Business communications researchers have studied the phenomenon of stage fright experienced by would-be public speakers. Let me summarize most of the findings in very down-to-earth terms: Most people would rather die than stand up before an audience and deliver a speech.To suggest that these individuals are as "nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs" may be something of an understatement in describing these public speaking "scaredy cats." The symptoms are similar to food poisoning: a queasy feeling in the pit of one's stomach, shakes and jitters, and a sincere desire to roll up into a fetal position.As a public speaker and one who has provided instruction to others to help them develop their own skills, I have found that certain approaches work. Other approaches "look good in theory," but are not as helpful. One of the oft-repeated suggestions for overcoming stage fright includes the classic advice, "imagine everyone else is naked." However, it is rare that everyone else is naked, upon the speaker's arrival to the podium and as he or she surveys the audience. In fact, I have spoken extensively, and I have yet to spot even one naked audience member-I do think I would have noticed.Another typical suggestion is to arrive early, meet attendees, and establish personal contacts with audience members. In keeping with this, speakers are to "find a friendly face" in the audience, and imagine "you are merely having a conversation" with that one person. That's not a bad idea, except that it would not alleviate the problem that arises with a large audience sprinkled with several unfriendly faces, or one that includes even one hostile heckler.Now we're getting into the root of the problem-the one thing that most public speaking scaredy cats are deathly afraid of-the fear of ridicule, rejection, and public embarrassment. We were kids before we arrived in this predicament of being asked or told to deliver a presentation (usually by a boss or a teacher, the first time around). We know that some people can be real "meanies," and maybe a few readers even have something to feel guilty about. Perhaps this article will serve a dual purpose, and encourage audience members to become kinder, more attentive, more supportive, too. Maybe more people will quit whispering (sometimes not so quietly) and turn off their cell phones. Smiling would be nice, for both fellow audience members and from the point-of-view of speakers. (If not, don't worry would-be speakers, I will give you tips to roar like a lion and put those meanies in their rightful place-professionally, and politely.)Let's review a few more of the standard suggestions. There is some value in knowing that you should relax. You should try to relax. However, individuals who have those occasional sleepless nights have been told that they should go to sleep. Swimmers should avoid sharks and avoid sinking. This advice, while true, is about as helpful to would-be speakers as an anchor is to one of those swimmers (of course he or she could possibly fend off a shark by striking it with the anchor, while on the way down to the bottom of the ocean). Practice breathing, stretch, exercise, think positive thoughts, learn from other speakers, rehearse-don't get me wrong-these are not bad ideas at all, but they are not enough.What really works? Training. You can attend a workshop and receive formal training, or you can train yourself. Why haven't most people been trained before? A detailed explanation would require a treatise on the education system and a discussion of how to improve upon typical results (critics complain that graduates at any level lack strong oral and written communication skills).Let's summarize by reviewing three problems that often exist: 1) New speakers are often forced to address topics that are unfamiliar to them. 2) Speakers are put under undue pressure, prior to developing basic skills. In academic settings there are egg timers and grade point reductions. In professional settings there are hopes for promotion and fears of demotion, pegged to the performance. 3) Athletes practice five hours a day; students may not accumulate that same amount of podium or stage experience during the course of earning an entire degree, unless speech becomes a personal pursuit.Let's turn this around, for the sake of your academic progress, career potential, and (or) self esteem. First, you need coaching, training, and practice. You need role models. You need to make "speaking," as an activity, a pursuit that you engage in with at least the same amount of vigor as a hobby that you enjoy.Here are some of the elements of a good training regimen: Practice speaking several times per week. Have you seen those exercise equipment infomercials that say, "in just twenty minutes a day, three times a week, you can have the kind of body you've always wanted"? Well, that sounds about right, except that what you need is a podium and an audience. You can join a speaking group such as Toastmasters (as a member of a chapter near you). You can offer to read announcements in a business, religious, or school setting. You can introduce yourself, often, in organized networking meetings. You can introduce yourself to other groups. You can introduce other speakers to groups (that might be a great way to get coaching-assisting an established speaker as an intern).The nice thing about following the above training regimen advice, is that you can start small, and take care of the challenge of developing basic skills in bite-sized increments. There is one catch, which has to do with the fact that you'll have homework. You must read other people's speeches, and practice writing your own. One source for studying the heavy hitters is to visit your local library and look for access to a "Vital Speeches of the Day" database. You may also want to do what I just did on a popular search engine. I ran the term "speech writing" and came up with over three million hits. Now, as we all