Public Speaking

How to be a Public Speaking Star with The Use Of Computers - No, you will not be giving a speech using computers. A computer cannot speak for you on stage. No, that is not what this topic is about. I am saying computers can help you get in touch, while helping you search for information. You can use computers to help you write your speech, as well as to help you research effectively, edit your work, check spelling and grammar and more. Computers can help you avoid wasting time; avoid never ending revising of your speech. A well-written speech should be typed on a computer. This looks more professional than handwriting. Furthermore, speeches often require research, support, correspondence and so forth. If you have a computer you can e-mail important messages much faster than taking the message to the post office. Furthermore, you can use the powerful Search Engine to find out any information you are searching for on the speech topic.  How much better can it get. The Internet has a ...

Conquer Speaking Fear - 5 Tips - Visit or call key participants to ask them what they expect from your presentation. That is, what do they want to learn from it? What do they already know about this topic? How will your presentation help them? Such conversations enlist these people as your allies during your presentation. It also helps you learn what people expect, so that you can deliver it. This is like collecting the answers to an exam before taking it. 2) Prepare. Write an outline, and if possible write a script for key parts of it (such as the opening and close). Then practice giving your presentation, without reading the script until you know it so well that you can deliver it conversationally. Avoid trying to memorize a script. That makes things too complicated and difficult. Practice your speech anywhere and at any time. For example, you can talk through parts of it while jogging, working on chores, or taking a shower. 3) Rehearse. Practice your talk in the meeting room with a...

Eulogy Speeches: Use A Story To Help You Get Started - So you "have" to do a eulogy speech... or maybe you "want" to get a chance to express in public all the deep feelings you have for your loved one who has passed away. Yes, I know it's a tough time to write a eulogy speech or anything else for that matter. Yes, I know you're probably distraught and having a hard time focusing. That's OK. I'm going to give you an easy tip to get going. Where do you start? One of the best elements to include in a eulogy is a story about you and an interaction you had with the deceased. Your eulogy story could be funny or heart-wrenching. In fact, a mixture of both in the same story is great, or you could do one of each. There is no law that states you can only tell one story. Your eulogy could start with a story about how you met your loved one, or maybe you could talk about your earliest remembrance of them when you were a child. You could talk about a really grea...

Fluent Speech And How To Achieve It - This article is all about how to achieve fluency and looks at the specific speech impediment known as stammering/stuttering. My name is Steve Hill, I suffered with a stutter from the age of four and despite regular conventional speech therapy, continued stuttering until the age of twenty-two. I found life with a stutter extremely frustrating as at times I could speak very well. For example when I spoke to what is now my ex-girlfriend I very rarely had a problem, however when attempting to speak to her parents I struggled quite badly. When I was drunk my fluency level also would improve to a level where I would be shocked if I stuttered at all. I could not understand why I could talk to one person but not to another and why I could speak when I was drunk but not when I was sober. I read many books about speech imediments, achieving fluency and stuttering and spoke to many speech therapists. From what I read and from what I was told, I was made to b...

History of Public Speaking - There never has been in the history of the world a time when the spoken word has been equaled in value and importance by any other means of communication. If one traces the development of mankind from what he considers its earliest stage he will find that the wandering family of savages depended entirely upon what its members said to one another. A little later when a group of families made a clan or tribe the individuals still heard the commands of the leader, or in tribal council voiced their own opinions. The beginnings of poetry show us the bard who recited to his audiences. Drama, in all primitive societies a valuable spreader of knowledge, entertainment, and religion, is entirely oral. In so late and well organized communities as the city republics of Greece all matters were discussed in open assemblies of the rather small populations.  Every great epoch of the world's progress shows the supreme importance of speech upon human action individual a...

How to be a Great Speaker Without Using PowerPoint - RESEARCH YOUR AUDIENCE It amazes me how some speakers will show up for a speaking engagement and really not know anything about the audience they are speaking to. Many speakers just get lazy and feel that their message is so important that anyone would want to hear it. They couldn't be more wrong. Your core message may be about the same for everyone, but knowing your audience will allow you to slant the information so that the audience feels it was prepared just for them. They will relate much better to the information and think much more highly of you for creating something specifically for them. Of course, in many cases you were only slanting your information, but I won't tell if you won't. PRACTICE The only way to look polished while speaking is to practice. This is one skill you cannot delegate to anyone else. It is you that is on stage with the microphone and it is you who will look either great or terrible. You are...

