One of the old saws of public speaking says that you should "Tell em what you are gonna tell em. Tell em. Then tell em what you told em." When you want to make a point during your presentation, you can use a similar formula. You tell em the point, illustrate the point, then tell em the point again. This formula, however, can seem boring and redundant if you dont spice it up a little. One way to do it is to use humor. Here is the formula:
1. Make your point.
2. Illustrate your point (in our case with a humorous two-liner, but you could use props, humorous props, funny stories, serious stories, case studies, etc.)
3. Restate your point.
Here is an example where your point is "The Importance of Communication."
1. First make your point by saying, Accurate and clear communication is an important part of our everyday lives.
2. Then illustrate your point. In this case use a humorous two-liner. Its like the student pilot who was asked over the radio to state his altitude and location. He said, "I am five feet nine and I am in the left seat."
3. Then restate your point in a slightly different manner by saying, You can see how what we may think is clear communication could be interpreted incorrectly especially when people are under pressure. (Ref: Wake em Up Business Presentations Page 65)
"This book gives you advanced presentations skills and humor training that would otherwise take you years to learn. It is an absolute must read for anyone who wants to be a fantastic presenter."
Patricia Fripp, Past president & first woman president of the National Speakers Association
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Sunday, December 7, 2008
Public Speaking: How To Make A Point With Humor
Public Speaking Book Review: Words That Sell
The title of this article is the same as a famous book by Richard Bayan that is used by marketing professionals around the world. As I was looking through it the other day I realized that the same kinds of words could be used in public speaking to get the same kinds of effects.
We want to sell our ideas don't we? We want to increase our credibility don't we? We want to move people to action don't we? These are all the things that good advertising copywriters try to do in print with their words. Judiciously using the phrases in this book will give you a more scientific way to accomplish the goals of your speech. You will have specific words and word phrases to pick from to get a particular response from the audience.
Example: Let's say you are telling the audience about a good resource that you want them to check out. You want to persuade them to seek it out and take advantage of it. You might turn to the "Words that Sell" book and go to the "Informative" section. There you would find words and word phrases that mean valuable and informative.
You might say:
"This resource will:
take the guesswork out of ...
expand your knowledge ...
help to alter your perceptions of ...
keep you abreast of ...
give you new insight ...
give you the hard facts ...
keep you ahead of the game ...
There were 33 phrases in that section alone. This book will simplify your work especially when you are searching for just the right thing to say to make a particular point. In addition, it is an indispensable tool to have around when you are writing copy for your promotional material and website.
Alex Ryan
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Public Speaking Book Review: "The Shortcut to Pers...
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Quick Tips To Becoming A Great Public Speaker ...
Imagine a fancy hotel ballroom brimming with people. Hear the buzz of an audience anticipating a great speech. The speaker arrives and gives a technically competent speech.
The content is perfect but the delivery is plain. There is no fire in the speaker's belly. No conviction in their voice. The speaker lacks passion. Music is not just someone hitting piano keys in the right order. It is the soaring passion of playing music as an expression of the soul.
Think of the greatest speakers you have heard. They may not have been technically perfect, but they had passion.
Why is passion important?
If you do sales presentations, have a passion for your product. At my sales training seminars, I do an exercise where I role-play as a skeptical customer. The salesperson has to convince me why their product is the best.
The salesperson with the most passion - the most conviction - can persuade me to buy. After all, if you don't believe in your product, how can your clients? If you do marketing presentations, have a passion to persuade your listeners. If you do training, do it with the enthusiasm of someone committed to help people grow.
Here are three questions to help you discover your passion:
1. What subject do I love so passionately, I would speak about it for free?
2. What topic do I talk to friends and family members about?
3. Why is it vital for ME to be the one to deliver this message?
These questions focus on the passion that is INSIDE of us. If you fail to be passionate about your message, you cheat your audience. You also deprive yourself of the enthusiasm of feeling truly committed to your life's work.
Finding that perfect topic is like finding the love of your life. It may take time and a few false starts but it is well worth it. Unleash the passion!
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