6 Steps to Becoming a Powerful Public Speaker
Public speaking ranks right up there with death in terms of the
things we are terribly afraid to do. Whether it’s the fear of
being watched closely by others, or the insecurity and
self-conscious feeling of slipping up during the presentation,
these six tips will help you give a polished, professional speech
that you (and your audience) can be proud of!
1. Know your audience. This is the single best piece of advice
for delivering a presentation that really hits home. What are
there interests? Their backgrounds? Why are they coming to hear
you speak or present? What ideas do you have to share with them?
Approaching your speech as more of a “me-to-you” discussion
rather than a full-blown broadcast will make it more manageable
(and less stressful) and easier on you.
2. What do you want your audience to do as a result of your
speech? What’s really at the heart of your presentation? By
concentrating on the “end result” rather than slogging through
the beginning, you can create a powerful punch that drives home
your message instead of rambling on and losing your audience’s
interest (or missing the point entirely!)
3. Share a story. In public speaking circles, this is called a
“hook” – something that gets your audience’s attention and makes
them sit up and listen. Start off by asking questions or sharing
an experience you had. People like to be active, rather than
passive listeners. By giving them something that they can
identify with, you’ll find that these people are, in essence –
just like you! And that makes giving a presentation a whole lot
easier. Just be sure your story has a beginning, a point, and an
ending. There’s nothing quite as bad as telling a story to an
engaged audience and then forgetting why you told it!
4. If you’re selling a product, focus on the benefits instead of
the features. People would much rather hear WHAT a product can
do for them than HOW it does it. Narrow down your product’s
features until you get to the core of how it solves a problem.
If you need help with figuring out the difference between a
feature and a benefit, ask yourself “So What?” For example, if
you’re selling a vacuum cleaner that has a hypoallergenic filter,
put yourself in the customer’s shoes and ask yourself “so what?”
The answer would be something like, “It picks up dust, mold and
pet dander”. Again, “so what?” Answer, “You’ll feel relief from
runny nose and sneezing plus itchy, water eyes.” Now THAT’s a
benefit!
5. Don’t lean too heavily on media to make your message clear.
Powerpoint presentations are great for making specific points,
but they can be overwhelming – or downright boring. Instead,
give your audience something to DO by providing them with
fill-in-the-blank flip charts or “team activities”. These help
reinforce and emphasize your message in ways that a computer
presentation simply cannot.
6. Above all, make sure your speech ends in a way that reiterates
the beginning. Too often, speakers get carried away with the
details and leave their audiences asking, “What was the point of
all that?” People naturally digest information in “chunks”, so
focus on the big picture rather than all the pieces. If the
details are just as important, save it for an after-speech
handout that the audience can take with them and read over at
their leisure.
If you keep these six tips in mind, you’ll not only have an
easier time overcoming your fear of public speaking, but you’ll
have a very appreciative audience who will in turn be more
receptive and eager to try your product or service. Go get ‘em!
Author
George Whitecraft
http://whitecraftshoppingmarketing.biz/info/l/tbp
http://whitecraftshoppingmarketing.biz/info/l/pba
posted by George @ 1:54 PM
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