How to be a Public Speaking Star with The Use Of Computers - No, you will not be giving a speech using computers. A computer cannot speak for you on stage. No, that is not what this topic is about. I am saying computers can help you get in touch, while helping you search for information. You can use computers to help you write your speech, as well as to help you research effectively, edit your work, check spelling and grammar and more. Computers can help you avoid wasting time; avoid never ending revising of your speech. A well-written speech should be typed on a computer. This looks more professional than handwriting. Furthermore, speeches often require research, support, correspondence and so forth. If you have a computer you can e-mail important messages much faster than taking the message to the post office. Furthermore, you can use the powerful Search Engine to find out any information you are searching for on the speech topic.  How much better can it get. The Internet has a ...

How To Communicate Better With Body Language Secrets - "I don't let my mouth say nothin' my head can't stand." Louis Armstrong Since the 1970’s, learning how to communicate better has had a lot to do with understanding body language. Julius Fast wrote a book entitled, Body Language in 1970. He talked about a new science called Kinesics. It opened the way to more studies and books on the subjects. Today, the term Body Language is very common and understood as an important element of communication. In fact, experts in the field of communication suggest that there is a rule that says that 7% of the meaning of what a person is saying comes from their words. Interestingly, 38% is based on the tone of their voice. 55% of the meaning comes from the body language of the person that is speaking. This rule comes from research that was published in the late 1960’s. Some now think that the percentages from this research might be slightly different. Nevertheless, the bottom l...

How To Communicate In His Love Language - Are you wondering how to communicate with that new man in your life? Or maybe you are just wondering about the next man in your life? New or old, it’s never too late to learn how to communicate in the language of love. Maybe you’ve seen the tomboyish girl that somehow has men flocking around her. If you stopped turning green with envy for a moment, you’d notice why she was a man magnet. She just sort of fit herself into him, like a piece of a jigsaw puzzle that he didn’t even know was missing. Instead of rolling your eyes at that dazed and happy-in-love look he has on his face, why not look into how she did it? Learn these tips on how to communicate in a whole new way by getting to know his love language and speaking it fluently! We all know that love is built on the solid foundation of communication. When we are in love we are on the same page as our lover. It’s a special level of communication that people in love have. Some call it chemistry,...

How to Develop a Dynamic Story - Story telling is a very effective way to get your point across.  Here are some tips to help you develop a dynamic powerful story.   • Decide on the purpose for the story.  What is the main point you want to make?  Slant the telling of the story so that that point is clear.   • Create the backdrop. Describe the scene so that the audience can picture it in their minds. What is the time, location, weather?  What is going on emotionally, physically, or spiritually? • Introduce the main characters. Help your audience to picture the important characters through detailed descriptions. Become them; describe their relationships, quirks and personality.  Add character voices or mannerisms to make them different from your own.  • Begin the Journey.  What is the task, the goal, and the journey to take?  What are the challenges that need to be faced?   • Meet the obstacle.  To avoid...

How To Get the Most Out of Your Speaker Investment - In a perfect world, you would have an unlimited budget to hire top speakers for your next meeting or convention. Since it's not, here are some tips on getting the most for your meeting dollar. Let me tell you about a project I worked on with the American Payroll Association that could be a model for you -- or at least expand your thinking about ways to use speakers. APA's Executive Director/CEO, Dan Maddux had a week of speaking and seminar slots to fill. Instead of assigning each slot to a different speaker, Dan chose to maximize the contribution of a few top people, using three of them in three different ways. That's how Dan made 1 + 1 + 1 = 9. Three speakers used three ways equals nine slots filled. Here's how such a move can save your organization and money and let you "trade up" to speakers you otherwise couldn't afford. Save on Hotels and Airfare Cutting the number of speakers might or mig...

How to Develop a Dynamic Story - Story telling is a very effective way to get your point across.  Here are some tips to help you develop a dynamic powerful story.   • Decide on the purpose for the story.  What is the main point you want to make?  Slant the telling of the story so that that point is clear.   • Create the backdrop. Describe the scene so that the audience can picture it in their minds. What is the time, location, weather?  What is going on emotionally, physically, or spiritually? • Introduce the main characters. Help your audience to picture the important characters through detailed descriptions. Become them; describe their relationships, quirks and personality.  Add character voices or mannerisms to make them different from your own.  • Begin the Journey.  What is the task, the goal, and the journey to take?  What are the challenges that need to be faced?   • Meet the obstacle.  To avoid...

