Better Presentation Skills - 7 Tips to Being a Funnier Speaker

Even if you are not a humorist, or maybe especially if you are not a humorist, if you can add a little humor to your speeches you will reap some major rewards. Humor can loosen up the audience, get them to like you, engage them, and actually improve the audiences learning and retention. Many people don't think they are funny, but by using the following seven tips you can add humor to any presentation.

1) Use humor you find funny - This one seems obvious, but in your quest to add humor you may try to think of lines that your audience will laugh at. While it is important to consider the audience, you must first start with things you think are funny. If you try to tell a joke or tell a story that you don't think is all that great but you think the audience will like, chances are it will bomb. Find the intersection between what you find funny and what your audience will find funny.

2) Use humor you would use anyway - This point builds off of point #1. If you are thinking about telling a story (funny or not, quite frankly), think about whether you would ever tell that story in that way to your friends or family when you are just hanging out. If the answer is yes, and you think your audience will like it, then go with it. If not, let it go, no matter how much you think the audience may enjoy it.

3) Watch funny movies and TV - It's very hard to *be* funny if you don't feel funny. Exercise your funny bone by watching TV shows and movies that make you laugh. Not only will you be in a more playful and fun state, but you will learn a tremendous amount about comedy structure and timing, even if accidentally.

4) Ask "humor questions" - The one thing that separates comedians from the rest of the "normal world" is that comedians process the world by constantly asking themselves, "what's funny about this?" It may be so ingrained that they don't realize it, but that's what they do. Good, bad, happy, sad, whatever; their first response to everything is "what's funny about this?" Start asking that question a lot. Not only will you start finding more humor you can use, but you will also be training yourself to be a more naturally funny person (and yes, that is possible!)

5) Pause - You can have the best material in the world, but with bad timing it still won't get a laugh. Comedic timing is an art that can take years to master. To start, just remember to pause at the moments when you expect the audience to laugh. It doesn't need to be too long a pause, but give enough time for the audience to catch up and laugh. What if the audience doesn't laugh? Well, that leads us to...

6) Don't care if you get a laugh - Perhaps the hardest tip of all. Watching a speaker or comedian not get laughs is uncomfortable. Watching a speaker or comedian be flustered or bothered by not getting laughs is deadly. You are not a comedian, so if you don't get a laugh, that's ok. Just keep going as if everything is a-ok. Chances are, if you don't get flustered the audience won't even notice. The best way to do this is to tell your jokes in the context of stories. That way if you don't get a laugh you just keep telling your story.

7) Commit 100% - Humor takes commitment. If you are uncertain about a joke and don't tell it with full belief that the audience will laugh, the joke will fall flat. (this is why points 1 & 2 are so important). Some speakers have the self-delusion, "if I act like I don't think this is a great joke and people don't laugh, then I won't look as bad." That never works. Tell your stories and jokes with 100% confidence, and you are much more likely to succeed.

Use these seven tips and watch as your speeches and presentations quickly get bigger and bigger laughs!

For more tips on how to develop better presentation skills and to be a great speaker, get your free copy of the MP3, "Improv for Speakers" and the special report, "The 6 Steps to Using Improv Comedy to be a Great Speaker." Sign up now at: http://www.improvforspeakers.com/freeaudio

Also, check out the one hour audio, "The Fundamentals of Being Funny as a Speaker" here: http://www.avishparashar.com/humorcd.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Avish_Parashar

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Wedding Speeches - The Formats You Need to Know

Wedding speeches are a very important part of any wedding reception. It is important to keep in mind that giving a speech is not always easy for everyone. Giving wedding speeches does not have to be a problem though, with the right preparation, your speech can even turn out to be enjoyable for you.

Giving a wedding speech is not an easy task and before giving a wedding speech you have to prepare for it thoroughly. There are different formats of wedding speeches depending on the person who has to give the speech. These include the groom, bride, bride father and some other formats.

As and example here is the general flow of a father of the bride wedding speech:

1. Introduce yourself (not all the guests may know you)

2. Speak to the guests (thank them for coming and welcome them)

3. Tell the guests about your daughter and how proud you are of her.

4. Mention a few memories (do not share anything that can make the bride uncomfortable!)

5. Speak to the groom (make him feel welcome as part of the family)

6. Conclude your speech by proposing a toast to the happy couple.

Some General Tips:

1. Prepare your speech very well

2. Keep your notes so you can refer to them during your speech.

3. Stay sober, nobody enjoys drunken mumblings!

4. Be sincere and make very sure you do not say anything that can spoil the happy couples day.

5. Keep your audience in mind when you are telling a joke - once again, do not embarrass or insult anyone.

6. Be brief, if your speech is too long you will lose your audience.

7. Prepare the specific toast you are going to use.

In the end, it all boils down to preparation. Take the time to really think about what you want to say. Get someone you can trust to listen to your speech and give you honest feedback. Very important, when you are giving your speech, relax and enjoy the occasion. One word of warning, do not deviate from your prepared speech if it is at all possible. It is very easy to say the wrong thing on the spur of the moment when you may be emotional and your judgment is not what it should be. By keeping this in mind, Wedding Speeches need not be a problem.

Do you feel the need to know more? Visit Margie's site My Amazing Wedding - Wedding Speeches You can also get very good Wedding Toasts tips at this Squidoo Lens

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Margie_Du_Plessis

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You Can Get Paid to Speak

Did you know that you can run a professional speaking business from your home with very low overhead costs? And a great thing about a speaking business is that you can do it either part time or full time.
Companies use professional speakers at conferences all the time. And cruise lines often hire "enrichment speakers" to provide presentations to their passengers. What a life!
So just how much do professional speakers make anyway? Surveys of working professional speakers indicate that they earn an average of $3,000 to $9,000 for breakout sessions and keynote speeches. The upper end is usually for presentations at national events.
But that's not the only income you will get paid as a professional speaker. Back of the room sales can be very lucrative, if you set up a counter selling your books, tapes, video tapes, workbooks and other materials.
So professional speaking is an excellent career choice for those who would like a very lucrative business and also flexibility of a freelance career.
If you are not convinced by the money and the lifestyle, how about the dating? That's right. Professional speakers are often extremely popular when it comes to dating.
A good way to get started as a professional speaker is to look around your community for groups and organizations for whom you can give short speeches for free. Many communities have organizations that are in constant need of speakers. This is an excellent opportunity to improve your skills, to build your reputation as a speaker, and to obtain important contacts through networking at each event.
You should also consider joining organizations such as the National Speakers Association or National Speakers Bureau, as this will lead to you learning of upcoming speaking opportunities.
Once you have your first speaking engagements, go out and do a good job. Don't forget to request a testimonial letter. Ask the leader of the organization to write up a letter testifying to your skills as a speaker and how well you spoke to them. Now you can use key sentences from that testimonial in your marketing materials.
If you really want to get started as a professional speaker, there is no reason why you cannot take the first steps today.
Steve Wilson is the manager of FreelanceSpeaking.com. Visit his site today to discover exactly how to get started as a professional speaker, how to market your speaking services, how to improve your speaking skills and how to find the best speaking gigs. http://www.FreelanceSpeaking.com.

