Public Speaking

Public Speaking Tips
Any public speaking involves delivering information to people who are, in one way or another, waiting to get some information. This is a key reason why you should pay careful attention as you prepare to make you speech and as you plan to meet your audience.

Some people are naturals at public speaking and getting to audiences, you may think of politicians or a good college professor you took some classes with, the fact of the matter is most people are not good at making speeches and the vast majority of people are terrified of delivering a speech. This should not discourage you in any way, since many experts have studied this and worked hard for you to deal with these problems in speech making.

If you are at a point that you are going to deliver a speech, you probably got to a stage in your life your thoughts are worth something to other people, this means that in principle, people want to get into your head and they appreciate your talent or skill in some particular field, the people that will listen to you have something to learn from you. But you are not thinking of these people, are you? You are thinking of the few people that probably know more than you and will be in the crowd. This is a big mistake, first because you should think of the person that will profit from your knowledge and get to him, and secondly because you have something in you that will benefit even the ones that you fear.

The key to all this is simple, its preparation, it�s the most basic, banal and trivial thing, but it is the base of any success in any field. Lets think about speech making preparation.

First think about your audience, who is the average person coming to your speech, what does he know, what does he need to know, what will inspire him and make him listen carefully to what you have to say, and how will you get him to appreciate your speech. It is not that difficult, its actually good to start at this point, remember � people want to know what you are thinking, you just need to keep them interested, and I am sure you got interesting thoughts.

Rehearse, this seems clear to me, practice the speech again, and again, and again. Obviously I know that you don�t have all the time in the world to perfect it, but, there is a value to this, timing your speech, and pre setting spots in which you know you need to change your tone, your speed and rhythm, will make you a better speaker and a better speech planner. So rehearse your speech and listen to yourself while doing it. Start strong, confident, talk about things you know no one can beat you or undermine you, let the confidence and the experience shine through, people feel that, and if you do this right, you will own your audience.

Think about your entrance and the first 3 minutes of the speech, pay attention to the way you walk in, project confidence and calm, do not rush into anything, even if you are late or under a tight schedule do everything slowly and thoughtfully, show the room that you are entering your speech zone and that no one is allowed in, they can sit and wait for a few seconds (which seem like hours) � its only a few seconds. Make sure you got the attention of the crowd, and start strong. Pick the words of your opening carefully, and trust yourself.

In the next article I will review more of the speech making basics. Good luck.

Simon Oldmann has been studying the effects of cognitive alertness on performance for the last 5 years. Simon has a wide knowledge of public performance personality traits and performance. Simon is currently writing tips and advice on <a href="http://publicspeaking.zupatips.com/">Public Speaking</a>

