The ABC’s of Public Speaking

APPEARANCE

• First impressions count.
  
• Dress appropriately for the occasion.
  
• Your competence is judged before you even open your mouth.

BODY LANGUAGE

• Eye contact establishes a connection.
  
• Smiling puts the audience at ease.
  
• Good posture gives an air of confidence.

CLARITY

• Use easy-to-understand language.
  
• Know what message you want to share.
  
• Don’t speak over people’s heads.

DELIVERY

• Dramatize your ideas for maximum impact.
  
• Be yourself. Speak in a conversational style.
  
• Project your voice based on the size of the audience.

ENTHUSIASM

• Your attitude is contagious.
  
• You must be interested in your subject.
  
• Little recognized “secret of success.”

FOCUS ON YOUR MESSAGE

• Establish a theme or a main point.
  
• Mention your main point at least three times.
  
• Try not to drift from your point.

GESTURES

• Appropriate gestures will animate your presentation.
  
• Illustrate your ideas with your hands.
  
• Use gestures only when making a point.

HUMOR

• Remember: people want to be entertained.
  
• Tell stories with unexpected twists.
  
• Try to sprinkle humor in every talk.

IMAGINATION

• Use your creativity and uniqueness in preparing your presentations.
  
• Ask yourself: “How can my presentation stand out from the crowd?”
  
• Albert Einstein was right – “Imagination is more important than knowledge.”

JUSTIFICATION

• Support your ideas with concrete facts, anecdotes and illustrations.
  
• Give reasons to back up your viewpoints.
  
• Be prepared to defend your ideas.

KNOWLEDGE

• Research + Rehearsal = Relaxation
  
• Internalize your presentation – make it part of you.
  
• Speak about what you know and what you do well.

LAUGHTER

• Quickest way to win over an audience.
  
• Appeal to people’s humanity and self-interest.
  
• Breaks the tension.

MAKE ONE POINT AT A TIME

• Make a point.
  
• Drive it home.
  
• Make another point.
  
• Drive it home.

NARRATE YOUR TALKS

• Share a personal story.
  
• Let the audience relive the experience with you.
  
• Alternate from first to third person.

ORGANIZATION

• Opening: Quote, story, or command
  
• Body: Three to five main points
  
• Conclusion: Make it memorable

PAUSE

• Use silent transitions from one point to another.
  
• Let the audience absorb what you just said.
  
• Add value and dramatic appeal to your speech.

QUALITY TOPICS

• Choose a topic that is significant to you.
  
• Make sure your audience can relate to your topic.
  
• Tailor your message to each individual audience.

REHEARSE MATERIAL

• Preparation and practice are essential.
  
• Reduce your dependency on notes.
  
• Visualize yourself performing at peak levels.

SELL YOURSELF AND YOUR MESSAGE

• Show the audience how they can benefit from your message.
  
• Believe in the value of your message.
  
• To be convincing, you have to be convinced.

 TELL STORIES

• Share anecdotes from personal experiences.
  
• Borrow inspirational stories about other people.
  
• Don’t just recite facts and stats; tell a story.

UNDERSTAND AUDIENCE’S NEEDS

• Know your audience.
  
• What issues are important to them?
  
• What are this group’s objectives?

VARY YOUR APPROACH

• Try new techniques.
  
• Add new stories.
  
• Remove parts of your speech that are no longer relevant.

WATCH AUDIENCE’S REACTION

• Observe what works and what doesn’t.
  
• Tape record and/or videotape your speech.
  
• Get feedback from audience.

X-EMPLIFY GREATNESS

• Be an example of honesty and integrity.
  
• Speak from your heart.
  
• Make your presentations dynamic.

YESTERDAY IS HISTORY

• You are only as good as your last speech.
  
• Keep developing your skills.
  
• Stretch your comfort zone.

ZONE IN ON YOUR AUDIENCE

• What do you have that the audience needs?
  
• Why were you asked to speak to this group?
  
• It’s not about you – it’s about what you can give.