know, some of those hits will lead to services that require commercial payment. Later, that may be appropriate for some resources.If you develop basic skills and progress to a level of mastery, you can actually get paid for speeches. How much do speakers make? According to the National Speakers Association, an average professional speaker's fee is around $3,500, plus expenses such as travel, accommodations, and program materials. Newly established speakers charge less, often an honorarium is given in the range of a few hundred dollars. On the other hand, nationally recognized "celebrity speakers" often charge fees ranging from $5,000 to $100,000. Now that's what I would call a built-in incentive program for you, if being promoted or passing an academic course with flying colors is not enough.If you've been following my article writing progress, you have probably deduced that the other critical component of public speaking success is to know your subject. This is not just knowledge at an intellectual level, however. It's also the kind of knowledge that you embrace with all your heart.A passion for your subject gives you a sense of commitment and self-assuredness. Deep down, people feel your spirit, and that is what resonates with any speech and with any audience. In marketing it is said that one should "sell the sizzle, not the steak." In performing as a public speaker, it's the inspiring delivery of desirable information that sways an audience.Finally, let's talk about rejection, the "thing" that you fear-the imaginary monster that is keeping you awake at night. The monster that makes hands tremble, voices crack, and podiums shake as though they were in the shadow of a giant carnivore; a ferocious "speaker eater," that will devour you and anything you have to say like a tasty snack. This one critical insight will help you slay that monster: People want you to make them feel good. They want you to help them with insights that they do not have. Audiences want an "experience, not words." They want you to succeed. For self-serving reasons, audience members do not want you to fail, because then they would feel disappointed, and would be no better off than they were prior to giving you their time. It's only logical. Audiences want to accept you, and they want you to accept them as they are, and make their lives better by the time you leave.No critic or heckler is a match for an expert-it's not even a fair fight (but it does create an outcome that's in your favor, if you develop your own area of expertise). The heckler, kind of a critic on steroids, is someone who yearns for attention. Knowing this, we can give that individual all of the attention that he or she deserves, in a calm and completely confident manner.Our weapons are factual, credible sources, which carry far more weight than any heckler's opinion; you are merely a humble messenger whose basis for speaking is facts in evidence. Ironically, the combination of credible information delivered with conviction, a bit of humility, and a sense of humor will transform your audience. Audience members will see you differently. They will respect you, and in time, adore you. You, too, will change and metamorphose from a scaredy cat to a majestic lion. You will be known as a speaker whose message, and whose passion and delivery, roars.Dr. Robert Lahm is the founder of several businesses and Web sites, an entrepreneurship professor, a public speaker, and a writer. His typical topics include creativity and innovation, careers, start-ups, and small business marketing. Webmasters and other article publishers are hereby granted article reproduction permission as long as this article in its entirety, author's information, and any links remain intact.Copyright 2005 by Dr. Robert J. Lahm, WebPreneurship.com.

The more you know about your audience, the better your presentation will go.For example, if I've got a large diverse group, I'll ask the organisers to give me the names of five people who will be in the audience who represent a cross section across the organisation. I learnt this from listing to a Voices of Experiences CD with Rosita Perez put out by NSA of USA.I'll ring each individually prior to the presentation and the conversation will go like this after a brief introduction:Q: "What keeps you awake at night?"A: "What work of personal?"Q: "Both"I then get a great insight into the challenges they face, personally and professionally.I then summarise and work this into my presentation."Gathering intelligence about your target readers when writing a book or about your audience members prior to a presentation is an effective way to keep your readers or listeners awake, alert, amused, and involved. You can learn more about your audience members by asking the host specific questions about the group," according to US speaker Jeff Davidson.He suggests asking these questions:Who is the most popular person in the audience?Who is the least popular?Who wins the contests or gets all the honors?Who never gets any of them?Who has been with the organization the longest?Who recently came on board?Who is the biggest kidder?Who leaves the biggest tips?Who is known for falling asleep in presentations?"If you can gather the answers to any of these questions in advance, you have excellent tools at your command! The fact that you go the extra mile by finding out such information gets people buzzing about you and your presentation and makes you more memorable," Mr Davidson said in a recent article in SpeakerNet News published on the 20th May 2005.Thomas Murrell MBA CSP is an international business speaker, consultant and award-winning broadcaster. Media Motivators is his regular electronic magazine read by 7,000 professionals in 15 different countries.You can subscribe by visiting http://www.8mmedia.com. Thomas can be contacted directly at +6189388 6888 and is available to speak to your conference, seminar or event. Visit Tom's blog at http://www.8mmedia.blogspot.com.