Public Speaking, Sales Presentations or Group Meetings - Be in the Moment
If you are speaking to a large audience, a small room full of people, or conducting a personal presentation, nothing is as effective and engaging as living in the moment. This is a lesson taken from the stage to the boardroom by Pat Dolan, Fine Arts Chair of St. John's. As the Fine Arts Chair of St. John's, it is Pat Dolan's responsibility to prepare young men and women for the stage. As a teacher and mentor, his lessons are invaluable for life beyond the stage. He requires rehearsals with dedication and commitment. In the process of teaching communication skills he imparts confidence. In the process of challenging students to design the stage he unveils hidden creative talents. In the process of teaching his pupils how to act, he teaches them how to be. After individuals and understudies are selected to play roles, each person begins the arduous task of learning the script by rote. The lines are rehearsed with constant repetition until the very words become memorized as a reflexive response to auditory stimulus, speaking without thinking. By the time that the actors achieve this level of emotionless repetition, Mr. Dolan begins to work his real magic. Three Lessons As a first step, the cast was instructed to lay down on the floor motionless. With eyes closed, each member of the cast was instructed to tell the other members of the cast about one new sound that they could hear in the silence. At first this seemed absurd. However, once everyone was quiet, someone noticed the faint sound of cars outside. After a few moments, as the other most obvious sounds were identified, members focused with intent concentration on the most sublime sounds. Someone identified the sound of the wind on the windows, and another person quickly noted the sound of footsteps and laughter in the distance. As we became intensely aware of our surroundings, we started to notice the sound of each other breathing and the faint shuffle of someone moving. With all other stimulus removed, we noticed the pulse of our own heartbeats. It is amazing to realize how much we overlook and choose to tune out when we are focused on specific thoughts. How many clues and input do we miss from the world around us when we are concentrating on what we are about to say? As the second step, the cast was instructed to sit on the stage in darkness. Completely motionless and with eyes closed, the entire play would be spoken aloud in the empty hall. Each of the players listened intently to the rise and fall of the other voices as they echoed in the otherwise empty chamber. The fluctuations, tones and subtle nuances of the voices became heightened once all other senses were stilled. How much did we learn about the inflection of our own voices and the ability to convey emotion in the sound of the spoken words? As the third step, Mr. Dolan instructed us to act out the entire play in our own words. The simple rule was to complete the entire drama from beginning to end without using any of the scripted language. This sounds simple right? It is not. Imagine knowing what needs to be said and knowing that you can not use the very words that have been memorized. It was necessary to express the feeling, intent and purpose of the words without using the predetermined words to create actions and response. The feeling and intent had to be our own, the purpose was prescribed even though the words were forbidden. How much of what we say or hear in meeting or presentations is scripted or prepared in advance? How well can we convey our feeling and intent by adjusting our language to the listener, rather than our own prepared script? On Stage During one production on the stage, we had an opportunity to apply this training in action. The play was based on the legendary Sherlock Holmes, and in one critical scene the great Doctor Watson was to be threatened at gunpoint by the leading lady. Unfortunately, upon walking on stage, in front of friends, family and strangers, the leading lady encountered a severe case of stage fright. As Dr. Watson delivered his lines with perfection, the leading lady froze, motionless and staring at the sea of eyes. Undaunted, Dr. Watson repeated his lines, and then tried to break the spell. He waved one hand in front of her eyes, but she remained as a statue. This moment would surely put the training by Pat Dolan to the test. The great Doctor Watson began the most amazing one man show off Broadway. He adapted his soliloquy to incorporate both ends of the conversation. He uttered questions aloud and crafted a story that was as mesmerizing as it was spontaneous. As the story expanded, he wrapped the plot around a game of charades, pretending that the leading lady was a famous statue from ancient Greece. From time to time, Dr. Watson would guess at the name of goddess, giving the leading lady a chance to rejoin the activity. He juggled props on the stage and gracefully twirled his bowler hat from the top of his head to the tip of his fingers. He enthralled the audience with his stories, guesswork and animated activities. As the good Doctor Watson was in mid-stride across the stage, the leading lady suddenly came to life and blurted out her scripted line. Needless to say, it had absolutely no connection whatsoever to the soliloquy that Dr. Watson had created. The audience responded with a stunned silence. Pausing for a mere breath, Dr. Watson shouted with excitement, "Ah ha, Galatea! The statue comes to life! And I, fair lady, shall be your Pygmalion. You win the charade fairly and squarely, and now on to matters at hand." The audience erupted in laughter and applause, and then the play continued as if never interrupted. The transition between the statuesque stage fright and back into the scripted activity was so entertaining that it was transparent. Even the director, Mr. Dolan, did not recognize that the play had taken an unexpected detour. The audience, cast and crew were so engaged in the dialogue that everyone thought it was part of the play. In the Boardroom Fast forward several years to boardrooms, stage and customer presentations. How many times have these thespians drawn on the lessons learned from Pat Dolan? No matter how well scripted or rehearsed, there is nothing more engaging than performing and living in the moment. Adapt your style of communication to the audience and to the moment. Incorporate meaningful dialogue based on the surroundings, the people and interactive communication. The old adage is to 'open with a joke'. The underlying purpose to this approach is to make a connection with the audience. Regardless of the size of the audience, the purpose is to recognize and engage your audience with some commonality and shared sense of being. Your audience may be as small as one person, in which case it is much easier to get to know the person and adjust your script to be a conversation. If your audience contains tens of people or hundreds, then it is a more challenging task to quickly identify a shared sense of purpose, mutual interest and method of communication, but it can be done. Do not fear eye contact, interaction or individual connection when you are presenting. This is the goal, not to be avoided. It is as important to express the feeling and the intention as the purpose. It is as important to be interested as it is to be interesting. It is in recognizing response that you confirm connection, being aware of your surroundings and of your audience. Another old adage is to imagine your audience in underwear. This is intended to mitigate fear by removing the intimidation and reducing the humanity of the audience. On the contrary, it is the humanity that you should be trying to reach with conscientious consideration. Do not fear your audience, but speak to them respectfully as if each person is a recently rediscovered acquaintance and long lost friend. Imagine yourself shaking hands with each individual as you speak to them and look them in the eyes. Welcome the audience into your presentation and make them an active participant, even if they remain in their seats. Be authentic with your audience, adapt your script to accommodate their style of communication, and live in the moment. ______________________________________________________ Words of Wisdom "It usually takes more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech." - Mark Twain "All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts..." - William Shakespeare "I say in speeches that a plausible mission of artists is to make people appreciate being alive at least a little bit. I am then asked if I know of any artists who pulled that off. I reply, 'The Beatles did'." - Kurt Vonnegut "Speak properly, and in as few words as you can, but always plainly; for the end of speech is not ostentation, but to be understood." - William Penn ______________________________________________________

John Mehrmann is a freelance author, industry expert and President of Executive Blueprints Inc, an organization dedicated to developing human capital and personal growth.

Improving How You Speak In Public
Feeling less confident when speaking in public? Here are some tips to boost your confidence in public speaking.

Tip no. 1. You should have eye contact with the audience all the time.

Tip no. 2. You should just relax. You know now by heart what you intend to say. Just do it.

Tip no. 3. If you can, use visual aids. This could help the people listening to you understand more of what you want to say. They get your concepts in an instant. Keep your visual aids simple. If, for example, you don?t have the visual, then just remember to use words that would describe succinctly your point.

Tip no. 4. Why not give handouts to the audience? This would serve as their copy of your speech or at least the points you are tackling. They would feel that you gave them something that is free. Be simple and clear on what you say in the handout. Too many words and technical research could turn people off.

Tip no. 5. Do not think of how you can survive the speech, but on how
you can do your speech brilliantly.

Tip no. 6. Improving your speech unity and coherence would help your listeners understand your points and would help you be more confident in nailing down that speech. It pays to list down all the points you want to say, and arrange them in a logical, coherent order. So, for example, you are speaking in favor of stem cell research, enumerate your reasons why it is so, and close your speech with a conclusion.

