Public Speaking - An Effective Way to Illustrate Your Talk

By Tony Hall

The use of props to help you to illustrate your talks when speaking in public has long been commonplace and can be a highly effective way of getting across your point. Using slides to reinforce your message is probably the most common way of doing so, but the technology to put slide shows together has not always been there. So what did the best public speakers use before?

Well they regularly adopted the method of "Chalk and Talk". In other words they got hold of a flip-chart and a few colored pens and wrote or drew whatever they needed in order to emphasize their points and bring their speeches to life.

And even now, in the days of the "all-singing, all-dancing" computer-generated presentation, "Chalk and Talk" can be a most effective way of making your presentation.

Here are some of the reasons why:

- It helps to keep your audience focused on you. They are required to constantly switch their attention between you and the screen when slides are used. However if you are standing beside a flip-chart and writing upon it there is no problem for the audience to easily see both.

- In a one-to-one situation you will often grab a piece of paper and write or draw on it to illustrate something to the other person. For instance you might draw out the directions to somewhere on a freehand map or simply write down an address or phone number. So using a flipchart is just an extension of that and can give your talk a much more natural feel.

- It can build your audience's confidence in you in that as you write as you progress through your talk, it will appear that you are truly talking spontaneously and so must really know what you are talking about. That will ensure that those in attendance will be genuinely engaged. You, of course, will have prepared thoroughly, and what you put on the chart will in reality be well-rehearsed!

- It can help you to pace your talk and ensure that what you illustrate is always what you are talking about at that moment. It makes it easier for the audience to follow your talk and relate to the point you are putting across.

- You can more easily get your audience involved if you wish. For example you can ask them a question and write down their answers. You can then talk around their feedback, focusing on any aspects that you already know can be used to reinforce any point you want to make. This can be especially effective if you are at a business meeting or doing some form of training or coaching. If you make someone think that something that you wanted to put across anyway was in fact their idea, your esteem as a speaker will be greatly boosted.

- It is a low-tech method and so can boost your confidence as you don't have to worry about what can go wrong with computers and projectors you might otherwise use. Just make sure you have a good supply of spare pens in case one runs dry.

"Chalk and Talk" is a time-proven technique and one that you can easily practice to see how it will help your presentation. So why not give it a try and you will soon see just how well your audience reacts.

This article was written by Tony Hall who runs his own business providing individuals with personal and business skills development. You can learn more about developing your public speaking skills by visiting the website at: http://www.selfimprovementskills.com/publicspeaking.html

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

Retirement Speeches - Content and Composition

By Mary Ruff-King

Most people dread writing a retirement speech, but with some preparation, time, and thought it can be accomplished easily and quickly.

Here are some tips to help you write your retirement speech:

1) Allow plenty of time in advance so you can gather your thoughts.

2) Write down what you have accomplished not only in your career but at the company from which you are retiring.

3) Write down the changes that have occurred in the specific industry and at the company.

4) Mention how you have grown/changed for the better as a person.

5) Try to incorporate humor into your retirement speech to keep everyone's interest. Self-deprecating humor works best; take a pot-shot at yourself, your mistakes, your foibles, your eccentricities. Everyone will love you for it!

6) Acknowledge everyone's contribution to your success as a salesman, manager, supervisor, CEO, etc.

7) Thank everyone, including your immediate family and your professional family.

8) If appropriate, mention your post-retirement plans/goals.

9) Show further appreciation by telling your office mates that you will keep in touch and then be sure to follow through on this promise.

10) Be sure to thank everyone for the retirement gifts and especially those who organized the retirement party.

Once you have outlined what you want to say in your retirement speech, start writing. This is your time to shine as a person. Make you speech warm, touching, personal, and positive.

Once you have written a rough draft of your retirement speech, leave it sit for a few days. Come back to it fresh, and read it aloud. If need be, edit it. You may even have remembered a few things you would like to add to it which you can do at this time.

Come back to it after another day or two for a final edit. Get it just right. Once you have finalized it, read it aloud and time it. See how long it takes. A good time frame for a retirement speech is 5 minutes and no longer than 10 minutes, unless it is really humorous.

