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Forum Communicators Hints and Tips
on Speaking in Public

 

Would you rather swim with sharks than speak in public?

Maybe you have to speak to a group as part of your job and you get nervous. Or your role in a community group means you have to present reports. Does your mouth go dry? Does your brain freeze up? Do you ‘um’ and ‘er’ all the time? In fact, would you rather swim with sharks than speak in public? If the answer is yes, then Forum Communicators can give you a few tips. Remember, joining a club where you can practise speaking can help you gain confidence and poise. You’ll learn how to put your point across when you join Forum Communicators.

Also a "print friendly" version of the Hints and Tips on Speaking in Public is also available to download - click here to download this document.

Tip 1: Know your audience.

· Who are they, how many, prior knowledge, age, sex, educational background? Why are they there? What are their needs, what do they expect to learn or hear from you?

· If speaking to a large group, gather information about your audience from the person in control.

· Proper audience analysis will ensure you give the right speech/presentation for that audience.

Tip 2: Preparation.

· 9 P’s: Prior Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance of the Person Putting on the Presentation.

· The more you know about your speaking environment and your audience, the more relaxed you can be when delivering your presentation. Don’t prepare something that is too simple or too complex.

· Stick to your time limit!!! Practise so that you know you are within the specified time frame.

· Make sure you are comfortable with your subject

· Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse and then rehearse again.

· Rehearse with someone who will give feedback. Practise on a tape recorder and/or video recorder.

· Allow plenty of time for writing, editing, rewriting, re-editing and rehearsing.

· Visualise yourself enjoying doing it – superbly.

 

Tip 3: Constructing the speech/presentation:

· Main rule:

· Tell them what you are going to tell them; Tell them, and then Tell them what you told them.

· Introduction

· Let the audience know the purpose of your speech – what you are contracted to do. Say what you want to achieve in one sentence – and state your position or attitude on the subject. NEVER apologise or start out saying: "When I was thinking about what to say today....". Make a statement! Get their attention. Make a dramatic statement, ask a question, tell of something that is wrong, tell a joke or dramatic story, show a picture or graphic, grab attention.

· Body, objective, overview:

· Fulfil the contract. Logically develop your arguments so your audience can easily follow your line of reasoning.

· Identify the main points, give the facts, gain support or approval, explain the advantages or disadvantages, identify rewards and benefits. Be careful to balance your speech. Show how to remedy the problem. Arouse interest by personal stories. Use charts, slides, a whiteboard or paper. Persuade your audience with your information. Use colourful comparisons. Tell a dramatic ‘scene setting’ story. Establish the issue /problem; explain each component; offer solution/s; work up to your special/most important/favourite solution or issue.

· All material must be relevant to your case. Discard any other material no matter how interesting or amusing.

· Summary, Conclusion:

· Summarise and say what needs to be done. Call for action. Never leave listeners up in the air, wanting to act but not knowing how. A direct call to: agree, reject, refuse, remember, forget, defeat, donate, do, go, choose, write, delay, beware, join ... Say what you want to happen. Appeal to audience to do whatever is appropriate to your message. Answer the question you asked in your opening.

· Make a final concluding statement that states your case and reflects your opening statement/thought/idea. End with a strong statement – this is what the audience will most likely remember.

Tip 4: Delivering the presentation.

· Natural Enthusiasm. Let it shine by being comfortable with your presentation by lots of practising. But do not learn if off by heart or you will lose impact.

· If a microphone is there, ask for feedback from the audience as soon as you start. Don’t be afraid to stand closer if that’s what is needed.

· If you do humour well, include it. If not, then leave it out. Only use humour where it fits.

· Stand tall with one foot slightly forward.

· Dress in something you feel is appropriate. Be well groomed, dress well and wear comfortable shoes.

· Use your hands as you naturally would gesture. Watch your hands, if they fly around too much - wear something with pockets to put one hand in. Make gestures smooth and well timed to reflect your words, but don’t overdo them.

· Pick two or three people easily visible to you, and "speak" to them. Then scan the rest of the audience regularly. If you constantly let your eyes wander, you will look nervous. If you speak to only one person you’ll make them nervous.

· Alternate your presentation with facts, examples, writing on board, slides.

· Remember, people will remember YOU for the impression you made – because you believed in what you were presenting. Know your material. Check your facts, and written figures for typo’s.

· Reading all your speech from prepared notes looks as if you don’t know your topic. If you must write all of it down, practise till you can work from headings. Natural speech is filled with pauses, unnatural speech is not.

· Written text is often too business-like, and hard to read, much less listen to. People will think, "If I knew he/she was just going to read something, I could have read it myself".

