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"The mind is a
wonderful thing. It starts to work the minute you are born and never
stops until you get up to speak in public." Tip 1. Trust Yourself. Remember, you’re the expert. You’ve been doing this for a long time. You don’t need notes or practice. You just need you, your mind and your self-confidence to draw on the information you know so well, inside and out. Trust your instincts and natural abilities for starters. Tip 2. Think 1. 2. 3. Take one subject and then focus on three specific points. For each subject, write down three action steps for accomplishing the goal. Organize these three thoughts on the back of one of your business cards and work them in as you speak. Tip 3. Speak With Personal Conviction. Believe in what you have to say. Drive home the points you want to make with conviction and enthusiasm.. Your audience will be riveted. Tip 4. Use a Current Event or a Movie to Make Your Point. Start out with something everyone can relate to. Connect your subject with something well-known and popular. Your audience will get excited if they can easily relate to something timely. This also makes you memorable by association. Tip 5. Use Emotion. Relate a personal or emotional story to your subject, or a key point you would like to make. Personal stories are remembered long after statistics are forgotten. Tip 6. Memorize Unforgettable Quotes. Use quotes of famous people for instant credibility and implied endorsement of your topic. Audiences are impressed with speakers who can quickly connect the words of respected experts to their speeches. Tip 7. Speak Intelligently. You’ll never be at a loss for words if you stay on top of the latest business and industry trends. Demonstrate your wealth of knowledge on current topics. Tip 8. Engage Your Audience. Don’t just talk. Learn to facilitate responses from your audience. Ask them questions and then ad lib from their replies. This shows that you can think on your feet and makes the experience interactive for audience members. Tip 9. Be Real. Be Honest. Tell your audience you are winging it. Show your human side and you’ll gain their undying support. Remember, audiences want you to be a hit! Be confident in the fact that you look and sound good. Don’t doubt yourself. Tip 10. Pour Your Energy Into It. Speak up. Give it your best shot. Get passionate about the issues and tell it like it is. Enthusiasm makes you a more compelling and desirable speaker. Finally, in the words of speaker/author Ken Roberts — "No one ever really knows what you think they know!" Just relax. No one is ever going to know that you don’t know everything they think you do when you’re doing an impromptu speech or presentation. So, just plan to wing it when needed and use these tips to handle this special communication challenge. The goal is to sound and look polished without warning. It’s easier than you think! |
10 Tips On Giving A
Great Speech Off-the-Cuff