Tip no. 7. Change the tonality and speed of your voice every now and then during the presentation. If you need to, convey energy. If you are emphasizing a point, slow down emphatically. If you are excited or angry about something, let your listeners feel that you are actually excited or angry about it.

Tip no. 8. Check out the various books available on how to present excellently. There are many books that are available that can help you boost your confidence in speaking in front of many people. There are also websites available on the Internet that give some tips on how to present brilliantly.

Speaking before a group of people can be intimidating, but once you get the hang of it, it is greatly satisfying and great fun. Once you have learned to enjoy your presentations or even a part of these presentations, your confidence in yourself will greatly increase.

James Masterson is Stand out, Be Recognized and Be Remembered keynote speaker. Click Here To read his latest advice <a href="http://free-online-course.com/masterson" title="http://free-online-course.com/masterson" target="_blank">http://free-online-course.com/masterson</a>

So you want to be a Public Speaker?
So you want to be a Public Speaker? Have you ever attended a seminar and said, "Wow, I wish I could speak like that"? Well, I've got some great news for you. You can be a public speaker. There is no such thing as a born public speaker. Public speaking is a learned skill, basically anyone can do it. You just need to follow some simple rules and practice. If you know how to talk, you can become a public speaker. Becoming really good at public speaking requires some risk. Now understand there is risk involved. You risk being rejected when you ask someone out on a date, and you risk getting into an accident every time you drive your car. If you were afraid of getting into an accident, you'd never get behind the wheel, right? It has been proven that one of our greatest fears, believe it or not, is public speaking. The key to getting up in front of an audience is believing that you have something to share with them that may make a difference in their lives - by entertaining them, warning them, encouraging them, or giving them direction or information. In order to be good at anything, you have to practice. It’s easy to become discouraged if you expect to be as good as Zig Ziglar, Tom Antion Bill Brooks and Jim Cathcart right out of the shoot. But if you knew their backgrounds you will find that it took a long time before they were able to do what they do so well. The thing to remember is the only person you need to compare yourself with is yourself. You must constantly work for your personal best, so when you are preparing your speech and practicing, all you need to ask yourself is, “is your second speech better than your first?â€� Did you learn something new as you prepared for your speech? Did you learn something from the feed-back comments of others after you gave your speech? That's all you need to do. You can use what you've learned to make the next speech your best and then use the same process for each speech you give thereafter. Just take one step at a time. Find your Niche The more you like your topic, the more your audience will want to hear about it. There are three ways to determine your power fields, interests, majors and pet peeves. Start with process one and follow these recommendations. But before you do that, you need to understand, to become a successful public speaker you must be passionate about your public speaking career. You MUST, eat drink and sleep public speaking. You must be focused, determined and control any and all distractions to become successful in this field. It is an absolute must that you love what you’re doing. Yes, it’s important you must enjoy helping people and be around people â€" communication is a two way process. “The reason I do this basically is that I enjoy being in front of people. I get fired up, excited and enjoy the interaction. Yes, ego is involved also. It’s a rush!â€� Now, back to where we were. Below are some questions to ask yourself to find your niche. “Your audience will know if you really care about what you’re speaking on â€" believe me! So, find your niche.â€� PROCESS 1 What do you like to do in your spare time? What are your hobbies? What do you like to do at holidays? What is your favorite travel destination? What do you like to talk about with friends? On what issue do you hold a strong opinion? What issue do you like to know more about? What values are you standing for? What special expertise do you have? What do you fix well? What special skills do you have? What special professional or personal experiences have you had in your life? What speech topic or debate in the news recently focused your attention? PROCESS 2 Associate. Lets say you like to talk about Donald Trump. Now write down all things that come up in your mind. All the things related to Donald Trump. E.g. real estate, business successes, scandals, TV productions, his friends, and so on. In other words, you are building a topic tree around Mr. Trump. This method takes some time, but you can apply it on almost every candidate issue. PROCESS 3 Is it of great interest to you? Does it really excite you? Is it something you're already interested in? Did you always want to know more about it, but didn't have the time to find out? Do you love to talk about it? Do you already know more about the speech topic? Are you passionate about your subject? Most importantly, regardless of the subject, YOU MUST BE PASSIONATE ABOUT PUBLIC SPEAKING AND THE TOPIC BE PRESENTED! Once you have found your niche(s), perfect it/them. If you’ve noticed, you can have more than one. It is strongly suggested you have multiple subject matter. Personally, I have eight seminars from one hour to a two week on site venue. Don’t limit your marketability with only having one or two. Versatility is the name of the game. But which ever you choose become the expert in that/those subject(s). Stay up to date with changes, technology or whatever impacts change to your subject. Constant research is the key here. Remember, people are paying for your knowledge! Tools of the Trade: To start on this subject, I will layout the common tools required to maintain your trade: 1. Laptop Computer 2. Digital movie camera (professional is suggested here) 3. Mobile Projection (presentations)(see InFocus) 4. Thumb Drive (2GIG min) 5. Headset Microphone Wireless System 6. Digital micro recorder 7. The most important tool of all your voice. • Voice is essential to your profession. To take care of your voice properly is essential to your longevity • Do’s to project and save your voice: 1. Get an annual check-up from a throat specialist â€" Prevention is always better than a cure. 2. Consider professional voice training. A voice teacher, professional choir director or singer can make a world of difference in techniques and your sound. 