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Energizing Your Presentation

Have you ever been to a boring presentation? Most of us have, and most of them are boring because there is no life or passion in what the speaker is saying. People remember more of what they see and hear as opposed to what they read. But to be really memorable, we need to add some life to what we present.

So how can we add life to our presentations and wake up the audience? Well, have you ever been nervous when having to speak to a group?

In many ways, getting nervous before speaking is a good thing, if you know how to properly channel that nervous energy and use it productively to energize your presentation. Think of yourself as a steaming, boiling pot. You have two choices. You can either try to keep the energy inside, or you can unleash it and use it to help vitalize your presentation, essentially, letting the steam out of the pot.

All too often, presenters choose to burn off that nervous energy by fidgeting, holding or grabbing on to things, and walking or rocking back and forth.

Learn how to dispense this energy in a productive way. This will make you feel more comfortable and will help you look better. You’ll also start to enjoy giving your presentation, you’ll relax, and the audience will feel it.

Working from the bottom up, let’s start with your feet and a balanced stance.

Balancing Your Stance

The first thing is to adopt a stance that both appears balanced and also allows you to keep from needing or wanting to rock or pace back and forth. Presenters often rock back and forth, lean towards one side, or pace around the room in an unconscious attempt to burn off all that extra energy that the flight-or-fight syndrome had filled the body with. Because the glutes and the quads are the largest muscle groups in the body, the brain knows that by moving these muscles, the body can burn off the most amount of excess energy per unit time. Unfortunately, none of these movements helps your cause. All they do is distract from your message and telegraph to the audience that you’re really nervous. That’s not the message that you want to convey.

You don’t have to be like Yul Brynner in “The King and I” with your feet way apart, or drag in like John Wayne. Consider instead a comfortable, balanced stance.

That means hands comfortably down to the sides (neutral position) with feet slightly apart and weight evenly distributed on the balls of the feet. Use your knees like shock absorbers supporting your upper body comfortably. This will help you to avoid favoring one side over the other, and “rocking” back and forth.

Pacin’ the Cage

Can you take a step forward or back occasionally? Yes, but don’t start dancing or rocking (We call this the hula-hoop). Try to stay in one place without appearing like a tree rooted firmly in the ground. Pacing back and forth constantly, for no apparent reason, typically drives the audience crazy. Yeah, a few overzealous motivational speakers or mid-night TV kitchen appliance hawkers may get away with it, but it generally doesn’t fly in the business world.

On the other hand, if you’d like to pause and take a few steps forward to elaborate on that special point or take a step back to reflect and consider something, that’s O.K. But constant non-purposeful movement is weak.

Using Hands Appropriately

Then, decide what you are going to do with your hands and learn to gesture from the shoulders, not the elbows. Use your hands to describe and emphasize. Drop your hands down to your side (neutral position) when you’re starting your speech or when you’re done gesturing.

When you gesture from the neutral position, your gestures become more emphatic. If everything comes from the middle magnet position it looks like you are stuck in a phone booth. Dropping your hands down to your sides is for many difficult to do without constant practice. With most people, the hands immediately come back together like magnets or start grabbing things like clothing, various body parts like your face, or they jump back into your pockets.

If you are talking about an increase in sales, show us by raising your arm up. If you mention something about reducing costs, again, show us and make sure that the gesture is different than the one you used for an increase in sales. It’s amazing how many presenters will use the exact same gesture for an increase as they will for a decrease. That’s confusing.

Keep in mind that gesturing helps you think. Have you ever noticed some-one talking on the telephone? What do they do with the other hand that’s not holding the phone? They gesture and they gesture continually. Why? Because it helps them think and it helps them find the right words. Gesturing helps you relax and find the correct dialogue. And, you have something to do with those darned arms!

Finally, you certainly don’t want to appear robotic, but most of us need to think about how we will gesture for whatever concept we’re presenting, and how we will bring our emphasis to life with appropriate hand movement. It takes time and practice, and it needs to be well thought out.

Peggy Noonan is fond of saying, speaking of the audience, “They won’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” Appropriate gesturing, getting your whole body involved in the delivery process, is the easiest and most emphatic way of showing your passion for your topic.

About the Author

J. Douglas Jefferys is a principal at PublicSpeakingSkills.com, a national consulting firm training businesses of all sizes to communicate for maximum efficiency. The firm spreads its unique knowledge through on-site classes, seminars and DVD's.

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College Public Speaking Tips - Rising to the Occasion and Successfully Delivering Your Speech

Even for the most seasoned public speaker, college public speaking can be a bit nerve wracking. After all, you never know exactly what you are going to get when you speak in front of a college audience. The audience's attentiveness can range anywhere from dedicated to occasional, and speaking in front of a diverse group of young, educated individuals is always a challenge in and of itself. If you are going to be speaking at a college anytime soon, here are a few tips in mind that can help you to survive the experience.
First of all, make sure that you are prepared, but at the same time, do not be prepared to "call an audible", as quarterbacks say. In other words, improvisation with a young audience can definitely be your friend. The important part of preparation is that you must appear as if you are very at ease with your material, rather than as if you are reading straight from a cue card. What improvisation allows you to do is to adjust to the vibes that you are getting from the audience at any given time. This means that you can tweak your speech, mannerisms, or even particular phrasings or asides to fit what you feel will work or not work for that particular audience. Improvisation can keep your speech fresh and keep college audiences engaged, as long as you do not wander too far off the beaten path.
Part of preparation has to do with making sure that you have tailored your message properly to fit the specific audience, as well. With a college audience, this can cause some challenges or problems, as mentioned earlier. After all, it is hard to find a group more diverse and demanding than a room full of college students. That is why a commencement speech can be very difficult, for example. However, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. For instance, if you are doing a speech for a specific group, such as a young business person's club, or a religious group on campus, you will have valuable clues as to what the group you are speaking to is expecting, and you will be able to tweak your speech to fit those expectations.
College public speaking can be a harrowing experience, but any seasoned public speaker will definitely rise to the occasion. Be prepared, be open-minded, and be ready for anything, and you will do just fine.
Read about more essential points to bear in mind before you start College Public Speaking at => http://www.speakersbureautraining.com

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Speak Your Mind!

