room and make your audience feel as if you’re talking to them individually. Notice their physical cues and responses during your presentation.

Not everyone has the ability to give a presentation or deliver a speech without using notes, and that’s totally fine. Notes are useful and sometimes necessary, as long as they’re not a crutch. If your face is buried in your notes, you’re not connecting with the audience. That means you’re definitely not present with them.

…Stay connected with your audience by “staying present”.

2. Enroll the Audience:

Enrolling questions are questions that engage listeners into participation. There are 3 main benefits of using enrolling questions in your presentation:

#1- Questions hook the mind. This allows listeners to at least mentally participate in your presentation, not just sit and listen. Remember, you’re leading a conversation and not a lecture. Get them to interact with you by asking questions that will lead into key points of your presentation.

The average adult attention span is probably shorter than the length of your presentation. It’s even shorter with kids. So use questions to get them to focus on your presentation, instead of the gazillion things going on in their personal lives. (Considering the average internet user’s attention span is in the seconds, congratulations! You’re officially above average!)
#2 – Addressing their questions is the way to bridge trust. If your audience doesn’t trust you and thinks you’re just “selling” or manipulating, you’ve already lost them.

Use questions that are relevant to your listeners’ interests. Your goal is 100% enrollment – your entire audience. If one or two people lose interest, it signals others to do the same. It only takes one person to trigger an episode in a group dynamic.

Participation is the key to retention and asking enrolling questions is the secret to participation. So use the universal enrollment question, “How Many Of You…?” (HMOY)

“How Many Of You would like to be a captivating speaker?” “How Many Of You would like to have the confidence of a world class leader?”
Business coaches, motivational speakers and exceptional salesmen all use the universal enrollment question. We’ve all heard these kinds of questions. And facilitated properly, it never gets old. Facilitated properly, it always works.

It’s good to ask 2 questions at a time – one question, and then it’s opposite. This way you get 100% enrollment. For example:

“How Many Of You are comfortable presenting to large groups?” (response)….”Thank You. How Many Of You are not comfortable presenting to large groups?” (response)…”Thank You.”
Of course not everyone will physically participate, even though you’ve asked opposing questions. It’s okay because just asking the question will mentally grab their attention.

Key Point: Asking enrolling questions alone isn’t enough to fully engage the audience into participation. Physically demonstrate the Response You Want. If you want them to raise their hands in answering your questions, raise your hand!

Enthusiasm is contagious! If you raise your hand halfway, most of your audience may only flip their hand up at the wrist. Raise your hand high, with energy and enthusiasm, and the audience will more likely raise their hands at least halfway up. If you’re connected with the audience, they’ll follow your physical commands without resistance. If not, it’s a cue to get present and re-connect. I encourage you to test this!

Another important point when asking enrolling questions is to thank the audience each time they respond. This is an important part of the enrollment process. It will help you gain trust by appreciating your audience.

…Use enrolling questions > Model the response you want > Thank the audience when they participate.

3. Address Their Physical/Mental/Emotional States:

Have you ever shifted in your seat to get comfortable during a lecture? Ever change leg positions or arch your back to stretch while seated? Ever need to take a big deep breath to stay focused and energized?

Of course!…Did you take a deep breath just now?

This is called a state change. While listening to a speaker, we periodically need to “change our state.” We subconsciously do this to release discomfort, or to “refresh” ourselves so our attention doesn’t drift off. As a listener this helps us focus. Now as a speaker, it usually means your audience is bored, uncomfortable or in disagreement with you.

What if you could use state changes to your advantage, instead of something to worry about during your presentation? How valuable would that be for your confidence? Here’s where delivering a presentation gets fun! (Imagine… public speaking can be fun!)

Have you ever been to a seminar and noticed how often the speaker will ask questions to get you to raise your hand?…And every so often they may even get you to stand up or perform some kind of physical movement.

A lot of people associate this with motivational lectures – to get you energized. That’s true, and it’s actually much more. Did you ever think that it’s an integral part of the entire presentation process? In fact, it’s carefully thought out. It’s usually so subtle that most people don’t realize the intent behind it.

Having good content in your presentation may get listeners interested. However, that’s not always enough for them to commit to a decision inspired by your presentation. How you deliver your presentation is everything.

While observing video playback of various seminars, it was discovered that the entire audience would periodically shift in their seats. Here’s why…
Like a computer, your brain is constantly processing information at lightning speed. It’s processing millions of bits of information per second. Your audience is subconsciously picking up tons of information from the words you’re using, your vocal tone, body language, other people in the audience, etc. It processes it all and comes up with an emotional feeling, mental thought, physical sensation, or a combination of the three. This dictates their [energetic state].

This “state” must be constantly addressed in order to retain their attention – more accurately, to retain their interest. Otherwise you’ll lose them through the overwhelming amount of information you’re blasting at them, or merely through sheer boredom.

Just as you periodically need to hit the [refresh button] on your internet browser, the processor in our brains need to be refreshed too! Mental, physical and emotional states are all closely connected. Change one and you simultaneously influence the other two. Studies have shown that the fastest way to change someone’s state is through a physical motion.

Knowing this, you can facilitate state changes in your audience at will, during your presentation. It’s not to be mistaken with manipulation. It’s the secret to keeping your audience focused and engaged.

If you don’t facilitate state changes, your audience will unconsciously do them on their own. And that could mean you’ve momentarily lost them. If you’ve even momentarily lost them, you’re not communicating effectively.

