Tag Archive for: public speaking

3 Presentation mistakes you have to avoid

Posted this on the Pivotal Public speaking blog ...

Love this, Tim ...

I’m sorry but I’m starting to get frustrated. And I’m due for a rant anyway.
If you are making these mistakes in your presentations then you’d better stop. Or I’m going to walk out. Quietly so you won’t see me.
Or I’ll just slowly stop listening.
Until all I hear is a soft buzzing of the audio equipment in the back. And the sound of a few chairs squeaking due to other uneasy victims being sucked into the vortex.
I do a lot of presentations and I’m not here to say that I am a big-time speaker. With the best slides and the A-list type content.
Someday Perhaps.
But I am watching you. To see what I can learn from you.
And lately I have been watching a lot of presentations. Great for me actually. To compare the good, the bad and the ugly. And to push myself to get better.
So I’ve picked three mistakes that I’ve seen over the past weeks. Some at a few big events (hint, I am writing from Las Vegas. Attending the Blog World Expo). As they happen, these mistakes feel like a slowly building stomach sickness. But more than that? I feel really frustrated. That quality speakers would make these mistakes:

http://bit.ly/aSc1Sn

Organizing a Speech – The Five Steps Required

So you have to give a speech! It could be for a friend's wedding, for an eulogy, or a presentation at work. No matter what the reason if you are not used to public speaking your first thought might be "how can I get out of it." But don't panic as I can help you overcome your fears with organizing a speech.
A good speech that you are complemented on is great for your self-esteem. Good preparation and practice at least twenty times is the key to success and helps deal with nervousness.
I have been public speaking since 2006 and can help you get organized. Here is what I do when organizing a speech. => http://bit.ly/aZbSc2

,

3 Presentation mistakes you have to avoid

Love this, Tim ...

I’m sorry but I’m starting to get frustrated. And I’m due for a rant anyway.

If you are making these mistakes in your presentations then you’d better stop. Or I’m going to walk out. Quietly so you won’t see me.

Or I’ll just slowly stop listening.

Until all I hear is a soft buzzing of the audio equipment in the back. And the sound of a few chairs squeaking due to other uneasy victims being sucked into the vortex.

I do a lot of presentations and I’m not here to say that I am a big-time speaker. With the best slides and the A-list type content.

Someday Perhaps.

But I am watching you. To see what I can learn from you.

And lately I have been watching a lot of presentations. Great for me actually. To compare the good, the bad and the ugly. And to push myself to get better.

So I’ve picked three mistakes that I’ve seen over the past weeks. Some at a few big events (hint, I am writing from Las Vegas. Attending the Blog World Expo). As they happen, these mistakes feel like a slowly building stomach sickness. But more than that? I feel really frustrated. That quality speakers would make these mistakes:

http://bit.ly/aSc1Sn

,

Busting the Mehrabian myth

Busting the Mehrabian myth
Can words really account for only 7 percent of the meaning of a spoken message? This short video animation puts 'Mehrabian's rule' under the magnifying glass and shows why it can't be true

, ,

Organizing a Speech – The Five Steps Required

So you have to give a speech! It could be for a friend's wedding, for an eulogy, or a presentation at work. No matter what the reason if you are not used to public speaking your first thought might be "how can I get out of it." But don't panic as I can help you overcome your fears with organizing a speech.

A good speech that you are complemented on is great for your self-esteem. Good preparation and practice at least twenty times is the key to success and helps deal with nervousness.

I have been public speaking since 2006 and can help you get organized. Here is what I do when organizing a speech.

All speeches have five essential steps in the following order.

1. A Goal

A goal is essential for organizing a speech. It is never part of the speech but is a guide to organizing a clear and meaningful message. Discussing everything possible about a subject is usually impossible because of time constraints and of not overwhelming your audience with information.

A goal therefore contains only one idea that specifies the speech's purpose. It maybe to persuade, entertain or inform.

Here is an example of an effective speech goal for a Best Man speech.

"I want my audience to know the three reasons why John and Emma are the perfect couple."

2. The Preview Statement

The preview statement is a direct result of the speech Goal. The Preview Statement should be one complete sentence that highlights the three or four things you want to say about a particular topic. Your preview statement lets the audience know what is coming in the speech.

An example for the best Man speech would be:

"The three reasons John and Emma are the perfect couple is because they love each other, they laugh with each other and they learn from each other."

This will be the last sentence of your introduction which I will discuss in step 4.

3. Main Points

The main points make up the bulk of your speech. Your main points should be consistent with your preview statement and be in the same order because your audience now has an expectation about what you will say.

Your first main point is "they love each other." You can then fill in the reasons, examples or stories.

Your second main point is "they laugh with each other." You could tell a funny story or something funny that might have happened.

Your third main point is that "they learn from each other." You could explain how much they have changed and grown since meeting.

4. Introduction

Many people think that writing an introduction is the first step to planning a speech. This is not true. The reason I have put it at number four is because it is important to know what the speech is about before you tackle the introduction.

An introduction must grab the audience attention and make sense with the rest of the speech and should set a tone. Is it funny, somber, serious or urgent? It can come in many forms: a story, a joke, or even a song. Use your preview statement as the last sentence to lead into your main body content as mentioned in number two.

5. Conclusion

The conclusion, in part, is a repeat of your preview statement. So you could start the conclusion by saying the example from the best man's speech as follows:So "The three reasons John and Emma are the perfect couple is because they love each other, they laugh with each other and they learn from each other."

This will let the audience know the speech is ending. You can then give a brief outline of the body of the speech to complete the conclusion.

Organizing a speech helps your audience follow your message and they will walk away remembering your key points. It is also great for self-confidence. You can do it!

Terry Luffman is the creator of Get Self Improvement. Visit My Site to find out more information and articles on Self Improvement and Overcoming Fears that will help you with giving a speech.

Eye contact is vital in a speech or presentation

Eye contact with your audience is vital because it reinforces your sincerity.
If you are nervous, choose the most responsive, supportive faces.
If the audience is large, focus on three or four people and making eye contact with them.

How to Give a Great Talk

One of the ways you can market your product or service is through public speaking.
 
For instance, you'll often see financial seminars advertised in your local newspaper. The ads invite you to come for a lunch or evening seminar ... typically just an hour or two ... on a topic like estate planning, retirement planning, or mutual fund investing.
The seminar, sponsored by a local brokerage, financial planner, or other financial services firm, is free.
So how do they make money? By converting some of the attendees into paid clients for whom they manage money, prepare estate plans, or provide other financial services.
This "give a free talk" strategy can work in many fields and venues.

Read more => http://bit.ly/cMqUU1

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Busting the Mehrabian myth

Busting the Mehrabian myth
Can words really account for only 7 percent of the meaning of a spoken message? This short video animation puts 'Mehrabian's rule' under the magnifying glass and shows why it can't be true

, ,

Using visualisation to prepare for your speech

Visualisation is a very useful tool in preparing for a presentation.

Visualise the feelings you have as you present. They will help you prepare for passion. They will also let you know if you are being authentic.

Visualise the audience – who they are, what they are thinking, how they are responding. Everything about your speech has to be geared to those things.

Visualise the audience members as they stand to leave. What are they thinking now? What will they do in response to you presentation? And you will know, very simply, the core message of your speech.

The answers to all of these will guide you as you work through preparing your speech.

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.