Imagine that you're about to enter the boardroom and you know that the president of your company is going to oppose the idea that you're bringing to the table. You know though, that your idea will work, because you've seen it work before, yet you're new at the company and aren't quite sure how you'll be received? How do you present your idea without sounding like a naysayer?
Or, you've got some bad news to share with your spouse. You've agreed to go on vacation but you're now being told you have to work during that time. How are you going to present your side when you know how upset your spouse it going to be. How can you phrase it to cushion the blow?
What about at work? Perhaps there is someone who is more outgoing, more aggressive than you and seems to always come up with all of the bright ideas. You want to appear to be an eager and hard working employee who is making a great difference and bringing value to the company, yet you feel that the other personalities in the room squash yours. How can you get a word in edge wise and how can you get your brain to think of these remarkable things on the spot and do it without sticking your foot in your mouth and telling the other employees what you REALLY think?
Here are a list of ways to make sure that you're prepared to make a good impression on those who you communicate with... even in sticky situations!
1. Realize that there are always going to be difference of opinions, and learning to present your views in a way that is non confrontational is definitely something worth learning! Make it your goal to remain respectful always of others in every situation if possible.
2. Hear the others out. The old saying rings true, "they don't care how much you know until they know how much you care." Ask questions about the others opinions and ideas and really seek to understand where they are coming from. Seek to clarify any points you might not grasp at first. Use words like "share with me/us what you like about this idea..."
3. Understand other peoples' motives! They want to feel good! Does that mean the person wants to look good? Do they want to sound brilliant? Do they have a reputation of being creative? What ever it is, endorse the positive. Tell them that their ideas are good, or smart or creative and that you understand why they feel the way they do.
4. When it's time to bring up your idea- chose your words carefully! When you present the ideas, make sure you've understood and endorsed them, then suggest some other alternatives... "Here is one idea that I've seen work... Or ... "in addition to what we've already discussed, here are a few more ideas that I've researched and would love to share with you."
5. Lastly; PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!!! If you're not getting a chance at speaking your mind or if you're great at sticking your foot in your mouth, do what the pros do: PRACTICE BEFORE YOU SPEAK!!! If you can find out the subject of the meeting in advance, do it. But ALWAYS come prepared to the meetings with something brilliant to add to the group or to the person. If you're being drowned out, then practice projecting your voice and looking like you have authority about it. Additionally besides HOW you speak, think about WHAT you speak about! Always think about bringing VALUE to those you communicate with. And PAPER IS POWER! If you can leave behind some information in the written form, you'll have left a great impression!
Learning to engage with others quickly, easily and effectively takes time and a bit of planning to make it sound or appear as smoothly as the pros. But if you do learn to communicate easily under difficult situations, your co-workers, friends and relatives will respect you and appreciate your efforts and will want to celebrate you, and not just tolerate you!

Mary Gardner, Author of "The Insiders Guide to Professional and Motivational Speaking" , is an executive Communications Consultant and Coach. She is president of Lifestyles Communications, Inc. which helps individuals communicate in the new global and virtual world. Her website is http://www.marygardner.com

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Presentations - Delivering a Better Presentation - Seeing the Point

A client, Bill, recently came to me to help him sort out a problem he was having with his presentations not being understood by the audience. Bill is a highly respected executive manager for a large international finance organisation here in Belgium, and he has many presentations to give, so this was a serious problem and he was very concerned about the situation. In fact it was his boss that had pointed out the problem to Bill in the first place. Bill knows exactly what the message is he wants to get over in his presentations, but his audience was ending up confused because he spoke too quickly.

Some Cutting Remarks

Making a presentation is about delivering a clear, coherent, concise message to the audience. Its about communicating. Its a bit like laser eye surgery! The laser in eye surgery is an incredibly precise cutting instrument. Its purpose is to make incredibly fine, accurate and precise cuts in the eye in order to alleviate or remove impediments to clear vision.

When a laser beam is focused, it cuts precisely, neatly and cleanly. It does this because the beam of light it sends out is coherent, its all going in the same direction at the same time. If the beam is not focused, it does not cut, it simply acts more like a torch and illuminates an area of the eye. The unfocused light beam is said to be incoherent when it is in this unfocused state, the beam is not tight, it is scattered.

After talking a while with Bill about the problem it soon became apparent that speaking quickly was just a symptom of a deeper issue. It turned out that Bill was not really 'focused' on the presentation. His focus was scattered, he was so keyed up he kept looking forwards to what were going to be the expected outcomes of the presentation during the presentation. So just like the incoherent laser, Bill, illuminated a great deal of what was being presented, but failed to make the precise, accurate cuts that a coherent presentation would have made. In other words Bill's incoherent presentation was coming from the simple fact that he was not 100% 'present' to the delivery of the presentation, he was, at least partly, in the future somewhere with a bunch of expected outcomes.

Not being 100% present to the presentation came through as the sped up delivery and the audience picked this up. If you're not '100% present' to deliver the presentation why should your audience be there?

Being Present - By being 100% present to what you are doing, you become more authentic, genuine about the thing you are engaged in doing, in this case delivering a presentation. There is a very simple but powerful technique that I use in order to develop this ability, its called conscious breathing, and here's how to do it.

1. To start with you'll need a quiet place where you will be undisturbed for 4-5 minutes. When you are there and sitting or lying comfortably then;
2. Close your eyes and simply focus your attention on the physical sensation of your breathing. Allow your self to become 100% focused and aware of the cool air moving into your body on the in-breath and the warmer air moving out of the body on the out-breath.
3. Do this for 4-5 minutes.

Its OK if you go off focus from your breathing. As soon as you're aware that you are off focus, just gently bring your attention back to the sensation of your breathing.

You may find that your breathing wants to speed up or slow down, become deeper or shallower, that's all OK, just let the breathing do what it wants to do, try not to control it at all. Similarly the body too may want to relax, so just let it. All you have to do is stay as focused and aware as you can of the physical sensation of your breathing.

This is a great technique to do regularly. I suggest that you do this for example just after waking up in the morning and just before going to sleep at night. Of course you can do this where ever and as often as you want, in fact the more you practise this simple technique, the more you will find yourself doing it automatically during the day.

Of course, take a few minutes to do this before a presentation, and then notice the difference in your delivery.

Bill practised twice a day for a week and started to see some real positive benefits from the technique. His presentations are now being delivered at a normal, slower and more relaxed pace. This in turn is being felt by his audience who are relaxed by his calm approach and equally engaged with Bill's material and presentation skill. His audience is now starting to see the point Bill wants them to see.

