I’m leading a training session today with a client group to help them have more confidence, more impact, and more connection when they are delivering a presentation. I’ll be sharing some of my favorite techniques that have helped many of my financial services clients grow their businesses, as well as with my students in my public speaking classes at Rutgers University.
Here are my top six Knock Out best practices!
Prepare, Prepare, Prepare!
If you’re not prepared or qualified to deliver your presentation, then you shouldn’t be delivering your presentation. Know your material cold and allow your slides or handouts to serve as prompts.
Start with Your Best Stuff!
A quote, story, anecdote, question, or powerful opening statement will get your audience’s attention, create curiosity, and make you as the speaker more confident. Think about the most compelling information you have and make that the first thing you say. Don’t begin with, “Hi, my name is…and I’m here to discuss…”
Public Speaking is NOT a Conversation
Well, kinda, sort of. Big difference between speaking to an audience and having a conversation with friends. Public speaking requires preparation, projection, knowledge, timing, a logical order of topics, process, style, and a flair of entertainment depending on the topic.
Be Interactive
Imagine you’re the speaker and you toss a ball to an audience member. Then they toss it back to you. Then you toss it back to another audience member, and they throw it back to you. Back and forth, back and forth. That’s what our speaking points should do with the audience – back and forth. Keep them looking for the ball or tossing the ball back. I call that flow! Great speakers keep their audience in flow.
Create an Outline
I love the 5 Finger Rule. Look at your hand. Your thumb is your open (Best Stuff), your three fingers are your speaking points (of course, you may have more than 3 speaking points), and your pinky is your close. In essence, almost every talk should have an open, some speaking points, and a close. Keep this thought when preparing your outline and you’ll hold your audience in the palm of your hand.
Speak Through Your Slides NOT to Them
Don’t read off your slides word for word. Your audience can do that. Develop the knowledge and skills to speak extemporaneously allowing you to share information relevant to the slide but not reliant on it. Slides and other visuals may prompt you to share a story, an example, or reflection and help the audience stay focused and process content.
Pow!
Next week, I’ll share more Public Speaking best practices around avoiding filler words, body language, gestures, eye contact, pauses, tonality, cadence, vocal variety, handouts, supporting materials, handling questions, asking questions, and ending with your best stuff!
Well, that’s my best stuff!
What is one of YOUR best practices for public speaking?