I recently posted an article titled "Internet Marketing and Public Speaking: Ten Tips for When the Twain Shall Meet." One of the tips concerned a means to practice your sales presentation with a "Murder Board." I received several emails requesting a fuller explanation of this practice method.I decided to write two explanatory articles, so vital is this method to improve one's public speaking, specifically in preparing a presentation aimed at selling off-line your on-line product. In this article, I'll provide an in-depth explanation of this practice method; in the second, I'll cover the seven steps need for a successful Murder Board.Simply stated, the Murder Board is a realistic simulation of the actual presentation to be made. Colleagues role-play the audience, asking the type of questions they believe this specific group is likely to ask. It is intended to be more difficult than the actual presentation.If you want to become an effective and persuasive presenter to boost your on-line marketing, this realistic practice session is the most effective shortcut to speaking excellence. It allows you to make your mistakes when they don't count, increasing the odds that you will shine when the actual presentation is made.The Origin of the Murder BoardThe term Murder Board has its origins within the U.S. military, specifically within the extensive training system of the U.S. Army. When a person has been selected to be an instructor at an Army school, he or she must go through a demanding instructor training program.Graduation and designation as an instructor is dependent not on a written test, but successful delivery of a 50 minute class from the curriculum of the school.The audience for this crucible can be instructors who have gone through their own Murder Board, and are determined that this would-be instructor will experience the same frustration and humiliation they did. They ask tough, realistic, questions, the type of questions their students are asking.At the end of the 50 minute class, the aspiring instructor gets a a thumbs up-meaning he or she can now join this band of brothers and sisters as an instructor, or a thumbs-down, meaning another "opportunity" to go through a Murder Board.Lessons from the PentagonThis realistic simulation has permeated the military culture. As an example, when I ran the Defense Intelligence Agency's (DIA) briefing team, we had three Murder Boards before the daily briefing to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.The first one was at 5:30 AM, the second at 6:30 AM, the third in front of two General officers and all the analysists, one hour later. By the time my briefer or I was standing in front of the Chairman, those intense sessions had provided the right answers to virtually any conceivable question the Chairman was likely to ask.Why have a Murder Board?This painstaking practice session has two overriding objectives:1. Hone delivery skills2. Anticipate probable questions and objections so succinct, accurate answers can be developed.Many presenters, while accepting the need to sharpen delivery skills, reject the idea of a Murder Board, confident they can anticipate the difficult questions likely to be asked, and need not practice in front of others, especially their peers. These people may actually be displaying a false bravado to mask their discomfort at speaking in front of a group, perhaps exposing their lack of skill in the presentation art, and/or their apprehension at giving a less than sterling performance in front of their colleaqgues.They are also very mistaken. I have given more than 3000 presentations, and always find it beneficial to conduct a Murder Board before an important talk. No matter how hard we try to think of tough questions that may be asked, a little censor in our mind generally provides only questions to which we already have answers. In my executive training workshops, I always emphasize the importance of a Murder Board, and the practice presentations made by my clients are set up as Murder Boards to get them accustomed to this simulation.I am in good company in believing that we need other minds to assist us in preparing for a sales or other presentation.. The man who possessed perhaps the greatest mind of the 20th Century, Albert Einstein, realized that even he needed help. He once said:"What a person does on his own, without being
stimulated by the thoughts and experiences of
others, is even in the best cases rather paltry and
monotonous."The Murder Board is the presenter's version of the actor's dress rehearsal, what lawyers do in preparing a witness to face cross-examination in a trial, what the flight simulator is to the pilot.Just as with the actor, the witness, and the pilot, this simulation permits the presenter to learn from his/her mistakes, so that the actual presentation is (1) more responsive to the informational needs of the audience, (2) answers are developed for likely questions to be asked, and (3) overall speaking confidence and competence enhanced.The Murder Board enables you to visualize the presentation in advance. Not only is proficiency in speaking increased by such a meticulous practice, so too is self-confidence. Public speaking ranks high in the pantheon of phobias because, in large measure, of the apprehension that one is going to be embarrassed by not being able to answer questions from the audience.If you have been able to anticipate questions, then you can develop answers ahead of time. Think back to when you were in college or graduate school. Your GPA would probably have been higher if you could have seen the questions before the final exams. The Murder Board permits the presenter a look at the audience's probable "exam questions."The only obstacle to developing a question-anticipating simulated presentation is your imagination and willingness to take hard hits in practice so you can be more effective in the actual presentation.Copyright 2005 Larry TracyThis article is excerpted from Larry Tracy's book, The Shortcut to Persuasive Presentations. Larry, a retired Army colonel, has been cited in numerous publications as one of the top presentation skills trainers in the US. His website is at top of Google for "persuasive presentations. Visit it for FREE tips and additional articles:
http://www.tracy-presentation.com

