Speakers > 26 Public Speaking Tips

26 Public Speaking Tips

by: Paul Evans

1. No speech is ever perfect. Perfectionism creates more fear. Do your best and leave it at that.

2. Forget about what you forgot to say. Trust that the audience heard what was needed.

3. Someone has said that you should put ten hours of practice into every one hour presentation. You can, but it's over kill. Practice until you feel like you have 80%, let the other 20% take care of itself. If you know your stuff, you may not need any practice.

4. Make it clear. No rambling. No tangents. The audience should leave knowing your position whether they agree with it or not.

5. Be conversational. No sterile speech patterns. No monotone. Speak like you would to a friend over a cup of coffee.

6. Toss out ego. It's not about you or your acceptance; it's about giving the audience value they can grow from. Too many speakers have their esteem wrapped up in being liked.

7. Stop playing "What if..." What if I freeze? What if I forget?

8. Be you. Chances are high that your friends consider you warm and humorous. No one is against a speaker like that.

9. Use props if they clarify a point. In one of my presentations I have 2 jars on stage. One filled with money. One filled with trash. I get an audience member to crack the trash jar with a hammer. Then we talk about the crap they fill their lives with and the result of that. Then another person cracks the money jar. We talk about how to fill our lives with wealth. Close: "What's in your jar? Nothing you haven't placed there yourself."

10. Get to know the audience. Meet and greet before and after. Get as close to the crowd as possible when speaking. Forget the the podium.

11. Use as few notes as possible. I like a single sticky sheet with my points on it.

12. Your life provides your illustrations. Every experience holds the possibility of an example or truth others can learn from.

13. Don't tell jokes. First, most are not funny. Second, most of the people have heard the lame things. Third, a story of something foolish you did as a child is funnier than any joke on the planet.

14. You don't change lives. People have to take your words and apply them in order for change to result. You are responsible to them, not for them.

15. You become what you think about. Think scared, you'll be scared. Think passionate, you'll be passionate. Trace your feelings and you'll discover they came from thoughts.

16. Your best for this moment is the best you can do. Don't compare yourself to famous speakers. You can learn, grow, and become better, and you should. However, don't allow what you are not at this moment to hide the greatness of who you ARE at this moment.

17. Fear is part of speaking. Even the best speakers feel some slight butterflies from excitement. Fear is not unusual; it's typical. Don't be surprised by its presence.

18. You cannot get better if you do not speak regularly. Join a club like Toastmasters to get experience and exposure. There's a crazy mindset that runs through the brains of some speakers. They think that they can get in front of an audience and be fabulous the first time. Not gonna happen. No one plays an instrument without practice. The same is true with speaking.

19. Impromptu and spontaneous speaking only work when you understand the communication rules and know how to break them. Many top speakers "ad lib" 80% or more of their messages. That's only possible because they KNOW the exact response their words will bring. Their material may be new, but it's not an experiment. They know how people will react to their words before they ever use them. Do you have audience response ESP? Do you know if the audience will laugh, cry, or clap BEFORE the words come out of your mouth?

20. If you can't summarize the intended result of your speech in one sentence, then you're not clear. There should be no doubt about the value and intention of your presentation.

21. Sometimes it's your job to offend. I have an upcoming speech that is going to highly bother the attendees, but the CEO will love it. The audience will get what they need, not what they want. That's the way is has to go sometimes.

22. Don't sacrifice clarity for cuteness. If you're amazed at the cleverness of your speech, then chances are better than great that your audience won't be.

23. Outlining your speech should never take more than hour. If it does, then you're working too hard on something that almost everyone will forget. Jot down your points. Subtitle some illustrations. Then practice. Speaking is much easier than people make it out to be.

24. Self-effacing humor works miracles. Last Friday I walked into our church's baptismal pool by accident. Got soaked from the chest down. Good news: My cell phone was saved. Bad news: It went to meet its maker a few minutes later. I've gotten phone calls galore from friends teasing me. I've already jotted down the details along with several ways I can use this embarrassing tale as an illustration. If you're not willing to look dumb, then you're not too smart.

25. Don't take yourself too seriously. First, other people can recognize it, and it will turn them off. Second, your own body will recognize it and turn you off.

26. Words will never become ineffective. We live in a world of advanced technology. Multi-media abounds. But NOTHING will ever replace an individual with a bold message, the passion to share it, and an audience wanting to change.

Paul Evans is the executive creator of Instant Speaking Success. http://www.instantspeakingsuccess.com Over 24,000 public speakers receive his weekly speaking letter. Sign up is free. Paul's public speaking course has help thousands of speakers overcome fear and deliver with power and passion. http://www.greatpublicspeaking.com

About The Author

Speakers and Trainers - The Internet is Your Biggest Megaphone

Speakers and Trainers - The Internet is Your Biggest Megaphone

by: Dr. Lynella Grant

Speak to an Audience that Reaches across the Globe

As a professional at home on the platform, you?ve spent years polishing a compelling message. The presentations you make are honed to perfection. Your delivery style draws raves and repeat bookings. So why don?t you deliver a taste of your best stuff to the whole world?

Easily done! Send articles that provide a sample of your message and speaking personality to numerous Internet directories and ezines. The biggest auditorium couldn?t contain all the people exposed to a single article widely posted online. While the cost is minimal (mainly your time), the impact from articles can be gigantic! Consider the benefits. http://www.promotewitharticles.com/benefits.html

Internet Exposure is Crucial for Name Recognition

A spokesman...