Next you'll want to practice your speech. Yes, read it aloud at least 30 times to get completely familiar with it. You want to deliver it to people and make eye contact with them, not just read it aloud at your retirement party. You'll want to briefly look down to remember what you wrote, not keep your face buried in your copy.

If you follow the above steps, you will be able to write and effectively deliver a memorable, moving, and powerful retirement speech.

Writing retirement speeches is not a hard thing to do when you have a template and samples to follow. At Retirement Letters and Speeches you will find samples of retirement letters and speeches, as well as a retirement letter format, template, and information about etiquette. Full body samples of retirement letters and speeches are given; best of all, this is free information.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mary_Ruff-King

Develop the Power of Presence to Compel Attention When You Speak

By Sandra Zimmer

"True joy comes from being fully present in each and every moment, not just when things are going your way. Of course, it's no accident that things are more likely to go your way when you stop worrying about whether you're going to win or lose and focus your full attention on what's happening right this moment."
Phil Jackson, coach of nine NBA champion teams

When you speak to others, do you make a connection and hold their rapt attention? Develop the power of presence to help you compel the attention of others. When you are present, you are able to hold the focus of attention of others easily.

Often, when people speak in front of others, their attention is split so that their presence is not strong enough to hold attention. While trying to deliver an important message, you may have had the experience of feeling physically tense, experiencing emotional anxiety and thinking you may not say it right. With your own attention split in several directions, it is no wonder people do not pay attention!

Presence is a sense of being here now, in this moment. All aspects of your being – physical, mental and emotional – are focused together on what is happening now. When you are so focused, you exude a strong "presence" that others can sense.

Below are some core concepts that will help you develop presence and connection that are captivating and compelling.

1. Ground your body to experience the sensation of presence. Get out of your head and get into your body. Cultivate the ability to relax your mental attention down through your body all the way to your feet. Imagine you melt energy out of your head and let it flow down to fill your entire body. Grounding your body creates a sense of strength, stability and the awareness of being in the present moment.

2. Warm up your body. Before you speak or present, make sure you have done enough physical exercise so that everything is loose and flowing. You may not realize the degree to which physical tension impairs your ability to communicate freely. Actors and athletes know the power of warming up. You should too.

3. Let others see your real self rather than projecting an image. Let go of performing for them and be with them. Create a style of speaking based on being who you really are rather than who you think you should be. The more real you are, the more people will be drawn to you.

4. Explore the tension of being the center of attention with permission rather than self-judgment. If you experience fear and anxiety to speak in front of others, you have the potential to be a high-impact speaker. You have strong feelings! Your feelings are up to the surface where they can be used to create genuine emotional connection with others. Fear of public speaking is just passion energy that is blocked in the body and not being allowed to flow freely. Give yourself permission to feel the tension and experience it until it releases into flow.

5. Integrate your real, "in the moment" feelings into the presentation without self-judgment. Be real with them so something real can happen in the space between you. Don’t be afraid to say, "You know, every time I speak in groups I feel tension because I want to do a good job of communicating with you." This creates intimacy with your listeners.

6. Breathe. I mean really breathe. Take deep breaths, fast breaths, slow breaths, until you relax. Breathing helps your brain oxygenize and relaxes you body. Spend 10 to 15 minutes breathing before your presentation.

7. Receive your "audience" to create electricity. Open yourself to take people in. Don’t worry about being pumped up for your audience. Instead, allow the connection and electricity to build as you receive them.

8. Let go of perfectionism. Give up the idea that you have to be perfect in order to be effective. Effectiveness is not about your performance. It is what happens to your listeners. If they are changed for the better by your communication, then you have been effective.

9. Choose to love them rather than worrying if they will like you. Extend your love and acceptance to them and give them permission to receive it or not. This is a very powerful space from which to communicate.

10. Talk one-on-one, even in a large group. Make a connection with one person at a time. Have a conversation with one person, then another, then another.