Prayer or Meditation: If you're a believer you can pray if you are not at least take time to clear your mind and meditate. (On clearing your mind) A short prayer for God to guide you and give you the right words can't ever hurt. God has promised to give believers words even when they are under a heavy persecution; Mt 10:19. Why wouldn't he also help when there isn't any persecution? He would. Obviously you must do this before you speak. If you don't pray before you speak you might find yourself praying in the middle of your presentation for God to get you out of it as quickly as possible. Do not overlook this little gem because although it seems unimportant, it can actually be what makes or breaks your performance or presentation.Concentrate Only On what Your Doing or Saying: Finding something to focus on in the room, the podium or in your own head is the quick road to failure. If you are concentrating on some external matter your attention is divided and everyone will see that as clearly as a red blinking light on you head. One hundred percent of your attention on your subject, your music or anything else leaves zero percent wasted on fear, faces and nerves. It also goes without saying that you should never give any attention to time. It is another great false detractor. If you're in a hurry, it shows a lack of confidence, if you go over time you must be approaching expert levels in your field. Take that as an unspoken compliment.Ask Yourself One Single Question: Before you begin speaking ask yourself one all important question. Who in this entire audience could do or say what I am doing or saying? If you consider the answer very carefully you will always arrive at the same answer which is, few to none. When I was playing American and Irish Folk music I constantly reminded myself that I had a repertoire of about one thousand songs. I wasn't trying to feed my ego but I was reminding myself of one fact. If I were to ask my audience how many people could do one thousand songs, I would get no answers at all most of the time. When I get up to speak I am reminded of years of schooling, hours of personal preparation, scores of published articles and two published books. Ego, no, it is only the answer to the all important question. The bottom line is that since no one can say or do what you are saying or doing just get on with it. Waste no time on what anyone thinks. If they could do what you are doing they would be in the podium and you would be in the audience.Get Emotional: If you stuff doesn't move you it won't move anyone else either. This is an immutable rule of presentation. If you are singing your interpretation of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star pour yourself into it. If you are speaking about the nocturnal habits of fire ants do it with gesticulations, reverberations and tremors. Ridiculous you say, think again. One of the greatest influences in my days of performing music was a man I had never met and I never heard even one note of his music. His influence came from the remarks I heard others make about him. They all agreed that his shows were amazing because he was so overwhelmingly emotional and caught up in what he was doing. I soon discovered that when I got all wrapped up and emoted in my music that even when I thought my performance was poor the audience did not. Try it you'll like it.Use Humor: Not everyone is good at telling jokes and humorous stories but almost everyone knows at least one or two good ones. Nothing breaks the ice quicker than humor. If you get them laughing early you have already invoked at least one basic human emotional response, provoking others will be a great deal easier from then on. Don't comb the joke books looking for the best jokes. Think of the jokes you have heard others say recently. The key is twofold. Pick a joke or humorous story that is somewhat related to what you are presenting. And do not pick jokes that you alone think are funny. Use jokes that you have seen bringing others to a belly laugh. Use humor that has worked in the public domain. Don't overdue the humor angle because people can recognize filler material very easily. The other side of the coin is not to ignore this useful tool of the trade. Laughter is a great equalizer for both audience and speaker.Get Personal: This is far more than good advice, it is a rule that if ignored will become the difference between success and failure. I have watched skilled musicians who never once addressed their audiences. Their performance may have been impeccable but in the end met with little acclaim. I've heard speakers who know their subject forward and backward but left people yawning and fidgeting. What was missing was often if not always the personal touch. You must get a rapport going with any audience on the personal level or will get nothing else going at all. How can you do that? Take a cue from the stand up comedian or the storyteller. They ask mundane questions and they wait for someone to answer or acknowledge it with a gesture or murmur. Where are you from, any one here from New York? Hey, does it ever stop raining here in Washington. Let me see how many of you are here tonight; if you're here raise your hand. For those of you that didn't raise your hand I have a question, where the heck are you? I often started off by saying, thank you for having me here tonight and it is good to see you all here to hear my music, now get out of here every one of you. Some were shocked, some giggled some roared but all came to attention. Sound silly, it is but make no mistake, it works.See The Crowd As Only One Person: No science is available to prove how or why this little tool works, but be assured it will never fail. Always speak to the audience as if you were talking to only one single person. It makes them feel that you are being very personal with each individual, they can feel the difference. It shrinks the crowd on a perceptional level for you. Remember that perception is often the better part of reality. It moves the entire matter to a, one on one. Who wouldn't admit that they are more comfortable talking to their neighbor or some stranger but not a whole crowd? Approach your performance or address as if you were doing just that and you will succeed.Rev Bresciani is the leader of a non-denominational ministry in the New Orleans area. He has written many articles over the past thirty years in such periodicals as Guideposts and Catholic Digest. He is the author of two books available on Amazon.com, Alibris, Barnes and Noble and many other places. Rev Bresciani wrote, Hook Line and Sinker or What has Your Church Been Teaching You, published by PublishAmerica of Baltimore MD. He also wrote a book recently released by Xulon Press entitled An American Prophet and His Message, Questions and Answers on the Second Coming of Christ. Rev Bresciani has his own website at http://americanprophet.org

