How to Fit A 40 Minute Presentation Into 10 Minutes

One of the best courses I had in college was an English class on the 18th Century Novel. My professor assigned one book per week and would ask one question per book for which we were allowed to answer on only one typewritten, double-spaced page. The problem was that the question asked could be answered more easily in 20 pages than in one. That was the beauty of the course. I learned to write succinctly.

The same techniques used for writing succinctly can be applied to speaking succinctly as well.

While most novice speakers would probably prefer a 10-minute presentation to one lasting 40 or 50 minutes, many speakers find the 10-minute presentation harder to make than a longer version. Some people really love to talk.

The answer to cutting down your lengthy presentation is to ask yourself this one question: what must I say to get my point across? By means of an outline, list what you need to cover. Once you have those bullet points, build on them with care.

The percentage of what your audience actually remembers is minimal; thus, say less, stress what is important, limit your anecdotes, and then say what is important again. Ten minutes is short. Allow one minute for your opening, one minute for your closing, and take those eight developmental minutes and get to your point concisely.

[While I certainly advise you to limit your anecdotes, I don't want you to eliminate them completely. A couple of well-chosen anecdotes can often sell a product better than numbers or data.]

If you are making a sales presentation on a new brand of coffee, for instance, that has only recently come on the market, the 10-minute presentation is not the time to talk about the history of java. If, on the other hand, you are describing the phenomenal success your coffee has had in a very limited time frame, then the history of your brand might be extremely influential in your ability to close the deal. In a situation like this, I would even consider opening the presentation with that data since it is such a wow factor.

Another piece of advice in making the 10-minute presentation is to stick to your script. This is the one time you don't want to get side-tracked. Once off your target, you will lose precious time, so avoid adding that extra thought that comes to mind as you are speaking.

The Voice Lady Nancy Daniels is a voice specialist and president of Voice Dynamic. Offering corporate and 2-day workshops throughout the US and Canada, Daniels launched Voicing It! in April of 2006, the only video training course on voice improvement. For more information go to: http://www.voicedynamic.com

Emphasizing The Importance In Your Presentation

When you have something important to say

How to emphasize the key points of your presentation so your audience hears, digests and remembers it.

When you are delivering a presentation to your management, a proposal to the committee or changes to your staff they are not hanging on your every word. When you get to the key points - you want them to listen, believe and remember. Use the following techniques to give the key words of your presentation more impact.

1. Announce, "This is important." Then deliver the important line. Teachers grab attention by saying, "This will be on the exam." You could state, "This is a million dollar tip."

2. Pause, just before, and after, you say the important stuff. This is similar to placing quotation marks around the important line. Notice the effect of the pause at the awards night when they say, "May I have the envelope please?"

3. Lower the tone of your voice to increase the believability. Practice this, "And in conclusion," (lower your voice) "I am the best one for the job." Just for fun, when you are alone, try it in a higher pitched voice and notice the difference. Think James Earl Jones.

4. Make them laugh just before, then get serious and deliver the important message. This is a good attention getter and very helpful when you want to change directions. When we laugh we open our minds and are more willing to accept new information.

5. Move just before you speak - then stand still while delivering the important message. This is especially effective if you pace or move a lot when you speak. Stand still when you say the important part. We can't listen if we are watching you move.

6. Look your audience in the eye - never read the important message. If you have to read it - then it looks like you don't really know it or believe it. Know your message, rehearse it and deliver it directly to your audience.

7. Smile. We believe more those who smile at us. We also prefer to listen to speakers who smile at us. We listen with our eyes and our ears. Be friendly to the eyes and the ears of your audience. If we don't like what we see - we won't listen.

8. Tell a story of how this lesson was learned or applied. The earliest lessons were stories told by our cave-dwelling ancestors. The story lessons were remembered. If only the teachers and professors of today remembered the wisdom of our ancestors. We love stories. We hate lectures. Just ask your kids.

9. Repeat the main message three times during your presentation. If you want it remembered - repeat it and repeat it again. The first time we weren't listening. The second time we caught part of it and the third time we might hear it and remember it.

10. Reinforce the key message with images. We retain images better than words. Attach your message to word pictures, visuals and body language.

Your words will not be effective unless you skillfully package them. Do that and your presentation will be more successful. And you will close more deals.

© GA George Torok is the Speech Coach for Executives Get your free Power Presentation Tips by visiting http://www.speechcoachforexecutives.com He coaches executives to deliver million dollar presentations. He has delivered over 1,000 professional presentations. He trains managers, technical experts and business professionals to deliver powerful presentations. Arrange for your keynote speech or training program at http://www.torok.com

Public Speaking - The Pause Is Important

Sometimes it appears that there is just too much to think about, to be aware of, and to focus upon in public speaking. While that may seem true at first, if you allow yourself to pause during your delivery, you will discover one of the most important aids when delivering a speech or presentation.

Talking non-stop is ineffective for both you and your listeners. To be bombarded by constant verbiage is tiring. They need breaks and so do you. If you allow yourself to pause, you will find yourself much more relaxed and better able to focus on your thoughts. That 2-second break, albeit brief, enables you to supplement your air supply and to categorize your thoughts. It allows your audience to categorize what they are hearing as well.

One of the problems for many novice speakers is lack of air. The pause solves that problem. By supplementing your balloon of air while speaking, you will discover a continual supply of oxygen. If, on the other hand, you wait until you are totally spent, you will then be forced in inhale a huge amount of air which will actually produce more tension in your body. This results in a 'cat and mouse' situation in which you are constantly trying to fill your balloon or catch up on your air supply.

If you would allow yourself to pause while speaking - even to the point of interrupting your sentence - you will discover control over your pacing and your thoughts. By the way, you do this in normal conversation all the time. For some at the lectern, however, the idea of actually interrupting a sentence is forbidden. Why?

If you breathe while talking to your family, friends or colleagues, why can't you breathe while public speaking? Because you have an audience? What do you think your family, friends or colleagues are when you are talking in conversation? They are your audience as well.

Do not believe you cannot breathe while delivering a speech or presentation. The best in the business do it and so can you. Allow yourself to pause and supplement your air supply before you run out it, and I guarantee you will feel more confident and have better control over your delivery. In addition, your audience will be most appreciative because they will be able to focus better on what you are saying.

The Voice Lady Nancy Daniels offers private, corporate and group workshops in voice and presentation skills as well as Voicing It!, the only video training program on voice improvement. To see how voice training can improve your life, both professionally and personally, visit Voice Dynamic and watch a brief video as The Voice Lady describes Dynamic Public Speaking.