Speakers and Trainers - The Internet is Your Biggest Megaphone

Speakers > Speakers and Trainers - The Internet is Your Biggest Megaphone

Public Speaking: 9 Characteristics Of The Greats

Public Speaking: 9 Characteristics Of The Greats

by: Paul Evans

There's more to speaking than sharing a few words. Here are the top nine characteristics of public speakers that you can use too

1. Solid Content. Even a person lacking charismatic gifts can develop solid content. Always share something the audience finds valuable to their lives.

2. Humorous. It's hard to hate someone you laugh with. The best speakers find a way to get people smiling early in the program. It opens hearts and makes the group receptive. You don't have to be hilarious, just humorous.

3. Organized. There's no excuse for rambling through a presentation. Have your notes structured in way that keeps you on pace and on target. Listeners should feel they received a message that made sense and was easy to remember.

4. Approachable. Some speakers try to get in and get out as fast as possible, but the audience likes to know the speaker is available an approachable....

Public Speaking: 9 Characteristics Of The Greats

Speakers > Public Speaking: 9 Characteristics Of The Greats

Can You Hear Me Now?

by: Peter Lopez

I'm sure you've seen the cellular phone commercial, two customers are on cell phones and one says, “Can you hear me now?” takes a step back and repeats, “Can you hear me now?”
While commercials like that make us laugh, the truth is that as telecommunications expand and include many different options, we must make sure that we are not exchanging flexibility for sound quality.

Today's telecommunication choices have expanded and continue to progress.
We have moved from the standard telephone to the pager or beeper (which has become virtually obsolete) to the cell phone, and now that the world is going wireless, VoIP and VoWiFi are on the rise.
Computer technology has explored every aspect of audio and video capabilities discovering mpegs and Codecs.

When it comes to VoIP and communication you can take some steps to make sure that you are obtaining...

Can You Hear Me Now?

Speakers > Can You Hear Me Now?

3 Big Reasons To Attend A Live Small Business Workshop

3 Big Reasons To Attend A Live Small Business Workshop

by: Kerry Beck

It's unbelievable that people from all over the world attend an Online Marketing Workshop, hoping to improve their own small businesses.

Ever wondered why these people would leave the comfort of their own homes, as well as their families to cram into a meeting room with a bunch of strangers for two full days?

The answer...

They know they don't have all the answers and they also realize the benefits of attending a small business workshop.

Let me share with you 3 reasons you should attend a small business workshop for online marketing in your area, perhaps Dallas, Fort Worth or another city in Texas.

1.
Dynamic Content

When I attend a well-organized workshop or seminar, I am astonished at the amount of content the speakers give in their talks.
Last weekend, I came home with a notebook full of ideas and notes that I could implement...

3 Big Reasons To Attend A Live Small Business Workshop

Speakers > 3 Big Reasons To Attend A Live Small Business Workshop

Cisco CCNP Certification: BGP Attribute Category Tutorial

Cisco CCNP Certification: BGP Attribute Category Tutorial

by: Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933

You have to master the details on BGP to pass the BSCI exam and to earn your CCNP, but BGP is an entirely new world from the protocols you studied to earn your CCNA. BGP paths contain attributes, while no protocol you studied for the CCNA carried. BGP Attributes are used to choose the best path when multiple loop-free paths exist, as well as give you other specific information about the paths. This additional information includes the autonomous systems that are along the path to a given destination, what the next-hop IP address is, and much more.

Before we examine the specific attributes, we need to understand the categories used to differentiate BGP attributes. Some attributes are required, some aren't; some attributes will be carried between routers, where others will not.

The first category is the well-known mandatory attribute. As you'd expect...

Cisco CCNP Certification: BGP Attribute Category Tutorial

Speakers > Cisco CCNP Certification: BGP Attribute Category Tutorial

Do Your Home Improvement Right With A Good Attic Ladder

Do Your Home Improvement Right With A Good Attic Ladder

by: Adam Hook

This weekend you need to head up into your attic to get some work done. You need to pull some wire for the final touches on your sound system. You know you need to get it done. It's the last part of your dream home theater system that needs work. Most of your speaker setup is on the money, but the weak point of your system is the center channel speaker and your two rear channel speakers. Well, my friend, this is the weekend to get those issues sorted out. Home theater bliss is on its way.

You know how to pull wire – how to get the measurements and all that. And the setup of the system is not a problem. That's what 15-year-olds are for. But the actually pulling the wire in from your receiver to the actual speakers could pose a problem. Not that you don't have the skills to do it. You're completely confident with that – you're a man's man. But you need...

Do Your Home Improvement Right With A Good Attic Ladder

Speakers > Do Your Home Improvement Right With A Good Attic Ladder

Keep Your Audience Awake!

Keep Your Audience Awake!

by: Emily Sanders

The smartest course for a speaker to follow is the rule that a straight line is the shortest distance between two points. The best way of developing a speech is to focus on the one theme or thought behind the talk and drive relentlessly towards it. One of the reasons why this is a winning strategy is because most audience members cannot concentrate for the duration of a speech because of a number of distraction ? such as other attendees, noise and most importantly the thoughts in his/her head. A speaker should not only ensure that his/her speech is clear and easy to follow, the speaker should also ensure that breaks are provided during the speech.

Many speakers have started injecting break sessions or even mini exercise sessions during long speech to ensure they keep the audience alert at all times. Promoting interaction with other audience members is another excellent way to maintain your audience?s...

Keep Your Audience Awake!

Speakers > Keep Your Audience Awake!