How To Get the Most Out of Your Speaker Investment - In a perfect world, you would have an unlimited budget to hire top speakers for your next meeting or convention. Since it's not, here are some tips on getting the most for your meeting dollar. Let me tell you about a project I worked on with the American Payroll Association that could be a model for you -- or at least expand your thinking about ways to use speakers. APA's Executive Director/CEO, Dan Maddux had a week of speaking and seminar slots to fill. Instead of assigning each slot to a different speaker, Dan chose to maximize the contribution of a few top people, using three of them in three different ways. That's how Dan made 1 + 1 + 1 = 9. Three speakers used three ways equals nine slots filled. Here's how such a move can save your organization and money and let you "trade up" to speakers you otherwise couldn't afford. Save on Hotels and Airfare Cutting the number of speakers might or mig...

How to Hire the Perfect Keynote Speaker Establish the date, location and budget of your event. These factors will play an important role in determining the pool of keynote speakers available to you. Your date, for example, will affect which keynote speakers are available, whereas your budget will limit whom you can and can’t afford to hire. In order to save on the cost of the keynote speaker’s travel, you may want to consider the distance between where he or she resides and where your event will take place. Determine the type of presentation you want and the time of day when it will take place. Some speakers are skilled at delivering workshops, while others excel at providing keynotes. After-dinner speakers should incorporate humor into their talks, where morning speakers should be energizing. Clarify why you want to hire a keynote speaker. Some common reasons include the desire to: Educate Motivate Shift behavior Initiate a change effort Raise funds Promote a cause o...

How To Improve Communication Skills And Your Personal Style - Here are six tips for improving your communication style: 1. Knowing how to improve communication skills will come easier once you become aware of your own communication style. Each person has a unique way of communicating. Listen to your own speech. What sorts of words do you use? Which sort of body language and what tone of voice are you using? Now, think of someone who, in your opinion, is a good communicator. Compare your style to theirs. You’ve just taken an important first step in how to improve communication skills. 2. Now that you are aware of your own style, study the style of those around you. How do the most important people in your life converse? How do they say things? Look for approaches you can model and make your own. 3. Adjust to the other styles of communication. Don’t think it is too late to change your way of conversing because it’s been years. You had to learn to communicate in the first place and you c...

How to Promote Your Keynote Speaker - Here are some tips from the National Speakers Association (NSA) on how to promote your keynote speaker: Tantalizing Titles Get off to a strong start by assuring the session has a catchy title, advises Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) Chris Clarke-Epstein. "Start with a short, spiffy and clever title followed by a subtitle that explains the benefit of the session." Successful brochures contain titles that capture attention but also immediately answer the question, "so what?" The subtitle should contain phrases such as "how to," "10 tips," "master five steps," etc. Most importantly, make sure the session matches the description. "Hold speakers responsible for delivering what they promise," says Clarke-Epstein. Work Your Web Site and Create a Buzz with E-Mail Familiarity breeds attendance, and your association's Web site is a great tool to introduce your professional s...

Improv Comedy for Speakers - Public speaking. For some, the mere thought of getting up in front of a group of people and presenting a speech is more terrifying than heights, snakes, or even death. Imagine how terrified those people would be if they were asked to get in front of an audience and speak with nothing prepared in advance – no script, no speech, no nothing. Sound crazy? Well that is what Improvisational Comedians do every day. Improvisational (or “Improv”)  Comedy is a form of theater where a group of actors take the stage with nothing prepared in advance and use audience suggestions to create instant comedy. If you have ever seen the popular television show, “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” then you have seen Improv Comedy. The skills that allow an improviser to create instant comedy can immensely help any speaker to be more comfortable and powerful from the platform. Here are three reasons why, if you want to be a more effective speaker, you must learn how to be a great impr...

Meeting Promotion And Publicity Checklist* 1. Review previous years' promotional budgets 2. Determine objectives and scope of program 3. Determine audience(s): membership, potential exhibitors, an industry or trade, general public. 4. Develop theme and corresponding graphics. Considerations should include purposes of individual pieces: who will receive them, tone to be conveyed, how they will be produced, how many colors will be needed, what layout format is required at each stage (from rough to comprehensive), and how much is budgeted for them. 5. Develop a schedule for the campaign. 6. Set promotional budget based on characteristics of membership, features of the venue, time of year, strength of program, and costs of attendance. 7. Develop promotional materials according to tested criteria: short and forceful sentences, convincing explanation of benefits to attendees, clear emphasis on important elements of meeting, and easy means of registering. 8. Plan for al...