Two or three weeks into the using this technique Bill told me of other changes that the technique had allowed him to make, most significantly is his calmer, more mindful approach to his work, colleagues and his family. He is getting feedback from his colleagues and most importantly his boss about how much better things are, and Bill attributes this to the conscious breathing technique.

The Point

Breathing this way actually brings us incredibly close to the present moment. Our breathing is a very intimate, here and now process that we have been doing, largely unconsciously, since we were born.

Being in or close to the present moment makes us more like the coherent laser beam, we can simply be with what is, rather than de-focusing to the future or past. When we are present to what we are doing, we do it with greater clarity, presence, authenticity and mindfulness. So breathe yourself to clearer, sharper, authentic, coherent presentations and be open to the other benefits that this technique will bring you.

Interested in more ways to enhance your presentations and life with simple breathing techniques? Then visit my website to read about other beneficial breathing techniques at http://www.breathwork.be/

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Improved Presentation Delivery - How You Can Organize Your Presentation For Better Delivery

How you choose to organize your presentation directly affects its delivery. For you, a well-organized presentation will be easier to deliver. And for your audience, a well-organized presentation is easier to follow, easier to listen to and easier to understand. And that's all because good organization helps with the flow of ideas for a listening audience. Our choice of organizing techniques is potentially limitless. But five methods are used the most. These are:

1. Mind maps. Pictures that are uniquely linked together to tell a graphic story are most people's idea of a mind map. And that's essentially right. Pictures carry more ideas, meaning and nuance than words when you are under stress during a presentation. With a picture-based mind map your presentation structure is organized with a linked network of pictures and idea flows. A logical flow of ideas can be shown. Causes and effects can be illustrated. Or, perhaps, you can depict stories and vignettes that relate to your main points.
2. Prompt cards. A set of small cards (postcard sized) can support all your main presentation points. Their sequential order provides the flow to your presentation. Points can be written or typed in large type -- probably using one point for each card. Their order is important. So you don't have a disaster should they be dropped it's a good idea to tie them together.
3. Slides and overheads. Undoubtedly the organizing technique of choice for the harried executive. But ensure your reliance on the PowerPoint slide deck is only an organizing dependency; using the screen view you can be prompted at each step of your PowerPoint presentation. But take care of the basics. Don't be tempted to use too many slides. And don't be persuaded into reading out your slides -- either from the main or the view screen. Should you fall into the trap, then 'Death by PowerPoint' is a fitting description of the experience.
4. Outlines. A one or two page outline of your presentation should include each of your main points. You should also include your sub-points, cue points, places for audience interaction, stories and anecdotes. Readily accessible and easily read, the presentation outline is a serious choice for a well-rehearsed presenter.
5. Large words. You should not forget the written speech or presentation. Many serious presenters use scripts. And they are very successful. The script technique involves typing your entire presentation word by word. Each sentence should start on a new line. Your choice of typeface and font should be readable at a distance when using a lectern.

When you organize your presentation you present more efficiently. Your delivery will be better. Your pacing and timing will be well-tuned. And, best of all, your audience will appreciate your investment with a better response to your spoken words. It's worth the effort.

Andrew Ivey is the principal presentation skills trainer at Time to Market the UK-based effective presentation training resource. Time to Market provides speakers with presentation skills and public speaking training in single day and half day courses. Their public speaking newsletter, provides more ideas and techniques for effective presenting.

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Public Speaking With PowerPoint - Let Go of Your Fear

It is common knowledge that public speaking is the biggest fear. When you think about it, there are other things we should be scared of. Going up in front of an audience and sharing some information should not be high on our list of fears.

Public speaking with PowerPoint is a great way to get through your fear. It may not erase it completely, but there are certain features that PowerPoint provides that can make it easier for you.
The main idea when using public speaking with PowerPoint is that the attention will be off of you and onto the projecting screen. When you know that the eyes are off of you and focused somewhere else, it will be easier to speak and let your information be known the the audience.
Here are a few pieces of advice to follow. Pick and choose which ones will help you the most. Some people prefer one or two, other prefer to use them all. The point is to create a comfort level that will ease the fears that you have when speaking in public.
Make the PowerPoint interesting to look at. Don't go crazy and use overly distracting colors and styles, but make it seem worth while. Choose an interesting theme when public speaking with PowerPoint. This will get the audience looking at the slides.
On the slides, put various media. If you can find relevant video files, audio files, images, and other media, it will be interesting to the audience members. Don't place too many media files on one slide. In fact, to help you fear of public speaking with PowerPoint, it might be best if you used one media per slide.
Another thing you can do is to provide the audience members with enough data. Make graphs and charts to place on your PowerPoint. This is information that the audience will want to know and will have their eyes on that instead of you.
If it is possible, provide your audience members with outlines of your speech. Make it very general. Most audience members will take notes on the outline that you have provided. If you combine the outline with the data that you provide on your PowerPoint, it can help you feel more relaxed.
Don't forget to keep your content interesting. We have all been through boring presentations and even worse PowerPoints, but you can do better. If it makes you feel any better, you can have someone look over your content and provide feedback on how interesting it is.
When public speaking with PowerPoint, it is important to practice, practice, practice! Your fear will not get any better if you don't try. You can start out with a small group and work your way up to larger crowds. Who knows, maybe one day this will help you be rid of that fear.

P Abbey owns and operates http://www.makingpresentationseasy.com
Making Presentations

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Public Speaking - Owning "The Skills" Part 2

After reviewing part 1, we have some more...