Public Speaking is a challenging skill. It is TOUGH! For some of you, it's probably the hardest thing you will ever do; and I can sympathize. Standing in front of the employees and coworkers that you want, (or need) to impress, all the while hoping that you remain clear, memorable, persuasive, entertaining and fun isn't a piece of cake. It is TOUGH, TOUGH, TOUGH!!Public speaking is a difficult thing on its own; however, imagine being in a leadership role and speaking in a language which is not your first language. These people have a second layer of challenges about which to worry. When someone is speaking English as a second language, they are also worried about their accent, pronunciation, intonation, grammatical errors and whether or not they are being perceived as a knowledgeable person despite their choice of words.The U.S. Census Bureau reported that in the United-States, 1 out of 5 people speak a language other than English. Many of these people are hired in at mid-level management. By 2030, demographers predict that English as a second language learners will account for approximately 40% of the students in the United-States. In some areas, that projection has already been exceeded. For instance, in California, 60%-70% of schoolchildren speak a language other than English as their primary language. It is therefore clear that many people are faced with this situation since a good majority of North Americans speak English as a second language.Accent is one of the major concerns for ESL speakers, especially for someone in a management role. Many accent reduction techniques and courses are out there, but my advice is to embrace your accent rather than to run away from it. Be true to yourself: if you have an accent, don't try to cover it up or camouflage it. An accent is a great way for you to differentiate yourself. You want people to remember you for who you are. About a year ago, I was training a gentleman from India. When he spoke in a social and conversational way his accent was easily detectable. The strange thing was, when he presented in front of a group he would put on a Deep-Southern accent. He sounded like a cross between Gandhi and Uncle Jesse from the "Dukes of Hazzard". When questioned about this, he said he thought he would be more respected and understood if he sounded like an American. Well, his approach totally backfired because the audience was more interested in his fake accent than in his words. In today's world, everyone has an accent; we all come from different parts of the globe and we all have different ways of saying things. Accents can even be an asset since some audiences find them charming and aesthetically pleasant to the ear. You will be your best when you let yourself completely be who you are. You will sound natural and it will be a pleasure to listen to you.Another concern that might arise is the apprehension resulting from the proper choice of words, or grammatical errors and syntax. Many times, people feel that since they are in a leadership role, that they have to use complex and technical words to be taken seriously. Finding the right words to express yourself in a language in which you are less comfortable can be a challenge. Regarding this, my advice is two-fold:Firstly, don't try to chew off more than you can swallow - use a vocabulary that makes you comfortable and that you understand. An audience will be much more impressed with a presenter that uses logic than with a presenter that uses a lofty, pretentious vocabulary.Secondly, use gestures, facial expression, and a "conversational" way of speaking. This will result in a warmer and more comfortable presentation. In addition, the audience will feel like they are communicating with a friend and that will make your talk much more effective. Your choice of words will consequently become less important.
Finally, an audience will be far more tolerant and responsive to a confident, happy speaker, therefore embrace your culture and don't be afraid to let your audience see where you're coming from!Martin Perras, martin@leadersinstitute.ca, is a Management Consultant and President of The Leader's Institute Canada, http://www.leadersinstitute.ca.He offers management training and consulting to companies in the US and Canada. He can be reached at 1-800-872-7830 x103.

Public speaking is among the five most feared activities human
beings encounter.The majority of us fear it worse than anything else. Yet, the
mastery of public speaking is an important tool in our business
skill set.It's never too early (or too late) to learn to speak in public.
Every one needs to start somewhere. The best strategy is to look
for non-threatening opportunities with familiar surroundings,
friends and colleagues. Plan your speaking gigs in stages
starting out with a small comfortable group then increasing the
number of members in the audience and finally tackle the
prominence of the engagement.Become a member of the leadership team where you need to give
reports or host meetings. In these instances, you will have
prepared material in front of you. Practice with the material as
if you were giving the speech. Don't just read the material; live it and convey it with feeling. When you begin with an audience, remember to make eye contact. Watch how people are receiving your information. Do they look bored? Adjust your inflection
accordingly.Do you participate in a professional association, social club or
sport that hosts regular meetings? Ask to make a short
presentation. If this is too daunting volunteer to introduce
another speaker. This will get you in front of an audience but
the spotlight won't be on you because you are not the primary
focus. It will help you to feel comfortable with a stage, a mike, and an audience. If you are comfortable with jumping right in, ask to be the keynote. Plan for it to be informal so that you get the experience of speaking in front of a group but you don't have to extensively prepare or make a formal presentation.Make sure to ask for feedback. The simplest way to do this is to
have an evaluation sheet. Write the questions using a ranking of
1-5 for answers. Leave space for writing an additional
assessment, but the less work someone has to do in an evaluation
the better the response.Tip: Make sure to collect the completed forms before the audience leaves the room. Otherwise, you will never get them back.After a few informal speaking occasions plan to make a
"real" speech. Make it about something you are an
expert on so the material will come naturally. Prepare for 20
minutes tops for this type of presentation with a ten minute
Q& A You will want to have notes but it is imperative that
you are comfortable with the topic. It has to be part of your
repertoire so that it comes to you even if you get off track. The more you know about the subject the more comfortable you will be with your audience.Tip: About 8 pages of typed material equals 20 minutes if you
speak in an even measured rate.Tip: As a friend or a moderator to ask a question even if the
audience doesn't have one (Prepare several questions in advance).Look for panel opportunities that allow several participants.