3. Drink six to eight glasses of water daily â€" this helps to moisten throat tissue and cuts down on dryness which leads to irritation. 4. Drink only water, lemonade or warm liquids when using your voice for long periods of time. Ice cold liquids have a tendency to shock or paralyze the throat and causes strain. 5. Use warm salt water solution or warm lemonade to gargle with after long hours of selling especially if your throat feels tired. 6, Use a quality sound system. Don’t buy because of price â€" buy because of sound. 7. Let the sound system do the work for you â€" that’s why you have it. Control crowd with sound system. Turn it up if they’re too noisy â€" silence will quite them also. Keep them attentive but not by yelling. 8. Relax your body and voice. You can feel tightness and tension â€" relax, breathe deeply, relax, breathe deeply. 9. Keep throat moist at all times. Small pieces of candy held in corner of mouth help produce saliva. Avoid menthol candies, cough drops, etc. They tend to cause dryness. NEVER, NEVER chew GUM! Yes it does produce saliva but looks disgusting. “Every time I see one chewing gum during a presentation I see a barnyard animal chewing cud!â€� - “Okay, my pet Peeve!â€� 10. Project voice naturally. Talk naturally but project upward and outward through diaphragm. Talk to furthest person from you to help projection. 11. Practice and try to cultivate the habit of ‘diaphragmatic breathingâ€� whenever you have to speak. Your voice will hold up much better, sound stronger, and be more pleasant for others to hear. • DON'TS: Here are a few that can affect your voice quality and lead to throat problems. 1. Don’t strain â€" learn proper breathing techniques and protection techniques. Prolonged straining of your voice causes the vocal chords to rub violently together causing blisters or nodules often requiring surgery and then voice therapy to correct. 2. Don’t scream or shout excessively â€" Auctioneers don’t speak without a good sound system. 3. Don’t use a cotton handkerchief over mike â€" dust and cotton particles from the handkerchief cause dryness and strain. 4. Don’t rely on throat lozenges, sprays, pills, steam to ease throat. This is a dead give-away to problems. Don’t spray antihistamines to clear nose. They dry out throat tissue excessively and often cause drainage into throat. Grosse, but true. 5. Don’t speak out of pitch â€" too high or too low a pitch causes voice strain, how do you find your pitch? Talk or hum to determine pitch. 6. Don’t cough, sneeze or clear throat excessively â€" causes incredible stress on vocal chords and irritation from rubbing together that may lead to nodules. 7. Don’t speak louder or change your pitch when you have head congestion. You may feel you can’t be understood unless you adjust your voice but remember, your audience’s ears are not congested and they can hear you fine. Slower, more careful articulation will help your clarity. 8. Don’t smoke! If others around you are smoking, drink water. This greatly reduces the likelihood of throat irritation. 9. Don’t ignore warning signs â€" hoarseness, laryngitis, sore throat (especially after speaking), swelling, lumps or continued irritation. Don’t wait â€" get it checked by a doctor and hydrate. Remember; don’t skimp on quality with your tools. Your tools are important and cost should not be a factor. You get what you pay for! Delivery As a speaker, you never want to “dieâ€� in front of the room, but if you take the wrong position, it may very well affect how your received. Lots of research on covert influence shows that it really does matter where one stands when we present our subject matter. To satisfy yourself that the position of your body in relationship to others is important, try this. Ask several to help you out. Place two chairs face to face, just about 3-4 feet from each other. Now, assuming you are sitting in one, slide the other over about two feet to the right, so when the other person is sitting across from you, you’ll be to their right, and vice versa. Now have each person sit across from you as you present a short subject. Have them appraise you on a scale from 1-10 how comfortable they are with you. After they have done so, move your chair so that they are now across from you, and on your left and repeat the process. Do this with as many people as you can, because the results are overwhelming. You’ll be shocked to find that almost everyone rates you as being much more comfortable when you are on their right side. Not only that, but research also indicates that you will be seen as more attractive as well. See how this might be beneficial? So, how do you use this information in a live presentation? While there are more complex strategies, the basic use of this is not only powerful, but simple. When you first take the stage, you’ll want to stand near the center, just off to the right of the audience, or your left. As the presentation progresses, you will want to use both sides of the stage; the side to the right of the audience for anything you want them to associate positive feelings to, and the left side to the things you want them to link to negativity. Ain’t science wonderful? Nerves Your mouth is dry, heart pounding, and knees knocking. You go into panic, facing a dreaded public speaking engagement. “Now understand, I have been speaking since 1973 and have given hundreds of seminars and each and every time I’m nervous.â€� Here are a few tips that may help combat those symptoms and reduce nervousness. 1. Deep breathing will help your brain work to capacity, and forcing the slower pace will quell the panic. 2. Exude confidence; Stand tall, with shoulders back and chest out. Smile. Even though you don’t feel happy or confident, do it anyway. You will look confident and your body will fool your brain into thinking it is confident. It works! 