Fellow speaker,
Make a meaningful impact in people's lives 3 days or longer after you complete your speech.
Long-term,
Tim
December 31, 2009
December 30, 2009
Face focus
Fellow speaker,
In order to get people to focus on your face, wear dark clothes. Dark clothes bring the focus to the face.
Facing off,
Tim
In order to get people to focus on your face, wear dark clothes. Dark clothes bring the focus to the face.
Facing off,
Tim
Different point of view
Fellow speaker,
The speaking coach has a different perspective and bring different things to your speech that you simply aren't aware of. Using a speaking coach opens you up to a new way of seeing things.
Differently,
Tim
The speaking coach has a different perspective and bring different things to your speech that you simply aren't aware of. Using a speaking coach opens you up to a new way of seeing things.
Differently,
Tim
December 28, 2009
Be nice!
Fellow speaker,
No matter what type of answer the audience member gives, be nice in how you respond to the questioner and give them credit for having tried to answer the question.
Nicely,
Tim
No matter what type of answer the audience member gives, be nice in how you respond to the questioner and give them credit for having tried to answer the question.
Nicely,
Tim
Time's up!
Fellow speaker,
Make sure you time out each part of the speech. Otherwise, you might get almost all the way through your speech and not have enough time to make your main point.
In time,
Tim
Make sure you time out each part of the speech. Otherwise, you might get almost all the way through your speech and not have enough time to make your main point.
In time,
Tim
December 26, 2009
Talk it out
Fellow speaker,
If you are presenting professionally, make sure you have time afterwards to talk with the audience and get to meet people. This will help in making the connections you need to get hired for your next speech.
Building connections,
Tim
If you are presenting professionally, make sure you have time afterwards to talk with the audience and get to meet people. This will help in making the connections you need to get hired for your next speech.
Building connections,
Tim
December 25, 2009
Followup questions
Fellow speaker,
Here are questions to better understand your audience:
Tim
Here are questions to better understand your audience:
- How far have they come?
- Do they know each other or are they assembling for the first time?
- What will they hear before and after the presentation?
- What did they hear last year or at a similar meeting?
- How would they like to feel and what would they like to "get" as a result of your presentation--when they leave the room, how will they be changed?
Tim
December 24, 2009
Becoming all-knowing
Fellow speaker,
If you want to impress your audience you have to understand them really well. Here are some questions to ask and find out about your audience:
Tim
If you want to impress your audience you have to understand them really well. Here are some questions to ask and find out about your audience:
- Who are they?
- What is their age range?
- What is their educational background?
- How long have they been with the organization?
- What is this particular meeting designed to do?
Tim
December 23, 2009
Cut 'em down
Fellow speaker,
Make your quotes brief and to the point. If they are longer than two lines, cut out the parts that don't exactly make your point.
Cutting with quotes,
Tim
Make your quotes brief and to the point. If they are longer than two lines, cut out the parts that don't exactly make your point.
Cutting with quotes,
Tim
December 22, 2009
Bring out the best
Fellow speaker,
Using quotes in your presentation gives you a chance to bring out time-tested words that are known to have a strong, powerful effect. This gives you an instant connection with the audience.
Connectedly,
Tim
Using quotes in your presentation gives you a chance to bring out time-tested words that are known to have a strong, powerful effect. This gives you an instant connection with the audience.
Connectedly,
Tim
December 21, 2009
Ever so very contemporary
Fellow speaker,
When using quotes, use modern quotes from people who are still alive. The audience is more likely to personally relate to quotes of a living person more quotes from someone dead.
Quoting,
Tim
When using quotes, use modern quotes from people who are still alive. The audience is more likely to personally relate to quotes of a living person more quotes from someone dead.
Quoting,
Tim
December 20, 2009
Twist and shout!
Fellow speaker,
Rewrite an old, familiar saying and "twist" it (e.g., "Early to bed and early to rise makes you miss out on all the night fun.")
Rewriting the classics,
Tim
Rewrite an old, familiar saying and "twist" it (e.g., "Early to bed and early to rise makes you miss out on all the night fun.")
Rewriting the classics,
Tim
December 19, 2009
Get in touch with your senses
Fellow speaker,
Use sensory words to trigger memories. Words such as "See", "Hear", "Taste", etc. bring up vivid word-pictures in your audience's mind.
