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"Make a speech
and live to tell about it"
Here is a brief synopsis of this article (1054 words):
"Make a speech and live to tell about it!" by Gary Lockwood
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For many people, one of life's terrors is to make a speech. It's important for
anyone to be able to make an effective presentation. It could determine whether
you get that promotion, make the sale or establish your point-of-view. This
report outlines a step by step approach making a speech. You may just discover
how much you enjoy the sweet sound of applause.
Make a speech and live to tell about
it!
For many people, one of life's terrors is to make a speech. Gulp! Scary as it
sounds, it's important for anyone to be able to make an effective presentation
whether it's to a handful of people around a conference table or to an
auditorium of a thousand faces.
Being able to speak can mean making a sale, talking top management into
approving your plan, persuading the town council to adopt an important measure
or sharing information with your Association. Bottom line, it could determine
whether you get that promotion, make the sale or establish your point-of-view!
Speaking in front of a group doesn't have to be a life-threatening
experience. Let's look at how to approach making a speech step by step.
First, the audience. Who are they? Why are they there? What are they
interested in? How much do they already know about your subject? Ask questions
until you have these answers and are clear about your listeners. The more you
know about them, the more comfortable you will be when in front of them.
Now, your topic. Presumably, you were asked to speak in the first place in
the hope that you would be able to share information about a topic you know
something about. Still, you'll want to do your homework. The more you sweat in
advance, the less you'll sweat on stage. Research your topic thoroughly. Go to
the library to find current facts, recent articles on the subject and good
quotations. Interview other experts to round out your material.
In short, gather more information than you'll possibly be able to use in your
speech. Imagine the self-confidence at your presentation when you know that
"there's lots more where that came from".
The best speakers make their presentations sound spontaneous and
conversational even when they are memorized. The way they do this is to learn
the speech in outline form, instead of word for word. Your outline should
contain the Opening, the Message and the Wrap up.
Your opening remarks set the tone of the whole presentation. Audiences make
up their minds very quickly. The purpose of your opening is to grab attention.
We must assume that our audience is generally as busy and preoccupied as we are.
So we first need to get their attention with a question, 'grabber' words, humor
or an interesting visual.
Using a question as an opener causes the listener to stop and think.
"How many new prospects do you want today?" "When do you want to
feel good again?" Once you have their attention, your message can help them
answer the question.
"Grabber" words are designed to startle, shock or at least
cause your listener to want to listen to what's coming next. The first sentence
of this article is an example. A funny comment or an eye-catching visual is
always an effective way to get the attention of your listeners in a hurry.
Obviously, any of these openings must be relevant to your message, or they will
confuse your listeners.
Once you have their attention, it's time to relate your main message.
Organize your main points around only one or two main messages. It's helpful for
you to ask yourself "what do I want these people to be thinking or doing as
a result of my presentation?". As you make your points, you can keep
relating back to the main message.
Most professional speakers say it's best to flow the presentation from the
general to the more specific and from the known to the unknown. This is how you
avoid losing your audience.
If you're presenting statistics, facts or numbers, try to avoid spewing them
all at once. Space them out. Even better, relate the facts and figures to
something familiar. Instead of saying "twenty percent of you will
.....", say "One in five of you will ...".
The Wrap up of your speech is where you "ask for the order". This
is where you summarize the main points in a sentence or two, then state your
main message. If you are asking for a decision, urging action or leaving them
with a key thought in mind, now is the time to do it.
Once you have prepared your speech, write the key points in outline form or
on 3" x 5" index cards. This will help to prompt you through your
speech without sounding as if you are reading it word for word.
In the days leading up to your speech, practice, practice, practice. Stand in
front of a full-length mirror and give your speech. Tape yourself, then replay
the tape listening for poor grammar and filler words such as "Ah",
"Uh" or "You know".
On the day of your speech, arrive early so you can walk around the stage,
look out on the room where you'll be speaking, test the microphone, adjust the
lights, and in general, increase your feeling of readiness.
Before it's your turn to take the podium, breathe deeply and focus all your
attention on your message. We feel nervous and anxious when we think about
ourselves. Think about the content of your message and especially, on the first
two or three sentences of your presentation.
Once you've been introduced, walk to the podium, pause for a deep breath,
smile, then begin. Pick out three or four people in the audience who are in
different sectors of the room and talk to them. Pick out people who seem to be
having a good time.
Keep an eye on the time. Surprisingly, time will pass quickly when you are
presenting. You don't want to overstay your welcome. From time to time, during
your talk, pause for a beat or two to let important points sink in. This also
lets your audience catch up with you as they think about what you're saying.
What you say last is likely to be what is remembered longest, so don't finish
with "that's all I have to say". Instead, end on a note of intensity.
Choose a quotation, anecdote or line that leaves the audience laughing or
thoughtful. Think of this last sentence as the one that will invoke applause.
Speaking of applause, you may just discover how much you enjoy the sweet
sound of applause and encouragement. It can be almost addictive.
Speak up!
© 1997 - 2005 BizSuccess All rights
reserved. No duplication
About the Author...(for online pubs)
Gary Lockwood is Increasing the Effectiveness and Enhancing the
Lives of CEOs, business owners and professionals. (951) 739-7444
Email: mailto:Gary@BizSuccess.com Web: http://www.BizSuccess.com
About the Author...(for print pubs)
Gary Lockwood is Your Business Coach. Contact Gary for a FREE report
on "Getting Breakthroughs in your business".
(951) 739-7444 * Fax: (509) 695-1017
Email: Gary@BizSuccess.com * Web: www.BizSuccess.com
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