In order to present at the top, in order to acquire The Skills, you must remember three rules that govern everything you do whilst presenting. They're really quite simple, but sometimes it's easy to forget the simple things, and these rules must remain in the forefront of your consciousness at all times.
Rule Number 1 states: If you're working too hard, you're doing it wrong!
Rule #2: When you're doing it right, it's always Win-Win.
The sad truth is, typical speaker behaviors more often fall into the category of Lose-Lose. Whether it be the way the speaker engages the audience with his eyes, or what she does with her hands, or the pace with which either cranks out the word stream, most things that speakers do work both against their feeling comfortable and the audience's ability to follow and buy into what is being said.
For instance, think about what you see presenters do with their arms and hands. Instead of using the opportunity to throw off excess energy by using the full swing of their arms and hands to paint pictures of the words they are saying, your average speaker locks them up in some position that not only keeps the excess energy trapped in a re-circulating loop, but in a position that translates to a body-language signal that is off-putting to the audience.
Luckily, as is the case with the other counter-productive behaviors in which speakers engage, these can all be changed simply by engaging in other, learnable behaviors that produce positive outcomes. You don't need talent to do it right, you simply need to know how to do it right, and then practice those physical behaviors.
When you employ the behaviors that comprise The Skills, not only are you more relaxed, authoritative and convincing, but your audience has a much easier time hearing, seeing, and ultimately agreeing with the message you are trying to impart. One thing to remember is that audiences, as Yale's Professor Edward Tufte likes to point out, "are lazy, and audiences are fragile". You can't ask audiences to work in order to get your message because they won't. And you can't make them feel uncomfortable because they'll spend their small amount of energy trying to get comfortable and won't have anything left to spend on trying to comprehend your point.
Proper eye-contact, gesturing, tone, inflection and volume all work to make for a great experience for both speaker and listeners alike. When you're using The Skills, it's always a Win-Win.
Rule #3: People only START listening when you STOP talking.
This is an easy concept to understand, but a very difficult one for most people to implement. If you stop to think about it, you don't so much hear what is being said as you do to what was just said. In fact, the left hemisphere of your brain, where speech and text are processed, is programmed to not absorb information immediately, but rather put it through a process of analysis before storing or acting on it. It's a momentary process to be sure, but nonetheless one that is immensely aided when a moment or two of silence follows the words or phrase that the speaker wants his audience to really hear and comprehend.
Think for a moment of what happens when someone tells a joke. Jokes are structured to get the listener thinking that the action in the setup will proceed along the expected path, and the humor comes when the listener realizes that the punch-line has altered that path in an unexpected way. But you don't laugh at the moment the punch-line is delivered. You laugh only when you realize your line of thought has been diverted, and that always takes a moment, or sometimes, if the joke is really good, two. You only hear what was actually said when the joker stops talking and your mind has the opportunity to recognize the misdirection.
Of course, what most speakers do is continue with an endless stream of verbiage from the moment they open their mouths until they discover that the talk is over and they can (Thank God!) take their seats again. Once people start talking in front of a group it is very difficult to get them to stop, as it goes against what they've taught themselves to believe: that as long as they continue to hear words coming out of their mouths they're still OK. A very common fear is that somehow that stream will stop and they won't be able to get it started again. But why is this so?
A Stitch in Time
Because of the physiological changes that occur in the body when you are facing an audience, your perception of time actually s-l-o-w-s d-o-w-n. The universe doesn't change - just how you perceive it. So although the audience is listening to you in real time, you perceive even a momentary lapse in your word-stream to be much longer that it actually is. A 1-second pause for the audience might feel like 3 or 4 to you. This is where umm's and ahh's are born. We hear that dreaded silence, and in a desperate need to fill it immediately, we grab for the closest thing - a non-word that we don't have to structure into our word track.
It might be hard to believe, but time goes by quite nicely even when it's not filled with your words. As you develop your eye and an ear for The Skills, you will come to see that ALL great speakers not only know Rule #3, but also embrace it. They not only embrace it, it is at the forefront of their thinking whenever they are speaking. It is the Number 1 issue on their minds. And that says a lot, because Rule #1 says that we can't be thinking about too many things at once.
Being able to resist saying the next thing on your mind immediately after you offer your last thought is the most difficult idea for participants to learn, but it is an absolutely essential element of The Skills.
J. Douglas Jefferys brings twenty-five years of corporate training experience to his role as a principal of PublicSpeakingSkills.com http://www.publicspeakingskills.com - His firm changes presenters lives forever with their unique apporach to training presentation design and delivery skills. Discover how to design and deliver presentations that audiences actually listen to by visiting their website now. For a quick and entertaining video of Mr. Jefferys' unique style and approach, check out: http://publicspeakingskills.com/pages/Store-DVD-Videos.htm

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Public Speaking - Three Points and You're Out!

Before organizing your presentation keep reminding yourself that Less is More. Also consider that most presentations have far too many concepts, and the concepts far too many details.

You should be able to put the gist of your presentation into one sentence or "headline". What would the headline of your speech be? Think about it. Start by writing a few full sentences to describe your overall theme. Edit out the superfluous adjectives, and then see if you can combine the sentences all into one. Then make that sentence a phrase. If you can't put all that into one headline you may have to simplify your idea.

Most presentations end up having too much content, although ironically presenters always fear not having enough to say.

It's also probable that you're audience has never heard your idea before. Though old news to you, its very likely something new to your audience. If you're on a traveling road show giving the speech over and over again, no matter where you go on the whistle-stop tour, it's always their first time. Don't forget that.

The Kitchen Sink

Most presenters end up using the "kitchen sink" approach and tell their audiences all they can, about everything they can, in the short amount of time allocated to them. Therefore it becomes a race to spew out as much information as possible as quickly as possible, essentially a self-serving data dump. How disheartening for the audience.

Your presentation is about your audience, not about your finishing everything you want to say as quickly as possible. And its certainly not about your demonstrating the breadth and depth of your knowledge, even if the CEO is in the back of the room. Although we'd like to believe it, nobody can recall everything that you say anyway.

So choose to make your headline important, relevant to your audience, and to the point. Once they have the headline, they have a context into which to put your supporting evidence. But if they're still trying to figure out what your main point is while you're trying to offer them proof, the impact of your evidence will be highly diluted.

And speaking of points: Keep it to three. Humans have an amazing ability to remember things that come in three, and forget things more complicated. The rule of three is a principle in writing that suggests that things that come in threes are inherently funnier, more satisfying, or more effective than other numbers of things.

No matter what your topic, either break your supporting data apart or put them together to form three main components. Repeating those three components often will lead to not only greater comprehension, but much greater retention, too.

So argument that is broken down into three concepts, each supported by three solid sources of evidence, becomes an argument that your audience will find very easy to buy into, even it they don't see the simplicity of the symmetry.

Remember FDR's advice: "Be sincere, be brief, be seated."

J. Douglas Jefferys brings twenty-five years of corporate training experience to his role as a principal of PublicSpeakingSkills.com http://www.publicspeakingskills.com His firm changes presenters lives forever with their unique apporach to training presentation design and delivery skills. Discover how to design and deliver presentations that audiences actually listen to by visiting their website now. For a quick and entertaining video of Mr. Jefferys' unique style and approach, check out: http://publicspeakingskills.com/pages/Store-DVD-Videos.htm

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=J._Douglas_Jefferys

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Public Speaking - Speak Easy

If you're one of those who would rather have the flu than go on stage, we're glad you're reading this. You might have got away with remaining in the background in the good old days, but today, unless you're out there, talking, you won't bring much value to the business. Yes, we mean it. Being able to speak convincingly in public is as important as being able to think clearly or work diligently.

Now, it's a no-brainer that most human beings are born without great public speaking skills. Some of the most talented and the most brilliant people get all tongue tied when it comes to addressing a gathering. So, how do you go about the business of public speaking sounding like it's the most natural thing in the world?