Once again, this gives you time in front of the microphone where
the focus is not just on you. It also helps because there is a
moderator who will keep the dialogue going if you hit a rough
patch. It's also good to discuss before hand what the moderator
will ask and what they expect from you in the way of a
presentation. How long will it take? How many questions you will
be asked, etc.Tip: In this instance, you are part of a team. Don't hog the
limelight. If your material is good and you are well prepared,
you will come out as a credible participant.Tip: Never serve on a panel blindly without knowing what you are
going to be asked in advance.After you have mastered the informal and the panel, it's time for some serious speech giving: The 45-minute program with 10 minutes of Q&A.This requires preparation and practice; a good venue for this is
a trade show or conference. At these affairs they are always
looking for speaker. Plan months in advance. Contact the
organizing group about your topic. Make sure your topic fits with the conference theme otherwise it might not draw the audience you want.Tip: Abstracts are required in advance of the actual event.
Unless you are an expert at winging it, do your homework early.
The abstract should be the framework for your presentation. This
will give you ample time to prepare your speech and presentation
and add new material should something relevant happen.Tip: You want your material fresh. Always look to current events
or hot button issues to make the presentation contemporary.Tip: As a beginner, be advised to stay away from the more exotic
aspects of speech giving. If you use PowerPoint, make it simple.
Remember, the more complicated it gets the greater the chance for something to go wrong. Always take a backup CD and at least two printed copies of your speech.There are groups such as toastmasters that you can join that will allow you the opportunity to speak in front of a group in a
non-threatening environment. To find out about a group near you
go to http://www.toastmasters.org/Remember everyone has to start somewhere. The more you speak
front of people the more comfortable you will become. The
audience is not the enemy. They are there to learn from you.
Share the wealth of your knowledge. Keep that thought in mind
when in front of the podium.JoAnn Hines' specialty is PACKAGING PEOPLE. Whether you want to be paid more, you just lost your job, or you want to progress in the one you have, Ms. Hines advice and expertise can help you transform your personal brand. She can show you how to package yourself and make your brand a hot commodity. It's easy once you know the ropes and begin to utilize her insider's secrets. She shows you step by step how to increase your visibility, credibility and marketability with easy to use tutorials and templates.It is time to get started "Packaging Yourself." To learn the ropes and "Package Yourself" for success email Ms. Hines @ pkgcoach@aol.com

Your mouth is dry, heart palpitating, and knees knocking. You go into panic, facing a dreaded public speaking assignment.It doesn't have to be so.These five tips will give you some strategies to overcome those symptoms and have the butterflies flying in formation.1. Deep breathing will pull in oxygen. Adrenalin, secreted to help you deal with the fear brought on by little doubts, causes breaths to become shallow, or causes you to hold your breath. Deep breathing will help your brain work to capacity, and forcing the slower pace will quell the panic.2. Bluff. Stand tall, with shoulders back and chest out. Smile. Even though you don't feel happy or confident, do it anyway. You will look confident and your body will fool your brain into thinking it is confident. This really works!!