Cure Your Stage Fright And Public Speaking Fear Now

There are many effective techniques to conquer stage fright and fear of public speaking -here's a technique that works quite well, and has an additional hidden benefit:

If you've already tried traditional methods to get rid of stage fright and it hasn't worked, it's time to try more serious public speaking training techniques.

Stage fright is caused by how you hold representations in your mind - a fancy way of saying that whether you know it or not, you're running scary movies in your mind that create fear.

Using this public speaking training technique you can conquer stage fright quickly and easily.

One of the most effective public speaking training techniques you can use to get rid of stage fright is what I call "The Hero Process", here are the steps:

1. Identify Your Hero:

Who can you think of that would never have stage fright, not in a million years? Who can you think of that could confidently speak to any size audience? This person may be living or not, real or imaginary, someone you know personally or not. Important: pick a Hero that would not have stage fright, ever.

2. Observe Your Hero:

It doesn't matter if you observe your Hero in your mind, on a video, or in person. What you're looking for here is the outward demonstration of a total lack of stage fright - in other words, how does their face, their voice and their body look when they're calm and confidently speaking to an audience? Make detailed notes about their face voice and body.

3. Become Your Hero:

Emulate and act like your Hero - stand the way s/he would stand. Make your face like their face. Speak the way they would speak. Feel all the feeling of calm confidence they would feel. Try practicing parts of your speech being just like your Hero.

4. Rinse Then Repeat:

Go back to being yourself for a minute or so, then practice being your Hero again.

3 tips that make this method work best:

1. Don't "impersonate" your Hero, just emulate the qualities they have that make them free from stage fright.

2. Use 2 spots on the floor that are six-feet apart; on one spot, you are you. On the other spot, you transform into your Hero.

3. Try different Heroes: if one doesn't seem to make a difference in how you feel, try another and another until you can speak free from stage fright.

Summary & Bonus Tips:

This is not "fake it until you make it" because the Hero Process literally rewires neural connections in your brain to short circuit stage fright and build new neural connections for calm confidence about public speaking. Remember - you are emulating, not imitating. Use this 2 ways: to practice speaking without stage fright, and to stop an on-stage panic attack by becoming your Hero and instantly calm down.

Bonus tips: by emulating your hero, you can also become a much better and more effective speaker more quickly. Feel free to emulate several different heroes, or even take the best qualities of various heroes who are great speakers and build a "super-hero" to emulate.

For more pubic speaking training articles visit http://www.bestpublicspeakingtraining.com

David Portney is the author of "129 Seminar Speaking Success Tips" and the founder of the Academy of Public Speaking http://www.bestpublicspeakingtraining.com

How To Find Top Paying Public Speaking Jobs

Public speaking jobs are one kind of the top paying careers as it is outlined in the famous book"top 1000 paying jobs".the pay could go anywhere between 1000 $ to 50.000 $ or more depending on the duration as well as the amount of work put into the process of the preparation of a given speaking event.It depends also on the importance of the content of the presentation itself. Because I know the reason why you are here,I'm writing this article to help you to get yourself into the right track in your mission of finding lucrative public speaking jobs.The first thing to consider is to identify the field or the niche you are into and then look at related organizations,companies,associations…etc.Do your homework by contacting each one of the organizations that you found and see if they are looking for public speakers.Here's a little secret of mine:Start with volunteer works with small businesses,non profit organization,universities and even libraries.The point here is to get noticed,Proclaim your expertise as a brilliant public speaker.Believe me,you will get an unbelievable exposure.Just start small and with determination and good faith,you will get the job of your dreams. Another place to look for public speaking jobs is the internet,as you may notice,the internet now is playing an integral part in finding and location jobs online,so a quick search is sufficient to find great jobs opportunities.Try typing something like"speaker wanted+your niche" or something similar.You should find what you want.for example,contact information of organizations,conferences…etc. Last and not least,and actually the most important places to go are directories.There are basically three main directories that will incredibly facilitate your research:The directory of association meeting planners,the directory of corporate meeting planners and the national trade and professional association directory. These are the quickest and the most cost effective ways to locate great public speaking jobs.So far,I hope that you found something that interested you in this little article.Good luck and thank you for taking time to read this piece of information.

SIMON GARMAH is an executive Communications Consultant and Coach. He is president of Lifestyles Communications, Inc. His public speaking jobs blog.So take the first step toward conquering your public speaking jobs.

Most People Don't Remember To Do This In Public Speaking

It is the first thing we do at birth; it will be the last thing we do at death. It is the most important thing we do every day of our lives.

Dogs do it; cats do it; cows do it; and, horses do it. In fact all other mammals do it and they do it properly; it is only man (and that is 99% of us) who is doing it wrong.

On the podium, we not only do it wrong but many of us are not doing it at all!

It is called breathing. And right now you are saying of course I am breathing. Yes and no. Ask yourself the following questions.

1. Do you know what supported breathing is? 2. In public speaking do you experience breathlessness? 3. Are your shoulder and neck regions sore by the end of the day? 4. Can you control your nervousness in public speaking? 5. Is your stress often overwhelming?

If you answered yes to any of those questions, chances are you are a lazy or shallow breather; and, since 99% of the population is unaware of the techniques for supported breathing, it is quite possible that you are part of the majority.

Breathing with the support of your diaphragm, a muscular partition separating your chest from your abdomen, is the answer to the 5 questions above. [While we were born breathing with the support of the diaphragm, as we develop we revert to using only the upper portion of the chest, known as shallow or lazy breathing. It is a medical fact.]

Those who breathe with support are able to eliminate breathlessness at the lectern, end daily neck and shoulder tension, control their nervousness in public speaking and alleviate much of the stress in their lives because diaphragmatic breathing rids the body of toxins that shallow or lazy breathing cannot. In fact, shallow breathing actually increases stress because of the inability of the body to rid itself of toxins.

Incidentally, those who experience true panic attacks are taught first and foremost to take a deep, supported breath.

Learning the simple techniques of diaphragmatic breathing can change your life, both professionally and personally. An added bonus is that they say you can 4-1/2 years to your life, again because you are cleansing your body with each and every breath.

It was the first thing you did in life; it will be last thing you do in life. Why not make it one of the best things you do in life?

The Voice Lady Nancy Daniels is a voice specialist and president of Voice Dynamic. Offering corporate and 2-day workshops throughout the US and Canada, Daniels launched Voicing It! in April of 2006, the only video training course on voice improvement. For more information go to: http://www.voicedynamic.com

Public Speaking - Looking For The Smilers In The Audience

Recently I gave a presentation at a Summit Conference in New York City and was confronted with a very tame audience. I was blessed, however, to have two women in the large ballroom who smiled throughout, nodding their heads in agreement with everything I said. The second blessing was that these two women were sitting on opposite sides of the room; thus, in acknowledging my two 'smilers',I had to scan the room from one side to the other.