Picturing,
Tim
Use sensory words to trigger memories. Words such as "See", "Hear", "Taste", etc. bring up vivid word-pictures in your audience's mind.
Picturing,
Tim
December 18, 2009
Sound off!
Fellow speaker,
Including sound in your stories builds up the tension and excitement. For example, "Crack! went the bat as it smacked into the baseball, sending the ball soaring up and out of the stadium for a home run!".
Sounding,
Tim
Including sound in your stories builds up the tension and excitement. For example, "Crack! went the bat as it smacked into the baseball, sending the ball soaring up and out of the stadium for a home run!".
Sounding,
Tim
December 17, 2009
A question before presenting
Fellow speaker,
Here are four questions World Champion Darren LaCroix asks himself every time before he goes on stage:
Tim
Here are four questions World Champion Darren LaCroix asks himself every time before he goes on stage:
- What is my intent?
- Am I present?
- Will I have fun?
- How would I give this presentation if I knew it was my last one ever?
Tim
December 16, 2009
Be heroic
Fellow speaker,
Look over your life and news and find heroic examples that you can use in your speeches.
Heroed,
Tim
Look over your life and news and find heroic examples that you can use in your speeches.
Heroed,
Tim
Three ways of looking at your hearing
Fellow speaker,
Your audience "hears" what you say and do in different ways:
Tim
Your audience "hears" what you say and do in different ways:
- Mindfully - they think about and work to understand your points
- Emotionally - they have feelings and reactions to your points
- Visually - they see what you do onstage and they relate that to the point you are trying to make
Tim
Make it interesting
Fellow speaker,
In order to make a point "stick" in a person's mind, it needs to be interesting. So the more important your point, the more you have to work to make it interesting and exciting to your audience.
Interestingly,
Tim
In order to make a point "stick" in a person's mind, it needs to be interesting. So the more important your point, the more you have to work to make it interesting and exciting to your audience.
Interestingly,
Tim
December 13, 2009
Who cares?
Fellow speaker,
If you are looking over your speech and you can't come up with a reason for a certain wording or story, take it out of your speech.
Removing,
Tim
If you are looking over your speech and you can't come up with a reason for a certain wording or story, take it out of your speech.
Removing,
Tim
Changeup
Fellow speaker,
When doing your speeches, remember to use different pacings, wordings, stories, examples, and to change easily between these things. It is the changes in the story that grab the audience's attention and "wakes up" those people who thought they knew what was going to happen next.
Changeably,
Tim
When doing your speeches, remember to use different pacings, wordings, stories, examples, and to change easily between these things. It is the changes in the story that grab the audience's attention and "wakes up" those people who thought they knew what was going to happen next.
Changeably,
Tim
December 11, 2009
The Three "S"s
Fellow speaker,
Professional speaker Patricia Fripp recommends that people giving business examples use the Three "S"s:
Tim
Professional speaker Patricia Fripp recommends that people giving business examples use the Three "S"s:
- Situation - What was the problem the business faced?
- Solution - What did you do that helped the business solve that problem?
- Success - What has the business' situation improved because of your solution?
Tim
December 10, 2009
The sound of silence
Fellow speaker,
Listen to the room while speaking. Are there a lot of side conversations, discussions, etc. while you are speaking? It's a sign that you aren't engaging your audience. Is the audience focused on you, with people nodding and smiling? That's a sign you are very much engaging your audience. Is the room very quiet? That's a sign that the audience is very focused on what you have to say.
Listening in,
Tim
Listen to the room while speaking. Are there a lot of side conversations, discussions, etc. while you are speaking? It's a sign that you aren't engaging your audience. Is the audience focused on you, with people nodding and smiling? That's a sign you are very much engaging your audience. Is the room very quiet? That's a sign that the audience is very focused on what you have to say.
Listening in,
Tim
Talk to me
Fellow speaker,
Your speech is a conversation with the audience. There is always a "give and take" where the focus is sometimes on the speaker, and sometimes on the audience.
Back and forth,
Tim
Your speech is a conversation with the audience. There is always a "give and take" where the focus is sometimes on the speaker, and sometimes on the audience.
Back and forth,
Tim
December 8, 2009
Learning to love the bomb
Fellow speaker,
When a joke or important point doesn't connect and "bombs" with the audience, use that experience as a learning experience. After the speech figure out why the joke or point didn't connect.
