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

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

Developing a Persuasive Speech

By: Stephen Campbell

Developing a persuasive speech is one that many individuals fear because it is really difficult to convince someone to agree on your point of view. When you are to speak before the people and have the goal to make them believe on what you are saying, you find it difficult most of the time because you have to modify or change what other people think.

So, how to make an effective speech - a persuasive speech? When it comes to speaking before the public, you need a thing of passion. However, when we talk of persuasive speech, you have to find a topic that allows your passion to emerge. And that is the most essential in persuasive speech.

Persuasive speech topics are common to students writing tasks. For students, the first move in doing it is to find one from persuasive speech topics. You can dig political discussions, expand to global topics, the local or you ca do humor also; however, you have to inject your passion in it to make your listeners convinced what you want to convey, whatever topic is.

When delivering a positive persuasive speech, you can think of the other topics rather that the topic of controversy like death penalty, war, etc. Of course, the subject is essential, however, the way you convey the subject matter is just as that important. You also want to enter the venue of your speaking as well-respected individual so you have to make sure that you've got confidence and passion that others make believing in you.

It is primarily essential in effective speech the inclusion of fundamental components speaking. The gesture, the intonation pattern, the passion- all are necessary to be able to deliver a persuasive speech. You have to make it sure that you mean what you are conveying and that serves as key to convince your listening public.

It does not require to make a totally shocking and exciting piece to deliver a kind of persuasive speech. You may include that strategy but not to reach the point that it does overshadow the facts- and the passion. The prime goal of speaking is to present your own opinion and to make your viewing public believe in you. There are lots of ways to do it but what is important that you have the passion in doing it. You've got that sincere feeling and points in mind when conveying a persuasive speech.

Article Source: http://www.article.e-booksdownload.com

Stephen C Campbell (Master NLP Practitioner) has published more information about effective speech-making and public speaking at www.speechmaking101.com/

What is a Speech - An Introduction

By: Stephen Campbell

We begin our discussion on asking asking questions- What is a speech? What is meant by an effective speech? How will you develop a persuasive speech? What are the components of effective speech?Well, all of these questions will be answered by reading throughout the article.

A lot of individuals- when asked regarding speech- would only discuss about introduction, body, and the conclusion or the ending. However, if we talk on about the speech deeper, we find that speech is more than just the word or the body of speech. There is a need to consider on how to capture your listeners' interest, how to carry yourself also- and all the other components of an effective speech.

To be able to bring out an effective speech, you will consider the importance of your body languages. Having an appropriate body languages in your speech conveys the sincerity of words coming from your mouth; this also conveys to the listening public that you a confident enough to deliver a persuasive speech. Body languages also mean that you are telling to your audience the speech of substantial truth.

One of essential components of an effective speech that you need to consider as well is what we call articulation. You need to convey a message that is best delivered by your vocal chord; on how you say things that you need to deliver in the most ideal delivery. Of course, you are aware that when you get nervous, there is a difficult controlling of voice and your mouth as well. When you think that you are to encounter such a scenario, be prepared. You can drink your water before or during your speech because it is really essential that you are able to deliver all words- and their thoughts- to your listeners.

You also have to consider the pronunciation as a contributory factor for effective-speech delivery. There is no room for 'uh' or any other filler because this does ruin the message that you want your public listeners understood. Persuasive speech means that you are certain on what word you want to say and you do not.

Your pitch also affects the way you deliver your speech in it sounds. Remember to strive in doing everything to avoid being monotone. However, you also have to be aware that you are not sounding like too much excited about what you are doing.

Another thing that you need to consider as one of the prime components of an effective speech is the speed and pauses. When we talk of speed, you need to learn on how to appropriately deliver it a much ideal time intervals. Your audience also not want you to appear like you are giving a lecture. In other words, you have to make sure to deliver an effective speech by speaking comfortably that every listener understands what you are saying.

For pauses, you can make it to deliver a persuasive speech if you are able to include the right pauses. In case of a written speech, you can have right pauses by marking your pauses in it. Remember to include pauses to some information that you want to emphasize in your speech.

Keep in mind that your speech is more than just words, it is everything. It is your posture, it is your vocals, it is everything that you need to say and deliver your speech. You should always keep that in mind when giving a speech of any sorts.

So, again, what is a speech? Keep in mind that effective speeches are not just the words in it. You have to consider your vocal, posture, the intonation- everything that is needed as mentioned.

Article Source: http://www.article.e-booksdownload.com

Stephen C Campbell (Master NLP Practitioner) has published more information about effective speech-making and public speaking at www.speechmaking101.com/