Calm public speaking nerves by "scouting the territory"

There are many things you can do before your speech to calm nerves. Obviously being prepared is one, and another is a set of things that make up a routine to go through beforehand.

Before you make your presentation, if at all possible, arrive at the venue early and make it your own. Walk the walk you will make to the stage or lectern. Walk around the room and make yourself comfortable with your surroundings. Feel comfortable with those surroundings ... feel confident walking, standing, looking.

When you come back to actually present, that feeling should still be there and you can harness and use it to present with confidence.

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Learn from the Top Presentation Experts in the World

From Ellen Finkelstein
(in case you've been living under a rock and missed it!!)

This has got to be good!!

Would you like to ask questions and get answers from top presentation, PowerPoint, and speaking experts?

Join my new Outstanding Presentations Workshop webinars, for free! Learn how to eliminate Death by PowerPoint and make your presentations come to life as you listen to guest experts share their best techniques and answer your questions!

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Inspirational Speeches Are About Being Better

Inspirational speeches inspire an audience to be something different. A motivational one on the other hand motivates them to do. The two can sometimes become one. A general might, for instance, in one speech inspire his troops to love their country and motivate them to fight for it.

So inspirational speeches reach into the souls of people and convince them that they can be braver or more brilliant. It might inspire people to help with the homeless or the victims of an earthquake. Inspirational speeches inspire people to be better citizens or fuller human beings.

The opening of such a speech is critical. You have to grab the attention of your audience in a way that they won't become distracted. You will want them to hang on to every word you say. So it is good to challenge them in some way at the beginning by telling them perhaps to Make more of what you have. Then you can list the qualities they might already have such as kindness, musical alibility, generosity or an organizational bent. Your speech can continue by telling them to enhance those qualities by consciously using them to help others.

It is good to give examples in an inspirational speech. The fundraiser might speak of what Mother Theresa of Calcutta could achieve in her lifetime. He or she might speak of the legacy she has left behind, of how the other nuns in her order are carrying out her work of caring for the destitute and dying. Alternatively the speaker might speak of how an entrepreneur began his or her now multi -million dollar business in the shed at the back of his/her home.

An inspirational speech convinces the audience that they have something special to offer. It inspires them to achieve more in their lives. You might say, for instance, about luck- you can make your own. You might give the example of the person who wins lots of radio quizzes. He might be the one who always has a postcard ready, stamped and addressed to the show so his will be the first right answer sent in. He might have his computer beside him to check answers to a phone in quiz. Like the Boy Scouts he is always prepared.

Inspirational speeches are more often about changing our selves in a way that makes us help others. One of the clearest messages that comes through in many inspirational speeches is that together we can make things happen.

Niamh Crowe
Copyright Speechwriters 1994-2007
marketing@speech-writers.com
Tel. +353 1 8333599

Niamh Crowe is the CEO of the web's leading speech site ( http://www.speech-writers.com ) according to Alexa.com and Ranking.com. Online since 1994, her site has thousands of speeches for every event and occasion including birthdays, weddings, graduations etc. She lives in Ireland where she is married to Fred. They have 5 children.

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Speech quotation for the week

~ Advertising is speech. It's regulated because it's often effective speech. ~
Jef I. Richards

Converting your written speech to a spoken presentation

 

The end result is a spoken presentation.

Spoken language is very different from the written. Writing tends to use far longer, more convoluted sentences, which often use voices that we would not use in speech. Try reading out the sentence you just read and see how awkward it sounds when it is spoken.

Again, it is a case of speaking to the audience in their language – the language they expect to hear spoken.

So if you need to write your presentation first, take the time to read it out loud, and then say those same ideas as if you were telling someone face to face. If you absolutely have to have a written draft, then re-write using what you said aloud. Make sure, though, that you can make eye contact.

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Impact and Income Beyond the Stage: Leverage Your Speaking Career into an Expert Empire

with Josh Shipp

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Paid speaking engagements are only the beginning of your impact and income. Learn from Inc. magazine award-winning entrepreneur Josh Shipp how he leveraged his red-hot speaking career into an empire.