Remember, they’ll only retain about 10% of what you said. But, they’ll always remember how you made them feel!…and most decisions are based on emotions – not logic. Logic is how decisions are later justified.
This is why professional speakers put so much emphasis on how their message is delivered – cause context, (how it’s said) can be more important than content, (what is said).

…Facilitate “state changes” to get keep the audience engaged.

4. Acknowledge & Thank Your Audience:

Everyone has an inner skeptic. It’s healthy, to some degree. But as a speaker, a skeptical audience is intimidating. Unless your audience already knows you, they’re probably skeptical while open-minded at the same time. Those odds can quickly change for you or against you. It can happen faster than you can say (or don’t say) “anything.” So let’s increase those odds in your favor!

A key part of delivering a powerful presentation is to build trust. This includes addressing the audience’s inner skeptic during your presentation. This is commonly known as addressing [WIIFM’s] or What’s In It For Me?

…Meaning, what’s in it for your listeners? You may have something valuable to share, but is it important to them? What are some obvious questions your listeners may have in order to peak their interest and gain their trust?

Many people, understandably, want to avoid controversy and “hot topics” during a presentation. Objections can be scary to face head on, especially when unprepared and under the pressure of a large group! But completely avoiding them during your presentation has been proven to be a huge mistake!

There’s no faster way to lose credibility, and a listener’s interest, than to avoid WIIFM’s and not address obvious objections.

This one point underlines the core reason most people are afraid of public speaking – the universal fear of public humiliation. Ironically, hidden in the fearsome WIIFM’s and objections lies the secret to making quantum leaps in the power of your presentations.
Take the time to anticipate and prepare for major WIIFM’s and objections. Even if nobody verbalizes them, someone is thinking about them. And if someone is thinking about them, others probably are too. And if your audience is thinking about their objections instead of listening to your presentation, they may be in disagreement with you. Which means you’ve momentarily lost the connection.

WIIFM’s and objections may or may not be the same. A listener may not have any objections but simply aren’t interested cause they don’t see any personal relevance, (WIIFM). Or, someone can be interested and engaged while being skeptical (sees the relevance but has objections).

Either way, making an emotional connection is the key to a powerful presentation. Why do you think testimonials have proven to be more effective than selling facts and features?
I can’t tell you how powerful it is to address WIIFM’s and objections during your presentation. It skyrockets your credibility and further engages your audience for a fantastic presentation.

Remember, it’s imperative to thank your audience for their time and participation….Not just at the end of your presentation, but throughout your entire presentation. It’s a natural human need to feel valued. Extend your audience’s trust by genuinely appreciating them.

…Acknowledge the audience’s WIIFM’s and major objections.

…Thank them for their time, participation, and/or money.

5. Call To Action:

Depending on the kind of presentation you’re giving, a “call to action” is whatever your intentions are for your audience. For example: to get their contact information to build your prospective client list, to schedule future appointments, to make an immediate sale, etc.

This is the time to “close” your presentation and get the results you’re intending. You’ve informed, inspired, and added value to your listeners. Your presentation has prepped them for this moment…now what?

Generally, the audience still needs direction. At this point they probably realize the potential value you’re offering. In fact, if you’ve addressed the WIIFM’s and made the emotional connection, they can’t wait for you to tell them what to do next! That’s exactly the win-win you’re looking for.

Keep in mind that most people follow the group dynamic. Without clear guidance, they may scatter or just follow the masses. So, where do you want the masses to go? A common mistake is not providing a simple and clear call to action. I’ve seen so many good presentations go bad because of a lack of definitive next steps.

…Provide a simple and clear call-to-action.

Summary:

By no means is this article a ‘complete guide’ to delivering powerful presentations. It’s not possible to stuff advanced material into one article. That being said, implementing this process into your presentations will yield outstanding results – guaranteed!

There isn’t necessarily an “order” to this process. These tips are to be applied throughout your entire presentation. Using this methodology, you’ll be able to take your presentation towards a professional, world-class level!

Get Present
Enroll the Audience
Address the Audience’s Energetic State
Acknowledgement and Thanks
Call to Action
Next time you watch a professional speaker or top salesman, you’ll recognize these powerful tips that you’ve just learned. Best of all, now you can consciously duplicate this proven process and implement them as your own.

Professional training doesn’t always have to cost a lot of money, (like it did for ‘some people’). In this case it only costs you an investment in time! Congratulations and good luck! You won’t need it: )

Continue to discover the power of your untapped potential!
We all have so called inner demons or deep-rooted emotions that may have a negative effect on our lives. Most people try and hide or suppress them. However, only by overcoming them and [taming] them can we turn those “inner dragons” into something positive.

In many cases our biggest challenges can become our greatest strengths. We just need to have the courage to face our “dragons” and the tools to tame them. Explore the blog and share your thoughts, experiences, suggestions.

Thanks!
http://stevesdragon.com/

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Written speech to spoken presentation

The distinction between a written speech and one that is presented effectively – is that spoken language is very different from the written.

Writing tends to use far longer, more convoluted sentences, which often use voices that we would not use in speech.

Try reading out the sentence you just read and see how awkward it sounds when it is spoken.

So if you need to write your presentation first, take the time to read it out loud, and then say those same ideas as if you were telling someone face to face. If you absolutely have to have a written draft, then re-write using what you said aloud. Make sure, though, that you can make eye contact.

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Using PowerPoint to time your presentations?

Zainul at How-to Geek writes …

Delivering a presentation is not just about giving good slides, it is also about making sure that our presentation finishes by the time our audience wants to have their tea break—so practicing how long to speak for each slide is essential for a proper presentation.

and goes on to explain how to rehearse the timing of the presentation, even how to set up the slide show to run by itself.

