10 Simple Communication Tips For Private And Public Speaking
When you think about it, there really is so much to learn about the art of communication and conversation. Although, it is your throat and mouth that are making the sounds and movements, it’s you brain that is working twice as hard to communicate your knowledge.
The first step in learning to communicate effectively is by knowing the person you are closest to: yourself.
1. Know What You are Talking About
To be an effective speaker, educate yourself about the subject being discussed and practice what you have learned. We all have limitations, but that does not mean that you cannot learn to keep up with others and share what they know.
2. Listening
Asking questions is important, but so is listening. Oftentimes, just listening to the sound of you own voice will teach us to be somewhat more confident in ourselves and then we feel that we can talk about things we believe in with conviction.
3. Humility
No one is perfect, we all make mistakes from time to time, maybe slur our words or stutter. Maybe we mispronounce certain words although we know the meaning of the word that we are trying to say; we just rarely use it only to impress others. So if you are speaking to a group, do not be shy or afraid, ask them if you are saying the word properly. With any luck, they too will be unsure and you can just make a joke out of it. A little added humor never hurts; just make sure that it is tasteful.
4. Eye Contact
It is important to stay focused on your subject when talking to a group of people or in a meeting. Make eye contact with each individual, but do not linger, even though he or she may be gorgeous.
5. Humor
A little humor will go a long way in lifting the tension or boredom in a room when making a speech. This way, you will get the attention of the majority of the crowd and they will feel that you are down to earth and approachable.
6. You are No Different Than They are So Mingle a Little
Interact and mingle with other people. You will likely get some new ideas, as well as, learning a little bit about what makes people who they are.
7. Hear Yourself
Admit it, there are times when you sing in the shower. We all do it! Try practicing your speech in front of the mirror, this gives you the opportunity to hear the sound of your own voice and can help you correct the stress areas of your pitch. While you’re at it you can get spruced up.
8. Present Yourself with a Smile
Much like eye contact, a smile says it all. There is not any point in frowning or grimacing in a gathering or meeting, unless you are at a wake. You can express yourself better when you smile.
9. Have a Role Model
There is probably one or two people in your life you have listened to when they are presenting a speech at a public gathering or maybe in church. Take a mental note of how they emphasize themselves when they are talking. This may help you once you take center stage.
10. Preparation
Rather than being in a hurried panic and just scribbling down notes, it is best to be prepared. Know what you want to say, have a good set of notes available, just in case you need to take a peek. More importantly, be sure that you feel comfortable with what you are going to be talking about. After all, you do not want to be a nervous wreck and fall to pieces during your presentation.
And that about wraps it up. You can improve your communication skills by putting any of the above steps into action when it comes to private or public speaking. It also doesn’t hurt to just be with people and to listen how they make conversations and meetings far more enjoyable as well as educational.
Kevin Sinclair is the publisher and editor of My-Personal-Growth.com, a site that provides information and articles for self improvement and personal growth and development. http://www.my-personal-growth.com/
How To Get Your Contact Details Across: When The Organisers Won’t Let You
Have you ever spoken at an event and they won’t allow you to give your details? Have you gone on the radio and they forget to announce where you can be contacted?
If your contact details are left out or if you’re prevented from giving information, you’ll need to play the game a little smarter.
Understand that most reporters/radio announcers/organisers are quite accomodating. They understand that you’re giving your valuable time in exchange for the publicity. But often enough you’ll run into someone who’s power drunk or whose organisation just won’t budge.
And here’s what I’ve done. And you can do too.
Refer to your product or service many times in the speech. Give an example and say how that particular example coincides with the example on Page 34 or Page 65. Or in the third CD of your 20 CD Workshop. Or the FREE Report you gave at the last event. As long as you’re making perfect sense, you will not be stopped or reprimanded. Your speech will meet the host’s guidelines, yet all the time you’re leaking out information.
By the end of the speech, you should have created enough leaks for the audience to be extremely curious. They’ll want to know about Page 34. They’ll want to know about the FREE Headline Report you gave at the last event.
As your fame grows, you may not need to do any of the above. If the organisation doesn’t allow you to give your contact details you can refuse to do the interview/speech. However when you’re starting out, you may crave the additional publicity and that’s okay.
Be sure of one thing. Don’t let your speech be random. Create leaks and watch how the audience swarms around you after the event!
