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Powerful Speaking Tips
Don't speak at the audience - instead speak directly to each individual in the audience by making eye contact with each one in the audience. Deliver a few words as you look at the person - then move your glance to another. Too long a glance is intrusive - too short can appear shifty-eyed.
Smile when you start your presentation. Smile when you have stated an important fact. Smile when you want them to laugh. Smile just after you said your name. Smile when asking for the order. Smile when you close. There are many occasions to smile. Use them.
Your opening must grab their attention and establish rapport. Reveal an amazing statistic; ask a question; state a quotation from a famous person; create a visual image, tell a story. Don't start with "Today I'm going to talk about...' That's boring.
Help your audience laugh. Use exaggeration or surprise. Tell a funny story about something silly you once did. Humour is tragedy or embarrassment removed by time. Don't tell jokes that put anyone down. Humour must be inclusive not exclusive.
Be prepared - but don't be so slick they disbelieve you. People accept your errors. It makes you look human and imperfect like they are. Don't fret about small mistakes - just carry on. And don't apologize about every mistake - it over-emphasizes the mistakes.
Speak in the language of the listeners. Engineers need how to's and facts - tolerances, specifications & blueprints. Accountants want numbers - balance sheets, debits & ROI. Sales people are interested in - commissions, customer benefits & price. Find out what the organization calls their people - members, staff, associates, investors or true believers.
Play with your voice to keep interest and emphasize key points. Lower your voice to make an important point. Speed up when you are describing a process. Ask rhetorical questions which allow you to inflect your voice. Put feeling in words that naturally lend themselves to emotion, e.g. family, Christmas, grandma, home, first prize, baby, vacation…
Make your close memorable and effective. Conclude with a call to action; end with a quotation; sum up your key points; repeat your opening line; end with a story. Avoid ending with 'thank you' - it is a very weak close - and not memorable. You can say 'thank you' after they applaud.
George Torok specializes in helping executives and business professionals present their messages with impact. You can arrange for George to work with you by calling 800-304-1861. To learn more about his keynote speaking, coaching, and training programs visit www.Torok.com