Sandra Zimmer can be contacted at The Self-Expression Center, http://www.self-expression.com/, sandra@self-expression.com and 281-293-7070.

Article Source: http://www.articlebiz.com/

Public Speaking - Why A Slide Show Is Never Enough

By Tony Hall

When making speeches or presentations the use of slides can be very useful in helping you to get your point across. With the advent of computer programs like PowerPoint it is now easier than ever to put together a professional looking slide show. There are lots of graphics and methods of building up the points on your slides that you can use to create a marvelous effect. But just because you can do so doesn't always mean that you should!

Certainly slides can be an effective way of showing illustrations, diagrams, maps and charts. And by all means use them to highlight key points in the form of bullet points. But when putting together a speech you really should avoid having slides full of text that you expect your audience to read. I've had to sit through presentations of that type and it's not much fun. Boredom and sleepiness can very quickly set in so avoid putting your audience in that situation.

Here are some reasons why:

- Too much text can lead to the use of uninspiring language and information overload. If your audience is required to try and read line after line on the screen they will quickly switch off. Always remember that the way you speak, and the sorts of words and phrases you use, is different to how you write. Therefore simply writing out your speech on a slide is going to use language that will in fact hinder your attempts to communicate with the audience.

- When your audience is required to read and listen at the same time they won't be paying full attention to what you're saying. By attempting to read what's on the slide they will not take in the words coming out of your mouth.

- If you are merely reading aloud what is on the slides it will appear that either you don't really know the subject or that you're not actually interested in it. If you're not, then very soon your audience will lose their interest too!

- One of the important lessons you must learn in becoming an effective public speaker is always establishing eye contact with your audience. You should create a conversational tone to your speech and make it seem to each member of your audience that you are speaking directly to them. If the first thing you do when you start your speech is to put on the screen a slide full of text, those present will immediately believe they need to pay more attention to the slides than to you and what you are saying. Your opportunity to create rapport will be lost.

- If your audience is simply reading what is on your slides they may actually read ahead and so the impact of any point you are trying to make is lost. Alternatively it's possible that they may still be trying to take in what's on the slide whilst you've moved on to some other highly significant aspect, which as a result is lost on them.- It may not be easy for everyone to see the whole of the screen. You or other audience members may block the view. Another certain reason for losing the attention of your audience members.

So by all means take advantage of technology to use slides to assist your presentation. But rather than filling them with words, use them to illustrate your talk with statistics, diagrams, charts, maps, and even photographs. That way they will add to your talk, not detract from it, and you will become a far more successful speech maker.

This article was written by Tony Hall who runs his own business providing individuals with personal and business skills development. You can learn more about developing your public speaking skills by visiting the website at: http://www.selfimprovementskills.com/publicspeaking.html

Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com

Public Speaking Sucess Tip - Create Colorful Characters to Spice Up Your Stories!

By Joanne Chen

How would you like to mesmerize your audience every time?

One of the best advice that I can give you is this:

Entertain, inform, and inspire your audience with stories.

How does one tell a good story?

In a story we have several key players, the narrator and the characters. Instead of just you narrating the whole thing (which would make it ho-hum exposition), let your characters tell the story. How? Through dialogue and your physical and verbal portrayal of these characters. Before you can do so, however, you will need to have a clear understanding of your characters.

Here are the steps to creating a vivid portrait of your chosen character:

1. Pick a major character from a story that you plan to tell for a speech.

2. Download the "Character Analysis Sheet."

3. On a separate sheet of paper, write down answers to the questions/prompts posed. As you can see on the handout, I've organized related items into clusters: "Vital Statistics," "Physical Traits," "Possessions & Activities," "Take a Peek Inside" (psychological elements), "Backstory," "What Else Is Important to Know about Your Characters."

There are many more questions you can ask. Be as detailed in your answers as possible. This is the type of analysis that I had to do (and chose to do) when I acted in plays and dramatic scenes. After completing this exercise, I would have sheets of materials to work with.

4. Look through your answers and pick a couple that will help you portray the character in the most interesting fashion that still advances the story.

In one of my past speeches, I was sharing with my audience about a significant encounter with three characters, all of whom I met within a ten-minute time frame. The three characters were: a tall, burley, clean-shaven young man; an opportunistic, eager little boy holding an ice cream cone; and a white-whiskered, limping old man. These descriptions were all pertinent to the story, of course.

I had specific body posture, movement, and voice dedicated to each character. I also put in my own reactions - physical and verbal - to each. Throw in a couple of dialogue and vivid descriptions, and I had my audience at the edge of their seats.

All due to the fact that I had done my character analysis homework.

I encourage you to do the same for your speeches. You will find that the more detective work you do to give life to flesh-and-blood characters, the better a storyteller you are, and the more impactful your speech will be for your audience.

As a speaker, performer, and coach, Joanne Chen is known for her passion, creativity, empathy, sense of humor, physical comedy, and dramatic storytelling. Her Life Purpose is to awaken people to the joy of sudden inspiration through speaking. Check out more public speaking success articles at her Blog of Sudden Inspiration (http://www.JoanneChen.com/blog).

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

A Small Thing Can Have A Huge Impact - 20 Logistical Tips When Speaking

By Craig Strachan

A few years ago, I witnessed a really small thing having a huge impact on a presentation - in this case a negative impact.

Half way through the presentation I was attending, the presenters laptop died! It was not plugged into the wall, and the battery had gone flat. It took him over 15 minutes to find the power cable, get an extension cable, get AC power running and reboot his machine.

Of course, this ruined his presentation. This would not have happened if he had done a little more preparation (personally my recommendation is that if this does happen, just abandon the laptop and continue without it, or get somebody else to resolve the problem while you carry on with your presentation).

Would you like that to happen to you - well I hope not! Remember, that the best speeches can be ruined because the speaker forgot some seemingly minor details. So, here are 20 things to help you to give a smooth presentation.

1. Arrive early

2. if you can, do a dry run the night before at the venue

3. Check out the stage and seating - change if necessary

4. Smaller is bigger - rather speak in a small room that is full than a large room that looks empty

5. Find out what time of day you are speaking

6. Find out when in the programme you are speaking?

7. Find out who is speaking before/after you

8. What are their topics?

9. Send your slides to the meeting organizer ahead of time - check that he/she gets them

10. Send your audio/video (AV) requirements to the meeting organizer beforehand

11. Create a checklist of what you need to bring, and use it

12. Get to know the audio-visual guy - he will assist you with any technical issues - such as where the plugs are

13. Ensure that you know how the microphone works

14. Ensure that there is a NEW battery in the microphone

15. Test all equipment beforehand

16. Switch off screen-savers and power-saving options on your laptop

17. Don't run a laptop off the battery - use the AC power

18. Give yourself plenty of time to setup - you don't want to be setting up when the audience starts to arrive

19. Have a bottle of still water handy (pref. at room temperature) - it is great to moisten your throat

20. Have a backup plan for when things go wrong, and sooner or later they will!

What tips should I add to the list?

About Craig Strachan

I am a keynote & seminar speaker, as well as a communications coach. I have a Distinguished Toastmasters qualification from Toastmasters International, as well as a BSC in Elec.Eng, and a BSC.Hons in Information Systems.

My passion is to help people to become better communicators, in both their personal and professional capacity.

http://blog.cdssolutions.com/ is my business blog, where I write about different aspects on communication.

To receive insightful articles on communication, public speaking, PowerPoint and leadership skills, subscribe to our newsletter here - http://www.cdssolutions.com/mailinglist/mailinglist.asp

I am available for keynote and seminar presentations.
You can contact me at craig@cdssolutions.com

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

Public Speaking - Are You Really Ready for the Speaking Business?

By JP Maroney

The public speaking business is on your mind. And, you're wondering if YOU really have what it takes to make it as a professional public speaker.

Here are four life-changing questions you can ask yourself -- that will help you know if you are really ready for the public speaking business.

1) Do you have a topic or area of expertise that you're passionate about ... and you just can't wait to teach and tell others about it?

