Be prepared

Fellow speaker,

David Brooks, World Champion of Public Speaking, has this advice:
"Let no one out-prepare you."

Prepared,

Tim

Only you

Fellow speaker,

Keep in mind that other people's ideas are only suggestions: it is your experience with your audiences that guides you best.

Youing,

Tim

With you in mind

Fellow speaker,

If you get your thoughts in order BEFORE you write your speech, you make writing your speech MUCH easier. So take the time to think your idea out all the way before writing things out.

Thinking and writing,

Tim

Get ahead

Fellow speaker,

Plan your speech out so you can work on building and improving your speech after you write it.

Planning it out,

Tim

One to one

Fellow speaker,

According to World Champion Speaker David Brooks, one minute of speaking works out to about one hour of writing.

One on one,

Tim

Soften the blow

Fellow speaker,

When giving a speech where the audience may disagree, use:

• Feel, Felt, Found (I know how you feel, I felt the same way, until I found… Maybe this will change your mind, as it did mine.)
• Humor to keep things "light"

On the other side,

Tim

Speaking on the edge

Fellow speaker,

If you are going to do speeches where some people in the audience may disagree with you, make sure that:

• The audience knows what you are talking about
• You respect the audience's point of view whether or not you agree with it
• The speech isn't for a contest

Speaking of speaking,

Tim

File and remember

Fellow speaker,

Keep track of your ideas by creating a "story file", a short description of interesting stories you have heard and/or things that happen to you personally.

Keeping track,

Tim

Follow ups

Fellow speaker,

If you want to get invited back, think about giving "program" speeches, where your speech is only the first part of a longer "program" of speeches. If they want the whole program: they've got to have you back many times!

Programming,

Tim

All the world's a speech...

Fellow speaker,

Great speaking ideas are all around you! As one World Champion of Public Speaking says, "We never have bad days: we just have days that give us great speaking ideas!"

Thinking of speaking,

Tim

Anchors away!

Fellow speaker,

Use different group activities during your speech to "anchor" the main points of the speech in the audience's mind.

Anchoring,

Tim

Good reads

Fellow speaker,

Here are some books that World Champions of Public Speaking suggest:

• Triggers – Joseph Sugarman
• Speak like Churchill… - James C. Humes
• Say it in Six – Ron Hoff
• Games Trainers Play - Ed Scannel
• Playing Along - Izzy Gesell
• Granville N. Toogood - The Articulate Executive

Suggesting,

Tim

Around the world

Fellow speaker,

If you want to get a speaking engagement in a distant country, try giving a presentation at local international groups. If you do a really good job, they may want to have other people in other countries hear what you have to say.

Traveling around the world,

Tim

Talk to the expert

Fellow speaker,

When you are starting out at building your speaking career, promote your knowledge and understanding as far and wide as you can, in reports, newletters, interviews, websites, blogs, etc.  So that when people think of the "expert" in something...they think of you!

Expertly,

Tim

Bookends

Fellow speaker,

When giving your speech, try "bookending" your speech: give an opening that leaves questions unaswered, and, at the end of the speech, close with an answer to the questions. The simplest way to do this is to open with a question and end with an aswer to the question, but you can also open with the beginning of an interesting story and close with the end of the story. However you do it, the goal is to make the audience focused on the speech so they can get the answers to the questions you raised in their minds at the beginning of your speech.

Bookending,

Tim

Call it back

Fellow speaker,

If you have an important point to make in your speech, you can use a "callback" to refer to that point in a new way at the end of your speech, that opens up the idea and makes your audience look at it in a new way.

Called back,

Tim

Symbol system

Fellow speaker,

Use a common word to describe a more complex idea. For example, if you are talking about encouraging creative ideas, to these as "light bulb moments." Continually refer in your speech to the importance of having more "light bulb moments."

Interestingly,

Tim

I have a question...

Fellow speaker,

End your speech with a question that people will think about long after our speech is over.  This way your speech will last in the audience's minds long after you leave.

Questioning,

Tim

Overpriced

Fellow speaker,

In negotiating a speaking fee, it is useful to have a layering of prices at different levels of service. If a person feels you are too high priced, they can accept less services. For example, if you give an all day seminar with lots of extras (handouts, take homes, etc.) and the other person thinks the seminar is too high priced, take out some of the extras until the price is what they are willing to pay.

Full serviced,

Tim

Tell ya what I'm gonna do...

Fellow speaker,

Here are few sentences to keep in mind when negotiating your fee:

• “I usually get more, but we can work this out”
• “I can take this fee if you permit me to do this, this, and this”

Making a deal,

Tim

In memoriam

Fellow speaker,

If you want to write a really great speech, write your own funeral speech:

• What do you want people to remember about you?
• What lessons do you want to pass on to others?

Pick out the most important lesson from your list and write out every story you can think of which re-enforces that lesson.

Funereally,

Tim

What say you?

Fellow speaker,

If you are looking to get a very "deep" subject, think about this question, "If you could only say one sentence to another person, what would you say?"

Deeply,

Tim

How to get a topic you love

Fellow speaker,

Some ideas for finding a speech topic:

• Be true to yourself and your ideas
• Aware of audience interests
• Make it personal to you

Picking topics,

Tim

How to dress

Fellow speaker,

When you are giving your speech, always dress at least as well as everyone else and, if possible, a little better than most. If you are over dressed, you can always take some things off, but if you are UNDERdressed, there is no way to put things on!

Overdressed,

Tim

Getting noticed

Fellow speaker,

Here are some ways to get people to remember you:

• Grabbed your audience's attention with your speech
• Give everyone your contact information

Remembering,

Tim

The speech after the speech

Fellow speaker,

Get stories of people who loved the speech. Interview the audience afterwards for these kinds of "testimonial stories" and let the audience's words do the talking for you.

Speaking post-speech,

Tim

You got give them credit

Fellow speaker,

Make sure in your presentation you name the people you chose from your audience who gave you their insights and ideas on how to make the presentation.

Crediting the helpers,

Tim

Action and interaction

Fellow speaker,

Remember to interact with your audience before you give your speech:

• Shake hands with audience members as they come in the door
• Get the names of your audience members
• Ask audience members about their interests and why they came

Talking to the audience,

Tim

It's all about the network

Fellow speaker,

Here are a few places you can speak at:

• Toastmasters
• Chamber of Commerce
• Rotary Club
• Jaycees

Speaking of speaking,

Tim

It's your speech

Fellow speaker,

When getting advice from others, always remember it's your speech. Others can give suggestions but if you really think that your way is better...have it your way!

About youing,

Tim

Getting 'em to notice you

Fellow speaker,

To get your audience's attention, work on:

• Speech delivery - speech comes off smooth and even to the audience
• Charisma - get your audience interested in you
• Comfort - be at ease as you talk to the audience

At attention,

Tim