Microphone Technique - Although it sounds strange to you, to hear your own voice over the P.A, in fact it doesn’t sound any different to the audience than if you were talking to them in normal conversation. The trick here is to be Yourself, if you haven’t got the skill to project a warm friendly personality at the functions where ice breaking is required then being an entertainer isn’t for you. The trick is to find a balance, most people would simply hire the gear - saving around 50% of a D.J’s booking fee and throw a NOW Cd on - if human input and personality wasn’t important to them. At some functions, if they pay for an entertainer and get a human jukebox who doesn’t own a mic and just sits there playing music then they occasionally feel cheated!. I can’t stress the “BE YOURSELF”, advice enough, don’t put on a radio style zany DJ voice - that will sound false and doesn’t fool anybody. If you are lucky enough to have a D.J training you, or are a young person helping an older mentor ...

Motivational Speakers -- Creating a Vehicle for Dream s: Motivation is the fuel that feeds our dreams and drives us to succeed, and the right motivational speaker can change your next training event from an arbitrary collection of dos and don’ts to a pit stop that will breathe new life into your business. The role of a motivational speaker may seem a bit elusive. The title implies a call to action and the goal at the end of the day is to facilitate a change in behaviour. The last generation of motivators were adept at getting an audience to believe - “I can do it!” - but they often failed to provide the tools, or failed to start shaping the skills, that are necessary to implement this new-found inspiration. The key to effective motivation is sustainability. A true motivator not only provides the fuel for dreams; he also provides the vehicle needed to achieve those dreams.  Modern speakers facilitate sustainable motivation in, broadly speaking, two ways: <b><i>The metaph...

Profit From Effective Public Speaking - Developing and utilizing presentation skills can result in increased income for you. Here are a few ways that you can turn your public speaking experience into business profits. 1. Free Speeches to Promote Your Business A lawyer might make a speech to a group of business persons, free of charge, about the advantages of incorporating their businesses. This could result in obtaining new clients. It could also cause existing clients to purchase additional services, such as incorporations, minute book work, income tax election filings, and so on. 2. Paid Seminars, Workshops and Teleclasses You could charge admission fees to attend a seminar entitled "How To Incorporate Yourself Without a Lawyer". This seminar could detail the considerations and mechanics of incorporating your own private corporation.  3. Sell Information Products  The information presented during a speech or seminar could form the basis for information products such as boo...

Public Speaking - A Starters Guide - The record fear among most people is the horror of communal speaking. So how do you go about becoming a good presenter if you’ve never tried it before? First, you’re going to have to live it out. You want to come across a venue somewhere that you can give relaxed generous speeches. Start out by speaking in front of a copy – act as if you’re happy to give a speech. You can talk in front of a mirror, smooth practiced speakers use this as a practice to understand their facial expressions and how to vary them. This will present you the reassurance level you want to begin speeches or presentations in front of a group or audience. Connect a local speaking set. The Toastmasters are a good one – it’s a club for people who fancy to pick up their speaking skills, and they have people of all experience levels. Don't go to large just tiny audiences are good to start with. It’s a good deal easier to talk with a tiny group as a trainee than a multitude – you...

Public Speaking: The First 3 Minutes - This is it! You’ve landed your first Public Speaking engagement. You’ve have prepared and rehearsed. You are all ready to give your best presentation ever. As you begin you have exactly 3 minutes of your presentation to grab the audience attention and build rapport to ensure they buy in to what you have to say.  In the first 3 minutes of your presentations, your audience is sizing you up. They are deciding whether they like you and whether are you worth listening to. If you lose your audience in the first 3 minutes you will be playing catch up for the rest of the presentation. Why at the first 3 minutes of your public speaking engagement is most important period of your presentation?  This is the time where the attention of the audience is naturally high and focused. Here is where the audience decides to hear you out or not. First Impression counts and you have only one chance at it. In this crucial period you need to build rapport with ...

Public Speaking: The Power Of Words - Words hurt, heal, motivate, and aggravate. They are powerful. They control emotions and can even control a person physically. A word is worth a thousand pictures. “Come here.” Two words that move a person from there to here. “Write this down.” Three words that cause people to put words on a page. “Remember a time when you felt angry.” Seven words that can create an overload of emotions.  Your words are power. Think of the number of people you have made smile by saying, “I really appreciate you.” Or the number of people you have hurt by saying, “What’s wrong with you? Can’t you do anything right?” Words possess just as much power when spoken to a crowd of a thousand as in a one on one conversation. It’s one thing to get one person excited, but impassion an entire group, and you have irresistible intensity on your side.  Use your words more effectively… 1. Understand their influence. Do not use or choose your terms lightly. A wrong word can...