Bluff ? body and smile3. Keep you mouth and throat hydrated. Plan to keep a drink on hand while you are speaking., though this sounds impossible. Visualising how you will use it if you need it, and calling up the audacity to do such a thing will carry across to your attitude as you take your place to speak, placing your glass just where you need it to be.4. Adrenalin sends the blood rushing to the fight/flight centres of your brain at the base of the skull. Place your hand on your forehead and press gently on the bony points. This will bring the blood to the parts of the brain that need it to present your speech best.5. Know you are prepared. Obviously this depends on actually being prepared, so take every opportunity in the days leading up to the speech to prepare your material. Be familiar with the structure of the presentation, and the ideas to use. Memorise the most important parts, and the parts you are frightened of forgetting. I would memorise the opening of the speech and in the moments before presenting it, would reassure myself that I knew that part, and that would lead on to the rest. It worked!!If you want to develop your speaking confidence, visit an ITC club. You will have the chance to find the strategies that work for you and perfect them. ITC offers a supportive environment and constructive evaluation for you to develop your communication skills.This article was written by Bronwyn Ritchie for Communicators Logan City, an ITC Club. All rights reserved. You are welcome to reproduce it accompanied by the following information: ITC is an international organisation offering training in communication, leadership and organisation skills. International Training in Communication provides opportunities for personal growth that show immediate results. The ITC website is at http://www.itcintl.com/

You know the feeling. Looking out at a sea of faces, you notice a few scowls, frowns, even droopy eyelids on some of your audience members. What are they thinking? Do they disagree with your points? Are they in a bad mood? Do they just not like YOU? You bend over backwards to win them over. You smile, establish eye contact. But the longer you speak the more hopeless you feel as you see your desperate attempts to please fall flat. At the end, feeling discouraged and anxious, you limp away.It doesn't have to be that way. By using a simple image--the porch light--you can give the same talk with such enthusiasm that scowls won't bother you. In fact, you may even be able to turn those frowns upside down!Remember going trick-or-treating as a child? You would carefully examine all the houses to determine which ones would yield the good "loot." Most likely, the brightly lit porches with elaborate Halloween decorations would have friendly, generous, confection-laden people behind the door. Also, you most likely skipped the houses with dark, unswept porches for their lack of promise.Imagine the faces of your audience members as porch lights. Some will be brightly "lit" with smiles and encouraging looks; others may appear uninviting. The trick is to speak into the spirit of the bright porch lights. Let in support from those who are encouraging you. Speak into the generosity of those porches that are lit, rather than into the perceived criticism of the uninviting ones.Does that mean you ignore the unlit porches? No. Instead of speaking from a panicky need to win them over, addresss the frowning faces with the same energy that you project toward the friendly faces. Easier said than done? Perhaps, but you can make it easier if you remember the following:1. Negative expressions probably have nothing to do with you. People frown when they have a stomachache; they scowl when they're reliving a fight with their spouses; they drop off when they spent the night rocking a sick baby. Nine times out of ten, they had turned off their porch lights long before you walked in the room.2. Usually far more porch lights are ON than off. Most people in your audience want you to succeed. But you can get so focused on forcing the negative ones to like you that you don't let in the support of those who already do! It's a shame when warm, supportive energy goes unused. Besides, if you speak appreciatively into the positive energy of the "on" porch lights, the "off" porch lights see the magic that's happening between you and your supporters. That's often all it takes to turn on lights all over the room.3. Just because a person's porch light is off, it doesn't mean nobody's home. The person might just be concerned, anxious, or distracted. With a little more information or reassurance, that listener's porch light might come on more brightly than all the others.The next time you speak, remember the wisdom of your trick-or-treating days: Don't spend a lot of time on dark, uninviting porches. Instead, enjoy the warm light of the inviting ones. That's where you'll find the best treats. And, who knows? The grumpy neighbors peeking out from their dark windows may see your joy and decide to turn on their porch lights after all.* Based on an image mentioned in SPEAKING CIRCLES(R) Facilitator Training. The SPEAKING CIRCLE(R) method is a revolutionary new approach to increasing speaking confidence and charisma. To learn more, visit www.speakingcircles.com.About The AuthorMelissa Lewis turns traditional thinking about public speaking upside down to give people more comfort, confidence, and charisma in front of groups. She is a certified facilitator of SPEAKING CIRCLES(R), president-elect of the National Speakers Association Kansas City Chapter, and author of the soon-to-be-released book, Upside Down Speaking. For more information, call (913) 341-1241 or visit www.upsidedownspeaking.com.Melissa@upsidedownspeaking.com

1. No speech is ever perfect. Perfectionism creates more fear. Do your best and leave it at that.2. Forget about what you forgot to say. Trust that the audience heard what was needed.3. Someone has said that you should put ten hours of practice into every one hour presentation. You can, but it's over kill. Practice until you feel like you have 80%, let the other 20% take care of itself. If you know your stuff, you may not need any practice.4. Make it clear. No rambling. No tangents. The audience should leave knowing your position whether they agree with it or not.5. Be conversational. No sterile speech patterns. No monotone. Speak like you would to a friend over a cup of coffee.6. Toss out ego. It's not about you or your acceptance; it's about giving the audience value they can grow from. Too many speakers have their esteem wrapped up in being liked.7. Stop playing "What if..." What if I freeze? What if I forget?8. Be you. Chances are high that your friends consider you warm and humorous. No one is against a speaker like that.9. Use props if they clarify a point. In one of my presentations I have 2 jars on stage. One filled with money. One filled with trash. I get an audience member to crack the trash jar with a