You will learn:

• A step-by-step formula for getting a major book deal
• How to leverage your speaking gigs for mass impact and income
• Secrets for communicating what you do to the media for exposure and bookings
• The system for packaging your current content and selling it on multiple platforms
• The five things I wish someone had told me when I started this business

More information => http://bit.ly/axbJXx

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Blast Off to Big Results: Openings Set the Tone

When you stand up to speak, you have no guarantees that your audience will listen intently to your every word. We all know that behind those "I'm-all-ears" looks, your listeners' minds can wander. Think about how much your mind has wandered during other people's presentations!

You can't gain support, sell ideas, or push a new initiative if people aren't listening. So, it's your job to shatter that fixed facade, grab your listeners' attention, and hold on tight. You have to earn their attention right from the beginning of your talk. Here's how:

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Today's read – was (almost) the Bible of PowerPoint

Beyond Bullet Points: Using Microsoft PowerPoint to Create Presentations That Inform, Motivate and Inspire  
C. Atkinson

Atkinson shares his innovative three-step system for increasing the impact of your communications with Microsoft PowerPoint. He guides you, step by step, as you discover how to combine the tenets of classic storytelling with the power of the projected media to create a rich, engaging experience. He walks you through his easy-to-use templates, plus 50 advanced tips, to help build your confidence and effectiveness—and quickly bring your ideas to life!

FOCUS
Learn how to distill your best ideas into a crisp and compelling narrative.

CLARIFY
Use a storyboard to clarify and visualize your ideas, creating the right blend of message and media.

ENGAGE
Move from merely reading your slides to creating a rich, connected experience with your audience—and increase your impact!

Beyond Bullet Points takes a new approach based on telling a story with structure. But it also learns from other media - Newspapers - make your headlines meaningful. Movies, use a storyboard to plan your story before you think about visuals.

The book is available from Amazon

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Today's blog posts

From Pivotal Teachers

15 Essential Back to School Podcasts

From Pivotal Public Speaking

Speaking thought for the Day

Public speaking and success for your business

From Pivotal Personal Best

Meetings 101

From Pivotal Kids

Give your kids a head start in their homework

Public Speaking – The Power of Enthusiasm

Enthusiasm is a necessary qualification for effective speaking. When you show enthusiasm it is contagious. The enjoyment and knowledge that is demonstrated for your subject will result in increased listener enjoyment and your speech being more convincing.

For public speaking, the enthusiasm required, as described by Coleman Cox, "is inspired by reason, controlled by caution, sound in theory, and practical in application, reflects confidence, spreads good cheer, raises morale, inspires associates, arouses loyalty and laughs at adversity."

Enthusiasm in public speaking is about being passionate about the subject of your speech and being able to convey it to others. The enthusiasm must be demonstrated in your tone of voice, body language, gestures and facial expressions to transfer it to your audience. The feeling of excitement must come through as you deliver.



Some people are naturally enthusiastic and they are that way because they have developed the necessary habits. You must want to be enthusiastic to become enthusiastic.

Frank Bettger author of "How I Raised Myself from Failure to Success in Selling" attributes his success to enthusiasm. His advice is "act enthusiastically and you'll be enthusiastic." By acting on his own advice he put his "heart" into selling and went from failure to the top of his field for several years.

If you are not naturally enthusiastic, it can be created as a result of your attitude and enjoyment of the topic or by believing in a cause. By taking the time to apply the following it is possible to develop enthusiasm:

1. Choosing a positive optimistic nature and attitude

2. By putting your whole heart and soul into every you do

3. Do not let criticism put you off your stride

4. Develop a burning desire in your subject by thinking about it and living it everyday.

5. Have an active interest in people

6. Spend your time with people who are genuinely enthusiastic. Their positive emotions will "rub off" onto you.



Unless you want to be enthusiastic you will never be enthusiastic. If you are ashamed of the topic or dislike it you will not be able to develop enthusiasm for it. Genuine enthusiasm only comes from something you believe in or enjoy.

One of the factors that contributed to the late John F. Kennedy's speaking success was the enthusiasm he displayed when delivering his speech. Sure, he had good speechwriters but without his enthusiasm, the speeches would not have been nearly as effective. A person conveying their speech in a monotone voice, boring and steady manner will not be as effective at getting their message across.

An enthusiastic delivery can overcome other shortcomings in your presentation. Where you are not naturally enthusiastic it can be developed provide you choose to be. By being genuinely enthusiastic and combined with preparation and knowledge your public speaking will be more confident and effective.

Be more effective in your public speaking and conversation with "The Art of Great Conversation." To claim your free preview visit http://www.SelfConfidentSpeaking.com