Public Speaking - Three Surprising Tips to Improve Your Presentations

By Lisa Braithwaite

You've all heard the advice to get to know your audience, make eye contact, don't say "um," check your equipment, and similar public speaking techniques to make your presentations as powerful as they can be. These are great tips, and you'll hear them over and over, but I've got some lesser-known suggestions for you today that will benefit you and your audience as much as more common advice.

Pointer 1: Take your medications

As an allergy sufferer, I can tell you that I am not at my best when giving a talk through sniffles and itchy eyes. Even if I'm not having a particular allergic day, I will be sure to take my prescription medication before I speak, to ensure that I don't have a sudden unexpected reaction.

If your nervousness goes to your gut, by all means take your upset stomach medication. If you get tension headaches, head them off at the pass with your favorite pain reliever. Do what it takes to avoid the physical distractions that will disrupt your performance and keep you from doing your best.

One caveat to this advice: Avoid psychiatric anti-anxiety medications before speaking; you will not be as sharp as you could be. There are non-pharmaceutical ways of dealing with nervousness and anxiety that will not interfere with your ability to think on your feet and interact with your audience.

Pointer 2: Start on time

How many times have you arrived on time for a presentation, even early, and ended up sitting there for an extra fifteen minutes while stragglers made their way to the seats in the back of the room? Then, because the presentation started late, it ends late, but you've had to miss the end because you have other commitments on your schedule.

Waiting for latecomers rewards latecomers, but it punishes those who were on time for your presentation. Latecomers may be a distraction when then enter the room after the presentation has started, but what's worse: a little disruption by laggards or being responsible for annoying the half of your audience who made the effort to be on time and now might miss the end if you go over?

Take charge of the room, take charge of your time, and make the decision to reward the people who are committed and punctual.

Pointer 3: Give the end of your sentences the same energy you give to the beginning of your sentences

This is a simple tool but an effective one. Some people's voices trail off at the ends of sentences, making it hard to hear the last few words they've said. As a speaker, trailing off at the ends of sentences means that your audience might miss something important. Make sure you are emphasizing both ends of your sentences, and your audience will never miss a crucial point or valuable tip!

Stick with the tried-and-true public speaking advice you've heard before, but in addition, try adding these three tricks to your bag the next time you have a speaking engagement. See if you don't feel more confident and pulled together on stage and more successful in connecting with the audience.

Lisa Braithwaite works with individuals to uncover their challenges and build their strengths in presenting themselves confidently as speakers. Find your voice with public speaking coaching! Sign up for the Presentation Pointers newsletter or a free consultation at http://www.coachlisab.com And don't miss the Speak Schmeak blog.

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3 Questions You Must Answer About Your Passion for Public Speaking

By Susan Trivers

You feel lucky to have speaking opportunities because you're passionate about your area of expertise and want to share it with everyone.

Your personal passion isn't justification for your speech. Your passion for your subject is a critical and welcome element in the mix of components needed for a speech or presentation. However, the only reason you ask people to give you their time and attention is because what you say will help them do something they otherwise wouldn't or couldn't do. The Return on Investment for the audience must be high.

Answer these 3 questions to determine if your passion translates into a presentation that benefits the audience:

1) What will the audience members do after they listen to you that they wouldn't or couldn't have done before your speech? The answer must be quantitative.

Here are some possibilities:

· Increase sales by X dollars;

· Improve customer retention by X%;

· Reduce turnover;

· Get a promotion in less than 6 months;

· Add a demonstrable and valuable new skill to their skill set;

· Become more productive as proved by number of projects completed in a period of time.

2) What do you offer that is clearly different from others in your area of expertise? Do you take some risks to deliver a message that is truly unique? Can you prove this by making a list of the top three ideas typically expounded in your area and describing how your ideas differ? You must also then be able to articulate the benefits of your unique ideas.

3) How skillful are you in the delivery of your presentation? Unique ideas that could generate a high return on investment will fall flat unless your platform skills are also exceptional. If you follow the conventions of everyone else in your company or organization or industry, you'll be abandoning the very passion that got you started speaking in the first place.

Groups want people to conform--that's what gives the group its value. Memorable business speakers get mentoring and coaching from people outside their own organization, industry or peer group. You must get away from the group in order to deliver your passion and expertise in a way that Puts the Audience First.

