For most people, giving a speech before a large audience ranks in the same category of endeavors as root canals and tax audits. To help make this process less painful, PR
News called on Susan Granger, who clocks in upwards of 30 speaking engagements per year (with audiences ranging from 200 to 3,500) on topics from motivational confidence
empowerment to highlighting her distinguished career as an entertainment journalist (including assignments for the New York Times and Paris-Match).
Granger offers these four user-friendly public speaking tips:
1. Remember, you're among friends. "When you go to do a lecture, remember that everyone out in the audience is rooting for you," she advises. "They want you to be
good. They're really a cheering section for you. And they are very forgiving if you stumble a bit or if your mouth goes dry."
2. Don't wing it. Granger learned this lesson years ago when seeing a legendary show biz quintet with a reputation for insouciant improvisation.
"Maybe this dates me somewhat, but I recall seeing the Rat Pack in Las Vegas," she says. "They did two shows per night. I had tickets for the late show, but I peeked in to
see the early show. They were so funny, doing all those ad-libs and falling down, and I hoped they would be just as funny for their late show. And it turned out, for the late
show they did the exact same thing! Every ad-lib I thought was ad-libbed was rehearsed! So don't be lulled into complacency thinking these professional performers don't have
everything down pat."
3. Rehearse in a relaxed manner. Granger is not a proponent of vigorously rehearsing speeches in front of a mirror or a captive audience of family and friends.
Instead, her approach is somewhat more aquatic: "I swim at the Y every morning and I rehearse my speed in my head while swimming. On the night or morning before the talk, I will
read over it again."
4. Don't forget the Q&A sessions. The best way to avoid being trapped by gotcha-style inquiries in post-speech Q&A sessions is easy, according to Granger: "Know
your material. If you get a question you don't expect, you can say 'Interesting you should ask that!' and that gives you a little vamping for time while you consider an
answer."
She adds that if you don't know the answer to a question, just simply state you don't know.
Contact: Susan Granger, [email protected].