3. Keep you mouth and throat hydrated. Plan to keep a drink on hand while you are speaking, though this sounds impossible. Place (room temperature) water strategically placed so you can re-hydrate during your presentation. Know when in your presentation it would be less noticed. If all else fails tell your audience that you need to hydrate. You can make it humorous. 4. Adrenalin sends the blood rushing to the fight/flight centers of your brain at the base of the skull. Place your hand on your forehead and press gently on the bony points. This will bring the blood to the parts of the brain that need it to present your speech best. 5. Know you are prepared. Obviously this depends on actually being prepared, so take every opportunity in the days leading up to the speech to prepare your material. Be familiar with the structure of the presentation, and the ideas to use. Memorize the most important parts, and the parts you might forget. 6. Know your audience, its critical! Their average age, gender, race, income levels, education, generally their demographics. Remember, the more you know your audience the more it will put you at ease. 7. Remember, you are the expert! Yes, there are people who might know more about your subject. I think this way, “if there is a person that knows more about the subject being presented in the audience, then why they are not up here presenting and I seated in the audience?â€� 7 Keys of making a Speech 1. Grammar â€" Use correct grammar. Write out your speech in advance and read it aloud a few times. This will help you catch most of the mistakes privately. Ask a friend to listen to the speech and give you feedback or note any grammatical errors. 2. Filler Words â€" Unnecessary words that do not help convey your point can be distracting. Avoid the use of “uh, ah, um, you know, like, and I mean.â€� In order to avoid run-on sentences, insert a one-second â€" pause - between sentences instead of using “andâ€� or “soâ€� to connect two or more sentences. Before you take the stage practice saying any difficult words you plan to use. 3. Body Language â€" By this, I am referring to unintentional cues you give such as looking at your notes, not making eye contact, slumped shoulders, hands in pockets jingling money, or slouching on the lectern. Practicing in front of a mirror will help you discover your own quirky movements. 4. Gestures â€" These are intentional movements you use to make a point or illustrate the importance of a word. Make your gestures large enough to be seen by the person sitting in the back of the room. Step away from the lectern when using the lower part of your body; otherwise your movement will not be seen. 5. Vocal Delivery â€" Avoid monotone and jazz up your presentation by varying your tone (emphasis or emotion), pitch (high or low voice), and rate (fast or slow). All these help keep an audience interested in what you are saying. 6. Topicâ€" Your focus should be on your audience. An interesting topic is important, but should be relevant to your listener’s needs. Prepare ahead of time. Write key points on small 3x5 note cards to remind you of what is next. Reading off cue cards is discouraged. Only use them if necessary. Know your subject! 7. Visual Aids â€" Not all presentations require or need visual aids. However, visual aids and handouts make a your presentation more interesting. Impromptu Speaking If you have ever given a presentation at work or at a special event you know how nerve-wracking it can be. A little nervousness is normal. It shows that you care and are excited about the opportunity you’ve been given to speak. Having nervousness overcome your ability to function in front of an job interview panel can be harmful. Practice impromptu speaking as a way of learning to respond effectively on a moment’s notice. Here are a few suggestions about how to rehearse for successful impromptu speaking. For this exercise you will require: • A timer, stopwatch or clock with a second hand sweep. • A friend - If you don’t have anyone to practice with, you’ll have to watch the timer yourself. • A topic â€" here are three: 1. What is procrastination and how it impacts ones personal life. 2. You have a friend that has asked you for some advice on why his business is not taking off. You know it is his focus and time management that needs real help. 3. Please give your advice on how to deal with rush-hour traffic. Take each topic listed above one at a time. Have your friend read one topic aloud then set the timer for two minutes. Your friend will give you a silent signal when you’ve reached one minute and again when you have reached two minutes. Try to keep speaking until you get the one minute signal. Then, wrap up when you get the two minute signal. Compose your thoughts as quickly as possible and begin addressing the topic. Give a simple opening statement. You may repeat the topic question as your opening. Then, give your opinion about the topic by answering the questions to the best of your ability. Give a summary of what you presented. Guest Speaker Being a guest speaker in front of the right audience can be an excellent way to attract new business. Many clubs, organizations, conventions, and trade shows seek guest speakers who can provide useful information to their audience. The opportunity to speak in front of an attentive group can certainly boost your business, whether you are a service or product provider. Design your speech or presentation so that the audience leaves with useful information that will help them. Avoid giving a sales pitch; this will be a turn-off for both the audience and the speaker-coordinator. Here are a number of reasons why being a guest speaker can attract more business: You are perceived as an expert in your field. You have an opportunity to get free publicity to promote the event. You have the opportunity to hand out information to each attendee (with your contact name on it). You can ask for names and addresses of attendees to build your contact database. You can chat one-on-one with the attendees after the meeting. Make sure you have a business card! Check out your local Chamber of Commerce, local trade shows, or your local Convention Center. In some cities there are Professional Meeting Planners who often seek speakers. Your participation as a speaker at one event may lead to other contacts in the industry.