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How to Share Your Hard Earned Expertise for Huge Fees
Last month I sat beside a successful insurance sales person at a wedding reception. He told me he was very successful in sales and that he had a formula for success that allowed him to achieve a high level income and corresponding lifestyle.
He also said that he would be retiring in a couple of years and was concerned that he would become restless after the initial excitement of retirement faded. I asked him if he ever thought of writing a manual outlining his success formula and giving presentations to other sales people on how to apply it to their professional lives. He said he hadn’t but was definitely interested in finding out more about it.
Here is what I told him.
* There are literally thousands of professionals and other skilled people out there in the business world and in the professions with a wealth of accumulated knowledge and information at their fingertips.
* There are thousands who are hungry to hear what you have learned over your career.
* There is huge money in sharing your knowledge and expertise.
* If you have given ” Knock ‘Em Dead” presentations in the past why not continue doing it on your own time for very impressive fees?
* You begin by taking a problem that you know exists and needs solving within your industry and then offering solutions to that problem. You write the solutions out in a manual or special report and then offer your information product for sale within your profession using professional publications to advertise in. At the same time you make it known within your profession and in your manual that you are available to conduct seminars and workshops on the topic. Accept every invitation to speak that comes your way. As the word spreads about your ” Knock ‘Em Dead” style and the effectiveness of your message in solving a specific problem you soon become known as an expert in the field and requests for you to speak start pouring in.
* Stay within the industry you know well. If your manual applies to other related industries you can venture into newer pastures after you are established in the one you know best. It is better to be a big fish in a smaller pond so to speak.
Who can benefit from improving their public speaking skills and offering them to the marketplace?
* health care workers ( nurses, chiropractors, doctors, alternative health care providers)
* teachers ( They have an advantage over those who aren’t trained in the art of presentation)
* human resource consultants
* financial planners
* business managers / office managers/ supervisors
* writers
* consultants
* auto mechanics
* trades people
* social workers
The list is endless. Anyone who relates well to people and has a certain expertise can earn fantastic fees giving speeches.
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Are You A Presentation Karaoke Machine?
As a service provider, one of the best ways to market your business is to offer free presentations at association meetings. It’s a great way to share knowledge and build relationships. However, you’ve got to entertain as well as inform.
While reading the newspaper this morning I noticed a funny cartoon, Real Life Adventures, by Wise and Aldrich. Two businessmen are talking to each other and the one says, “It’s a presentation karaoke machine. You can play an earlier successful presentation and lip-sync to it. And since most meetings are about the same old thing every time, nobody even knows the difference.”
It got me thinking about how many pathetic presentations I’ve attended that did sound like they were coming from a presentation karaoke machine. The presenter didn’t care whether the audience was “getting it” or not, he just rambled on with his agenda. It was a waste of time for both the presenter and the audience.
Make Presentations Two-Way Communication
Presentations can be described as a one-way communication activity. The participants sit and listen while the expert “presents.” However, it’s this type of thinking that creates a karaoke presentation.
I prefer to think of presentations as an opportunity to engage my audience in my topic. Presentations can be a two-way communication activity if you take the time to make each presentation unique for the group you are presenting to. No matter what your topic, it can be tweaked to meet the needs of a specific audience.
For instance, if I am giving a talk on effective business writing techniques to a group of realtors, I would make sure the examples I use refer specifically to the writing of realtors. I would find out ahead of time what realtors consider their main problems when putting together a business message. From there I would incorporate solutions to these specific issues in my presentation.
A presentation isn’t effective unless the audience can relate to what you are saying. They have to bring the information into their world before it will make sense to them. That’s why it’s so effective to use examples common to them.
Adults Learn By Doing
Remember, adults learn by doing. Try to include some small, fun activity, in your presentation to involve your audience. Rather than telling them, let them experience the excitement of discovery. Arrange one of your main points to become an exercise for the audience.
The activity doesn’t have to be complicated or take a long time. I often use a handout where participants fill in the blanks. I encourage participants to work with the person sitting next to them to try to get the right answer. Everyone laughs when I read off the answers and we all have a good time.
Doing this accomplishes two things: you give the audience a break from your lecturing and you give yourself a break from lecturing. Now you can put yourself in the role of a facilitator and get some one-on-one interaction with audience members. It will also cause your evaluations to skyrocket. Adults get such few opportunities to have fun at work that these activities are greatly appreciated.
Michelle Howe, MBA, is an expert
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