Useful information for when you have a presentation that needs no flexibility. Thank you How-to Geek!

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Storytelling tips

Jay O’Callahan writes:

When my own children were young they would ask me at dinner to “tell when you were bad, Daddy.” Recalling small things that happened to me as a boy allowed them to have fun but also to see that I, too, was small and worried and hurt and naughty. Suddenly, I was no longer just “Daddy” but a friend sharing a world they knew.

When my son was a third grader, he used to come home each day telling ordinary stories about his teacher. “Mr. McCurdy is making Portuguese bread again tonight. It’s an egg bread and sticky. He had to answer the phone last night just when both hands were covered with a sticky mess. . .” Or, “Mr. McCurdy doesn’t like New York City. His wife has to hold on to him on the sidewalk there ’cause he gets terribly dizzy.”

We are all human – and stories remind us of our humanity, our sense of fun and wonder and struggle. The stories you begin to collect can be personal, folk, adventure, mystery. It depends on you, your students, your interests and theirs. But tell them, tell them, tell them.

in an article 16 Storytelling Tips for the Tellerwhich is not only hugely valuable for storytellers, for speakers using stories, but also for improving public speaking itself.

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Once More With Feeling

At the lectern the physician-scientist spoke with passion and enthusiasm, lowering his voice and then raising it, changing its pace and rhythm, using metaphors and analogies, describing vividly a particular treatment and why it should be approved. Into his presentation he wove the story of a particular patient, one for whom several treatments had failed, not only lowering the quality of her life but increasingly endangering that life.

Not for a second did the physician-scientist ignore the data. The evidence with which he supported his message was compelling. He spoke with authority, creating the kind of credibility that engages listeners’ trust.

Yet in his presentation he elevated pathos, an appeal to emotion. He did so by telling a story, by choosing words for their emotional value, by using figurative language, and by varying his delivery – all techniques that can help a speaker evoke and use audience emotion to persuade.

CHOICES
Our physician-scientist could have chosen one of the other two means of persuasion to guide his talk.

… => bit.ly/9WTcLp

Friends with Cognitive Benefits

Having a friendly chat with a colleague before a big presentation or test may be a good strategy. A recent study found that pleasant social interactions help people perform better on cognitive tasks.

http://bit.ly/b6cpHy

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Public Speaking – Facts Tell But Stories Sell

The truly successful speaker understands the power of story. Most speeches or presentations overflow with facts, figures and information. We’re bombarded with data.

But before your audience can believe in your facts, they need to believe in you. Telling stories is a good way of helping your audience get to know you – which is the first step towards believing you.

Stories don’t have to be long. Just make sure the anecdote or story is simple, clear and relevant. (And won’t alienate any group within your audience). Stories:

• are a good way of engaging the audience;
• let the audience know you can be trusted;
• give structure to information and make data memorable;
• help keep the audience constantly engaged;
• are a wonderful teaching tool;
• touch us in a way facts don’t.

Parkinson’s Disease is a fact. Actor Michael J. Fox’s struggle with Parkinson’s Disease is a story that drives medical research, agitates for political change, and has people reaching into wallets and purses to finance the search for a cure.

Try to tell a story at least every 5 minutes in your speech or presentation.

Even accountants have stories

I worked with one group who said: “We are accountants. We don’t have stories.” Believe me, even accountants have stories. Anyone who achieves a personal or professional goal, but has to overcome difficulties to do it, has a story. Because at the heart of story is a character confronting difficulties to achieve something worthwhile.

Put a human face on your data. Convert your facts and figures into a story people will remember and your audience will hang on to every word you say.

Facts tell – but stories sell.

Neil Everton is a media skills trainer and presentation skills coach with Podium Media & Communications Coaching

The 10 psychological stages of public speaking

Michael Hyatt writes that he has spoken publicly about a dozen times in the last three weeks. Because this is more than usual, he has begun to notice a pattern in his psychological state as he goes through the speaking cycle.

He goes on to list 10 stages that seem to apply to each speaking situation. I have to agree that it is heartening to know that the less comfortable stages are “normal” for you and that they have their part to play in a successful presentation.

And I think I have quite a few stages in common with him, but not all.

What about You?

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3 Presentation mistakes you have to avoid

Love this, Tim …

I’m sorry but I’m starting to get frustrated. And I’m due for a rant anyway.

If you are making these mistakes in your presentations then you’d better stop. Or I’m going to walk out. Quietly so you won’t see me.

Or I’ll just slowly stop listening.

Until all I hear is a soft buzzing of the audio equipment in the back. And the sound of a few chairs squeaking due to other uneasy victims being sucked into the vortex.

I do a lot of presentations and I’m not here to say that I am a big-time speaker. With the best slides and the A-list type content.

Someday Perhaps.

But I am watching you. To see what I can learn from you.

And lately I have been watching a lot of presentations. Great for me actually. To compare the good, the bad and the ugly. And to push myself to get better.

So I’ve picked three mistakes that I’ve seen over the past weeks. Some at a few big events (hint, I am writing from Las Vegas. Attending the Blog World Expo). As they happen, these mistakes feel like a slowly building stomach sickness. But more than that? I feel really frustrated. That quality speakers would make these mistakes:

http://bit.ly/aSc1Sn

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Organizing a Speech – The Five Steps Required

So you have to give a speech! It could be for a friend’s wedding, for an eulogy, or a presentation at work. No matter what the reason if you are not used to public speaking your first thought might be “how can I get out of it.” But don’t panic as I can help you overcome your fears with organizing a speech.