Mr. Dale Simmons, known as the “WHY� man, is a interactive motivational and "self-help" speaker who introduced the Pebble in the Pool © theory. With more than 28 years in the corporate market and conducting hundreds of training and career motivational presentations, Dale has developed the Pebble in the Pool © theory. In addition, seminars on Goal Setting, Team Building, Time Management and Lean Manufacturing Principles are now being offered to the private sector. Pebble in the Pool © is by far the most motivational seminar for the diverse audiences of today.

Speaking "Secrets" Revealed: Evaluate All Speakers, Simon Cowell Style
One of the fastest (and fun!) way you can grow as a speaker is to be an active audience. Evaluate ALL speakers that come your way, Simon Cowell style! This is how you can have a clearer understanding of what separates a mediocre speaker from a good speaker, and a great speaker from a phenomenal speaker. Remember this: No matter how good or bad the speaker is, there is always something valuable to learn. This is so important that I am going to repeat it.

No matter how good or bad the speaker is, there is always something valuable to learn.

Remember all the positive things that the speaker does and try it for size. See if it works for you.

Remember all the negative things that the speaker does and avoid it at all costs. Sometimes, you may want to ask yourself how you can modify and make it effective.

All of us - at some degree - evaluate speakers. We hear them all the time: “This guy is awesome!� or “Look at how he charmed the audience…� or “Gosh, he should not have crack this joke.� etc. However these evaluations are not thorough enough to offer much teaching value. They are merely observations. In order for us to learn to be better speakers, we have to probe deeper. Question your reactions to the speakers. What the speaker do/not do to make us think he is awesome? How did the speaker charmed you? Why do you think the joke is inappropriate? By asking these questions, you will then have a deeper understanding of the speaker’s motives and also objectively evaluate (as the audience) if it is effective.

I have an extremely simple way to evaluate any speaker - Use the 5W and H. Pay full attention to the speaker and his delivery. And then ask yourself the following questions:

[WHAT]
What did the speaker do that you like/dislike? What are the speakers’ strengths and weaknesses? What are the speaker’s strategies? What causes the speaker to be successful (or not)?

[HOW]
How did these strengths/weaknesses manifest itself in the delivery? How effective are the speakers’ strategies? How can the speaker improve? How can the speaker better himself?

[WHY]
Why did this aspect of the speech puts you off/appeals to you? Why do you think the speaker select this approach/style/topic?

[WHO]
Who is his target audience? Who will benefit from the speaker’s speech/style?

[WHEN]
When was the last time you have heard a similar speech?

[WHERE]
Where in the speech did the speaker create the most impact? Where in the speech were you lost/mesmerized?

Notice all the 5W and 1H can help you generate a whole list of questions? However there is no way you can have answers for all these questions by listening to the speech once (unless you have a photographic memory). What you can do though is to record the speech so that we can re-listen to it and uncover more learning points. Having said that I would recommend that you start with three questions:

1. What did the speaker did well or badly?
2. How can I apply the good points into my speech?
3. How can I avoid making the same mistakes that speaker made?

Simpler?

As you proceed on, you will find yourself automatically looking our for strengths and weaknesses in the speaker. When you become more comfortable, you can delve deeper and begin disecting the speech. You will find youself welcoming ALL speakers even the extremely boring ones coz there will always be something to learn! You will find your growth as a speaker accelerating. You avoid mistakes committed by others. You get to experiment stuff that works. You have more chance to make new mistakes which means more room for growth! Too good to be true right? Believe it!

And more importantly, start doing it. Speakers are everywhere. They can be your daily reporter, lecturer, classmate, supervisor, door salesman, telemarketer etc. The world is your classroom!

Oh one more thing, remember to jot down your evaluations somewhere. You may want to start a journal or even a blog. Whatever it is, write them down so that you can reference them in future when you prepare your next speech. Come to think of it, we should have some kind of Speakers’ Idol!


This is one part of a series of eight articles entitled "Unleash The Speaker In You- Eight Ways To Become A Better Speaker". Get the other tips here

Eric Feng is one of the youngest international certified coach and a celebrated Toastmasters both in Singapore and Philadelphia. He won the International Humor Contest at Division Level in 2005. He has been training over 2500 students (ranging from primary to tertiary levels) and adults from corporate organizations extensively. If you are keen to gain insightful and easy-to-apply tips on public speaking, check out his <a href="http://blog.ericfeng.com">blog</a>

Three Easy Steps To Be Good In Public Speaking
Throughout the history of human civilization, people have been expressing their confidence and strength, not only by force, but also by the noble art of public speaking.

The orators of ancient Greece were highly respected and valued in the community. Likewise, today�s world leaders are admired and esteemed when they have the power to address the public with poise and conviction.

Such a high regard for public speaking makes the average person cringe at the idea of talking in front of an audience no matter how big or small the size.

Whether giving a toast at a wedding or delivering a speech to a large assembly, most people make a big deal about public speaking and try to avoid it as much as possible. But public speaking should not cause such a big fuss. Challenging as it may be, public speaking can be done with a few simple guidelines.

Before Making The Speech: Preparation

Like any other endeavor, public speaking requires careful preparation to be successful. Many people would dream of having those �inspired� spontaneous speeches seen in movies; however, such scenes rarely happen in real life.

To have at least a decent speech, one should plan well. Even the world�s most famous leaders prepare for public addresses, and most even have teams to work on those plans.

Well, even if one does not have a speech preparation committee one can prepare for public speaking. First, one should know for what the occasion the speech is for. The Gettysburg address would definitely not be appropriate for a wedding; thus, a speech has to fit the event where it will be delivered to.

Second, one should examine the audience who will witness the speech. An assembly of academics would not take a perky speaker seriously; one should choose a suitable public speaking style based on the audience.

Third, one should ponder what is being expected in the speech. A farmer�s association would usually not be interested on a speech about the intricacies of beadwork; one should carefully study the subject matter to be tackled in public speaking.

Making The Speech: Writing

Again, dazzling spontaneous speeches rarely happen in real life. Most good speeches have been written before their delivery. While most noted public figures have speech-writing committees, one can make a good speech even without the help of a team of ghostwriters.

When writing for public speaking, one should carefully organize the contents of the speech. It usually pays well to begin with a very strong introduction. It is important to catch the audience�s attention early to prevent them from being bored easily. Next, the body should be purposeful.

