For many, public speaking is high on their list of biggest fears. In the scheme of things, that’s silly, so utilize these CEO grade tactics and pretty soon you’ll be an orator only afraid of death, taxes, and clowns.
By Kevin H. MacLean
Which is more frightening to you: death or public speaking? Many people have difficulty choosing between the two. Perhaps because they fear that public speaking could possibly lead to their death while death only very rarely ever leads to public speaking.
But public speaking isn’t something to be afraid of, in fact, it is an amazing opportunity. You get the chance to impress whole groups of people that you rarely work with all at once. Being an effective public speaker is one of the best ways to show your coworkers and bosses that you know what you are doing and can get it done. Still, this is little comfort to some in getting over their stage fright. If you count yourself among these terrified souls, relax, take a deep breath, and keep reading. You will find that public speaking is a far more manageable thing than you have feared all these years.
Mental Approach
Allow me to let you in on a dirty little secret, everyone gets stage fright. Even the most talented and incredible performers on the planet get nervous. To get over it they follow many of the rules that I’ll list below and most importantly they realize one very important truth: the audience wants to listen to them.
In social settings the audience is looking to be entertained, in professional settings they want to learn. The premise is the same in both and while one is usually more formal than the other the mental approach is also very much the same. When you get up there in front of a boardroom or classroom or any room full of people try think of it as though they are all your “fans.” It’s easier to talk to people when you know that they like you. Once you realize that those people you are terrified to talk in front of want you to succeed it takes a lot of the pressure off.
Another important point that many people overlook is to make sure that you remember that nerves go both ways when you are speaking. Often when you look people directly in the eyes you can make them uncomfortable (and if you are already nervous you may forget what you’re talking about). A good trick if the setting is not too intimate is to look at everyone’s forehead, this creates the illusion of eye contact without the discomfort.
Make sure not to over-analyze whatever you are going to be presenting. People have a terrible habit of psyching themselves out when it comes to public speaking because they build it up to be so much more difficult in their minds than it actually is. A sure fire way to forget your lines on stage is to concentrate too hard on what you are saying. Try to follow what you say as naturally as possible and always try to be thinking about what your next point is going to be.
Rehearse, Rehearse, Rehearse!
Those three words are the true and only way to give a good presentation of any kind. Make sure you know your material as thoroughly as possible; you never know when your boss is going to challenge you with a tough question. There are many good ways to rehearse speeches and presentations. Cue cards are a very common choice, but people often get caught using them as a crutch. If you decide to use cue cards try to practice with them enough that you don’t actually need them when it comes for the real thing and if you absolutely must have them only write brief notes on them to remind you of your main topics and points.
DO NOT write down your speech word for word on anything that you will be using in your presentation, it can make things very boring for the audience and, worst of all, makes it seem like you didn’t rehearse. Another method of rehearsing (and my personal favorite) is using a voice recorder. Digital recorders are great for this; they are cheap and can be found at any electronics store. It can make the process a little more time consuming because you need to listen to your playback but I find it helps memorize your points faster and there is the enormous advantage of being able to hear yourself; letting you know what sounds good and what doesn’t. As you begin to get your points down you will find the recorder will help you make your delivery more creative and interesting, something that will bring your presentation to the next level.
Speak to Your Audience
You can break down public speaking into three different levels: poor, direct, and engaging. The first, poor, is when you stutter a lot, forget what you are going to say, all the things you generally should be able to be avoid if you rehearse enough. Direct speaking is better but it is just the facts and even if you deliver it with energy it can often bore or even worse make your audience uncomfortable.
Your ultimate goal is to be able to cross over into the realm of an engaging public speaker and the first step to making that move is relating to the audience you are speaking to. When a stand up comic performs in front of a bunch of college kids his material is going to be different than when he does Late Night at the Apollo. The same principle applies for you. If you are presenting to your peers whom you work with frequently, feel free to be a little more casual. That doesn’t mean you should tighten up when you are in a board room full of your superiors, in fact, try to learn a little bit about them. If they are big sports fans or family oriented try and work it in some how. If you can find any little bit of something they can personally relate to in your presentation it will go a long way not only for those listening but being impressing them as well.
Once you start to engage your audience they will begin to loosen up and become as comfortable with you as you are with them. Another nice trick is to try and put a well placed joke near the beginning of your presentation somewhere. Regardless of the setting a little humor does a few very good things: it lightens the mood and the pressure, shows that people are listening, gets them to listen closer, and further demonstrates your impeccable people skills to the big wigs in the room.
