Grand tips for Speakers and Presenters
I have been speaking (and singing) in front of (and for) large groups ever since I can remember: in church settings, elementary school (putting on plays), college, social clubs, flea markets (selling products), networking events, yoga and music festivals (as emcee), and health fairs. I am no stranger to the stage. But, we can all refine and polish our public speaking and presentation skills, I am no exception.
I read an article today that prompted me to make a list of my tips, based on my experiences:
Before you speak
- Know your subject well, yes do your research
- Be able to defend or argue your story from multiple perspectives
- Write down your speech and remove any filler words or phrases
- Practice your speech in front of a mirror
- When tempted to use, “you know,” “uhm,” or such just BREATHE (this space is necessary to slow your speaking rate down, as well as give the audience time to rest, make notes, and such)
- Practice your speech in front of one or two people and ask for their feedback on how to improve it
Day of your speech
- Meditate and expand your Energy out to ALL
- Greet attendees or meet as many people at the event as possible, shake hands, fist bump, kiss babies, etc. (okay, maybe not kiss babies post-COVID times, but you get the idea)
- Ease any jitters or “butterflies” using Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), Jin Shin Jyutsu (JSJ), or such (even humming to yourself works)
- Once on stage, tune into your heart center and share your story from “that place”—from your soul
- Look at some audience members from different sections of the room
- Make eye contact with friendly “light” faces
- Provide VALUE— never tell a story that doesn’t make a point (Thank you, Les Brown)
- Involve your audience, ask “Have you ever…” or “Has this ever happened to you?”
- Smile and laugh genuinely, when it fits
- If you ever feel nervous, off track, forget what’s next, or self conscious, be wuiet for a moment and breathe, focus and speak from your soul, not your ego
- Add color and depth to your personal stories, but don’t drone on, complain, or get caught up in negativity
- People want to hear what you learned and how you grew from overcoming adversity
- Don’t assume you know your audience—now, on Clubhouse, you probably won’t know them at all, and people are quite multifaceted these days
- At the end of your lecture, bow and authentically with humility thank your audience for hearing you—they gave YOU moments of their lives
From Lenny Laskowski, https://www.presentation-guru.com/the-7-things-that-great-presenters-always-do-better-than-anyone-else/