The contents of the speech should relate well and support each other. It is not good to digress too much; though at times some deviations help attract attention when boredom arises. Lastly, one should make a conclusion that sticks to the mind. No matter how stirring a speech is, it is useless if the people forget it the instant they leave the gathering. Conclusions should give a concise but memorable recap of the body.

The Actual Public Speaking: Delivery

A written speech would not be consummated without the actual public speaking itself. This is the part most people are afraid of; but when proper planning and writing is done well, the delivery should follow easily.

One must decide whether to speak from memory or to use notes. Beginners should benefit from a script or a guide, when one becomes more comfortable speaking in public, one can start relying from memory.

Reading directly from a script can be quite boring for the audience; thus, it is important to keep constant contact with them. Speaking from memory is quite impressive, but it can be difficult to avoid missing some parts of the speech. Speaking with notes can be a good compromise so long as one is able to expound on the points well. The choice of how to deliver the speech depends entirely on the speaker; thus, it is important for one to weigh the options carefully.

Learning More About Public Speaking

Several resources could help one do well in public speaking. Several books and articles about the topic have been published and they can well be accessed through the library or the bookstore.

Many companies offer public speaking training, and such services provide in-depth courses that could help one speak well in public. There are also several articles and courses available through the Internet, some of them are even posted for free.

Public speaking is challenging, but can be a very worthwhile skill. With the guide provided above, one should no longer be afraid to speak in public. To find out more just visit: <a href="http://www.perfect-public-speaking.com">Perfect Public Speaking</a>

Motivational Speaking Tips - Taking Cues
Public speakers are always regarded as experts who are here to save us from our troubles and actually motivate us to become productive and positive thinking. There are actually all sorts of public speakers who try their hand (and luck) at becoming the next Dr. Phil. Of course, not all motivational and keynote speakers have Oprah to launch them to celebrity status. One must really work hard in order to achieve not only the popularity that public speakers like Dr. Phil are now enjoying but the authoritative claim on the topic that he or she wants to specialize in.

1. Being A Motivational Speaker

This means that you really have to take your job seriously as a lot of people are paying you to teach them a thing or two about the issues that concerns them. This is why aspiring keynote speakers should keep track of these helpful points to consider whenever delivering a public speech to be able to catch the attention of possible clients as well that may book them for seminars or get their professional help for their personal problems.

2. Duties And Responsibilities

- Supply your audience with the correct information
- Take reference of whenever employees need
- Make use of your gift with words
- Have a quality, canned presentation

3. Skip The Basics

Nobody wants to listen to a speaker who gives a blow-by-blow account of the stuff that he just read from a book. You will actually lose your audience?s interest if you commit this error and you?ll forever be stuck with being labeled by people as boring. Surely, this is the worst thing that could ever happen to a speaker because they are actually there as an authority figure, someone that the audience will likely listen to and not just be reminded of their old college professors whose fly is always open.

When it comes to your marketing strategies, however, you should always make sure that they send the right message. Don?t put too much focus on the packaging because whether this may refer to you or to the promotional material that you are actually going to hand out, it is best that you keep your focus on what?s inside, what the people would actually want to read or hear about. Appearance is nothing when you have nothing but fluff to back-up those glitter laced packages.

4. Accompany Your Presentation With Useful Resources

When making a promotional material for your keynote speaker appearances always make sure that your promotional material absolutely screams of your would be topic and make sure that it is a highly interesting one at that! Your audience will also appreciate viewing various testimonials from fellow believers, lacing your promotional materials with legitimate and accurate testimonials from actual persons who been to your talks affirms your claims as being an incredibly good keynote speaker who?s really able to reach out to people and who?s ideas and advices are really worth following.

Also, don?t ever forget to list down you credentials, that is, if you have any but try to stick to the ones that are relevant to your career as a keynote speaker and also leave some space wherein you will be able to talk about your field of expertise. But you also keep in mind to keep all these facts concise and novel like as people?s attention may tend to drift from one thing to another and you wouldn?t want to saturate their minds and their interest in you with a novel long promotional material.

5. Appearance and Presentation

Before going to your speaking engagement, pick the clothes you are going to wear. Choose something that will help you to feel confidence and will make you look credible. A neatly and well dressed speaker is more believable than a speaker who is poorly dressed and looks like something the cat dragged in.

For more great public speaking related articles and resources check out <a href="http://www.1st-class-speakers.com">http://www.1st-class-speakers.com</a>

Causes Of Public Speaking Phobia
According to World Book Online Research Encyclopedia, "Phobia is an unreasonable yet strong fear of a certain object, class of objects or a situation." People who suffer phobia have a compelling desire to avoid the object or situation that causes their stress.

Phobia may be classified into two types:

? Specific Phobia, such as fear of animals (i.e. Arachnophobia - Fear of spiders; Necrophobia - Fear of death or dead things).

? Social Phobia is an anxiety disorder where the sufferer fears being assessed adversely in front of a group. Thus, Public speaking phobia is an over-emphasized fear of speaking in front of a group.

According to World Psychiatric Association (1995), Social Phobia affects one to 10 people at some stage of their lives. Sufferers experience dizziness, muscle tension, trembling, blushing and/or sweating, and even heart palpitations when exposed to the feared object or situation. Others do not manifest physical symptoms but they are overtly conscious of how others react to them. They also have a tendency to underestimate their capability to overcome the feared situation.

Among the common effects of Social Phobia in a person are:

? Unstable employment record

? Have less or no friends

? Being single

? Having a low educational attainment

Studies show that public speaking phobia, and most phobias, develop in middle or late childhood stage. It usually starts from an unpleasant experience like being humiliated in front of the class; this unpleasant experience gets stored in the child's memory and is brought up when faced with similar situations.