In teaching presentation skills, I advocate zeroing in your smilers because they bolster your confidence. Some people smile because they agree with you and some people smile just because they smile. Some people listen with their eyes closed; some people indeed are sleepers.

In a room filled with over 100 attendees, however, I was surprised that I had only two smilers. Without a doubt, this particular group was one of the hardest audiences I have ever faced. In fact, throughout my 40-minute presentation, I questioned their lack of enthusiasm.

Admittedly, the microphone I was handed left much to be desired because it unfortunately was not of the same quality as the stationary mic on the lectern. [And that definitely was my fault for not getting a sound check before speaking. I assumed that because the gentleman speaking prior to me was getting great sound with the stationary mic, so too would I with a hand-held version. Very bad assumption; however, great fodder for the book and audio series I am presently working on for public speaking!]

One attendee, sitting smack dab in the middle of the room and not 10 feet from me, kept nodding off. Of course every audience has a sleeper; and, because the rest of the room was awake, I was not concerned. Interestingly though, while watching the 'before' and 'after' video clips of my clients, the gentleman whose eyes were half closed, reacted with such sudden force upon seeing Craig, that it took everything in my power not to laugh out loud. (Craig is undoubtedly the best change in a male voice that I have ever encountered.) With his eyes bulging, this sleeper reminded me of a cartoon character who suddenly becomes bug-eyed upon viewing a beautiful woman.

While the time I spent talking about voice and telephone techniques certainly had its challenges, the applause from the audience upon closing was thunderous. Indeed that was unexpected. Aside from the two smiling women, here was a crowd who showed little expression in what I was saying by their most reserved and noncommittal reaction to me. What usually gets a laugh did not. What always gets verbal response did not. And yet they enjoyed my presentation.

What did I learn from this particular audience? That once again, you can never prejudge how you will be received. During your speech or presentation, the reaction of your audience may not be what you expected. It may be better or it could be worse.

My advice is to ignore your sleepers; zero in your smilers; and talk to your audience just as if you were having a conversation in your living room.

The Voice Lady Nancy Daniels is a voice specialist and president of Voice Dynamic. Offering corporate and 2-day workshops throughout the US and Canada, Daniels launched Voicing It! in April of 2006, the only video training course on voice improvement. For more information go to: http://www.voicedynamic.com

Is It A Good idea To Eat Before A Presentation?

The question of whether you should eat before speaking is very individual. Some people want to eat - others don't. By the way, you are not alone in this dilemma. Most professional athletes, stage actors, and musicians do not eat a large meal before performing.

There have certainly been times in the past when I've been teaching a private session on an empty stomach and my stomach started to growl. In a situation like this, it is a good idea to have some type of snack food available like a granola bar or some fruit that you can nibble on; however, when it comes to the speech or presentation, chomping on an apple is not in the picture.

The real question is the big presentation in front of the microphone or standing at the head of the boardroom table. Good microphones today can pick up a lot of sound, especially in close range. On the other hand, if you are at the head of the boardroom table, those sitting to your immediate left and right will hear every sound your body makes.

You should definitely have something in your stomach so that it doesn't growl during your performance; however, the last thing you want is too much in there. Feeling full is not good when your nervousness is at its height. If you feel like you could unbutton the top button of your trousers, pants or skirt or need to unloosen your belt, you definitely overdid it.

Remember, too much food in the stomach can produce undesired audio results as well as too little!

Eating a few hours before you speak is ideal. But what happens when you are the after-dinner speaker and they have the place of honor for you in the center of the dais?

Eat lightly.

Forego dessert.

And

Do Not Drink Alcohol.

While you may think that you can handle a drink before speaking or that it may help to relax you, I beg to differ. When you drink, you lose your edge. The last thing you want in public speaking is feeling too relaxed. You need to be sharp, clear, crystallized. Alcohol allows for none of that. It dulls the senses. So stay away from liquor. Instead, drink water, coffee, tea or juice. Avoid milk products as well because they create extra phlegm. Excessive clearing of the throat while speaking is annoying and hard on your vocal folds (cords) as well.

The best advice I can give is to use common sense in your choice of foods; have something in your stomach so that you are not starving; and save your dessert for afterwards.

The Voice Lady Nancy Daniels is a voice specialist and president of Voice Dynamic. Offering corporate and 2-day workshops throughout the US and Canada, Daniels launched Voicing It! in April of 2006, the only video training course on voice improvement. For more information go to: http://www.voicedynamic.com

The Importance Of The Anecdote To Your Presentation

In public speaking, the anecdotes you include in your presentation can say a lot about you as the speaker. Simply put, the anecdote is a very brief retelling of a true account which can be humorous or interesting, but more importantly, is relevant to your topic. The value of the anecdote is that it lends credibility to you as the speaker.

Whether you are giving an informative or a persuasive speech or presentation, your goal is to have your audience recognize you as an expert in your field. Besides the fact that audiences enjoy good anecdotes, the retelling of an experience that happened to you or to someone else brings believability in your knowledge of your subject as well as your ability in your field.

When I give a presentation about voice, public speaking, or telephone techniques, I always include anecdotes about diaphragmatic breathing because this type of deep, supported breathing is the foundation for everything I teach.

A good example is the retelling of my experience during a double biopsy I had a few years ago. Because of the breathing, I fell asleep during this procedure. Now, I usually only use this particular anecdote when I'm talking to a women's group versus a mixed one. I'm not as comfortable discussing this subject in a room filled with men. As this anecdote shows the power of diaphragmatic breathing in eliminating the stress a woman might normally incur in this particular situation, it is very relevant to my topic. Because the benefits of deep supported breathing go far beyond the voice or presentation skills, I want my audience to see how the breathing can affect everything in their lives, be it professional or personal.

For them to hear about a professional golfer who drives the ball further, or an NHL player who no longer loses his voice on the ice, or a director of transportation whose blood pressure drops on his exercise bike, is not only interesting but it also show my audience that I am experienced as well as an expert in my field.

If you are young or just starting out in your profession, you may not have any anecdotes of your own, but if you research your topic, you will find relevant stories or examples that you can cite. Just remember to give credit to the writer or writers of these anecdotes if necessary.

In utilizing anecdotes, keep them brief. A 5-minute description of an incident or experience in a 10-minute presentation is too long. Anecdotes are not your presentation; they are filler and their purpose is to enlighten or further explain your subject matter.