Here's how.

• Prepare. It takes careful preparation to make an effective impromptu (sounding) speech. Make sure you know the content of your speech inside out. Take care that the facts are well researched and substantiated, and the flow of ideas is smooth and logical. If you're confident about what you're saying, more than half the battle is won.

• Rehearse. You must know how you appear to the audience. Rehearse in front of the mirror, speaking like you would at the actual event. Once you gain some confidence, try it out in front of a small supportive audience, who will give you constructive criticism instead of harsh judgment.

Take care not only with your words and tone of voice, but also think of when
you will pause, what you will emphasize and so on. Then there are your
hands... if you're a naturally exuberant person, be sure you're not going over
the top with your facial expression or physical gestures.

• Dress right. No one wants to look at a poorly groomed speaker. Take care that your clothing is appropriate to the occasion. As a rule, it is better to overdress than otherwise. If you know you're looking good, that confidence will project itself positively.

• Seek a friend. Sure you're nervous, and some people know it. However, in every audience there is always a sympathetic member or two present. Try to identify where your support base lies, and make eye contact with those people in the beginning. You can move on to the hardliners once you've got your teeth into your presentation.

• Well begun is half done. And that's never truer than with public speaking. Don't pull any stunts as an attention grabbing ploy. Start normally and confidently, with an appropriate greeting. Set the tone of your presentation by outlining the major objectives at the outset. That way, everyone knows what to expect.

• Seem nice. You are much more likely to be heard patiently if you come across as an intelligent, mature, confident and nice person. The likability factor is supremely important. A display of arrogance is only an invitation for trouble during the question hour!

• Talk, don't read. Power Point presentations are great to look at, which is why most people look at the slides rather than the speaker. If you want to recite what's on your file, email the presentation instead, and cancel the speech. Remember, the presentation is meant to serve you, not take over your role! Use it only to guide the speech.

No one said public speaking was easy, but there's no getting around it. With practice and application, you can certainly improve your skills. Once you get through your first public speech unscathed, the rest will follow!

Hi, I'm Akhil Shahani, a serial entrepreneur who wants to help you succeed. If you like to work smart, check out http://www.SmartEntrepreneur.net It's full of articles and resources to help you start and grow your business successfully. Please visit us & download our special "Freebie of The Month" at http://www.smartentrepreneur.net/freebie-of-the-month.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Akhil_Shahani

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Public Speaking - Learning to Say, "I Don't Care!"

Early in the movie, The Fugitive, Officer Gerard catches up with Dr. Kimball near the outlet of a high dam. Gerard had been chasing Kimball not as a suspect in a crime (the murder of Kimball's wife), but as fugitive from justice. With seemingly no where to go, and Gerard's gun trained on him, Kimball still hesitates to surrender.

Looking Gerard straight in the eye, Kimball shouts, "I didn't kill my wife!"

Gerard, staring back at his captured prey, replies, "I don't care!"

For Gerard, the question of Kimball's guilt or innocence was immaterial - he was doing his job in apprehending a convict who had escaped from the wreck of a prison train.

Sometimes as a presenter you have to learn to accept that as long as you are performing by the rules, you can't necessarily care about how you are being received by every member of the audience.

In other words, one thing that should never be a source of discomfort for you is an audience member's response to your engagement at any one time.

When you complete your thought with a listener, and you pause and move to find your next target, there will be times when your new your target has his head down or is otherwise not returning your engagement. Although once the audience realizes that you are actually engaging them as individuals, it's not likely to happen often, but when that does happen to you, it's an example of how you have to learn how to not care.

Seriously. The last thing you ever want to do is when you shift from one person to the next and the next one is not looking at you, is to give in to the temptation to quickly find another target. She may be asleep. He may be on his Blackberry.

You have to learn to some extent to simply not care. Here's where the win/win comes in, because the rest of the audience wins when you don't care and you simply continue on as you were. You certainly don't want to shift your vision, see something you don't like, and then quickly revert to aerosol eyes to find somebody else. You have to really learn that there are all kinds of reasons for an audience member to not be engaged with you at that moment, and most of those reasons having nothing to do with you or the quality of job you're doing.

The side of caution

The problem is that part of the anxiety speakers feel is based on their ongoing assessment of what the audience is thinking about them. The brain is always going to make a worst case assessment, because it needs to err on the side of caution. It's going to think the worst, and determine that there's a threat.

In the absence of any totally proactive - oh, yes, you're great, I love you - response, your brain will tend to think all sorts of bad things. Your brain is looking for threats all the time, so that's what it finds.

When you turn to somebody and his head's down, or he's asleep, you're likely to say to yourself, "Oh, no, what am I doing? I must be boring." The reality is that the person's head is down because she was out at The Roadhouse until 5:00 in the morning. You know, she came back late, had a shower, crawled into work, and now she's sitting in the dark and she falls asleep. There are all kinds of reasons why somebody might not be giving you totally positive feedback.

If you turn to your target, regardless of the response you get, you need to learn to just stick with that same person for the rest of your thought, and not be shifting around quickly, looking for another target. The win for you in this situation is that for that particular engagement, you're using that person to reduce your visual over-stimulation by taking no more action than you would have if she were returning your contact.

J. Douglas Jefferys brings twenty-five years of corporate training experience to his role as a principal of PublicSpeakingSkills.com [http://www.publicspeakingskills.com]. His firm changes presenters lives forever with their unique apporach to training presentation design and delivery skills. Discover how to design and deliver presentations that audiences actually listen to by visiting their website now. For a quick and entertaining video of Mr. Jefferys' unique style and approach, check out: http://publicspeakingskills.com/pages/Store-DVD-Videos.htm

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A Simple Guide to Public Speaking

Most of us will probably freeze at the mere thought of making a speech. Yet, public speaking is one of the key skills that a successful leader needs to have. Experts will tell you that most people are not born with the gift of the gab; impressive speakers are made with a little bit of guidance, but mainly through perseverance! While there are lots of resources devoted to the art of public speaking, like "Great Speaking Ezine" on here are a few quick tips for someone who wants to hit the ground running.

Know your audience: The listeners are the most critical element of any speech. Therefore, make the effort to understand your audience. What could you incorporate into your opening remarks, which can set the stage for a lively interaction? For example, is there an issue of general, topical interest that you could mention? Well begun is half done, and if you can start off on a good note, it will give you much needed confidence to face the crowd.

Put into practice: Face it, there's no easy way out. The best way to speak in public is to rehearse the whole exercise beforehand. While you must not memorize your talk word for word, as that will make it sound stilted and unnatural, you should know the flow of your presentation by heart. That will also help you pick up the threads in case there are any interruptions. Remember, it is you who will be speaking on stage, and it is therefore up to you to control the proceedings.

