Let those plates be!

Fellow speaker,

If you are speaking during a dinner, try to get the waitstaff to hold off clearing the tables until AFTER you speak.

After dinner,

Tim

Let them go

Fellow speaker,

Instead of focusing on the one person who isn't interested, focus on all the others who are there to learn about what you have to say.

Focusing on someone else,

Tim

Do the speech

Fellow speaker,

After you have tried everything you can to get a non-responding audience to respond to our speech and it hasn't worked, let it go. Whatever the issue is, just do your best and give your best speech every time.

Accepting,

Tim

Pay attention, class!

Fellow speaker,

If you want the audience to focus their attention on you alone (i.e., not on interacting with other members of the audience), use a "classroom style" setup with all the seats facing forward, towards the front of the room.

Facing forwards,

Tim

See you a-round

Fellow speaker,

If you want to the audience to have face-to-face connections during your speech, use round tables. The side effect is this separates each group of people around the table from the other people in the room.

Roundly,

Tim

It's a setup!

Fellow speaker,

Arrive early to your speaking place and take a look at the room setup to make sure that it works the way you want it to work.

Setting it up,

Tim

Connect in

Fellow speaker,

Make sure to include some personal stories in your speeches. Personal stories help you "connect in" to the audience and audience's interests.

Making a connection,

Tim

Out of focus

Fellow speaker,

Focusing on that one person who wants to upset your speech your speech also focuses the audience attention on that person. Focus your speech and your eye contact on the part of the audience that is interested in you and your message.

Focusing on the positive,

Tim

Help

Fellow speaker,

Focus in on the purpose of the speech.  Once the audience sees you are sincerely interested in helping them out in their life, the audience will automatically connect with the larger speech purpose...and with you.

Connecting in,

Tim

Don't panic!

Fellow speaker,

Sometimes when you feel the audience doesn't "get it", you might be getting through to them after all. Not every audience responds the same way. Follow up afterwards and talk to your audience to see how they actually responded to your speech.

Following up,

Tim

So what...who cares?

Fellow speaker,

If the audience is bored with your speech...you've got a problem! Try adjusting how you are giving your speech, focusing in on particular people in the audience, asking the audience if they understand you.

Keeping 'em awake,

Tim

Speech tailor

Fellow speaker,

Be aware of your audience and "tailor" the delivery of the speech to your audience. This will make sure the "cut" of your speech matches your audience's "fit".

Tailoring,

Tim

Vary your style

Fellow speaker,

People in the audience will respond to differences in:

• Rate
• Rhythm
• Volume

So add a little vocal variety into your next speech and keep the audience interested in you.

With variety,

Tim

Be aware

Fellow speaker,

Be aware of your audience and try to create your speech based on your audience's interests. It is important to be flexible when speaking. If the audience isn't responding to your speech, change it up a little, and do something different to get people's attention. Being aware of the audience will help you a lot in your speeches.

Aware,

Tim

Whaja say?

Fellow speaker,

If other speakers came before you, remember what they put in their speeches. Then use speech "callbacks" and reference in your speech the things that happened in those other speeches.

Calling back,

Tim

Take a nap

Fellow speaker,

A tired speaker sounds...tired! ;-) So make sure you get a nap before your speech so you are at your best!

Taking a rest,

Tim

Different speeches, different times

Fellow speaker,

Different speeches will go best at different times. Early in the morning when people are just waking up, a speech that gets people moving will work well. After a lunch a light-hearted, fun speech works best. And, in the early afternoon, after people have relaxed after their lunch a serious speech will work fine.

In a different time,

Tim

Mind the gaps

Fellow speaker,

Gaps in a room between people can disconnect people from each other and drain the energy from the room. So when giving a presentation try to make sure that everyone sits reasonably close together.

Closely,

Tim

Let's see that schedule

Fellow speaker,

Make sure that there aren't any problems with the order of events that could cause problems with the audience. For example, if you have a short speech and there are people with really long speeches after you with no break between speeches. If there is a program issue, try to get the person in charge of the program to make the necessary changes.

Necessarily,

Tim

Keep it simple

Fellow speaker,

Make it very clear exactly what audience response you are looking for. If someone in the audience does or says something you didn't want them to say, have a "Plan B" so you still remain in control of the speech and the audience.

In control,

Tim

Look for the outgoers

Fellow speaker,

Before giving your speech, be aware of who are the "live wires" (exciting people) in your audience. Then use these people in your speech, getting them involved in the speech, onstage, and get the audience involved in the speech through your interaction with his "live wire".

Living on the wire,

Tim

In balance

Fellow speaker,

Our speeches need to help the audience learn and be entertaining as well. However, too much learning the audience gets bored. Too much entertainment and the audience wonders what they are getting out of the presentation. When speaking always remember to keep a balance between learning and entertainment.

Learning to entertain,

Tim

Learning types

Fellow speaker,

Here are four different types of responses to learning:

1. Amiables - focused on relationships - need time to become "comfortable"
2. Expressives - quick thinking and have "fast minds" - respond well to humor
3. Analyticals - very structured in their thinking - need logic
4. Drivers - want to get through things quickly - want the "bottom line"

Design your speech to appeal to these four types and keep your audience riveted!

Learning,

Tim

What do you think?

Fellow speaker,

Asking the audience for their opinion and feedback gets the audience involved in your presentation.  It "brings in" the audience to what you are talking about.

Bringing them in,

Tim

Match game

Fellow speaker,

Meet the audience at their energy level and slowly "ramp up" the presentation during the first five minutes.

Ramping up,

Tim

Wait for it!

Fellow speaker,

Go into the details of your personal story in the body of your speech, after the audience is "warmed up" and accepting you.

Accepting,

Tim

Friendly audience

Fellow speaker,

You can use the "friendly faces" you find in the audience. As you are doing your speech, look for these "friendly faced" people and see what their reaction is to your speech. This will tell you when something you are doing is working for the audience and also when it is not working.

Working it out,

Tim

Listen in

Fellow speaker,

Before you get onstage, listen in to what the audience is saying. That will help you get a sense of the audience's mood that day.

Moodily,

Tim

Reading the audience

Fellow speaker,

Be aware of your audience and what it is doing. Before you get onstage start watching the people, talking to them, and getting a sense for how they feel that day.

With feeling,

Tim

Have some winners

Fellow speaker,

When giving a speech, it helps to have many "sure fire" openings. Have five or six dependable openings that you have tested out and know they will work.

Working,

Tim

Go before

Fellow speaker,

Before giving a speech, go to the meeting room and get used to the room. Get on the stage, front of the room, and look out to see what you'll see when you give your speech. Stay onstage until you are absolutely comfortable with being onstage.

Getting comfortable,

Tim

Right from the start

Fellow speaker,

Make sure you mention the benefits of listening to you very early in the presentation.

Very early,

Tim