hammer. Then we talk about the crap they fill their lives with and the result of that. Then another person cracks the money jar. We talk about how to fill our lives with wealth. Close: "What's in your jar? Nothing you haven't placed there yourself."10. Get to know the audience. Meet and greet before and after. Get as close to the crowd as possible when speaking. Forget the the podium.11. Use as few notes as possible. I like a single sticky sheet with my points on it.12. Your life provides your illustrations. Every experience holds the possibility of an example or truth others can learn from.13. Don't tell jokes. First, most are not funny. Second, most of the people have heard the lame things. Third, a story of something foolish you did as a child is funnier than any joke on the planet.14. You don't change lives. People have to take your words and apply them in order for change to result. You are responsible to them, not for them.15. You become what you think about. Think scared, you'll be scared. Think passionate, you'll be passionate. Trace your feelings and you'll discover they came from thoughts.16. Your best for this moment is the best you can do. Don't compare yourself to famous speakers. You can learn, grow, and become better, and you should. However, don't allow what you are not at this moment to hide the greatness of who you ARE at this moment.17. Fear is part of speaking. Even the best speakers feel some slight butterflies from excitement. Fear is not unusual; it's typical. Don't be surprised by its presence.18. You cannot get better if you do not speak regularly. Join a club like Toastmasters to get experience and exposure. There's a crazy mindset that runs through the brains of some speakers. They think that they can get in front of an audience and be fabulous the first time. Not gonna happen. No one plays an instrument without practice. The same is true with speaking.19. Impromptu and spontaneous speaking only work when you understand the communication rules and know how to break them. Many top speakers "ad lib" 80% or more of their messages. That's only possible because they KNOW the exact response their words will bring. Their material may be new, but it's not an experiment. They know how people will react to their words before they ever use them. Do you have audience response ESP? Do you know if the audience will laugh, cry, or clap BEFORE the words come out of your mouth?20. If you can't summarize the intended result of your speech in one sentence, then you're not clear. There should be no doubt about the value and intention of your presentation.21. Sometimes it's your job to offend. I have an upcoming speech that is going to highly bother the attendees, but the CEO will love it. The audience will get what they need, not what they want. That's the way is has to go sometimes.22. Don't sacrifice clarity for cuteness. If you're amazed at the cleverness of your speech, then chances are better than great that your audience won't be.23. Outlining your speech should never take more than hour. If it does, then you're working too hard on something that almost everyone will forget. Jot down your points. Subtitle some illustrations. Then practice. Speaking is much easier than people make it out to be.24. Self-effacing humor works miracles. Last Friday I walked into our church's baptismal pool by accident. Got soaked from the chest down. Good news: My cell phone was saved. Bad news: It went to meet its maker a few minutes later. I've gotten phone calls galore from friends teasing me. I've already jotted down the details along with several ways I can use this embarrassing tale as an illustration. If you're not willing to look dumb, then you're not too smart.25. Don't take yourself too seriously. First, other people can recognize it, and it will turn them off. Second, your own body will recognize it and turn you off.26. Words will never become ineffective. We live in a world of advanced technology. Multi-media abounds. But NOTHING will ever replace an individual with a bold message, the passion to share it, and an audience wanting to change.Paul Evans is the executive creator of Instant Speaking Success. http://www.instantspeakingsuccess.com Over 24,000 public speakers receive his weekly speaking letter. Sign up is free. Paul's public speaking course has help thousands of speakers overcome fear and deliver with power and passion. http://www.greatpublicspeaking.com

Why do you have to be an expert when getting speaking engagements?The first thing you need to do before engaging into a speaking career is to define what you are an expert in. I have seen so many speakers that get relegated into the mediocre list just because they say they can talk on anything and "what would you like to hear?" Although I am not advocating sticking with one topic, I am advocating that you are an expert in a field that you choose. Do not try to be everything to everyone. The other day I came across a consultant saying to me that he was in the Application Integration business and that he had some major customers. I asked "how do you present your materials?" He explained that he simply worked with major vendors to make all their systems talk together. Then to my dismay he also added "and I do training (which is OK) and I am also a management consultant to help management make decisions with processes and how to put them together." To each question I asked he replied "I do that too". Now I was totally confused. All of a sudden, I did not view him as an expert and moved on.You will find that once you specifically define your expertise, you will stick to it! You may also provide other things to your clients, but when you are speaking to an audience, YOU are the expert and not a chameleon that changes spots with the changing smell of a new business opportunity. Remember to focus on what you do best and the rest will follow; when you secure a speaking engagement, attach a subject to it, don't leave it open.If you can clearly define your expertise, then business will be easier to obtain. People will come to know you in that field and ask your advice. Being an expert and defining it well is the first step to a speaking career within your field. Another thing you must be aware of is your audience and why they will listen to you.Bette Daoust, Ph.D. has been networking with others since leaving high school years ago. Realizing that no one really cared about what she did in life unless she had someone to tell and excite. She decided to find the best ways to get people's attention, be creative in how she presented herself and products, getting people to know who she was, and being visible all the time. Her friends and colleagues have often dubbed her the "Networking Queen". Blueprint for Networking Success: 150 ways to promote yourself is the first in this series. Blueprint for Branding Yourself: Another 150 ways to promote yourself is planned for release in 2005. For more information visit http://www.BlueprintBooks.com