Have you ever given a speech at a trade seminar and noticed that half of your audience wasn't paying attention? Did you watch people fall asleep just as you were about to make
your most important point during a press conference? Have you wondered how you could assist your CEO in commanding a more dynamic presence behind the podium?
Let's face it. There are a select, lucky few who are born with that indescribable "something" that helps them capture and hold an audience's attention. But for most of us,
public speaking is a learned skill that requires practice. As a PR counselor, you may play the role of spokesman, speechwriter or coach on any given day. Here are some pointers
to keep in mind next time you're the speaker:
Maintain good posture. Keep your shoulders back and your head held high. A good exercise that will help you improve your posture involves standing against a wall with
your heels and shoulder blades pressed against the wall. Stand against the wall for one minute without moving. Then, step away from the wall and continue to hold your body
exactly as you did when you were standing against the wall. Practice walking normally while holding your body in this position. If you do this exercise daily, your posture will
improve dramatically in just one week.
Use gestures. A boring speaker keeps his arms firmly planted at his side and never uses his hands for emphasis. A nervous speaker fidgets and tugs on his clothes while
speaking. A confident speaker uses his hands to further illustrate a point. President Bill Clinton is a master at effective body language. When he speaks, he uses his hands to
draw the audience in and further engage them in his most critical points. Practice speaking in front of a mirror so you can observe your own gestures.
Project your voice. It is almost impossible to be too loud when giving a speech. Do not shout but make sure the person in the very back of the room can hear you easily.
When you practice your speech, have someone planted in the very back of the room to tell you whether or not they can hear every word clearly. Most people breathe backward,
meaning that when they inhale, they suck in their stomachs. Practice breathing the opposite way. As you inhale, your stomach should expand. As you exhale, your stomach should
contract. This will help ensure that your voice carries.
Make eye contact. Sweep the room and try to make eye contact with everyone in the audience. If people know you are looking at them, they will pay attention. Try not to
fixate on your notes as you speak.
Avoid bad timing. Speaking right before or immediately after a meal can be a kiss of death. Before lunch, people will be hungry and will not pay close attention.
Afterward, attendees will feel sleepy and you'll have a tough time capturing their interest. If you must speak before or after a meal, ask the audience to take a quick break so
they can walk around and wake themselves up.
Size up the environment. Always visit your venue before the day of the speech and find out exactly where you will be standing. Avoid being positioned by an open window
or door, and try to stay away from direct sunlight. These all provide distractions and may detract from your speech.
Do your homework. The more you understand about your audience's concerns, the more powerful your presentation will be. I can't tell you how many times I've listened to
a speaker who was either talking over the audience's heads or speaking down to them. Technical experts such as engineers are often guilty of talking over audience members' heads,
whereas self-important CEOs tend to patronize listeners. If you respect your audience, they will respect you in return.
Keep it brief. Let your audience leave wanting to hear more. The worst critique is an indication that they've heard more than enough.
Finally, be direct. Winston Churchill said, "If you have an important point to make, don't try and be subtle or clever. Use a pile driver. Hit the point once. Then come
back and hit it again. Then hit it a third time - a tremendous whack." Churchill knew of what he spoke. The most common mistake speakers make is trying to include too much in
their speeches. Studies we've conducted show that audiences will retain about 25% of the information shared in any given speech. Distill your key points down to two or three.
Pack too much in and you'll run the risk of losing people.
Jennifer Rabin is a former television news anchor and the founder of Command
Image, an image definition and communications consulting company serving CEOs,
executives, corporate spokespeople, athletes and politicians. She prepares clients
for speeches, presentations, TV interviews and public appearances. 650/620-9090.
[email protected].
http://www.CommandImage.com.
Common Speech Impediments
Caffeine and dairy beverages. Never drink them right before you speak. Both liquids will negatively impact your vocal chords.
Idiosyncrasies and inadvertent habits. Have someone videotape you speaking and then review it so you can see what your audience sees. You may be subconsciously prone
to repeat a gesture that's distracting.
Fear. The very best way to get over your fear of public speaking is to practice, practice, practice. Ask friends and family members to assign you impromptu speech
topics. Then, have them time you for two minutes as you speak on each subject.