Learning,
Tim
When a joke or important point doesn't connect and "bombs" with the audience, use that experience as a learning experience. After the speech figure out why the joke or point didn't connect.
Learning,
Tim
Wait for it!
Fellow speaker,
If your "laugh lines" don't get an instant giggle...wait. It may take a little time for your humor to "sink in" to your audience.
Waiting it out,
Tim
If your "laugh lines" don't get an instant giggle...wait. It may take a little time for your humor to "sink in" to your audience.
Waiting it out,
Tim
December 6, 2009
Stand still
Fellow speaker,
To get your audience to focus in on your message stand still. Move around when setting up the point, but when you come to the point itself, stop and stand still until you have made the point.
Still,
Tim
To get your audience to focus in on your message stand still. Move around when setting up the point, but when you come to the point itself, stop and stand still until you have made the point.
Still,
Tim
December 5, 2009
Funny details
Fellow speaker,
When using humor and comedy, add in some details to bring the humor "to life" for your audience.
Humorously detailed,
Tim
When using humor and comedy, add in some details to bring the humor "to life" for your audience.
Humorously detailed,
Tim
Mark up
Fellow speaker,
Write out your speech word for word. Highlight (in different colors) the introduction, conclusion, stories, humor, transitions, etc. This will help you see how balanced your presentation is...and what you need to add more of in your speeches.
Highlighting,
Tim
Write out your speech word for word. Highlight (in different colors) the introduction, conclusion, stories, humor, transitions, etc. This will help you see how balanced your presentation is...and what you need to add more of in your speeches.
Highlighting,
Tim
December 3, 2009
Making a point
Fellow speaker,
When making a series of points to your audience, look from the left to the middle to the right for each point, balancing out your looks with the audience as a whole.
In balance,
Tim
When making a series of points to your audience, look from the left to the middle to the right for each point, balancing out your looks with the audience as a whole.
In balance,
Tim
December 2, 2009
Choose your position
Fellow speaker,
When watching/listening to yourself speaking, decide what your position" on your speech is: what are you going to focus on when listening/watching the speech? For example is it the word pacing and delivery? Or the stage usage and tie-in with the stage to the speech? Whatever it is, focus in on that one thing and ignore everything else when listening/watching the speech. After you are fully aware of that thing, watch/listen to the speech again looking for something different.
Positioned,
Tim
When watching/listening to yourself speaking, decide what your position" on your speech is: what are you going to focus on when listening/watching the speech? For example is it the word pacing and delivery? Or the stage usage and tie-in with the stage to the speech? Whatever it is, focus in on that one thing and ignore everything else when listening/watching the speech. After you are fully aware of that thing, watch/listen to the speech again looking for something different.
Positioned,
Tim
December 1, 2009
Use the stage
Fellow speaker,
Use the stage to indicate what's next. For example, when you tell a story, move across the stage from the audience's left to the audience's right as you move from the past into the present. Or have a place on the stage where you always make a major point. After you do this repeatedly, whenever you come to that place on the stage, the audience will know what to expect.
Moving around,
Tim
Use the stage to indicate what's next. For example, when you tell a story, move across the stage from the audience's left to the audience's right as you move from the past into the present. Or have a place on the stage where you always make a major point. After you do this repeatedly, whenever you come to that place on the stage, the audience will know what to expect.
Moving around,
Tim
In-between times
Fellow speaker,
There is a time in your speech where you have finished making one point and haven't yet begun to make the next point. This is your "in-between" time that allows you an opportunity to connect with the audience by using:
There is a time in your speech where you have finished making one point and haven't yet begun to make the next point. This is your "in-between" time that allows you an opportunity to connect with the audience by using:
- Activity
- Rhetorical question
- Very quick story
- Strong transitional statement
Tim
Repeat after me
Fellow speaker,
To get your idea across to your audience, repeat your idea. Say your most important points repeatedly in your speech so the audience remembers them after your speech is over.
Remembering,
Tim
To get your idea across to your audience, repeat your idea. Say your most important points repeatedly in your speech so the audience remembers them after your speech is over.
Remembering,
Tim
The last thing you hear
Fellow speaker,
Put important words at the end of your sentences. So, instead of saying "NOW I want you to hear this", say "I want you to hear this NOW."
Ending,
Tim
Put important words at the end of your sentences. So, instead of saying "NOW I want you to hear this", say "I want you to hear this NOW."
Ending,
Tim
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