A good speech that you are complemented on is great for your self-esteem. Good preparation and practice at least twenty times is the key to success and helps deal with nervousness.

I have been public speaking since 2006 and can help you get organized. Here is what I do when organizing a speech.

All speeches have five essential steps in the following order.

1. A Goal

A goal is essential for organizing a speech. It is never part of the speech but is a guide to organizing a clear and meaningful message. Discussing everything possible about a subject is usually impossible because of time constraints and of not overwhelming your audience with information.

A goal therefore contains only one idea that specifies the speech’s purpose. It maybe to persuade, entertain or inform.

Here is an example of an effective speech goal for a Best Man speech.

“I want my audience to know the three reasons why John and Emma are the perfect couple.”

2. The Preview Statement

The preview statement is a direct result of the speech Goal. The Preview Statement should be one complete sentence that highlights the three or four things you want to say about a particular topic. Your preview statement lets the audience know what is coming in the speech.

An example for the best Man speech would be:

“The three reasons John and Emma are the perfect couple is because they love each other, they laugh with each other and they learn from each other.”

This will be the last sentence of your introduction which I will discuss in step 4.

3. Main Points

The main points make up the bulk of your speech. Your main points should be consistent with your preview statement and be in the same order because your audience now has an expectation about what you will say.

Your first main point is “they love each other.” You can then fill in the reasons, examples or stories.

Your second main point is “they laugh with each other.” You could tell a funny story or something funny that might have happened.

Your third main point is that “they learn from each other.” You could explain how much they have changed and grown since meeting.

4. Introduction

Many people think that writing an introduction is the first step to planning a speech. This is not true. The reason I have put it at number four is because it is important to know what the speech is about before you tackle the introduction.

An introduction must grab the audience attention and make sense with the rest of the speech and should set a tone. Is it funny, somber, serious or urgent? It can come in many forms: a story, a joke, or even a song. Use your preview statement as the last sentence to lead into your main body content as mentioned in number two.

5. Conclusion

The conclusion, in part, is a repeat of your preview statement. So you could start the conclusion by saying the example from the best man’s speech as follows:So “The three reasons John and Emma are the perfect couple is because they love each other, they laugh with each other and they learn from each other.”

This will let the audience know the speech is ending. You can then give a brief outline of the body of the speech to complete the conclusion.

Organizing a speech helps your audience follow your message and they will walk away remembering your key points. It is also great for self-confidence. You can do it!

Terry Luffman is the creator of Get Self Improvement. Visit My Site to find out more information and articles on Self Improvement and Overcoming Fears that will help you with giving a speech.

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Using visualisation to prepare for your speech

Visualisation is a very useful tool in preparing for a presentation.

Visualise the feelings you have as you present. They will help you prepare for passion. They will also let you know if you are being authentic.

Visualise the audience – who they are, what they are thinking, how they are responding. Everything about your speech has to be geared to those things.

Visualise the audience members as they stand to leave. What are they thinking now? What will they do in response to you presentation? And you will know, very simply, the core message of your speech.

The answers to all of these will guide you as you work through preparing your speech.

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Just for fun

The secret of success is sincerity. Once you can fake that you’ve got it made.

–Jean Giraudoux

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How to craft a story

Kate started out with a powerful quotation ….

“The highest-paid person in the first half of the next century will be the ‘storyteller.’ The value of products will depend on the story they tell. Nike and many other global companies are already mainly storytellers. That is where the money is — even today.” -Rolf Jensen, futurist and author of The Dream Society

She makes the point

Not all stories are created equal. A good story is indeed powerful, but what many people call stories are not complete. They are just reports or facts. Many are just set ups for the real story. So what makes a good story good and also useful?
• Get the whole story
• Evoke an emotional response
• Deliver it well

Get all the details here http://bit.ly/c1M8q5

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Eye contact

From some old notes of mine – old yes, but still very relevant!!

From Barksblog

I caught part of C-SPAN’s Washington Journal this morning while on the exercise bike at the gym. As usual, the sound was muted and the closed caption was on.
As a result, I couldn’t hear the guests, one of whom was Rich Lowry, editor of the National Review. Watching video with no sound is a great way to assess body language. I ask myself, is this someone I would listen to? In Lowry’s case, the answer was yes.
He appeared engaged and engaging. And there was one particular eye movement he has evidently mastered that takes much practice for most people (TV news anchors included). When he referenced his notes, he did not lower his head. Rather, he cast only his eyes down, and then only briefly. This gives the illusion of not breaking eye contact since the full face is still visible to viewers.
Try it, It is a subtle move, but nonetheless not easy to execute. But if you spend any amount of time on television, it is a tactic worth placing in your arsenal.

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So, if learning styles are not as relevant as we thought – what next?

Learning Styles: What every presenter ought to know
by OLIVIA MITCHELL

Before Copernicus we believed that the the earth was the center of the universe and that the sun revolved around the earth. That’s what it looked like and it made sense. But science showed us that it’s not the case.

Today, many people believe in learning styles theory. At face value it makes sense and it’s easy to make your own experiences fit with the theory. But science does not back-up learning styles theory.

… read more for the evidence and what Olivia suggests in response. http://bit.ly/9PcVGG

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How to Use a Story to Engage Your Audience

Preparing your speech and writing appropriate stories can be a challenge at the best of times, but the real challenge is in using and writing those stories in such a way that they really engage your audience.

First, think about how other speakers and presenters manage to grab your attention. Sure, their stories about themselves may be amusing but as with anybody who is all about “me me me”, you can find your concentration drifting. What really grabs your attention, and keeps it, is when the presenter talks about things that relate to you… so it’s more “you you you” than “me me me”.