Using anecdotes wisely lends credibility, and, if done well, can leave your audience wanting more.

The Voice Lady Nancy Daniels is a voice specialist and president of Voice Dynamic. Offering corporate and 2-day workshops throughout the US and Canada, Daniels launched Voicing It! in April of 2006, the only video training course on voice improvement. For more information go to: http://www.voicedynamic.com

Confidence At The Lectern Or In Front Of Video

Some of the people with whom I work are not comfortable standing at a lectern or in front of a video camera when they have to make a presentation. So I have them sit when they first begin work on their delivery. I ask them to imagine that they are simply having a conversation with me in a living room as they deliver their material.

Surprisingly, this technique is very effective. I do record them but I don't point the camera in their direction. At this stage, I'm only interested in picking up their voice. When I play it back, it is wonderful to hear their reaction. They are surprised at how natural and normal they sound. My job then is to get them to sound the same way standing at the lectern or in front of the camera.

At this point, many of my clients are ready; however, not everyone is. So, for those who can't quite make it to the podium, I will have them stand by their chair and deliver it again. I will record it, play it back, and once again, let them hear how well they did. If they don't do as well standing, they go back to the chair and do more practicing sitting down.

My job is to build their confidence; and, video equipment is the best tool for this type of training so that they can hear themselves and eventually see themselves on camera.

Part of good presentation skills training is to teach the individual to speak to their audience and not at them. The problem for many people is that they think they have to be someone other than themselves when they deliver their material. Nothing could be further from the truth. If you listen to good speakers, they are first and foremost themselves.

One of my clients, a very out-going and well-spoken lawyer, was scheduled to give a presentation on real estate law to a large group of realtors. Here was a man who had no problem in the courtroom getting his points across; however, ask him to stand on a stage and speak to an audience and he was beside himself. He phoned me in distress, stammering as he admitted that he could not do this presentation. In working with him a few days later, I found his delivery to be very boring. When I played back his video, he could see and hear how stiff and flat he looked and sounded.

I had him sit, suggesting that he imagine he was at the kitchen table with his wife giving this presentation. He felt that it wouldn't sound natural. (Of course his earlier presentation sounded anything but natural!) He did as I requested; I played it back; he was amazed. Why? Because he sounded like he was having a conversation. He was then able to stand at my lectern and deliver an excellent presentation with expression, with emotion, with color.

[Incidentally, he phoned me immediately after speaking to the realtors, telling me that he had done a great job and that he loved doing it!]

If your fear is holding you back, first practice your presentation sitting down with your camcorder running; play it back; and watch it. You may be surprised at just how good of a job you do.

The Voice Lady Nancy Daniels is a voice specialist and president of Voice Dynamic. Offering corporate and 2-day workshops throughout the US and Canada, Daniels launched Voicing It! in April of 2006, the only video training course on voice improvement. For more information go to: http://www.voicedynamic.com

A PowerPoint Tip On Getting The Best From Animations

To show movement or a process, you may want to animate an object using a motion path. Sometimes, you can't fit the entire animation on one slide because it has several steps. In this case, you can break it up onto multiple slides. The problem is that it's hard to match on the second slide the exact location where the object will end up on the first slide. This makes the object appear to jump.

Follow these steps to achieve this effect:

1. Place the object that you want to animate in its final position on the first slide. This means that it'll be at the end of the motion path.

2. Choose Slide Show> Custom Animation to open the Custom Animation task pane. (In 2007, choose Animations tab>Custom Animation.)

3. Select the object that you're animating. For accuracy, you're going to need to find the center of the object. To do so, Choose View> Grids and Guides. (In 2007, click the Format tab that appeared when you selected the object, then go to the Arrange group, click the Align drop-down arrow, and choose Grid Settings.) In the resulting dialog box, check the Display Drawing Guides on Screen check box, and click OK.

4. Drag the vertical and horizontal gridlines so that they match the center handles of the object. (I learned this technique from Julie Terberg of Terberg Design, at PowerPoint Live, the annual PowerPoint conference.)

5. Choose Add Effect>Motion Paths. From there you can choose one of the default paths, or choose Draw Custom Path and then the type of path.

6. Draw the motion path from its end to its beginning, starting at the center of the object. The center is at the intersection of the guides.

7. Right-click the motion path itself and choose Reverse Path Direction. You've now reversed the animation.

8. In the Custom Animation task pane, click the Path drop-down list, and choose Locked. By locking the path, you can move the object without moving the path.

9. Select the animated object. Place the cursor at the intersection of the guides, and drag it to the desired start point, which is the green arrow at the start of the motion path. If you don't get this right, the object may jump during the animation.

10. Now go to slide 2, where the object is already in its correct starting position. You can now create a new animation from that position.

Ellen Finkelstein is the best-selling author of How to Do Everything with PowerPoint 2007 (and previous editions for PowerPoint 2002 and PowerPoint 2003). Other books include PowerPoint for Teachers: Dynamic Presentations and Interactive Classroom Projects and 101 Tips Every PowerPoint User Should Know.

Public Speaking - The First Important Question

You've been asked to speak. You may have an audience of 4 people or one as large as 400. The question you must answer is why? What is the reason someone, some business, or some organization has invited you to speak to a group of people?

Or maybe you have been volunteered to speak: the boss wants you to give a presentation to the board of directors about your past meeting with potential buyers.

Or maybe you have sought the speaking engagement on your own. You have emailed, phoned, or sent a letter to the Rotary Club, asking them to consider you as one of their guest speakers.

What are your credentials? Why should someone hire you to give a presentation or invite you to speak to their club or organization over someone else? What makes you different from the rest? Could you call yourself an expert in your field?

Do you know how many people talk about the same topics over and over and over again? My question to you is what sets you apart from the rest? That should not only be part of your strategy in formulating your speech or presentation but it should also serve as your label.

As a voice specialist, I am The Voice Lady. I market myself as The Voice Lady and I call myself The Voice Lady. When someone gets in touch with me, they know something about me already. I deal with the speaking voice.

Let's say, for example, that you want to become a motivational speaker. Why should someone hire you over Mark Victor Hansen or Tony Robbins? (Besides the fact that your fee would probably be less expensive at this stage in your career!) What one thing sets you apart from both of these world-renowned speakers? Did you walk across the country and give all the donations to a favorite charity? Did you successfully put your 12 children through college working as a food server? Have you survived a fatal disease and are alive to tell about it 10 years later?

For someone to hire or invite you to speak, you must have accomplished something and that something could be a philosophy, an idea, a feat, a discovery, a project, a new business, or an ability that allows you to stand out from the crowd. I once had a student give an informative presentation on how to make the best chocolate chip cookie. That it was the best chocolate chip cookie was what set her apart from all the others. (Yes, this is subjective, but if you knew the secret ingredient, you would understand why it is the best.)

Perhaps you are a member of Toastmasters; you are scheduled to give an informative presentation at the next meeting; and, you don't have a topic. Make a list of your interests, your hobbies, and/or your experiences. What one thing do you do well? Don't limit yourself thinking it is too trivial. One of my students gave an informative on detailing a car which was one of the best and most interesting presentations I've ever heard.

Your informative presentation could also be the retelling of an experience that was exhilarating, frightening, eye-opening, rewarding. The list goes on and on. I've heard about speeding tickets, weddings, births, divorces, bartending, getting lost, winning a game, LPs, marshal arts, the most important person in the speaker's life, and everything else you can imagine.

The Voice Lady Nancy Daniels is a voice specialist and president of Voice Dynamic. Offering corporate and 2-day workshops throughout the US and Canada, Daniels launched Voicing It! in April of 2006, the only video training course on voice improvement. For more information go to: http://www.voicedynamic.com

How To Develop Effective Presentation Skills

We've all heard about people's number one fear being public speaking. Being able to overcome that will help you develop effective presentation skills.

I decided to come up with some tips that might help people develop effective presentation skills. Here's my Top 5 Tips to help give a great presentation. In order to develop effective presentation skills you need to...

1) Know you subject. Sounds obvious, but bear with me. Everyone in your department may know the subject as well as you do, but that doesn't stop you from finding a fresh spin on the topic. Instead of giving a dull, emotionless statistics why not try finding a vivid, imaged-filled comparison? Example, instead of telling us how many miles it is from the Earth to the Moon you could tell your listeners how many buses would stretch end to end.

Also, what point are you making with your presentation? You can't just talk and talk at length showing them slide after slide of text until your time is up. Get clear on what message you want to convey to your listeners. Then everything that you say and show them has to be connected to your main message, if it's not it's gone!

And please - don't clutter your slides up with mountains of text. Have clear succinct bullet points that encapsulate what it is you want to present. Then tell them the rest. You should be expanding upon the ideas in your bullet points and delivering them with all your panache, not mindlessly reading them off the screen.

2) Structuring. Just like a good novel or film your presentation needs a beginning, middle and an end. If it will help you can use the old reliable "tell 'em format":

"tell 'em what you're going to tell 'em, tell 'em and tell 'em what you told 'em".

Try your best to provide your listeners with new information or put a new interpretation on existing information. Remember, what you want to give them is great content not soulless spin!

3) Relevancy. Keep asking yourself is what your presenting relevant to your main message and relevant to your listeners? If it isn't then bin it and find something that is. I've been in the audience listening to a presenter thinking "how is this relevant to me?" And I never found out. I never found out because it wasn't relevant to me.

4) Enthusiasm. Try to let your enthusiasm for your subject come through without being too over-the-top and evangelical. If you're not passionate and enthused by your subject why should we be?

5) Practise. Practise, practise and practise some more! You can't hope to develop effective presentation skills if you don't go over it before-hand. In order to nail it and win over your listeners you need to know the presentation better than the back of your hand. Make sure you know how the equipment works and what to do if there are any technical problems. Don't just rely on the temp who may or may not be able to help you out.

If you can implement these techniques then you will be on your way to developing effective communication skills!

Jason Peck is a Humorist, Speaker and Coach based in London, England. For more humour techniques, tips and secrets, check out Jason's Jason Peck is a Humorist, Speaker and Coach based in London, England. For more humour techniques, tips and secrets, check out Jason's hub page Learn to be Funny

What Is The Best Speed To Talk At - Fast Or Slow?

The answer is simple. Neither is correct. Those who speak too slowly try our patience and lose our attention while those who speak too quickly tire us out. The best rate of speed for speaking is called moderate and lies anywhere between 140 and 180 words per minute; however, there are conditions even to that advice.

Are you reading out loud to little children or are you reading scripture at the lectern? Are you speaking in the Northeast to a business group or are you talking to a quilting club in a nursing home? Without a doubt, the type of material you are presenting or reading and the type of audience to whom you are presenting will affect your speed.

While those in the Northeast tend to talk faster than anywhere else in the country, I have had Southerners who speak too quickly and Northerners who speak too slowly. Temperament and lifestyle definitely have an impact on one's speed.

The point in speaking is to keep the attention of those to whom you are addressing; therefore, your speed is critical if you don't want to lose their attention whether you are too fast or too slow. Many people are unaware of how fast or how slowly they speak and are often shocked when they hear themselves on a recording. Learning how to control your speed is the answer. If I have only 5 minutes to talk about my business, I'm going to speak more quickly than if I have 20 minutes. But, I am in control of that speed.

To test your rate of speed, do the following:

1. Practice reading the above four paragraphs of this newsletter out loud.

2. When you are comfortable with the words, time yourself reading it for 1 minute.

Where were you when the timer ended? If you finished only the 1st two paragraphs, you need to learn to speak more quickly. If you finished the 1st three paragraphs, you are within the correct speed at 159 words per minute. If you managed to read all four paragraphs before the buzzer sounded, you must slow down because you just read 259 words in a minute! There is no absolute however. Finishing somewhere within the 1st sentence of the last paragraph would still put you in the running for good speed.

Learn to control your speed and your listeners will follow.

The Voice Lady Nancy Daniels is a voice specialist and president of Voice Dynamic. Offering corporate and 2-day workshops throughout the US and Canada, Daniels launched Voicing It! in April of 2006, the only video training course on voice improvement. For more information go to: http://www.voicedynamic.com

How You Can Write A Speech In Five Minutes

You are attending a business or association meeting, when out of the blue, the meeting chair asks you to say a few words. How do you get through this? Follow this sure-fire process to write your speech in five minutes or less.

Decide on the message that you want to give to this group. Do you what to congratulate them on their accomplishments, advise on the road ahead or sell them a new direction. Pick one message. Anything more is counter productive.

Start drafting an outline on a sheet of paper. List these headings: Main Message, Opening, Supporting Points, and Close.

Write your main message in one sentence and in plain language. e.g. 'For the company to survive we must double our sales revenue.' Write this first because everything else you say must support this message. If it doesn't support it will only detract.

Think about your main message and write your closing statement - because that is where you want to end. Your closing statement might be a call to action - telling people exactly what you want them to do; e.g. buy this product, smile at the customer, donate money to the cause. This type of call to action is best made with the sentence - 'If you want...(desired results).... then do.....(call to action).'

If your message is an inspirational one you might end with a quotation: "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself"

If you are soliciting volunteers try, "Ask not for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee." If you do not remember who said it or you get the words wrong - just say you are paraphrasing.

Once you have your have your close, develop the supporting points that form the body. List five points that support your message. After you have five, examine them and pick the best three. Use statistics or an anecdote to illustrate each point. Make the anecdote funny or reach the audience in a personal way. Your audience needs this to absorb, understand and remember each of your points.

Finally, work on your opening. Use just a few sentences to grab their attention - with a challenge, question, bold fact, analogy or quotation. One technique, which ties everything together, is to open and close with the same statement. Let people know where you stand on this issue and what your message is. Never assume that they will figure it out for themselves.

Review your draft and make adjustments. You might want to change the order of your three points. Rewrite your notes on an index card or paper of equivalent size but just write the key words - in large print.

Ready? As they are introducing you, take a deep breath, look confident, smile and walk to centre stage. Wait for everyone's attention, pause a moment to survey the audience - acknowledge their presence, collect your thoughts and go... "You have nothing to fear but fear itself".

PS: Always finish before your allotted time is up. They'll love you for it.

George Torok specializes in helping people present themselves with impact. He delivers keynote speeches and practical training programs. He works with executives and professionals to help them present with impact. You can arrange for George to work with you by calling 905-335-1997. For more information visit http://www.SpeechCoachforExecutives.com

Why Speak Using Plain English?

Speakers, trainers, and presenters generally agree with each other on proper speaking techniques. We all agree that you should strive to maintain eye contact, infuse your speech with vocal variety, and present useful information to your listener.

The community is largely divided on the issue of word choice when speaking. Many speakers believe that you should speak in terms above your audience's comprehension level. That same school of speakers believe that big confusing words make you sound smart and attract people to your message.

Think about that line of reasoning for a second. Why say you enjoy open camp fires? Doesn't the word conflagration sound better? Why would you say your sandwich was disgusting? Wouldn't it be better if you expressed your abhorrence with the selection? Why would you describe the night as dark? The tenebrous night makes you sound much smarter. Right?

It is true that smarter people use bigger words isn't it? You have to be smart to trap such large words in your brain. Your ordinary person just doesn't use words like conflagration, abhorrence, and tenebrous. If you use them then that automatically makes you smart and worthy of attention, doesn't it?

I'm searching for a phrase here. Let me find the right way to say it. Here we go.

NO...it doesn't make you sound smarter. Read on to discover 3 Painfully Obvious Reasons to Speak in Plain English.

1. Large Words Block Information Flow

The typical million dollar, 4 syllable word is a confusing beast. The object of speaking, presenting, or communicating ideas is to transit information. Information can not be successfully received and processed if it is not understood.

You could take the stance that you are only talking to people who understand all the words you use. I'm fine with that if you enjoy talking to yourself. Don't be stubborn enough to think that people will take from their precious time to research all the jargon that comes out of your mouth. Your information (and the time that went into preparing it) will be discarded on the spot if it is beyond comprehension.

If your message is not understood then you might as well not talk.

2. Boring

Think about what you do when someone goes on and on about something that you don't understand or have little interest in. At first you are incredibly interested. Natural curiosity will carry you through the introduction. After 30 minutes of listening to someone drone on about things you don't know in a language you can't comprehend you lose interest.

Your eyes get hazy.

You suddenly gain an interest in folding the corners of your paper.

Your fingernails become an entree.

You do anything you can to pass the time as the speaker continues to pound you with layer upon layer of confusing nonsense. When it is all over you quickly collect your things and leave.

Did you learn anything from that speaker? NO.

Do you want people to learn when you speak? ABSOLUTELY.

3. Condescending

The last thing you want to do when presenting is give off the impression that you are better than your audience. Don't get it confused. People enjoy being around successful people. That is a proven fact. A vocabulary full of dictionary words doesn't do anything to cement your success. In fact, going overboard with the large words will do more to tarnish your success.

When people enter a conversation, turn on the news, or sit in a chair and listen to you speak they want to understand what you are saying. If you continuously toss use words beyond the comprehension of your audience you will earn the label of an arrogant elitist.

I'm sure you know one or two people whom you consider to be arrogant. Would you ever listen to them talk for more than 10 seconds? Of course not.

Your audience feels the same way about arrogant people.

Conclusion

Don't take this article the wrong way. I am an intellectual if you ever met one. I graduated from one of the toughest engineering schools in the country, my IQ is 125, and I build indestructible battle ships out of wet paper bags. If anyone can think at a high level I can most certainly do it.

I also have a strong grasp on what it means to be a great communicator. You don't have to act like you're reading Dr. Seuss' Green Eggs and Ham to your child's 3rd grade class. A normal tone with strong descriptive words and great information will do just fine.

Large confusing words are fine in the right environment. If you're in a room full of neurosurgeons, MENSA members, or PhD students feel free to express yourself with every 4, 5, and 6 syllable word you know. Everybody else wants to hear your information in plain English.

If you disagree then invite me to your next presentation. Take special precaution to use all the million dollar words and confusing catch phrases. I'll be sure to bring a pillow. I refuse to be the only person awake!

Marcus Smith is a creative force in the public speaking world who strives to meet the needs of each and every client. His experience as the Toastmasters President at a fortune 15 company will prove invaluable to you.

Beating Public Speaking Fear

The presenter reaches the head of the room and takes a seat at a table in a way that people at the back barely can see and hear him,as he begin with a paper in his hand and with a soft monotone. You have to struggle to hardly understand the gist of his topic. Long sentences,miserable metaphors filled with jargon.as time goes by,your resistance start to shrink and shrink till it vanishes then and only then, you fall asleep.Now,the question that we have to ask ourselves is whether we want our audiences to experience what is described above or rather,what would you expect out of them when they live the miserable moment as our friend lived

Of course,nobody wants to even think about it. Do you? Well,the reason why I dedicate this article is to tackle this problem before your next presentation opportunity.I have gathered for you some proven techniques that will brighten you as a speaker and leave the audience ruptured toward your performance. Too good to be true? Let's dive right in and see …

1)Do you know that you can impress your audience significantly even before you utter a word? YES you can do so through your body movement.before you speak or make any contact with them,take your full time to set up properly and confidently as it sends a burning and aflamed message that you are the right guy to stand up there and no one else.in this particular moment,make sure the stage is organized in a way that suits your needs,put your notes together so that they are easily accessible and prepare your individual equipement.

2)Let the power of first impressions astonish the audience as it strengthens your appearance.make sure you found out what clothing is appropriate for the occasion.Just dress a bit more formally.this will be enough for them to understand that both the presentation and the audience are important to you.

3)As you know,body language consists of appearance,facial expressions,postures,movements,gestures and eye contact.perhaps,this latter is the most influential one among these components.You may heard the saying "the eyes are the windows of the soul" ,in our case, the eyes are our keys to get our message across efficiently and effectively.make sure to maintain a constant eye contact with all the viewers ranging from the front to the back,and from the left to the right.

4)As important as eye contact,facial expressions can make an enormous difference in the audience's receptiveness.proper facial expressions invigorate the content of the speech.you can show your good intentions with a smile at the beginning and during the speech process.also express your perplexity, puzzlement and unpleasantness with the respective expressions.

5)Another influential factor in the speech-making process is the use of voice.It is crucial that one should varies his or her pitch,rate,volume and speed as he or she speaks for dynamism and lethargy avoidance sake.we use pitch to stress on the importance of a word and add emotions to it as the best way to boost the attractiveness of the speech.an additional factor to pay more attention to is the rate of speech,it includes the pause and the speed.use pause when you want to emphasis a thought that you have just uttered.

All in all, the success you will receive depends largely on whether you apply what is mentioned above or not.I guarantee that you will achieve more that you ever expected out of your presentations once you implement these strategies that the most skillful presenters all over the world are implementing to maximize there efforts.

SIMON GARMAH is an executive Communications Consultant and Coach. He is president of Lifestyles Communications, Inc. which helps individuals communicate in the new global and virtual world. His fear public speaking blog. http://public-speaking-tips1.blogspot.com

The Crucial Skill Of Business

Increasingly in this day and age we are being called upon to give talks and presentations. Whilst there are people who do this, usually a senior manager, they may be missing the essential business communication skill.

They've been doing a job for a certain number of years and have a thorough understanding of their job. But that doesn't always guarantee that they know how to present. I, personally, have had direct experience of bad speakers from working in the public sector.

One of the key elements that is often overlooked, these days, is the attention span of the people that you're talking to.

With fast-paced TV editing, the internet and viral video people are used to quickly flipping from one piece of information to the next.

But when we have to give a presentation we often forget this and talk at length, on a subject without giving a second thought to grabbing an audience's attention right from the outset.

A few years ago I used to perform stand-up comedy and what I learned was that you needed a strong opening line as well as a strong closing one. The middle of the act would take care of itself (almost). You need to grab them by the lapels to make sure they listen.

That's an experience I try to remember myself when delivering speeches. The opening needs to be memorable and relevant and you need to get the audience to sit up and take notice of what it is you have to say.

I remember, oftentimes, the bad comedians would begin their acts with questions like: "where are you from?" The same can sometimes be said for certain speakers. It's dead air. From a listeners perspective however that represents static. As a speaker you have potentially wasted valuable seconds that you could have used to win your listeners over to your side.

But if you open with a relevant quote, or a fact that directly relates to what it is that you're going to be talking about then that can be extremely valuable. Likewise, you need to end strongly, with a quote or a call to action.

Tip: if you open with a quote try not to end with a quote as well. Perhaps give your listeners a call to action. For example, "over the next 5 days..." then tell them what you want them to implement. By doing this you give your audience variety.

By doing this you will have implemented an essential business communication skill and you can start with a bang and not a damp squib!

Jason Peck is a Humorist, Speaker and Coach based in London, England. For more humour techniques, tips and secrets, check out Jason's Jason Peck is a Humorist, Speaker and Coach based in London, England. For more humour techniques, tips and secrets, check out Jason's hub page Learn to be Funny

The Fear Of Public Speaking

Fear of public speaking can prevent you from achieving great accomplishments that most of the people who have triumphed over the fear of public speaking are enjoying.you need to steal the light from your competitors by speaking in a breathtaking manner in front of others.for instance,in a business meeting.public speaking is the skill that you need to be armed with when you are to set for a job interview and so on so forth.Hence,fortifying yourself with this invaluable skill can give you an unfair advantage over your competitors.over the following lines,you will learn the very techniques than you need to apply before you launch your public speaking event :

1) The most important aspect of your presentation is your audience, as meeting their expectations about what you have to say is your first and foremost concern.for this purpose,studying the audience is the first thing to do in order for you to understand them well and hence communicate with them based on what you learnt.to do this effectively,ask yourself the following questions: - what are their educational background about the subject matter? -their age,gender and sexual orientation?,marital status?,occupations? -do I know something about their interests? values? political views? religious believes? -what the audience know? What they want to know? And what are their reasons to listen? -......etc Got it? Great,by answering these questions,you are in the right track in building a successful relation with the audience.

2) decide what is the purpose of your presentation.usually,we present in order to inform,entertain or persuade,determine the specific objective of this presentation by limiting the area of research in your preparation stage.to help you more,the specific purpose is what the main message you want your audience to grasp.now the way is paved for the preparation stage.

3)after you have determining the focus of your public speaking event,It's time to research your topic.your audience are expecting an thorough and brand new information about the subject matter.so take your time in exploring the topic so as to satisfy their needs.here are some resources you may want to use : -Books -encyclopedias -newspapers -magazines -atlases -professional journals -audio recording -videos -T.V -Interviews -Internet You can copy the exact content with the respect of the copywriting laws,paraphrase paragraphs or simply summarize content.

4)Now we've reached the last step in your preparation process.Once you have found the needed information,now it's time to organize them.perhaps the easiest way is to divide them into : introduction,body and conclusion. You may want to start organizing your introduction first however,start with the body will help to reach a great introduction.

Look at your research list components and see how you can divide them into easy-to-remember points.a short speech of 5 minutes should not contain more than three or four main points.determining your body will effectively generate great introduction and conclusion.in most cases,your introduction should function as an attention grabber and tease the curiosity of the listeners. While the introduction induces the audience to listen,the conclusion should serve the purpose of reviewing the main points and shape them in a way that makes them digestible .finally,insert a well structured sentence that ensure to leave a great impression about you and your presentation.

SIMON GARMAH is an executive Communications Consultant and Coach. He is president of Lifestyles Communications, Inc. which helps individuals communicate in the new global and virtual world. His fear public speaking blog.So take the first step toward conquering your fear of public speaking

How Important Is Audience Interaction?

