RESEARCH THE AUDIENCE It amazes me that some speakers show up for a talk engagement and don't really know anything about the audience they're talking to. Many speakers become lazy and think their message is so important that everyone wants to hear it. They couldn't be more wrong. Your core message may be more or less the same for everyone, but knowing your target audience will bend the information and make the audience feel like it's prepared just for them. They will relate to knowledge much better and will think of you much more for creating something special for them. Of course, in most cases you just skewed your knowledge, but I won't say you wouldn't.
PRACTICE The only way to look polished while speaking is to practice. This is a skill that you cannot delegate to anyone else. You're the one on stage with the microphone, and you're the one who's going to look great or scary. If you think that PowerPoint slides prepared by you or someone else will make you a dynamic speaker, you are sadly wrong and selfish. There are special techniques used for practice that do not take much time and make you look extremely bright. One of these techniques is called a bit. You work on a short piece of material over and over. You don't practice word for word, just speak your way. That way, you're not distracted when you're on stage.
BEWARE HECKLER The following is my famous star technique; I use it to make sure Hecklers doesn't interrupt my presentation. BEFORE I go to the event, I have people in the group identify potential troublemakers. I call these people on the phone and interview them to give them the attention they desire. Later, during the conversation, I say their names. This pretty much eliminates any chance of giving me trouble because I'm praising an idea. This really works, but don't just mention their names, or other viewers who know these people are problematic might think you're just as bad. Talk about a wide variety of people in the audience. Just make sure the baddies that normally keep them out are included.
USE EMOTIONAL LANGUAGE, Boring old truths rarely move people. Learning to use words that evoke emotion will have a much greater impact when you speak. There are many emotions you can trigger in the audience with just your choice of words. Happiness, anger, sadness, nostalgia are just a few of them. Knowing your purpose for being in front of the group helps you choose which emotions you want to touch. When your purpose is known, it is much easier to choose words to get the desired emotional response. For example, if you want to take someone back to their childhood experience, say, "Do you remember when someone did something bad at school and the teacher's yardstick hit their desk?" you can say. The word “broken the scale” of the sentence evokes an emotional response that many adults can relate to. A younger group may not be interested in this expression, as corporal punishment has almost completely disappeared from schools. You should choose words that will mean something to your audience.
EXPLAIN YOURSELF A lot of times people have a hard time putting this idea into practice because they like to stay aloof and private. This will hurt their chances of making a good connection with the people in the audience. You definitely don't have to reveal your deepest secrets while on stage, but you can definitely tell someone how much you love horses or how much you love to cook. . .anything that gives them a glimpse of your truth will give you a better chance of connecting with them and getting them to listen to you.
USE PROPS A prop is worth a thousand words. People can really fix a thought in their minds when it is connected to an object that relates to the point you are trying to make. You can use big, small, fun or serious accessories. Always associate the prop with the point you are trying to make and make sure the audience can see it. Sometimes you'll want to hide the decor so people don't wonder what it is until you're ready to present it.
USE HUMOR Even Shakespeare used humor in the midst of his tragedies. Humor is a powerful and effective tool that gives the viewer's mind a chance to breathe in the face of heavy material. It also makes you more cute and fun to listen to. Humor is also much more likely to make your information more memorable. You don't have to be a stand up comedian and you don't have to tell jokes to use humor in speeches and presentations. There are many ways to add humor that requires no skill. You can show funny images, tell stories, or read from books or periodicals. Just like with accessories, make the case that your humor is about the point you're trying to make and you'll be much more successful. Each issue of “Great Speech” has around 20 bits of humor that you can use during conversations.
TAKING ACTION If you're going to struggle with taking people's time to talk to them, don't you think it would be a good idea to get them to do something positive with your presentation? Even if they do something negative, it's better than doing nothing because at least they get a chance to learn from their mistakes. Whatever the size of your ego, the truth is that you are there for them, not the other way around. I have everything to build your reputation, but if you enter your talk thinking it's all for you, it will come off and you probably won't do as well as you would if you had concentrated more on the needs of the audience. .
BRING SOLUTIONS One of the best ways to get your audience to like you is by solving their problems. If you've done a thorough job researching your audience, you already know what their problem is. It's your job to bring ideas for them to try. In modern thought, this is what motivational speaking means.It's not good enough anymore for people to get fired up where they jump off walls with no clue as to what to do with this newfound excitement and motivation. Modern professional motivational speakers bring solutions and an action plan to achieve them. Now they are motivating.
PAY ATTENTION TO LOGISTICS If you forget to pay attention to all the details surrounding a presentation, the best preparation, execution and audience research can be ruined. You want to know what happens before you speak and what happens after you speak: How do people sit? Round tables half facing you or no tables at all? What kind of microphone is suitable? How big is the screen in the room? Will people drink alcohol? How is the lighting? All of these elements and many more affect the overall effectiveness of a presentation. The same words, given with significantly different logistics, can be received in completely different ways. You might even go from a great review to a bomb just because of the way people sit. It's up to you to know the differences and how they affect a presentation.
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