Choose your words carefully: The importance of doing so cannot be overemphasized. Make sure the words you use are appropriate to the situation and the nature of the audience. Coarse slang and obscenities have no place in a public talk. Again, think twice before making any references to issues that might stir up strong emotions, like religion, cultural practices or politics.

Lighten up: Humor is a very powerful and effective tool of public speaking. Not only does it give the audience some relief in the midst of a heavy speech, it also makes the content memorable. You don't need to try too hard to be funny, or go over the top. Use caricatures, anecdotes or even jokes, but make sure that they are relevant and inoffensive.

Spur action: Be clear about the objectives of your speech. Is it aimed at motivating action, solving problems or sparking a discussion? The real impact of public speaking can be gauged in the response it generates among listeners. A sparkling speech is not worth the paper it is printed on if it's forgotten as soon as the audience leaves the room.

Expect the unexpected: If you suddenly find that the audience is not catching on, be prepared to change your talk mid-way. Stop to clarify, or invite questions in between. Also, if you are running out of time, be ready to leave out the less important parts of your presentation. On the other hand, if you have extra time, make sure to utilize it effectively - a Q&A is usually a great way to interact with the listeners.

These were some useful pointers along the path to effective public speaking. No doubt, you want to know a lot more. "Instant Speaking Success", an e-book available at "10 Days to More Confident Public Speaking" and "How to Develop Self-Confidence and Influence People by Public Speaking" from can help you transform into a powerful public speaker.

Hi, I'm Akhil Shahani, a serial entrepreneur who wants to help you succeed. If you like to work smart, check out http://www.SmartEntrepreneur.net It's full of articles and resources to help you start and grow your business successfully. Please visit us & download our special "Freebie of The Month" at http://www.smartentrepreneur.net/freebie-of-the-month.html

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7 Tops Ways to Overcome Your Public Speaking Fear

Congratulations on making a great decision and reading the 7 Top Ways to Conquer Your Public Speaking Fear. Whether you are attending a business networking luncheon, speaking to a group of Sunday school students or attending a one on one business meeting, you are speaking in public. It is something we do everyday. Most of us have never had an ounce of public speaking training. We can either sink or swim. And when it comes to public speaking most of us sink.

I am amazed that society expects us to be great speakers without any formal training in school. All we can do is hope that we do not make a fool of ourselves. And believe me, I know from personal experience. I have been through the humiliation. I have been through the laughs. I can feel your pain or discomfort. If I can overcome my challenge, you can too.
I wish I could tell you that there was a magic pill. There isn't. Remember, I didn't say "Top Easy Ways." Because there isn't a quick fix, what I am going to share with you may seem uncomfortable at first. I promise you, you will be okay. It is like ripping off a band-aid at times. You have to take the first step. Public speaking is exactly the same thing. You have to commit yourself to taking the first step and applying the 7 Top Ways to Conquer Public Speaking Fear. If you do so, you may realize you can truly overcome your fear. So many of my clients have conquered their fear. I know you can too

Top Way #1: Realize it is Perfectly Okay to be Nervous.
Do you remember when you first tried to ride a bicycle, drive a car or use a computer?
Do you still get nervous?
You first had to learn how to do it. Then you had to make a couple of "hopefully" minor mistakes. And now you are so comfortable with it, that it almost seems easy. Public speaking is exactly the same. When you commit yourself to learning the art of public speaking and staying open to moving past your comfort zones, I promise you it will get easier.
I have a Secret to tell you. I still get butterflies in my stomach. Would you like to know why this still happens to me? I want my audience to know that I put my heart and soul into my presentation and into my message. I want to be my best for my audience. As a result, I have some nervous energy before I speak. However, I do follow these exact principles I am sharing with you. Then I channel the nervous energy in to a dynamic, powerful and fun presentation with tons of heart. If I can do it, you can too.

Top Way #2: Burning Desire
Do you have a real passion for what you are talking about?
Do you have such a strong commitment to changing lives that you will do anything to overcome your fear?
I had to connect with my Burning Desire too. As I started to get in touch with my true passion for empowering others through public speaking, I rushed to come up with a speaking topic. I chose to talk about organizing and de-cluttering homes and offices. It was something that over time I became really good at. It was obvious that so many people needed my help.
I began speaking to groups and organizations about letting go of clutter and getting organized. I did everything I thought I should do. I tried to convince my audience that I was passionate about organizing. An audience will always know when your heart isn't truly in your topic. It is something you can't fake. As a result, no matter how hard I tried to put on a big smile, every organizing speaking event seemed like a chore. My audience could sense that too.
When you do not feel the passion for your topic, it makes it a thousand times harder to create and deliver a powerful presentation. In case you haven't figured it out yet, I absolutely LOVE teaching the art of public speaking today. It is something that I am truly passionate about. Remember, you can't fake a burning desire. You will know when you are faking it and so will your audience. As a result true public speaking success may seem to elude you. The next time you have to give a presentation, be creative and incorporate something that you love to talk about and relate it to your topic. Watch for the many blessing that will unfold as a result.

Top Way #3: If You Can See It, You Can Achieve It
Are you focused on a negative outcome?
Are you afraid that you are going to make a fool of yourself?
One of the essential keys to becoming a confident and powerful speaker is Visualization. Many new speakers sabotage themselves with negative self talk before they even get started. You need to control your negative self talk, or it will control you. When you expect the worst, the worst usually happens. The next time you are getting ready to give a presentation to a group, spend a few minutes each day seeing yourself as the huge success you know you deserve to be. All you have to do is close your eyes and see yourself making a confident and successful presentation. If you commit to doing it, you will reap great rewards.

Top Way #4: Relaxing is as Easy as One, Two, Three
Do you feel like you are grasping for air?
Are you BREATHING?
At one time or another, everyone including the most experienced speakers will feel some form of nervousness and anxiety. Most speakers have become so accustomed to breathing shallow breaths, especially when they are feeling nervous, uncomfortable or rushed. Shallow breathing will absolutely increase a speaker's level of anxiety. As I have learned from personal experience, it can also lead to an unpleasant higher pitch in the speaker's voice.
The opposite type of breathing, deep belly breathing, has a dramatic and instantaneous positive relaxing effect on your body, voice and your mind. The best speakers know that one of the easiest ways to relax is to learn how to breathe properly. Deep breathing is a simple and effective technique for getting our bodies and our minds to relax.
I discovered this simple solution to BREATHING EASIER. Always have a pitcher of room temperature water on hand when you are speaking. I know some of you are thinking, "Yuck. Room temperature water." Listen to me. Drinking room temperature water not only helps wet the mouth, it also relaxes the vocal cords and muscles. Ultimately the room temperature water makes it easier for you to breath.