Passion in speaking is important. You should speak about something that gets you excited.

In fact, I have a favorite phrase that says, "Never compete against someone who gets up in the morning and does what you do for fun." In speaking, it's vital that you are excited and passionate about your topic.

2) Do you have a depth of experience and/or a depth of knowledge in your topic area? In other words ... are you credible?

If you're going to speak on a topic, than you better know what you're talking about. Audiences will see through you immediately if you don't.

That means you need to know what you're talking about based on what you've personally experienced. And, you need to know what you're speaking about based on what you've learned ... through books, interviewing other experts, etc.

3) Are you willing to follow a proven system or formula for building a successful and profitable speaking business?

I know people who like to reinvent the wheel. Not me! I want to know what works. Then, I want to follow that system.

The speaking business chews up and spits out more people than you can imagine ... mainly because they don't have a proven system or formula to follow.

When I was getting started, I beat my head against the wall for six straight months. I only sold $2,400 in speeches my first six months in the business.

Then, I learned a proven system from my mentor, and within two weeks went out and sold $12,500 in speeches in two and a half days to people who had NEVER heard me speak. That's the power of a proven public speaking formula.

4) Are you willing to do nearly anything that's legal, moral and ethical to build your public speaking business - even if it's outside your comfort zone or different than anything you've done before?

Life changing phrase: Successful people have formed the habit of doing what failures dislike doing and will not do. That's the key!

You must be willing to step outside your normal mode of operation and try something new. Work hard! But, work smart.

And, be willing to do whatever it takes to make it happen. You can do it ... I believe in you!

Best-selling author & speaker, JP Maroney is founder of Speaker101.com and creator of "The Speaker Formula." Get his FREE audio training, "The Pitfalls & Profit Potential of Professional Speaking" by clicking here. CLICK HERE! or call 1-800-304-5758.

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

Talk May Be Cheap but Your Speech Should Be Priceless!

By Dale Klein

Take a moment and imagine if you will any one of the following scenarios:
You've been contacted to schedule an interview for a fantastic job opportunity.
You've been requested by your employer to make a key presentation at a Board of Director's meeting.

You have a lunch appointment with a prospective client from a major account.
You've been asked to fill in for a colleague in teaching a training session.
You've been designated to represent your organization in either a live television or radio program interview.

You need to mingle and socialize at a holiday party where you are a relative newcomer.

The list could go on indefinitely and you can probably cite many of your own examples. The common theme here is that YOU will be in the limelight and will need to communicate effectively, putting forth your best skills in the art of speaking. For a small percentage of the human race, this will be taken in stride and will be just another task in the course of your day. However, for the majority of us out there, these examples can create a host of reactions such as breaking out in a cold sweat, heart palpitations, unusual bodily tremors and an overwhelming desire to pull the bed covers up over your head for an undetermined period of time. All kidding aside, fears related to speaking in public, whether it be in a small or large group, have been said to be a fear greater than death, for some. If indeed you are among those who shy away from any of these activities or view them as dreaded events, you're in luck because there are many tips that can ease your discomfort. So, read on and consider some of the following guidance, which should at least give you the confidence to take the first step and come out from under the covers.

Tips To Increase Your Confidence When Speaking:

1. Obtain as much information as possible about your listener or audience and ensure that you know who they are and what their expectations are. Doing your "homework" in this manner will prove beneficial in assisting you in feeling more confident as well as coming across as having a sense of your listener's needs.

2. Prepare an outline or notes to organize the information you need to convey, so you stay on topic and within the allotted timeframe. Jot your notes on index cards and try to use them to prompt or cue you with main points. This will help you to avoid reading vs. speaking to your audience. You can also use a highlighter to help draw your attention to key ideas or words.

3. Practice delivering the information you need to state by saying it aloud and into a tape recorder while standing in front of a mirror. Play the tape back and note what changes you want to make as well as what you did well. Then make another recording implementing the changes.

4. Whenever possible and when practicing, try to speak while standing up vs. seated as this will increase your volume and will also convey a more professional image.

