Public Speaking : Hints & Tips

[Dizzydiza]

I have been invited by a couple of women's guilds again this year to do a talk on what I make. The first being this month. I need to contact the Secretary to find out what they are expecting again. It is very nerve wrecking but I have to admit I am starting to enjoy it

[Mark Lister]

I've not tried Toastmasters yet, but my business partner raves about it. From what she's told me you get not only lots of practice, but plenty of very constructive criticism.

Also, a couple of thoughts from the limited experience I've had of doing it myself:

1. Prepare well. One thing I've tried is to:
a) write out the whole thing
b) read it plenty of times out loud (ideally to a mirror and then to a friend)
c) when doing it for real, have cards with the main bullet points on
The aim isn't to reproduce the talk you prepared; rather, by doing this you'll feel more confident that you've got a solid foundation, and the bullet points should be all you need.

2. Be really clear in your own mind what you want to get across to the audience. By this I mean a really simple core idea you can encapsulate in a short sentence - three words even. You might even want to use it as your opening sentence.

3. Jokes can be good - but they can also backfire. Use with caution. I saw someone using a jokey approach to explain something, and it really died - but the poor guy was committed to ploughing on, because it was a drawn-out metaphor. That sort of thing can be pretty confidence-rattling.

4. Tell them something personal - even be a little vulnerable. It can really create a closeness, which makes you feel the audience is on your side (because they will be).

Cheers

Mark

[jimbairn]

Use cartoons as a distraction.

[OurScots]

I'm joining my local Toastmasters - I need to be able to do a talk or presentation without being ill for days beforehand. I've checked out the website and it seems they're all folk like us who are terrified, so practice with others in the same boat and don't worry about making a Prat of yourself. Be a prat at Toastmasters and a professional when you do it for real :-)