Susan G. Trivers, MBA is a consummate presentation skills coach with hundreds of confident, creative clients who have learned how to engage their audiences. Start with Susan's two fundamental principles: Put the Audience First and Be Yourself, Polished. Add effective leading (not supporting) materials to your key points, craft excellent stories, and add engagement activities and you'll raise your career profile.

The Red-Hot Guide to COOL Speaking - Craft and Deliver presentations that are Creative, Original, Outsized & Liberated is Susan's easy-to-use, apply-it-now e-book that answers all your questions about standing out when you're standing up in front of an audience. Available at http://www.susantrivers.com/store.php Questions are always cheerfully answered at susan@susantrivers.com

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Public Speaking - It's All About You

By Jason Peck

I attended a seminar run by two-time UK and Ireland Public Speaking Champion, Simon Bucknall. The main focus was how to build a connection with your audience.

Obviously an article cannot do justice to the enjoyable two-hours spent at the event. And I'm not about to regurgitate the man's content here. So what I'm going to do is provide a little bit of information that you might find useful and give you some of my own thoughts.

When you're doing a speech or presentation, or if you've just done one, how many times did you use the word "you"? Once? twice? fifteen or more? If you use the word "you" more than the word "I" you are more likely to develop a connection with your listeners.

By using the word you in place of "I", you're automatically getting your audience to think about your content more and how it relates to them.

That's not to say that you can't use personal stories that use the word "I" at all. What it means is that you should give due consideration to the material that you're going to deliver and work out how it's of benefit to them. By all means use first-person stories as a way to illustrate what you're saying, but don't forget to come back to using "you".

It's hardly noticeable when it's done. You could be delivering the best presentation in the world. You could have the funniest material in the world. You could have the most amazing public speaking skills that has every graced a speaking platform. But...

If you've not connected with your audience, none of that matters.

You will lose them every time. And that's something that you don't want. You don't want your audience to be uninterested in what you have to say. What you want to do is be concerned with how well your audience is doing.

When you're doing your speech or presentation maybe think about the following:

Are you being clear enough? Do your points back up your overall message? That joke that you're using, does it tie in to what you're saying or is it completely irrelevant? Can your audience hear you? Can your audience read the information on your slides? Can you reduce the number of slides that you have?

Sometimes, you need to get out of your own way and focus on giving your audience the best you can. After all they're the ones that have paid to hear you. Or if you're speaking at your job or Toastmasters and they haven't hired you, then your audience is still important because

a) you still want to give them your best and

b) you never know if there's a guest in the audience who might be able to hire you.

c) you owe it to them to deliver memorable content

Jason Peck is a Humorist, Speaker and Consultant based in London, England. He provides empowering speeches, valuable business training and morale-boosting entertainment to businesses, colleges and private functions. Check out Pro Humorist

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Practice Confidence

By Ty Boyd

Practice, as you have heard me say, doesn't make perfect. Perfection is an unattainable goal. Practice makes confidence. The better you know your material, the more confidence you have and the better the presentation ultimately is.

Judy Friedt, a longtime client from insurance company The Westfield Group, reminded me of this with her note to us. I'll let her tell the story:

"A few years ago, you held your first class here at Westfield. I was in that class. The first day, I was nervous and did a lot of "uhs and ums." By the end of the class, the non-words were gone and I was a lot more confident. I have read all of your newsletters and followed the information that you have presented. I am proud to tell you that I just got back from Las Vegas where I attended CA World sponsored by Computer Associates. Not only did I attend, but I actually did a presentation!

There were about 35 people in the room for my presentation. I got up there, took a deep breath and let it go. I did a great job (if I must say so) and didn't even have to look at my notes. I knew my information and I presented it. I had practiced and practiced.

My husband (one of my best critics) was in the audience and he was amazed. Even he said I did a great job. I didn't fumble for words or use any non-words. The practice paid off.

I want to thank you for giving me not only the tools to do the public speaking but the courage to actually get out there and do it. I look forward to doing more."

So, take Judy's advice: practice. Confidence - and a great presentation - will follow.

Ty Boyd, CEO of Ty Boyd Executive Learning Systems, is in the Broadcast Hall of Fame and the Speakers Hall of Fame. He has taught public speaking and presentation skills to Fortune 1000 executives in more than 40 countries. Zipline is Ty's award-winning monthly enewsletter.

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