A successful storyteller engages their audience by telling stories that elicit responses like, “Wow, that’s happened to me, too!”, and “Yeah, I’ve seen that happen!”, and feelings of sympathy and empathy because for whatever reason, they can identify with your story. You may be telling a story about yourself, but in their minds it is about them and everyone is interested in themselves, right?

The secret to connecting with your audience is by bonding with them on an honest level. Honesty can be funny or it can be sad, but everyone can relate to the human condition. At some stage of our lives we have all experienced something similar that made us laugh or cry or just want to go hide under a rock. So don’t just talk at your audience – talk to them in an honest way.

When you are preparing a story, relate it to your intended audience. A popular presentation these days, as in most economies, is addressing small business owners who are struggling to reach success. So think back to a time when you were struggling, but through sheer determination and perseverance you managed to hang in there and come through relatively unscathed. So what was it you did, exactly, that helped you through your trying times? It’s one thing to say to your audience, “think positively” – but put yourself in their shoes, listening to this advice. These are empty words unless you can demonstrate their effectiveness. Just HOW does one think positively and use that advice day to day? How did you do it? Did you catch yourself with each negative thought and say “cancel, cancel” and replace it with a positive one? If you became too downhearted, did you take yourself off to the gym to sweat it out? Did you watch a funny movie to lighten your mood? Did you visit a homeless shelter and volunteer? What was it you did?

Think about all the emotions and experiences you had that your audience has likewise experienced and spin the story to relate to them. You’ll want to explain your own feelings during your own time of difficulty so they can identify with them, and once you have them on side, then you teach them how to keep going when the going is tough, because then they will know you have been in their shoes and if you succeeded, maybe they can too if they listen to you.

Don’t turn your talk into a glorified lecture, preaching to the audience about how clever you are. There are a lot of ‘guru’s out there who like to tell their audience how successful and wealthy they are and became that way despite difficult economies, near bankruptcies, etc. and this information is not only taken with a pinch of salt by some, but is totally unhelpful to them. How does knowing that you are so filthy rich and successful that they should be grateful you spared the time to come talk to them help them? They didn’t come to hear how clever you think you are or how rich and successful you are now. They came to hear you talk about your similar problems and learn new ways of managing their own challenges. Of course, at some stage you will want to tell them that you came through struggles and became successful, but talk about it in a way that is tasteful – don’t brag – show your humility. You are offering them hope, not a look into the life of Mr or Mrs Clever Pants and if they buy X or do X or hire you, they will be as clever. Audiences are becoming savvier. Maybe they really will be doing themselves a favor if they buy X or hire you, but the secret is to let them come to this realization and make it easy for them to find your products or reach you.

You are talking about grave matters that weigh people down – they were already weighed down when they signed up for your talk… are you going to send them home as heavy as when they arrived? Will that make you a memorable speaker? The trick is to share your wisdom but in an entertaining manner. If you entertain your audience, you will have their undivided attention. I’m not suggesting you turn all your speeches into comedy routines because that has its time and place, but what I am suggesting is you mingle your sad stories with some humorous stories. Get your audience to laugh – share an embarrassing moment – people love to laugh at others! Some of the best laughs have come from stories where pain was mingled with humor. An oft used example of this is when talking about a much loved deceased friend or family member… one minute you’ll be teary eyed and the next laughing your head off. Life is like that. It is okay to find humor in grave situations, provided it doesn’t hurt or insult your audience. It must be tasteful.

Don’t just throw your stories into the speech willy-nilly. A great talk is like a book – it has a beginning, a middle and an ending. You must start by grabbing their attention right from the start, getting them to identify with you and wanting to hear more. This is where great stories come into play. Regardless of how much more successful and rich you may be than your audience, you want them thinking that you are one of them, not some smarty pants come to preach at them. Here is where you need to establish rapport with your audience.

How do you want your audience to react by the end of your talk? Crying? Laughing? Deep in thought? Primed for action and raring to go? The end of your talk must make a powerful impact on them. You don’t want to look like you are deliberately trying to get a laugh or tears out of them… it should come naturally. This is where you save your best story for last… the most powerful story… the one that will elicit the required response. This is where you must allow yourself to be vulnerable, to remind them you are one of them and to enable them to feel a rapport with you and your message. Your final story may be the one they most remember, so make it count. If you are hoping for donations, appeal to their better natures; if you want support for a special cause, pull at their heartstrings; if you want them to lighten up and think positively, leave them laughing and feeling good about themselves and hopeful for the future…

Make sure you rehearse – tape yourself or video yourself to ensure you are achieving your speaking goal. Is your humorous anecdote as funny when you say it as it looks on paper? How best to deliver it then? How are your facial expressions and mannerisms? Do your words say one thing but your face says another? Look for areas of improvement and practice… because practice makes perfect.

Peter “The Reinvention Guy” Fogel is a humorist, speaker, seminar leader and proud member of the National Speakers Association has appeared on over 22 television shows. He delivers presentations on humor, reinvention, copywriting and marketing to corporation and associations across America and parts of Jersey. As an information marketer he is also the creator of Peter Fogel’s Guide to Effective Public Speaking. For more information on his products, or to sign up for his FREE 7 Days to Effective Public Speaking E-course, go to http://www.publicspeaklikeapro.com.

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How to Become a Sought-After Corporate Spokesperson

As speakers, trainers, and consultants, you may come across spokesperson opportunities many times a year but fail to recognize them. They slip away — perhaps going to someone else who’s more astute about picking up the cues. Don’t let the next lucrative possibility pass you by.