Be Passionate
Now, you might really have to work at this one. It isn’t always easy to find what is exciting about sales figures and term profits but if you can master this step, the realm of public speaking will be yours for the taking. Ever notice how much you have to say about something when you are really angry, or when someone starts talking about your favorite band? Well, that is how you want to be able to talk when you are giving a speech: freely. Try to find something unique about at least one or two of your topics that you can pause and give special attention to during your presentation. You can’t fake true passion and everyone in the room will notice when they see it.
Try not to get so excited you forget your talking points or lose your composure but you will find that your passion is contagious and if people believe your attitude they will start to get excited about what you are sharing with them. That is how you get from “Hey, that presentation yesterday wasn’t bad” to “Hey, that presentation Mark gave on Voodoo Economics was totally incredible!”
Once you are able to find something in your presentation to be passionate about the whole of your subject gains new life. Everything is easier to remember because you are building around something, you worry less, and you might even start to enjoy the whole process.
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Before the presentation:
1. DO: Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice always makes a perfect presentation.
2. DO: Dress to impress. This shows respect for your audience. Why not? It is always more pleasant to
watch and listen to someone who takes their speaking and presentation seriously.
3. DO: Get to know your audience before the presentation. Meet at least one or two people from the audience before the presentation. Then bring up their names during the presentation to build rapport with the audience.
4. DO: Understand who your audience is ahead of time. Are you talking to a group of bankers or government officials? Any breaking news lately about their organization? What is their pain? What are they looking for? What kind of expectations do they have for you?
5. DO: Check your equipment. Check any microphone, laptop, projectors, etc. Make sure they all work.
6. DO: Empty your pockets. No one wants to hear your keys or anything else making noise while you are presenting.
7. DO: Turn your cell phone off or put it on silent.
8. DO: Take care of your hair. Make sure no hair will drop in your face.
9. DO: Bring your business cards.
10. DON’T: Try not to eat right before a presentation. You never know about the food.
11. DON’T: Don’t be late! Arrive at least 15 – 30 minutes before you are supposed to present. Give yourself plenty of time to settle in and get your thoughts together.
When you first begin the presentation:
12. DO: Introduce yourself. Don’t assume anything. Depending on time allowed, give a 30 second to 5 minute introduction of yourself.
13. DO: Ask questions. Asking the audience questions is a great way to make sure they are awake and keeping them feeling involved from the start.
14. DO: Tell a personal story. This is simple and effective way to help your audience to get to know you. Make them your friends.
15. DO: Tell them what you are going to tell them. Give them a quick introduction on the objective of your presentation and what are they going to learn or understand by the end of your presentation.
16. DON’T: Don’t try to make jokes if you are not good at it. This can be very dangerous!
During the presentation:
17. DO: Eye contact. Your firm eye contact will convey your confidence. Act like you own the room. Do not glance around the room too fast. Spend at least three to five seconds on each person. Each person wants to feel that you are only talking to them.
18. DO: Smile. Act like you are having a great time! Better yet, have a great time!
19. DO: Speak up. If don’t have a microphone, project your voice a bit louder than you might think to make sure the back of the room can hear you. It’s good to ask the people in the back of the room to make sure they can hear you; it’s a nice courtesy and also helps them feel included.
20. DON’T: Watch your posture. Stand up straight. Don’t walk around too much or do any non-purposeful movements. Unnecessary movements can distract your audience.
21. DO: Use the right words. Try not to use too many acronyms or terms that few people may understand. Connect with your audience and explain in simple terms where possible.
22. DON’T: Be careful with your hands. Again, move your arms and hands purposefully. If you don’t need to use them, just rest them at your sides. Don’t put your hands in your pockets.
23. DO: Rhythm. Pace your speech to a steady rhythm. Not too fast or too slow. Make sure everyone can hear you clearly.
24. DO: Show your excitement about the topic. Increase your voice volume and/or slow down your speech when you are presenting important points.
25. DO: Show your emotion when needed. Slow down when you are trying to present an important point.
Ending the presentation:
26. DO: Conclude by repeating your main points you covered during the presentation.
27.DO: Conclude with a quote. Audiences always remember a good quote.
28.DO: Conclude with a story. Audiences always remember a nice story.
29.DO: Conclude with a call to action. Tell your audience what they should do next after your presentation.