5. Maintain excellent eye contact with your listener or audience so they feel connected to you as well as for you to assess their reactions to what you're saying.

6. Have easy access to a glass of water, and take small sips to keep your throat and mouth lubricated when speaking for an extended period. Try to avoid caffeine. If you are speaking to a large group, use amplification (microphone) whenever possible. This will help avoid vocal strain.

7. Try to breathe from your abdominal area (diaphragmatic breathing) vs. your chest area alone, to ensure solid voice projection and more efficient utilization of the voice.

8. Be aware of your rate of speech and try to use variation. When presenting new or unfamiliar information reduce your pace to ensure listener understanding. Speaking too rapidly will frustrate a listener, while speaking too slowly may result in listener disinterest.

9. Ensure that you articulate your words so that the listener easily understands you. One way to ensure this is to avoid speaking rapidly and be sure you are not speaking with your teeth clenched. Also, remember to face the listener when speaking and discontinue speaking if you need to turn away (as is the case if you turn to write information on a flipchart or board).

10. Use gestures sparingly and only to enhance or clarify your message. Be aware that gestures used excessively can be distracting and take away from your message. Facial expressions are part of gestures, so be aware of how you are coming across and where appropriate be sure to smile.

11. Make your message dynamic by varying the pitch of your voice, rate of your speech and vocal volume. These adjustments in intonation will facilitate emphasizing a key point you're trying to convey. Holding the listener's attention is essential and often this is a function of how you say something vs. what you are saying. This is particularly important for conducting business over the telephone and has a significant impact on customer service.

12. Be attentive to your listener/audience at all times and be sure to ask them open-ended vs. close-ended questions to ensure their understanding and to give them an opportunity to express their thoughts. As an example, it is helpful to ensure that your listener comprehends what you're saying by asking "what questions do you have?" rather than "do you have any questions?"

So, whether you're interacting with someone one on one, providing training, participating in a small meeting or making a public speaking presentation, speaking confidently is one of the most powerful tools. Remember that effective communication is at the heart of professional, organizational and personal success. You can get yourself on the road to speaking to others with confidence because...Your Speech Should be Priceless!

For further information on the topics of sharpening your verbal communication, voice coaching or reducing your foreign accent, please contact Dale Klein (SPEECH MATTERS) at: Phone/fax: (518) 664-6004 or email: dale@speech-matters.com

Dale Klein is a Corporate Communication & Speech Specialist and is the owner of SPEECH MATTERS. When it comes to ensuring you speak with power, professionalism and polish, you'll want to contact Dale Klein to get results.

Article Source: http://adzines.com/Public-Speaking-Articles/Talk-May-Be-Cheap-but-Your-Speech-Should-Be-Priceless/40192

Public Speaking - How To Be Sure You Look And Sound Just Right

By Tony Hall

Do you think that if you knew that you looked and sounded just right, that your confidence to get up and make a speech would be boosted? Would your public speaking fears be banished by having the knowledge that the way you present yourself reflects a confident and assured speaker to all those who see you? Well in my experience it most certainly would and I have a way that might just help.

You see when I first went on a presentation skills course many years ago I had no confidence at all in my own ability to speak in front of an audience. The mere thought of it would bring me out in a cold sweat and I would be overwhelmed by nerves. The idea of me giving an assured and confident presentation in front of any audience seemed ridiculous. But within a couple of days all that changed!

The course was very much hands-on and involved role play routines and we went through the whole process of putting together a presentation. We learned how to research it, plan it and how to give it the correct structure. Then we formed up into pairs and actually filmed each other doing our talk.

Now if you've ever heard your voice on a recording you will know how it always sounds totally different to how you expect. So you can imagine what it was like to sit and watch the recording of our films.

It was quite a shock to see myself, but it was also a real education.

I could look at how I stood, examine the movements I made, and despair at how little I smiled. I was also able to listen to the tone of my voice, see where I did or didn't put pauses and hear the intonation and emphasis in my talk.

We had the chance to identify the good bits and to see where we could make changes to make it better. Then when we had done that we filmed it all over again.