Top Way #5: Your Audience Truly Wants You to Succeed
Do you think your audience wants you to fail?
Or do you believe that your audience wants you to be great?
Statistics have show that public speaking is the number one fear that people have. In your audience's eyes you are a star already because you are willing to conquer your fears when most of them can't even step foot on a stage. You are a Winner already because you are willing to take action, learn and grow. Always remember, your audience needs you.
One of the most effective ways to reach, move and connect with your audience is to get to know who is in your audience in advance and finding out why they are choosing to listen to you speak. So many times people get so nervous wondering what their audience is thinking about them. Instead, a much more productive thought is to think about why your audience needs your information and what difference it is going to make in their lives.

Top Way #6: Time to Get Physical
Do you know how to use your body to decrease nerves?
Are you open to getting physical?
When you are preparing your presentation, think of a fun way to incorporate a physical movement or a prop to help reinforce your message. If you can incorporate this in to the first few seconds of your presentation, your nerves will significantly decrease just from doing something physical in the beginning of your presentation.
Over the years, I have learned to be very creative with props, everything from hats, Lego's, dice and even Reese's peanut butter cups. I have used basically anything I could find that would enhance my presentation and enhance my audiences' ability to learn. Props are essential to a great presentation because they serve as a very important visual aid. You are giving your audience what they need because most of your audience members are probably visual. Props are a great way to keep them entertained and help you conquer your fear. Be creative. You can use props in so many imaginative ways.

Top Way #7: Incorporate the 3 P's
Have you ever tried to make up a presentation as you go a long?
Do you stumble and bumble over your own words?
Please learn from Amonda Rose's Operation Oops. I have rehearsed my personal introduction; also known as the elevator speech over and over again. I know it is an attention grabbing and powerful introduction that gets results. However, one day I decided to abandon my intro at a networking meeting. I had one minute to speak and I bumbled and stumbled over my words. I felt horrible about it. I left that meeting committed to never ever doing that again. I am committed to sticking with what works. My 3 P's Solution is really simple. Are your ready? Here it is. The 3 P's Solution is Practice, Practice and Practice. I am surprised that so many people forget to do this. Commit to yourself today that you are going to Practice. If you take this simple principle and apply it consistently you will reap great rewards.

Bonus Top Way #8: You've Got to Tell'em
Do you want more?
Do you like Bonus Tips?
I know I do! When you are getting ready to prepare a presentation or create a personal introduction that sizzles, always keep in mind this simple and easy format for every presentation using the tell 'em format
Tell 'em what you're going to tell 'em
Tell 'em
Tell 'em what you told 'em"
Get started today and commit to following the "7 Tops Ways to Conquer Your Public Speaking Fear." You have the ability to reach your true potential and improve your ability to communicate whether it is in a group or one on one. Vital to your success is your desire to change, a vision for your life and dreams you want to turn into reality. By being proactive about your future, your priceless success and happiness are ensured. There will never be a better time than now to launch your success and create an incredible future.
You can know everything about any topic, even your own business, however if you are unable to communicate effectively to your prospective clients, you may never have the level of true success you desire. For most of us, the first step is to overcome our fear of public speaking. Bravo for being proactive about your life. All great communicators are committed to learning and growing so they can master the art of public speaking.
THANK YOU for caring enough about yourself and your audience to read this report and for giving me the absolute pleasure to serve you in your public speaking needs. I want you all to know how much I appreciate you for taking the first step and reading this article. I have just so much information to share, and I haven't even scratched the surface.
For more information about Amonda Rose, visit HighPerformanceSpeaking.com to learn how she can help anyone move from Fearful and Doubtful to Confident and Dynamic.

Amonda Rose uses the most advanced Public Speaking and Communication Techniques to help the beginner to the advanced students excel.
To book Amonda Rose to speak to your group or to request information about her powerful High Performance Speaking Coaching or Pain-Free Public Speaking Workshops, Tele-Classes and Webinars, call 561-706-7371 or visit http://www.HighPerformanceSpeaking.com and http://www.PainFreePublicSpeaking.com
Copyright © MMVIII - Amonda Rose Igoe

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Achieving Success in Professional Speaking

The real success of every presentation is leaving your audience with something of value. What do they get out of spending time in your presentation?

Many people believe that they need natural brilliance in speaking well and presenting well. The believe that they need to be polished, smart, witty and charming all before they actually start to build a speech. Those attributes can come naturally, but most often, they come as a result of passion, knowledge and practice of the speaker's material.

One of the most important factors in having a successful presentation is serving the needs of your audience. Going back to the idea that you need to leave your audience with something of value, caring for your audience's needs doesn't require perfection. You can make mistakes with speaking and it's going to be okay. The projector equipment can fail and it's still going to be okay. You don't have to include humor in order to be a success. With that in mind, real perfection is more like being successful at reaching your audience.

Give your audience two or three gold nuggets of information. No one expects you to be a walking encyclopedia concerning your subject matter. No one expects you to speak for hours on end about your topic. It's too much for you and for your audience to handle. Find two or three heavy hitting points to make and work with those points so that they become exciting to hear.

To give your audience something of value, focus on them not on you. Telling your personal testimony is great, but eventually during your presentation, you've got to find a way to relate your presentation back to your audience. One rule of thumb concerning this area is to use 10 "you's" for every one "I". That means you'll talk less about yourself and talk more about your audience.
Realize you don't have to control every situation in your audience. You don't have to emerge as the victor over negative audience members. The audio/video equipment does not have to be perfectly functioning. You simply don't have enough time to combat situations in your audiences (I.e. - like them falling asleep, talking or cell phones ringing) and still communicate your message effectively. Remember that your whole goal is to give your audience something of value.
Give your audience something of value by becoming their friend. Sometimes you may need to stop thinking of yourself as a professional speaker and start thinking of yourself a close personal friend of the audience member. You'll teach them something and give them advice. You'll sound more natural in our speech and you'll be more relatable to your audience. People often associate those on stage as automatically having knowledge and wisdom on the topic covered. While this thought is great to establish you as a leader, the points you make in your presentation may be better received if you came across from a more personal standpoint.
Your whole goal as a professional speaker is to leave your audience with something of value. This means creating a solid bond between your audience and your material. This means you think about the needs of your audience. Give your audience something of value today!

Kolawole Olambiwonnu is the Publisher of Niche-Newsletter, a collection of well-researched articles. For more information on this title, visit Money Mouth.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kolawole_Olambiwonnu

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