You
keep a checklist handy for many of your regular tasks--grocery shopping,
scheduling your day and week, and creating a hyperlink, for example. Because
your profession requires you to speak to groups frequently, you have often
wished you could keep a speech preparation check-list handy, to remind you
how to get ready to generate the results you want. You won't have to wait
any longer. Here is your checklist for top-level speech preparation.
Adopt an upbeat ATTITUDE.
Form a mental picture of success. Assume you have something worth saying,
and that you will say it well. Anticipate your audience's unbroken
attention, laughter, and applause. Picture your listeners participating
actively in discussion, with relevant questions and comments reflecting
their rapt attention. Saturate your mind with these affirmative
expectations, leaving no room for doubt and fear.
Focus on the AUDIENCE
This way, you won't become excessively concerned about yourself--whether you
are dressed properly, making a favorable impression, and holding the group's
attention. Those self-directed thoughts can become obsessive, distracting
you from your main purpose: helping your listeners understand and accept
your message. And remember, audiences want you to succeed. Successful
speakers make meetings and conferences successful. Audience members aren't
critics, they are your cheerleaders. Embrace them emotionally even before
you say your first word--then they'll embrace you.
Be ANIMATED
Listeners don't want to wonder if you have a pulse. So don't read or recite
your message. . .tell it, as energetically as you would describe a fun
weekend. Move away from the podium, gesture freely, vary your voice, just as
you do in casual chit chat. Create what actors call "The Illusion of the
First Time." If you use Power Point, rely on the slides as prompts, not as
your script. Take a minute to jot down the names of three speakers you rate
very highly. Note: Every one of them strikes you as energetic, vital, and
sometimes dramatic. They ignite you because they sparkle.
Be ATTENTIVE
Remain on the lookout for audience feedback. When you detect confusion,
restate your point. When you see listeners nod in agreement, let their
support energize you. If participants start checking their watches, change
your pace or tell a relevant story to recapture their attention. Better
still, direct the group in brief interactive dialogue to elevate interest.
Use ANECDOTES
Some of our most cherished childhood memories revolve around bedtime, when
parents or others read stories to us, stimulating our imagination and
transporting us into majestic eras and scenes. As adults, we continue to
love "once upon a time," though speakers use different introductory
phrasing. People remember and learn from your stories, not from statistics.
Paint word pictures, giving a "you are there" feeling. Use suspense with the
skill of a novelist. Paul Harvey carved a grand speaking career on radio as
a master story teller, and Zig Ziglar did the same from the speaker's
platform.
Sharpen your APPEARANCE
Although casual and sometimes sloppy dress have gained some acceptance
(which you can verify at any public event, and even in numerous work
settings), your audience wants you to dress a notch or two above its norm.
Tasteful, professional clothing reflects that you respect them and the
occasion. Additionally, your grooming and manners should supplement your
professional image. Not surprisingly, you will gain confidence and energy as
well when you look your best and present yourself as a polished
professional.
Be ATYPICAL
Do something different from other speakers. Audiences withdraw from the
"some old same old," so they are drawn to creative speakers who go beyond
offering a standard three points and a summary. Examples: include unusual
props, impersonations, games, regular audience interaction, or magic if
that's your talent. Note: Every season, new TV shows succeed because they
become distinctive.
Next time you are going to face an audience, review these seven ways to
become a Grade-A speaker, and then implement them. Once more, here are the
seven A's that will enable you to connect with your audience immediately,
hold their unbroken attention, and encourage them to endorse your message
and respond with action: Attitude, Audience, Animated, Attentive, Anecdotes,
Appearance, and Atypical. You will welcome the results, and so will your
audience.
The information compiled on this site is
Copyright 1999-2009 by Attard Communications, Inc. and by the individual authors.
Business Know-How is a woman-owned business and a registered trademark of Attard Communications, Inc.
Phone: 631-467-8883.
You
keep a checklist handy for many of your regular tasks--grocery shopping,
scheduling your day and week, and creating a hyperlink, for example. Because
your profession requires you to speak to groups frequently, you have often
wished you could keep a speech preparation check-list handy, to remind you
how to get ready to generate the results you want. You won't have to wait
any longer. Here is your checklist for top-level speech preparation. 
-- helps organizations "Learn More. . .Earn More" through his speeches,
seminars, and coaching. Visit his Web site:
