At today’s meeting of Realtor’s Toastmasters 2512, we had three very good speeches as is typical of my club.

I had the opportunity to evaluate one of the speakers, Red Nelson whose speech focused on a variation on a theme.   He started with a deck of cards, and flipped it to reveal the Ace of Hearts. Lucky in love he suggested.

He then talked about three other types of cards. Advertising post cards, greeting cards and business cards. All variations on a theme of “cards”

When discussing the advertising post card, he suggested that we are all conditioned to look at the reverse of  a post card, just as we tend to want to flip a face down card to see what is on the other side.

When discussing greeting cards, he noted that a preprinted card is not all that inspiring, although we are all likely to open greeting cards mailed to us, where we may not open other junk mail. What really matters he pointed out is the added cursive writing on a card, the little extra effort that makes in personal and meaningful.

He then discussed business cards, and how the little extra of a meaningful logo or other significant short piece of information can go a long way toward making a business card more meaningful.

He tied it all back together by bringing back the deck of cards and re-emphasizing how we as people are conditioned to  look for more than the one side of cards. That we tend to automatically look for more information with the format.

In my evaluation, I suggested that he could have taken it a tiche further by suggesting more people use the reverse side of their business cards.

So what’s the message from all this?

First, when looking for a topic for a speech, even simple common things like a deck of cards can be used to serve as the foundation of a meaningful talk.  Just expand the idea and think about possible variations.

Second, part of the value of a toastmaster group is the evaluation provided by a member. Now many of us can be hyper sensitive to criticism, unless it is put into a positive framework.  In Toastmasters we offer criticism as a formal part of the meeting. That way it isn’t seen as being picked on as it is expected. Further, we practice what we refer to as a “Sandwich.”  This means an evaluation starts and ends with some positive comments, with a suggestions sandwiched in between.  We all need criticism to help us recognize and act upon shortcomings.

This is true in all aspects of life, but we frequently freeze out criticism by accepting it poorly and/or reacting negatively to those who do try to offer advice.  Public speaking is an art form and one where the recognition of strengths and weaknesses permits faster progress than in a situation where only positives or only negatives are offered.

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I started my most recent Toastmasters Speech with the declaration, “It was  a mistake!”  I then went into the standard Toastmaster introduction acknowledging the Toastmaster, my fellow Toastmasters and the guests before repeating once again, “It was a mistake!”

It worked well to grab my audience’s attention. It piqued their curiosity and suggested to them a story was to follow. We all seem to enjoy stories of other people’s mistakes, if only to learn from them.

And when giving a speech, its important to grab that attention and get it focused on your presentation.  In my case I was telling a fable I created about a mouse empire situated on the banks of the Mississippi between Minnehaha Falls and Fort Snelling.  This story with a moral was to accomplish the objectives of the third speech from Toastmaster’s Story Telling Advanced Manual .

The mistake, by the way, was buying not one but two pet mice, an actual event of my young adulthood.  The story, built off that mistake and took it to another level, creating an empire of mice flourishing in the river gorge where I enjoy frequent walks.

My purpose here is not to retell the story, but to share the introductory device.  While I often like to start speeches with a provocative question, designed to draw the audience in, the use of a compelling statement can accomplish the same purpose.

By exclaiming it upfront before addressing the toastmaster and crowd, I was able to use the phrase twice. Once in a loud dramatic manner, and then again with a quieter more intimate voice.  The intervening introduction served the role of a pause, allowing the audience to subconsciously wonder what the mistake was.

My evaluator suggested that I could have used even more vocal variety, particularly on the first exclamation.  I have taken that suggestion to heart and will work more dramatic vocal variations into my next speech which is coming up in a couple of weeks as part of our clubs Tall Tales contest.

My presentation went well enough to allow me to claim the days “best speaker” award which is never a foregone conclusion in my quite capable club. The days other two presentations were very well done as well.

It’s no mistake to grab your audience’s attention from the get go.  When you plan your next talk, consider how you can grab your audiences attention from the very start.

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I just created a new Flip Cam video to publicize the new free report I an offering to readers of this blog.   It’s called An Anatomy of a Speech.

In it I provide some solid tips on how to go about writing a speech or business presentation.  To get your free copy, just fill in your first name and email address in the form on the right. You will need to confirm that we have the right email address and that you have given permission for me to send it.  As soon as you sign up, an email will automatically get sent to you. When you get it there will be a link you need to click. Once you do that you will be taken to a download page.

The video below is part of my continuing efforts to expand my use of media.  I’ve recently become quite aware of the need to keep these videos short. This one is well under two minutes. I like my little Flip camera, even though it doesn’t like my “Es’s”  I hope you like it.

Some day I will upgrade, but for now it’s adequate. (at least I hope it is.)

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If you wish to improve your personal communication skills you should certainly explore the programs of Toastmasters international. Perhaps the world’s largest self help organization, Toastmasters has clubs in virtually every nook and cranny of the world. In medium to large cities in the US and elsewhere you may find dozens to a hundred or more different chartered clubs.

The ability to give an effective presentation is important in many aspects of contemporary society and is likely to remain so, even in the digital age. One of the strengths of the Toastmaster format is that it teaches not only formal presentations but informal extemporaneous responses as well.

The typical format of a Toastmaster meeting is split between what are called table topics and formal speeches. During the table topics portion, and topics master will call upon members and ask them a question to which they are asked to give a short 90 second of so response. This practice allows people to develop good communication skills when handling day to day interactions, with customers, clients, and bosses.

A confident response with a clear beginning, middle and end is far more likely to clinch a sale then a hemmed and hawed response. This single aspect of the Toastmaster program could be worth tens of thousands of dollars in added sales, or more for some.

The second portion, the formal speech portion consists of typically 3 speakers giving 5 to 7 minute prepared speeches. Toastmasters has a series of manuals which members use to focus on different aspects of speaking from vocal variety to gestures to working with words. These formal speeches thus help members develop different specific communication skills with each new speech.

The 5-7 minute format also forces speakers to focus their attention on the most important part of their particular topic- a valuable skill in itself.

Once the formal speeches are concluded, they are evaluated by members in a supportive manner that also serves to teach good evaluation skills that are also great in another light for upcoming managers, as they focus on giving positive reinforcement as well as constructive criticism.

Individual clubs will vary this basic format to meet their particular circumstances, but the net result is a safe and friendly environment where people of all walks of life can find support while learning to perfect their personal communication skills.

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Start with a clear idea of your persuasive speech’s objective. What do you want your audience to do as a result of your speech. Condense it into a single sentence. Keep this in mind throughout.

Draft a preliminary Call to Action, specifically asking your audience to do what you want them to do.  If yours is a sales speech, be clear as to what the next step you want them to take is. Is it to buy your product, or perhaps to test drive it, or maybe just to begin the process of considering your product.

Prepare three solid reasons why they should do what you want.  Start by brainstorming 6-10 good reasons. Group those that are closely related into the three main concepts, and then rank them according to their relative importance.

You now know where you want your audience to go and why from your perspective.

Now stop and think more carefully about your audience. Who are they? Are they the decision makers? Or support staff?  Are they capable of making a decision to buy on the spot, or is there a process that will be required.  Consider their age, gender, existing relationships with your competitors, geographical distribution issues and any other factors that will influence the way they hear what you have to say.

You’ve already identified what you have to say, the goal here is to understand how best to say it, so your audience hears what you have to say.  You may rank the importance of your arguments one way, they may another. If there is a difference, consider re-ranking yours. A good persuasive speech communicates what the audience wants to hear and know.

Now for each major point on your list, come up with an anecdote or story to illustrate how or why this would be important to your audience. These stories will become the body of your speech.  When you have three good stories, one for each major point you need to consider how to link them together.  How to transition from one point to the next.

Finally, now that you have a series of three stories, each of which illustrate one of the key reasons why your audience should act positively on your call to action, you need to come up with an introduction.  This is like an appetizer to get them interested in what you are about to say.

Asking them a relevant question, or making a bold statement designed to grab their attention are just two possible ways of achieving this.  The introduction should be relatively brief. You want to grab their attention, and give them a quick preview of what you are going to tell them.

You now have your draft persuasive speech outline. Ultimately you want to memorize your introduction and your call to action/conclusion. You want these to be down pat.
Don’t memorize the body of your speech. Instead, remember the stories you are going to tell and the transitions you are going to use to move from one to the next. This will give your speech a natural flow and relieve you from worrying about memorizing exact phrasing.

Write your first draft in 30 minutes. Practice it out loud and or in your head a dozen times. Each time, you will change it trying to convert your ideas into language your audience will hear and understand.

Do this and you will wow them. Making a speech, particularly a good persuasive speech isn’t about what you want to say, it’s about saying what your audience is open to hearing and doing so with stories and images they will remember.

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One of the most effective presentation tips for business presentations is to start at the end of the speech and work forward.

This presumes that the purpose of the speech is already clearly in hand, and that the speaker or speech writer has a good handle on the audience as well as the venue in which the presentation will be given. That said, the most important part of a professional presentation is its call to action.

The key business presentation skill is the ability of the presenter to get the audience to do the desired thing upon hearing the presentation. Why else give the presentation in the first place.

Know what that objective is, and considering the most effective way of leveraging the attention of the audience is the essence of professional presentation training.

The body of the presentation’s role is to set up the call to action. If the final call to action hinges on cost saving available, the body should elevate the need and value of cost savings. If the call to action is more oriented to quality than cost, the body had better focus on the superior value of quality.

The overall length of the speech will be determined by the event or venue, but the body will be determined by the call to action. If you have more time, the most effective presentation tips to use it to develop and flesh out the reasons why your call to action is of the utmost importance, and not to investigate secondary topics not directly supportive of the call to action.

With a shorter time, it is all the more important to focus your business presentation skills on highlighting the few most relevant arguments that best set up you closing call to action.

The introduction of a professional presentation should also set the stage for the final call to action. It may rely on a question to the audience designed to focus their thoughts on the significance of the issue you will address, in addition to breaking the ice and establishing rapport.

So while it may seem backwards, when it comes to professional and business presentations, the most effective presentation tip is to start at the end, and build backward.

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Does your forehead perspire at the mere thought of speaking in public? Public speaking anxiety is one of the most common fears afflicting people.

It stems in large part out of concern we may have of how other people think about us. Will we screw up? What if we forget what we were going to say? Or lose our place in our script. What if our voice breaks, or we freeze in our tracks.

Well the truth of the matter is that any of these things could happen. And if you’re lucky a meteor will fall though the roof and relieve you of your agony. The “what if” game can be paralyzing. If you have a serious problem you may need to seek professional assistance just as you would if you were actually paralyzed. But for most people, the “what if’s” are manageable. The key is to focus less on the “what if’s” and more on your message.

In most circumstances, you need not memorize every word of your speech. Instead focus on the content of your material. Know what you want the audience to get from your presentation, and memorize your outline rather than the words.

Practice explaining each of the points in your outline over and over, out loud or just in your head. Each time you do this it may be different. But you will discover a variety of ways of saying the same thing. Then when actually in front of the audience, you can cover each point in succession talking not from memory, but from a reservoir of memories which will remove the fear of loosing your place in a script or forgetting a line.

Perhaps the best tip about dealing with public speaking anxiety is to point out that the most important participant in a speech is not the speaker, but the audience. They are the empty bucket that must be filled with the ideas you are presenting.

If you will know people in the audience, imagine giving your presentation to them individually. Then think of them in a group of other friends, and then in a section of your audience. See them with a smile on their face and an encouraging attitude. Imagine yourself giving the perfect presentation. This is one time when positive expectations will do wonders. Your own positive thoughts can go a long way is quieting public speaking anxiety.

And while you may imagine yourself giving a perfect presentation, the odds are you won’t. And that’s okay. Accept the fact that even professional speakers stub their toes on occasion. Don’t sweat the small stuff. If you lose your place in a prepared text, just pause, take a deep breath and take a moment to find it. The audience isn’t going anywhere. They will wait. Then carry on.