Children who have been exposed to people with public speaking phobia, like their parents or friends, learn the phobia by hearing them. They immediately conclude that what they have heard of is true without actually verifying the facts.

Research also shows that genetics also play an important role in developing phobias. It has a tendency to occur in families. Phobias are mostly likely to occur in identical twins, than in fraternal twins.

Luckily, there are many ways to treat Phobia.

? PERSONAL MOTIVATION. There are many self-help books that can help you overcome your public speaking phobia. Your desire to overcome your fear is the most important factor of treatment.

? PROFESSIONAL TREATMENT. If self-treatment does not work for you, you can seek help from a professional. Exposure to therapy is a good example of this method, which focuses on the behavior instead of the thoughts of the sufferer.

? Other kinds of treatment include:

? Counseling - discussing your phobia with a professional.

? Hypnosis

? Medication - This method is used if the sufferer has other mental conditions that are affected by the phobia. The use of these drugs can only be used for a short period of time. Using medication alone cannot cure the phobia.

James Masterson is Stand out, Be Recognized and Be Remembered keynote speaker. Click Here To read his latest advice <a href="http://free-online-course.com/masterson" title="http://free-online-course.com/masterson" target="_blank">http://free-online-course.com/masterson</a>

Conquer Your Fear! Learn To Be Confident In Public Speech
In public speaking, fear maybe viewed as negative leading to ineffective communication. This is the tendency if you predict bad situations. Fear can be easily seen through physical manifestations: hands cold and clammy, rumbling speech, slouching and unwanted movements.

In public speaking, fear comes from the ?fear of the unknown.? Most people are afraid of not being liked, offending someone, forgetting everything, of stumbling and falling or ruining the effort.

But fear can be seen in a positive aspect as well. According to Kenneth McFarland, ?it is not necessary to banish fear in order to gain confidence. A wholesome fear of failure is one of the best guarantees of success.?

Fear can be a motivating force for the public speaker that adds strength, energy and conviction to otherwise lifeless ideas. Your courage is the ability to see fear in a realistic perspective. The way to curb your fear is to prepare thoroughly. But fear cannot be eliminated fully. It is meant to be conquered.

In any public speaking experience, stage fright and anxiety are hindrances to building your self-confidence. Stage fright is an emotional state that affects people the minute they stand before an audience. Having positive thoughts greatly help in managing stage fright. Believing that you are going to succeed, that you are effective as a speaker and that your audience will trust you and gain respect for you are sure winners to combat fear. Furthermore, being aware that nobody is perfect and everybody is prone to mistakes are effective thoughts to calm you down. Best of all, think that the audience is your friend.

If you need to know more on how to build your self-confidence, here are some practical tips:

1. Share your personal experience to begin your talk. Why? Because no one knows better than you do.

2. The most effective way out, if fear attacks you, is to do it. Conquer your fear. Do not hesitate just because you think that someone can do better that you do.

3. Accept that you know. Be confident to share about it.

4. As a public speaker, you ought to assume the delivery man role and that you carry an important message that you need to get across.

5. Apologizing in public speaking is a sin. Do not apologize for your material or even your lack of experience.

6. Be yourself and be confident. Do not imitate government officials in the way they speak. Speak in your own ?official capacity?.

7. Prepare for the occasion by dressing appropriately and then forget how you look.

Confidence is a key element in achieving success. But remember, be on guard against overconfidence.

James Masterson is Stand out, Be Recognized and Be Remembered keynote speaker. Click Here To read his latest advice. <a href="http://free-online-course.com/masterson" title="http://free-online-course.com/masterson" target="_blank">http://free-online-course.com/masterson</a>

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 and collective. In the Roman Forum were made speeches that affected the entire ancient world. Renaissance Italy, imperial Spain, unwieldy Russia, freedom loving England, revolutionary France, all experienced periods when the power of certain men to speak stirred other men into tempestuous action. The history of the United States might almost be written as the continuous record of the influence of great speakers upon others. The colonists were led to concerted action by persuasive speeches. The Colonial Congresses and Constitutional Convention were dominated by powerful orators. The history of the slavery problem is mainly the story of famous speeches and debates. Most of the active representative Americans have been leaders because of their ability to impress their fellows by their power of expressing sentiments and enthusiasms which all would voice if they could. Presidents have been nominated and candidates elected because of this equipment. During the Great War the millions of the world were as much concerned with what some of their leaders were saying as with what their other leaders were doing. There is no aspect of modern life in which the spoken work is not supreme in importance. Representatives of the nations of the world deciding upon a peace treaty and deliberating upon a League of Nations sway and are swayed by speech. National assemblies from the strangely named new ones of infant nations to the century old organizations speak, and listen to speeches. In state legislatures, municipal councils, law courts, religious organizations, theaters, lodges, societies, boards of directors, stockholders' meetings, business discussions, classrooms, dinner parties, social functions, friendly calls in every human relationship where two people meet there is communication by means of speech.

<a href="http://www.publicspeakingtip.org">Public Speaking Tip</a>: http://www.publicspeakingtip.org is a web site devoted to public speaking training. See how <a href="http://www.publicspeakingtip.org/speaking-qualities/facial-expression-and-gestures.php">Facial Expressions and Gestures</a> are important to public speakers.