The session is rich with specific examples of what has worked and techniques to avoid. This is not about cold calling PR firms, but rather how to precisely position yourself so the client feels you “get it” and can’t live without you.

You will learn how to:

. capitalize on the opportunities by understanding what your role is and what you can do to close the deal
. articulate your established market and who else (what organization) needs to reach them
expand way beyond the obvious
. bridge the gap from the client’s brand to how your ideas, products or core messages solves a problem for their market
. package your idea and make adapting your concepts easy for the client to understand and buy

The information is here => http://bit.ly/bxwG2q

New iPad app useful for speakers

iPad app Prompster is all-in-one speechwriter, recorder & teleprompter

Teleprompters were once the province of conventions and television studios. I’ve told you about open-source software that will put a teleprompter on your desktop or laptop. Now, iPad owners can take the teleprompter with them with new app Prompster

more => http://bit.ly/bzqLVz

Don’t leave the impact of your presentation to chance

Whatever you may be trying to achieve, don’t let the impact of your presentation be an accident. Right from
the beginning, it needs to be part of the planning.

When you are visualizing your production, toying with ideas and possibilities and first drafts, make the impact of you as a person and of your performance an integral part of that process. Visualise it and work it into all aspects of your production planning.

Then you have the foundation for creating the “wow” factor.

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The Interactive Approach to Doing a Presentation

Even if you are already an engaging presenter, add more audience participation. It will help the people you’re talking to remember more of your content.

Here are some ways to add variety and help people remember the important points that you are trying to make. They are especially effective in a learning or problem-solving situation

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Learn from the Top Presentation Experts in the World

From Ellen Finkelstein
(in case you’ve been living under a rock and missed it!!)

This has got to be good!!

Would you like to ask questions and get answers from top presentation, PowerPoint, and speaking experts?

Join my new Outstanding Presentations Workshop webinars, for free! Learn how to eliminate Death by PowerPoint and make your presentations come to life as you listen to guest experts share their best techniques and answer your questions!

Get all the details here => http://bit.ly/cgOd32

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Inspirational Speeches Are About Being Better

Inspirational speeches inspire an audience to be something different. A motivational one on the other hand motivates them to do. The two can sometimes become one. A general might, for instance, in one speech inspire his troops to love their country and motivate them to fight for it.

So inspirational speeches reach into the souls of people and convince them that they can be braver or more brilliant. It might inspire people to help with the homeless or the victims of an earthquake. Inspirational speeches inspire people to be better citizens or fuller human beings.

The opening of such a speech is critical. You have to grab the attention of your audience in a way that they won’t become distracted. You will want them to hang on to every word you say. So it is good to challenge them in some way at the beginning by telling them perhaps to Make more of what you have. Then you can list the qualities they might already have such as kindness, musical alibility, generosity or an organizational bent. Your speech can continue by telling them to enhance those qualities by consciously using them to help others.

It is good to give examples in an inspirational speech. The fundraiser might speak of what Mother Theresa of Calcutta could achieve in her lifetime. He or she might speak of the legacy she has left behind, of how the other nuns in her order are carrying out her work of caring for the destitute and dying. Alternatively the speaker might speak of how an entrepreneur began his or her now multi -million dollar business in the shed at the back of his/her home.

An inspirational speech convinces the audience that they have something special to offer. It inspires them to achieve more in their lives. You might say, for instance, about luck- you can make your own. You might give the example of the person who wins lots of radio quizzes. He might be the one who always has a postcard ready, stamped and addressed to the show so his will be the first right answer sent in. He might have his computer beside him to check answers to a phone in quiz. Like the Boy Scouts he is always prepared.

Inspirational speeches are more often about changing our selves in a way that makes us help others. One of the clearest messages that comes through in many inspirational speeches is that together we can make things happen.

Niamh Crowe
Copyright Speechwriters 1994-2007
marketing@speech-writers.com
Tel. +353 1 8333599

Niamh Crowe is the CEO of the web’s leading speech site ( http://www.speech-writers.com ) according to Alexa.com and Ranking.com. Online since 1994, her site has thousands of speeches for every event and occasion including birthdays, weddings, graduations etc. She lives in Ireland where she is married to Fred. They have 5 children.

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Speech quotation for the week

~ Advertising is speech. It’s regulated because it’s often effective speech. ~
Jef I. Richards

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Converting your written speech to a spoken presentation

The end result is a spoken presentation.

Spoken language is very different from the written. Writing tends to use far longer, more convoluted sentences, which often use voices that we would not use in speech. Try reading out the sentence you just read and see how awkward it sounds when it is spoken.

Again, it is a case of speaking to the audience in their language – the language they expect to hear spoken.

So if you need to write your presentation first, take the time to read it out loud, and then say those same ideas as if you were telling someone face to face. If you absolutely have to have a written draft, then re-write using what you said aloud. Make sure, though, that you can make eye contact.

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Impact and Income Beyond the Stage: Leverage Your Speaking Career into an Expert Empire

with Josh Shipp

What can a 29-year-old who specializes in speaking to teens teach corporate speakers and consultants? How about how to create an empire grossing over $1.5 million a year, a six-figure book deal, television show, and multi-million dollar product deal. He’ll share what he’s learned and how you can adapt it to your business.
Paid speaking engagements are only the beginning of your impact and income. Learn from Inc. magazine award-winning entrepreneur Josh Shipp how he leveraged his red-hot speaking career into an empire.