Public speaking is like any other skill. The more often you give presentations the easier it will be to overcome you public speaking anxiety.

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A powerful speech or business presentation starts with a clear idea of the end result desired.

If yours is a sales presentation, that final result may be a call to action to make a purchase. Or it may be to advance the conversation one step closer to the decision point if you are in a long sales process. Confusing the objective could actually derail your mission.

Outside of the sales type of business presentations, your talk’s objective may be to raise awareness of a situation, foster understanding or inspire action on the part of your audience. Whatever it is, you need to be crystal clear about it.

Powerful presentations start with a solid core message aimed at a specific audience. This second step of understanding your audience is critical to your ultimate success. The more you know about your audience the easier it will be to identify the key factors of your speech or business presentations that will be most relevant to your audience.

If your topic is on child rearing and your audience is primarily fathers, you may well design a talk differently than if it were primarily mothers, and perhaps still differently if it were a equal mix of fathers and mothers. Same is true with business presentations. Knowing who your audience is, allows you to tailor your message to meet their specific needs and aspirations.

If your audience knows and uses industry jargon, it may help to speak in appropriate jargon. But if they are not, it goes without saying that the jargon has to go. Powerful presentations always are audience relevant. The art of public speaking is that of making the connection between the information the speaker has, and the receptivity of that information on the part of the audience. Failure to take notice of the audience can lead to very un powerful presentations similar to pounding the square block into the round hole.

So our two ingredients for powerful presentations so far are a clear handle on your message, and an understanding or your audience. The third variable is the setting in which the presentation is made. This setting is the vehicle for your message. You need to be aware of any speeches that may come before or after you. Will you be speaking on your turf or somewhere you have never been. Will you be addressing a dinner crowd, a late in the day crowd, a crowd anxious to get out on the golf course. All of these factors and more will set the stage for your presentation, and may have either a positive or negative effect on it.

Often times you will not have as much control of the venue as you would like. Whatever it is, think about the ramifications if any. Adjust your approach and manner to meet the circumstances. This is where the term art of public speaking comes into play.

In summary, powerful presentations require that your speeches and business presentations take into account your core message, the audience to which it is addressed and the venue in which the communication takes place.

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The most effective way to overcome the fear of speaking in public is to speak in public. While the first few times may seem a bit challenging, you will discover the process to be a liberating one in the long run.

The fear of speaking publicly is one of the most common and deepest felt fears in the general population, and yet when most people actually do it, it turns out to be not so bad.

Very few people self-combust on stage. And while some people may forget a key phrase or even and entire section of their speech, the audience is often oblivious to the fact.

And if it is something that is noticeable, the audience tends to be very forgiving. Half of them because they are glad it’s you up there and not them. They give you credit for daring to do what they are afraid of. The other half, who have experience talking are as likely to remember how scared they were when they first started out. They will tend to see themselves, and identify with you. And even if there is a boor or even two in the crowd, ignore them. Their opinion isn’t worth didly.

Good preparation is your best bet if you are exhibiting anything more that normal fear of speaking in public.

Start with your content. What is the single most important message you want your audience to take away from your presentation. That should be highlighted in you speech title, the introduction and your closing statement.

Supporting points, three to five in most shorter speeches should all be supportive of the main argument. Memorize your opening and closing, but not the main body of your speech. Fear of forgetting a line can be eliminated by not needing to memorize lines.

Instead for each of your main points, rehearse by telling you audience what you want them to know about each point. You can say it differently each time you do it. In fact, that’s a good idea as it will help you come up with different ideas as to how to say it best.

You need to be clear on why each support point is in your presentation and then explain that to your audience within the bookends of your introduction and close.

In the introduction, you tell them what your going to tell them. In the body you actually tell them, following the bullet points of your outline, and in the conclusion your tell your audience what you want them to do about it. This is called to call to action. Then you recap by telling them what you told them all over again with one final call to action.

This basic formula has helped countless people overcome their fear of speaking in public.

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