The improvement was amazing and we got to keep the recordings so that we could show them to family and friends. When I showed mine the positive feedback was great and I've never looked back since. Seeing myself making that presentation really boosted my confidence and it can do the same for you.

So do whatever you can to get a way of filming yourself, you may even be able to set up a camcorder, or even just a webcam, and do it yourself if you prefer not to have anyone else present. I would recommend though that you involve someone you know and trust as their opinion will be invaluable.

Simply prepare a short speech, no more than five minutes, and film it. Then see how you look and sound. Examine the following:

- How you look.
- Do you smile enough?
- Your movements
- Your body language
- The tone of your voice
- Where and when you take pauses
- Your breathing
- Your intonation and pitch.

Decide what is good and what you can make better. Then do it all again, a number of times if you have to. Then, when you are happy with how you look and sound, be brave and show it to someone else. I'll be very surprised if they are not full of praise and give you lots of positive feedback.

Then you can be proud and confident that you can get up and talk to anyone knowing that you'll look and sound just right.

This article was written by Tony Hall who runs his own business providing individuals with personal and business skills development. You can learn more about developing your public speaking skills by visiting the website at:
http://www.selfimprovementskills.com/publicspeaking.html

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

Public Speaking for Solicitors

By Andrew Crisp

Solicitors have many opportunities for public speaking, whether it be advocacy in the court room, presenting a commercial law seminar or simply promoting the firm at a local networking event. Whatever the occasion, you need to make it count.

Be prepared! Good preparation is the key! If you have prepared well, you will be relaxed and confident and your audience will have confidence in you. Practise your presentation in advance. Read through it several times, making corrections as necessary. Or record your speech beforehand to hear how it sounds.

Structure and signposts Like any journey, people like to know where they are going. When you prepare your speech, make it clearly structured. You may have three or four main points that you want to make. Arrange your material around those main points. Don’t be afraid to use signpost words like ‘firstly . . . secondly etc’ or ‘I will now give you three reasons why . . .’ Have an arresting introduction, a structured body and a persuasive conclusion.

Present your speech – don’t read it! Reading a speech has been described as ‘advocacy suicide’! Solicitors may have the most persuasive arguments but if they can’t put them across in a way that is engaging, the listeners will switch off! Make note of the main points and then talk about them! You don’t use detailed verbatim notes when you talk to your friends or family – so why use them when you do a speech?

Speak slowly Speaking too fast is probably the most common mistake that solicitors make when they deliver a speech. It is often due to nerves or sometimes we are afraid of boring our listeners! Slow down and be confident that people are listening. I used to write reminders on my notes, such as ‘Slow down’ or ‘People are listening’. Sometimes, what sounds too slow to the speaker is just the right speed for the listeners.

Project your voice Don’t mumble. But don’t shout either. You need to project your voice in such a way that you can be heard by the person who is furthest away.

Appropriate use of humour and story telling Everyone likes to be amused and humour is an excellent way of maintaining your audience’s attention. I am often amazed how a story can capture the attention of an audience. Even in the court room, there is a place for being light-hearted. Be careful though and make sure that it does not detract from your message.

Good eye contact It can feel uncomfortable to look your audience in the eye when you speak but without good eye contact, you may come across as untrustworthy. Look at a variety of encouraging faces in the audience in different places around the room. If you are addressing a Tribunal, be sure to include the ‘wingers’ as well as the Chairman.

Avoid irritating mannerisms Many solicitors (and indeed barristers) have irritating mannerisms that only serve to detract from their message. Keep them under control - otherwise listeners will be distracted and irritated! Don’t play with the loose change in your pocket. Don’t rock from side to side. Don’t say ‘um’.

Take every opportunity When I learnt to drive a car, I read a book on the subject, watched an instructional video and observed other drivers. But it was only when I got behind the wheel myself that I actually learnt to do it! It’s the same with public speaking. Take every opportunity. You will improve with practice.

Andrew Crisp is a partner at Mason Bullocks Solicitors Northampton . He has specialised in commercial litigation and employment law since 1999.

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