Whether you are attending a business networking luncheon, speaking to a group of Sunday school students or attending a one on one business meeting, you are speaking in public. It is something we do everyday.
All our lives we have been speaking in public.
However, for most of us we have never been trained. Society expects us to be great speakers without any formal training. All great communicators are committed to learning and growing so they can master the art of public speaking and clear communication.
This fact carries both good and bad news for the student learning the art of public speaking:
First, the BAD news:
“The ability to clearly communicate ideas to clients and colleagues is a rare skill, yet one that often makes the difference in whether or not a great concept succeeds.” ~ William Hewlett, co-founder of Hewlett-Packard
Now, for the GOOD news:
“Great speakers are not born, they’re trained.” ~ Dale Carnegie
And now for the REALLY GREAT news:
To get you moving in the right direction.
Here are 7 High Performance Speaking Tips titled “Seven Proven Strategies to Transform Your Presentations.”
I created these tips to help you achieve public speaking success.
#1 Become a great story teller.
Be willing to share your personal stories, as well as “anonymous” client stories. As a result, you’ll be able to support almost any point you want to make and connect with your audience on a heart level. Stories are essential to helping your audience learn from you, follow you and trust you while they are easily absorbing your message.
#2 Great writing abilities don’t always lead to an extraordinary presentation.
No matter how powerful a speech is written, you won’t know if it really works until you practice it out loud. The ultimate test is when you present it to a live audience and look for their reactions.
#3 Treat your audience the way that you would want to be treated.
Audience members need to feel like they are appreciated and that their time is valued. The next time you are preparing a presentation, remember to think about what the audience needs and desires first.
#4 Every presentation and subcategory of your presentation has a beginning, middle and end.
When you are creating your next presentation remember to apply this principle to the overall body of your speech and to every key point you want to make.
#5 In the beginning of your presentation, let your audience know exactly what information you are going to share with them.
Review the main points you will be covering and why they need this information. When you are done with your presentation, do a quick review by asking the audience “easy to answer” questions. If they can answer them, your points landed. If they can’t answer the questions, your next step is to work on clear communication.
#6 You have three to five seconds to grab the attention of your audience.
Never start a presentation by asking an audience a question like this “How is everybody today?” Usually you will get one or two individuals that will respond with “Good.” Start your speech with a power packed statement or question that grabs their attention.
#7 Individuals often ask me “What do I do with my hands?”
The key is to utilize your hands to bring home your points. If it is not natural to you, preplan this in advance. Utilize your hands in your presentation when you want to bring home a point or to accentuate something specific like height, number or size.
Your Author AmondaRose:
AmondaRose Igoe, CEO of High Performance Speaking Training and Consulting, specializes in teaching others the art of public speaking. She has a unique ability to help others connect with the mind, heart and spirit of their audiences which makes her a highly sought after professional speaker, public speaking trainer and coach. She ignites the atmosphere with her empowering message, contagious enthusiasm and real results. AmondaRose’s book Pain-Free Public Speaking is available in all the major book stores. Many of her clients have been featured in the news, on the radio and in print. Her clients attest that after working with AmondaRose that the benefits to them have been priceless.
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