27th May2011

The two-sided business card

by Rich

My pet hate is the two-sided business card.

It says to me that the owner of this card doesn’t know exactly what it is they want to provide you with. They’re not sure about what they do and so why should you be?

A two-sided business card gives me no faith that the owner can deliver either product or service successfully.

A similar theory can be applied to public speaking. If your speech, presentation or workshop does not have one clear goal, then it is unlikely you will achieve your objectives.

Your audience will not know what you’re trying to say, you will not know what you’re trying to say and no one will ever remember what it was that you tried to say.

If you cannot sum up the objective of your speech or presentation in one single line, then you are speaking on the wrong topic or in the wrong way.

Think about how your muddled, unclear objective can be broken down, brought to life, reworked or delivered in a different way to ensure everyone knows exactly what it is you are trying to say.

Keep it simple.

Category : Public speaking riffs, Public Speaking Tips
0 Comm
24th May2011

Smile

by Rich

Ok, so you’re nervous, trying to remember your notes, attempting to make eye contact with your audience and one hundred other things whilst you’re presenting.

It’s likely that your voice might sound a bit nervous.

But a monotone? A depressed voice? A dull voice?

Unforgivable.

Why?

Because it’s so easy to solve.

Just smile. Smile at your audience, smile while you speak, more than likely see your audience smile back too.

It’s amazing how much more positive the voice that comes out of your smiling face will sound and how much more intonation, expression and impact that voice will subsequently have.

Don’t believe me – test it next time you’re on the phone – how different does your voice sound when you answer the phone with a smile on your face compared to when you do not?

Just a thought.

Category : Public Speaking Tips
0 Comm
18th May2011

How powerful are visual aids when speaking?

by Rich

20 years ago I sat in a crowded assembly hall with 200 other school children and was told all of the stories from the Bible by a vicar who used images of the Mr Men to represent characters within the stories.

To this day I remember that Mr Happy was Jesus, Mr Tall was God, Mr Greedy was Judas and so on.

I was four years old, desperate to go outside and play in the sunshine, fidgety and easily distracted, yet to this day I still remember every one of the stories that were told and the characters that were within them.

That’s how powerful visual aids can be when public speaking.

Category : Public speaking riffs, Public Speaking Tips
0 Comm
02nd May2011

Involving your audience in a presentation – a great way to make them feel special

by Rich

Ok ok ok, so nearly every post I write mentions your audience and how important they are – but it’s true, without them you’d just be talking to yourself (a sign of madness!).

Making your audience feel special, involved and valued in your speech can benefit you and them in many ways;

- Increased feelings of satisfaction and belonging for your audience
- A greater understanding of the message you are attempting to convey
- An increased enjoyment of your speech

(All of the above are beneficial to you as the speaker!).

So how do you make your audience feel special? Here are my top tips on making your audience feel valued by you, the speaker.

1. Quote the audience.

Reference a point made by an audience member earlier during your presentation or in a past encounter. For example, ‘As David said earlier, oil is nowadays much more commonly found beneath seas and oceans’. This will make David feel valued, demonstrate to your audience that you are willing to listen to and take on board good comment and feedback and encourage further comments from your audience in future.

2. Ask rhetorical questions. Get your audience thinking. Their thoughts will quickly become comments and interaction, which will make everyone in the room feel involved in a positive, energetic discussion or workshop – most of us can relate to how great it feels to leave a room feeling that you have been part of something really useful and constructive for everyone involved.

3. Ask non-rhetorical questions. If you’ve been parachuted in as the ‘expert’ speaker, your audience will feel especially loved if you value them enough to ask their opinions, thoughts and views on the topic on which you are speaking. However much you may have been paid or bribed to speak, never forget that everyone secretly loves the sound of their own voice too.

4. Use the audience as an example. Much like quoting your audience, using audience members as example characters within your speech or presentation keeps your audience awake and on their toes (who will be used as the next example?!) and increases their buy-in and propensity to remember the points that you are making. It’s a proven fact that we’re more likely to remember something that has been explained to us using people we know as examples, than generic characters or names.

5. Challenge your audience. Give them a prize. Do you ever remember a quiz, test or challenge that you didn’t enjoy where there was chocolate (or an even greater prize_) up for grabs?!

Category : Public Speaking Tips
0 Comm