30.DO: If you have a question and answer session, before you answer the question, repeat the question asked by your audience to make sure everyone can hear the question. This keeps everyone involved through the end.
31. DO: Thank the audience. Show them your appreciation. Show them you want to be there.
After the presentation:
32. DO: Continue the relationship. Follow up with your audience either through a phone call, e-mail, or regular mail.
33. DO: Plan to spend at least 30 minutes after the conclusion if time allows at the venue. This will enable you to further connect with your audience. You’ll be surprised at the number of people who will want to talk with you after you’ve delivered an effective presentation.
thanks edith yeung
Tags: , abe lincoln, action steps, Become a better Father, business, committment, Communication, done business, emotion, eye contact, fear, fear of speaking, Goal-setting, Goals, Jimmy Stewart, jokes, logic, Scott Hammond, speaker, Speaking, story telling, talking, talking paradigm, Toastmasters, walter cronkite
Your elevator speech is arguably the most important piece of public speaking you’ll ever do.
It’s key, because it’s a short description you could give about your company in the time it takes to ride an elevator. It must be…
- Brief
- Easily understood
- Memorable
The key here is to craft a clear and memorable speech.
The other key is to have it ready, memorable, memorized, clear, and concise.
It takes some decision-making to decide what to leave in and what to take out of your elevator pitch. The biggest mistake is to take too literally the question ” what do you do?”…. then try to answer that question in too much detail.
Your elevator pitch must be short, brief and should touch very briefly on the products and services you sell and what market you serve, as well as your competitive advantage. This USP, or unique selling point, should describe briefly what one unique thing your company does better than anyone else.
So go home and sit down and craft your elevator pitch. That way you’ll be completely prepared the next time someone asks you…” what do you do?”
When a person asks you, “What do you do?” do you know what to say back? Do you have an Elevator Speech prepared for just such an occasion?
An Elevator Speech is a short, concise speech that you can use to answer just such a question. It is called an Elevator Speech because it is a description of your company that takes the same about of time as riding an elevator. It is arguably the most important speech you should have prepared as there will be many times in your day that you will only have a short amount of time to explain to someone what you do or what your company does.
There are three things to remember when crafting your Elevator Speech: make it brief, make it easily understood and make it memorable.
It takes time and good decision making when crafting your Elevator Speech. One of the biggest pit falls is taking the question, “What do you do?” too literally. This eventually makes you add too much detail, which ultimately makes the speech too long and no longer able to be used on an elevator ride!
Being brief is the best thing you can do. Plus, being brief also makes it easier for you to memorize, making the speech come out smoothly and unrehearsed. Think about leaving a flavor in the person’s mouth that will make them come back for more. Touch on the products and services that you sell, what market you serve and your competitive advantage, but don’t give too much away. If you hit a nerve, they’ll come back. End with your Unique Selling Point, or USP, which should describe the one unique thing your company does better than anyone else. And, of course, always have a business card to hand to them just as the elevator doors are opening!
Don’t let another day go by without having your Elevator Speech ready. Write it, review it and practice it on friends or family. That way, you’ll be ready the next time the person next to you asks, “So, what do you do?”
Tags: , c speaking, communicate, Communication, eye contact, hands, handshake, make an entrance, Presentation, publi, purpose, relaxed energy, smile, speech, voice, walk tall
- Make an entrance
- Walk tall, even if you’re short
- Smile
- Enter with a purpose
- Make eye contact
- Give a great handshake
- Think before you sit
- Convey a relaxed energy
- Use your head and face
- Use your hands
- Communicate with clothes
- Learn to use your voice…
Tags: , c speaking, communicate, Communication, eye contact, hands, handshake, make an entrance, Presentation, publi, purpose, relaxed energy, smile, speech, voice, walk tall
Unconditional love…introduction
Action point: show your love by focused attention, eye contact, and appropriate touch.
Unconditional love is really letting your kids know they’re loved.
It’s saying, meaning, and living “I am truly on your side no matter what”…I am for you…. I am unconditionally on your side, always”.
Three action points to express unconditional love are…
- focused attention
- eye contact
- touch
These are the languages of love when it comes to raising well-adjusted, healthy kids.
We fathers need to make these a daily occurrence. Did you know that the average point of contact between fathers and children is under two minutes daily? This shouldn’t be!
We need to leverage these languages of love…and begin to not only speak them but to be fluent in all three… which language does your child respond to best?
Do you know? If not, why not? Are you speaking that language to your children today? If not now, when?
