Challenge, Inform or Get Off The Stage - Presentation Skills and Powerful Public Speakers

”There are two types of speakers; those that are nervous and those that are liars.” Mark Twain

Most of us put public speaking at the top of our list of things to avoid. Then along comes that promotion or new opportunity, and with it, new responsibilities. Among them: communicating, powerfully and effectively in public. Before you rush to get out of that responsibility, consider what it can do for you.

This one ability--communicating ideas powerfully and effectively--can impact professional success more quickly and more absolutely than nearly any other. Become an effective communicator, and you will solidify a reputation as an effective leader. Yet many otherwise accomplished executives never learn to communicate well and take pains to avoid having to speak in public at all.

That’s a lot of wasted opportunity. You can’t expect your ideas to be considered or followed, much less admired, if they’re not communicated well.

Speaking to a group, even a small group that knows you, can be an intimidating. No one has yet died in the effort. We can all get past our fear of public speaking with practice. The important thing is to understand the power you have, that we all have, to communicate effectively. Here are some tips for powerful public speaking:

--Don’t hide behind charts, graphs and power point slides. Despite the cliche, facts don't speak for themselves. Materials can only support your communication, not substitute for it.

--Accept the "public" part of public speaking. Speeches and presentations delivered before an audience really are about you and your ability to connect. If you're bored, your audience will be as well. Find the passion in your work and build your presentation or speech around it.

--Put real effort into the question and answer period following your speech or presentation. For many in the audience, it's their chance to connect with you and you to them.

--Make sure your public speech or presentation isn't simply a recitation of the facts. Your audience could get that from you in an email. What any audience wants is your perspective. Always provide a context for the data or information you provide.

--Never go long. Any performer knows it's best to leave them wanting more. Make sure you have something your audience can take home with them to think about.

--Don't forget to speak ABOUT something. Your main points should be clearly stated and they’ll be back. Before long, you’ll be wondering how you ever considered public speaking something to avoid!

Above all, practice, practice, practice. Don't run from public speaking opportunities--embrace them--and the power they have to promote your professional success.

Aileen Pincus is President of The Pincus Group, an executive communications training firm providing coaching in media training, presentation and speech skills and crisis communications for a wide variety of clients. She can be reached at http://www.thepincusgroup.com. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Aileen_Pincus

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How To Get Any Audience To Love And Admire You - Six Lessons Learned From Fdr's Fireside Chats

Although TV and radio are mass media, the best broadcasters are able to make each listener feel as if they are sharing an intimate one-on-one conversation. They never elevate themselves about their audience, but speak to everyone as if they were a dear, cherished friend.

Perhaps the first broadcaster to use this technique was President Franklin D. Roosevelt in his famous radio broadcasts, the "fireside chats." FDR delivered 31of these chats over the course of his presidency, beginning on March 12, 1933. Fortunately for us, he was closely observed by his labor secretary Frances Perkins, who gives us great insight into FDR's media style.

Here's what we can learn from Perkins' observations of FDR. While these techniques are especially useful for radio and TV interviews, use them when speaking to ANY audience; over the phone or face to face.

1. He visualized his audience as individuals, never as a mass of people.

When I was a broadcaster on the #1 morning show in New York City, there were hundreds of thousands listening. If I had thought about all these people, I probably would have fainted out of nervousness. Instead I imagined that the only person listening was my very best friend. Your audience listens to you one person at a time, so speak to them as individuals, never as a group. Create a prototype audience member and make up a story about their life, their problems, and their needs. They are sympathetic to your cause. They have come to you for help. Speak to this one person whenever you have a faceless audience- on radio, TV or over the phone. With practice, you can learn to transpose the face of your prototype onto an entire live audience.

2. He visualized his audience on the porch, at the dinner table.

The dinner table visualization works great to create a feeling of intimacy and trust. I use it all the time when pitching my products and services over the phone. I imagine I've invited the other person over for dinner. We're having a casual conversation in a familiar setting. We both feel comfortable and relaxed . The telephone works just like the radio. It's the theatre of the mind, and you are the set designer. So create a set that works for you.

3. He was conscious of their faces and hands, their clothes and homes.

The more specific you are about your listener, the more you will connect. Can you tell me the color of their eyes? What are they wearing? Where do they live? Hands speak volumes about a person. What do they reveal?

4. His voice and facial expression as he spoke were those of an intimate friend.

Your tone of voice is closely linked to your facial expression. A frown on your face will make your voice sound harsh and cold. But a smile will warm up your voice, making it sound warm and inviting.

5. As he talked his head would nod and his hands would move in natural, simple gestures.

Most people think that good communication is mouth-centric. Nothing could be farther from he truth! To be a powerful communicator, you have to use your entire body. Gestures and body language add energy and enthusiasm to your speech.

6. His face would smile and light up as though he were actually sitting on the front porch or in the parlor with them. People felt this and it bound them to him in affection.

A smile is one of the most powerful tools you have to create rapport with your listener, even when they can't see you! Smile while you speak. Smile while you dial. Smile even if you don't feel like it. The techniques used by FDR over 60 years ago are still relevant today. Give your very own fireside chat the next time you have to speak to an audience: over the air, on the phone or face-to-face ...and that's one more way to unlock the hidden power of YOUR voice.

Susan Berkely is owner and writer of http://www.greatvoiceco.com which is providing professional voice recording and professional voice over service for call centers. We are also providing telephone business, voice training, and many more voice services.

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

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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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