You will learn:

• A step-by-step formula for getting a major book deal
• How to leverage your speaking gigs for mass impact and income
• Secrets for communicating what you do to the media for exposure and bookings
• The system for packaging your current content and selling it on multiple platforms
• The five things I wish someone had told me when I started this business

More information => http://bit.ly/axbJXx

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Blast Off to Big Results: Openings Set the Tone

When you stand up to speak, you have no guarantees that your audience will listen intently to your every word. We all know that behind those “I’m-all-ears” looks, your listeners’ minds can wander. Think about how much your mind has wandered during other people’s presentations!

You can’t gain support, sell ideas, or push a new initiative if people aren’t listening. So, it’s your job to shatter that fixed facade, grab your listeners’ attention, and hold on tight. You have to earn their attention right from the beginning of your talk. Here’s how:

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Today’s read – was (almost) the Bible of PowerPoint

Beyond Bullet Points: Using Microsoft PowerPoint to Create Presentations That Inform, Motivate and Inspire  
C. Atkinson

Atkinson shares his innovative three-step system for increasing the impact of your communications with Microsoft PowerPoint. He guides you, step by step, as you discover how to combine the tenets of classic storytelling with the power of the projected media to create a rich, engaging experience. He walks you through his easy-to-use templates, plus 50 advanced tips, to help build your confidence and effectiveness—and quickly bring your ideas to life!

FOCUS
Learn how to distill your best ideas into a crisp and compelling narrative.

CLARIFY
Use a storyboard to clarify and visualize your ideas, creating the right blend of message and media.

ENGAGE
Move from merely reading your slides to creating a rich, connected experience with your audience—and increase your impact!

Beyond Bullet Points takes a new approach based on telling a story with structure. But it also learns from other media – Newspapers – make your headlines meaningful. Movies, use a storyboard to plan your story before you think about visuals.

The book is available from Amazon

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Public Speaking – The Power of Enthusiasm

Enthusiasm is a necessary qualification for effective speaking. When you show enthusiasm it is contagious. The enjoyment and knowledge that is demonstrated for your subject will result in increased listener enjoyment and your speech being more convincing.

For public speaking, the enthusiasm required, as described by Coleman Cox, “is inspired by reason, controlled by caution, sound in theory, and practical in application, reflects confidence, spreads good cheer, raises morale, inspires associates, arouses loyalty and laughs at adversity.”

Enthusiasm in public speaking is about being passionate about the subject of your speech and being able to convey it to others. The enthusiasm must be demonstrated in your tome of voice, body language, gestures and facial expressions to transfer it to your audience. The feeling of excitement must come through as you deliver.

Some people are naturally enthusiastic and they are that way because they have developed the necessary habits. You must want to be enthusiastic to become enthusiastic.

Frank Bettger author of “How I Raised Myself from Failure to Success in Selling” attributes his success to enthusiasm. His advice is “act enthusiastically and you’ll be enthusiastic.” By acting on his own advice he put his “heart” into selling and went from failure to the top of his field for several years.

If you are not naturally enthusiastic, it can be created as a result of your attitude and enjoyment of the topic or by believing in a cause. By taking the time to apply the following it is possible to develop enthusiasm:

1. Choosing a positive optimistic nature and attitude

2. By putting your whole heart and soul into every you do

3. Do not let criticism put you off your stride

4. Develop a burning desire in your subject by thinking about it and living it everyday.

5. Have an active interest in people

6. Spend your time with people who are genuinely enthusiastic. Their positive emotions will “rub off” onto you.

Unless you want to be enthusiastic you will never be enthusiastic. If you are ashamed of the topic, or dislike it you will not be able to develop enthusiasm for it. Genuine enthusiasm only comes from something you believe in or enjoy.

One of the factors that contributed to the late John F. Kennedy’s speaking success was the enthusiasm he displayed when delivering his speech. Sure, he had good speechwriters but without his enthusiasm the speeches would not have been nearly as effective. A person conveying their speech in a monotone voice, boring and steady manner will not be as effective at getting their message across.

An enthusiastic delivery can overcome other shortcomings in your presentation. Where you are not naturally enthusiastic it can be developed provide you choose to be. By being genuinely enthusiastic and combined with preparation and knowledge your public speaking will be more confident and effective.

Be more effective in your public speaking and conversation with “The Art of Great Conversation.” To claim your free preview visit http://www.SelfConfidentSpeaking.com

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Speaking thought for the Day

Handle them carefully, for words have more power than atom bombs. –Pearl Strachan

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Public Speaking tip – Watch your language

Consider your audience when you are choosing your language.

Speak to them in a language they understand.

Look at your technical terms, and any jargon that they may not understand.

Use examples, stories, quotes and other support material that has relevance to their lives and their interests.

You will keep their attention and their interest.

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Writing a speech? Make Numbers Work for You

Speakers can use numbers to support key points. But too often, speakers use their data in place of key points, piling on number after number and, in the end, driving their audience to despair. Here are a few tips on how to use numbers to good effect.

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5 Ways to Make Your PowerPoint Presentation Stand Out

When making a presentation, it’s all too easy to fall into the trap of relying on your PowerPoint slides to help get your message across. Although PowerPoint may be a great tool to help you present your information in a creative and interesting way, it’s dangerous to rely on it fully as this will just turn your audience off from what you’re saying.

Here are 5 tips to help make your presentation stand out from the crowd.

1. Be Compelling

PowerPoint is a great tool to put together eye-catching presentations, but remember that your audience has come to hear you, not look at a slide. So by all means make your PowerPoint presentation look professional and engaging but don’t forget that your speech needs to be compelling too. Remember, your slides are there to support your spoken presentation, not the other way round!