· When you do HAVE to read something (a company policy statement or announcement) practise so that it has some light and shade in it.

Tip 5: Project your voice.

· It’s important to be heard. Try some speech exercises, eg say the vowel sounds, a, e, i, o, u very slowly. Say them in a stage whisper, say them soft, then loud.

· Over-articulate the street signs as you drive around making sure you fully open your mouth. Make sure you say the whole word with the last syllable pronounced. Or read number plates clearly and projecting your voice.

· Stretch your mouth into different shapes.

· Practise reading/presenting your speech and really over-articulate each word.

· Make sure you build pauses into your speech.

· Learn a few tongue twisters, like these:

1. A monk's monkey mounted a monastery wall and munched melon and macaroni.

2. A pale pink proud peacock pompously preened its pretty plumage.

3. A bloke's back brake block broke.

4. A big beadle placed a body in a big black bag.

Tip 6: Visual Aids

· Have Handouts where necessary. If lots of facts are presented - people will not remember them. Support material enhances the staying power of your message.

· Don’t hand out material during your presentation as people will read it and not listen to your presentation. Tell your audience notes are available at the end to save them taking lots of notes.

· Make sure slides are clear, brief and easily understood. A maximum of 5 or 6 lines per slide is all that can be read from the back of the room.

· Turn off the OHP when not needed. Only use it where and when necessary to move through your presentation. And turn it off when you are finished.

· Don’t hide behind the lectern, computer, OHP, screen etc, be seen and be serene.

Tip 7: At the end

· Question Time. Repeat the question if there is a possibility that all the audience may not have heard it. Then answer as directly as possible. Maybe check with the questioner if you have answered the question fully if time permits.

· If you don’t know the answer - say so, but offer to find out for them.

· Make yourself available after the talk. Provide them with a method of reaching you later.

Tip 8: Proposing and Responding to a Toast

Proposing:

· The Chairman announces the name of the Proposer and the name of the toast. The Chairman must not steal the thunder of the Proposer and has no right to make a speech regarding the person being toasted.

· The Proposer must address the Chair and audience then keep to the subject of the toast. Because of the nature of the speech it is appropriate for the speech to mention the reason the person is being toasted and give praise where it is appropriate.

· An anecdote could be included but only if appropriate to the reason for the toast and then it needs to be short and well told. A personal story about the person will interest your audience but never be unkind, admire something they have done.

· In conclusion the Proposer would say something like "please be upstanding and join me in drinking a toast to ***", and then say the persons name. (If you have left your seat to move to a lectern you will need to take your drink with you.) The audience response is to say the persons name while lifting their glasses before drinking.

· In all cases the person/s being toasted should remain seated while the rest stand, and does not drink the toast.

Responding:

· In responding to the toast, the speaker commences by addressing the Chair, the Proposer, and then the rest of the company present.

· The Proposer is thanked. The response should be brief and the words should be appropriate to the reason for the toast. If an anecdote is included, it should be apt and brief.

· Finish with words similar to: "I thank you for paying me/us the honour of this toast" or "I thank you for honouring the toast".

Tip 9: Overall

· Have ‘Plan B’ ready for when the video, slide projector, computer crashes.

· Check: Information; equipment, special effects, timing, check everything!

· Your word processor has a thesaurus - learn to use it - effectively.

· Use ‘power’ and ‘command’ words to get your audience’s attention and to give the impression of confidence and competence. eg:

"I think you will agree" vs "I am certain you will agree".

"I hope you will consider" vs "I recommend you consider".

· You are only ever talking to ONE person. "You will benefit by..." Talk to that one person.

Speaking to the person sitting next to you today is speaking in public and so is standing in front of a group of people. When you get really daunted just narrow your audience down to a couple of friendly faces. Little by little you will take one more step forward to your goal of speaking in public. With these few tips Forum Communicators has given you today you don’t have to prefer to swim with sharks than speak in public because you will have prepared well. Remember, joining an organisation where you can practise speaking can help you gain confidence and poise. You’ll learn how to put your point across when you join Forum Communicators. For details of how to join see our Forum Contacts page for the Forum in your area.

Feeling nervous about a particular aspect of getting your message across - email Forum's public speaking help desk - helpdesk@forumcommunicators.asn.au

We acknowledge:

"Speaking in Public" by ER Rathus and RL Morelle. Jacaranda Press 1987.

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“As a former journalist, I am living proof that a 'good listener' does not necessarily make the 'best talker'. From my first, nervous Forum meeting, and in measured stages, I have been greatly encouraged to speak out. Meetings are like group therapy for the tongue-tied-in-public like me. The support of members is phenomenal and their encouragement completely sincere.”   Cathy, Wellington Point.