2. Keep it simple

Don’t overwhelm your audience with a mass of data, graphics and animations. The most effective PowerPoint presentations are simple – charts that are easy to understand, and graphics that reflect what the speaker is saying. It’s been suggested that there should be no more than five words per line and no more than five lines per individual slide. Any images, graphs and animations need to back up the information, not confuse the audience.

3. Be Engaging

Many of us have sat through a presentation where we have spent the whole time looking at the back of the speaker’s head! They have spent so much time reading off the slides, they don’t engage with the audience. PowerPoint works best with a speech that augments what’s on the screen rather than just reading off the slide. Remember, you need to interact with the audience in order for them to engage and listen to you.

4. Don’t use PowerPoint!

There’s a time and place for PowerPoint. It should only be used as an accompaniment to the presenter’s script so let the screen go blank if you need to. This gives your audience a break, but also helps to focus their attention on what the presenter is saying, especially during the question and answer session.

5. Rehearse and edit

Once you’ve drafted your speech and slides then rehearse your presentation. Do this preferably in front of someone else to ensure that what you are saying and presenting can be easily understood. If something comes across as distracting or confusing then get rid of it. Remember to keep the needs of the audience in your mind at all times as they are the ones who will be the ultimate judge of how successful your presentation has been.

Valerie Eaton is the owner of Smart VA Ltd, providers of virtual assistant support to small businesses and self-employed professionals. They specialise in providing a wide range of general administration support, as well as email marketing, website updates, document and presentation design and event administration. Find more information about our services on our website http://www.smartva.co.uk, and if you want to discover some great tips for small businesses then check out our free guides on the Free Resources page.

Debunking the myths of public speaking

I spend a lot of time playing devil’s advocate, so this article appealed immediately.

Mike Smith writes

We’ve all heard how frightened nearly everyone is of public speaking. Maybe that’s understandable, but it creates the potential for lots of misinformed conventional wisdom spread by people who have to make presentations but haven’t had the opportunity to learn what really works.

To help correct some misperceptions about what creates better presenters and presentations, here are eleven public speaking paradoxes for reluctant presenters to accept, embrace, and follow:

and the first heading had me hooked …

1. Minimize your public speaking nerves by looking for as big an audience as possible.

Catch up with the whole article here http://bit.ly/95tLwd

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Today’s quotation about public speaking/speech

Human speech is like a cracked kettle on which we tap crude rhythms for bears to dance to, while we long to make music that will melt the stars. ~
Gustave Flaubert

… but oh I am enjoying the challenge of trying!! are you?

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Learn lessons from an academy-award winning slide strategist

(WEBINAR)
with Nancy Duarte

Why did Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth” win an Academy Award? It was, in large part, how the information was illustrated that made it impactful. Nancy Duarte’s firm created those visuals. She’ll share how to adapt what worked for an Oscar-winning documentary to your presentations.

You have worked hard to prepare for your next presentation. You’re well-rehearsed and your concepts are brilliant. But maybe you should step back and take one last long look at your slides, because an audience can either listen to what you’re saying or read your slides — not both. Do you know if your visuals are overwhelming with too much information or do they help cement your concepts? Do you know the signal-to-noise ratio of your slides? Slides are supposed to clarify or amplify the message. Instead, they’re often a crutch for the presenter to remember what to say. Learn how to break that behavior and create slides that bring meaning instead of distraction.

In this webinar you will learn:

• How to create visuals that support your brilliance, not detract
• Why you have to understand the difference between a document and a slide
• How thinking like a designer will make your presentation memorable
• How to determine your signal-to-noise ratio and reduce the noise
• How to get your ideas to stand out!

Special note: To view this webinar, you’ll need to be in front of an Internet-connected computer.
________________________________________

More information => http://bit.ly/d8IQX3

Note: Everyone who registers for the teleseminar will get the MP3 recording of the session for free. Those who register or order the recording will get a link to a recording of the webinar.

http://bit.ly/d8IQX3

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Today’s read – Boring to Bravo

Boring to Bravo: Proven Presentation Techniques to Engage, Involve & Inspire Your Audience to Action

By Kristin Arnold

This book shows experienced presenters how to transform boring monologues into scintillating dialogues by employing simple yet powerful presentation techniques. It features 90-plus practical techniques for engaging and interacting with an audience. Drawing from her extensive experience as a nationally recognised speaker, the author gives readers tips that apply to any presenter. Readers will be amazed at their ability to attract, involve, and inspire by incorporating just a few of the author’s suggestions. It offers a proven methodology for upgrading any presentation. By taking a collaborative approach to the communication process, the author shows the reader how to care, connect, and converse with the members of any audience. Incoming NSA president with strong promotional platform: as the incoming president of the National Speakers Association, the author will promote the book on a nation-wide tour. An experienced team facilitator and military veteran, the author has a large platform of clients, including the Coast Guard, NASA, and the IRS.

You can get the book here => http://bit.ly/9gbnXz

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Voice Power. The Care and Feeding of the Professional Voice

A comprehensive article on voice, this one …

Whether it’s the rich, resonant tones of Richard Burton, the breathiness of Marilyn Monroe or the nasality of Fran Drescher, the sound of the voice conjures up an image—an impression—and can influence perception.

Speakers know how to use the voice for effect but don’t always use the voice effectively. This can cause a variety of illnesses which can prevent speakers from doing what they do best—speak.

and it goes on to give basic, practical ways to care for and cure the voice. I have saved it here in the library