Audience Interaction - The Key to Successful Public Speaking

Audiences are made up of individual people. The art of successful public speaking is talking to an audience as if you are talking to one person. To really have an impact on your audience, to really connect with them on a personal level and have them engaged in what you are sharing with them is the measure of public speaking success.

When we talk to someone individually there are things we do that help us to connect with that other person, such as:

making eye contact facing them asking questions telling stories smiling and using gestures

As a public speaker these encourage audience interaction because audiences want to be entertained as well as informed and a lively, personable presenter is one who connects with their audience so that the audience feels they are part of the presentation and can respond to the speaker.

A sure-fire way to increase audience participation is to ask your audience questions or get them to do something active - even something as simple as writing down some ideas. Then you get to interact with the audience and they feel connected to you as the presenter.

People also like to know how the information that you, as a public speaker, is presenting to them will help them. Get them to do things that make them think about how they can use your information. You'll get more audience interaction and participation if people feel the information is relevant to them as individuals and that they can apply it to their work and life.

To be able to get audience participation it's vital that you know who your audience is and why you are presenting to them. When preparing a presentation it's a good idea to ask yourself:

What is my presentation aiming to achieve? What is my audience really interested in? What are some of the characteristics of my audience members? What would be really useful to my audience?

You will present differently according to the type of people who make up your audience. You wouldn't present your material in the same way to a group of managers as you would to a group of high school students or a group of retirees. Although your topic might be the same for all these audiences, what you will focus on and the way you'll present your material will be focused on the types of people who are listening.

So, audience interaction and audience participation are crucial for public speaking success and the secret is to understand your audience and to personally connect with them as individual people.

Remember, the more audience participation and interaction that has happened during your presentation the more you as a public speaker and your message will be remembered and acted on.

Trevor Ambrose is a Public Speaking Coach and Author.

Do you want to overcome the fear of Public Speaking and stage fright? Do you want to know the techniques professional speakers use? Now you can - http://www.changingtools.com. Become a better Speaker Today.

(c) Copyright - Trevor A. Ambrose - All Rights Reserved Worldwide

Author: "Public Speaking. Talk Sense, Talk with Confidence" Public Speaking, Negotiation & Persuasion Coach. Holds a degree in Business Psychology and Sociology Founder and Owner of Changingtools.com Pty Ltd

Improving Your Presentation Skills

If you will be presenting something in front of a live audience, you need to have the necessary skills in order for you to deliver what you want to say effectively. If your last presentation didn't really come out as planned, you might need to improve your presentation skills in order to get it right the next time.

First of all, the work starts out way before you are in front of your audience. The work starts in the planning of your presentation. The first thing you need to consider is find out who you will be speaking to. You need this information in order to really prepare on how you should deliver your presentation.

In the actual presentation, you only have fifteen to thirty seconds to make a first impression to your audience. In this first fifteen seconds, you would want to grab your audience's attention. This is why your opening line is also one of the most important factors in making a presentation. One of the best ways in making an opening line is to perk your audiences up with a humorous line.

The next thing is answer your audience's "why should I care?" and "what's in it for me?" questions. What this means is that you should give them a reason to listen to your presentation. These two questions, even though unspoken, are what everyone in your audience is asking. If you can answer these questions, you can now move on to your presentation.

So, now that you have their attention and answered the two unspoken questions of your audiences, you now have to think of a way to open the main topic. Start it out by quoting someone, or start it with a joke. With this introduction it will really carry you and your presentation very far.

The most important aspect of your presentation is the audience. If you don't catch their attention, your presentation may and will be a failure. So, before you start your presentation, you should first know your audience.

With this knowledge, you can write about the different ways to catch their attention. Make them feel at ease while you are making a presentation. Consider adding a little humor to your presentation. Nothing makes a presentation dull and boring faster by being uptight. Loosen up a bit and make your audience comfortable listening to you.

These are some of the things you should remember when making a presentation. You can also tape your presentation and watch yourself. By doing this, you can watch your own presentation and ask yourself if the man speaking in your TV is entertaining you or not. With this, you can improve your skills in presentation.

Always remember that having the right introduction, the right attitude and also the right material are the most important aspects on making a good presentation.

Making a presentation is all about your people skills. If you have good people skills, you will surely make a good first impression to the audience. If you don't, you can always improve your skills more.

Always keep in mind that boredom is the killer of all presentations. Depending on the news you will present your audiences with, you should always keep their attention on you. Make the audience want to hear your presentation.

Published At: Isnare Free Articles Directory http://www.isnare.com

Mario Churchill is a freelance author and has written over 200 articles on various subjects. For more information on business ideas or brainstorming checkout his recommended websites.

Can I Overcome Stage Fright And Public Speaking Fear?

The majority of people suffer from some form of stage fright, public speaking fear, or even speaking phobia. Can a person reach a point where they never have these fears and feelings?

Let's study experienced speakers for a moment. Do they suffer from nervousness and speaking fear?

Yes and no. Most look forward to speaking and don't dread it. However, the majority do experience some nervousness, adreline rush, and a shot of fear before going on stage.

Why would a speaker with over 600 engagements feel this? Here are a couple reasons.

First, your body senses the big event and pours adrenaline into your system. This can cause the shaky knees, sweat, etc.

Second, no matter how many times a person has spoke in public, a speaking event still has the possibility for major failure. We could mess up, the audience may be hostile, or our voice starts to shake.

This of course causes your body to pour more adrenaline into your system.

You may be thinking, "If the experienced speakers still have some nervousness, how do they speak with such confidence and calmness?"

Or you may be asking, "Is there anyway I can cure my speaking fear?"

There is hope! Don't get discouraged.

Experienced speakers have learned how to control their feelings and fear. They may feel nervousness and fear before going on stage. However, it does not effect their presentation, because they know the secrets to saying no to fear and yes to confidence.

Learn these secrets and you can conquer speaking fear and speak with confidence every time.

About the Author

Do you dread or fear public speaking? Get a Free Video & Special report on how to reduce speaking fear. www.Fear2Confidence.com

Arlen Busenitz is the creator of "Speak with Confidence: How to Conquer Public Speaking Fear with 4 Simple Steps" Learn more on how to overcome speaking fear.

Presentation Skills: Are They Snoring In The Back Row?

Top 5 tips for an engaging and dynamic presentation that gets and keeps your audiences' attention

Imagine that you have spent the better part of two weeks working on an important speech you plan to give to your company. You think you have done everything right. You have created a PowerPoint presentation with tons of information and flash animation. You have created handouts of the slides for your audience, so they can follow along. Although you haven't had time to rehearse the presentation you are not worried, because you have the entire speech typed out. You plan to read it while you blow their socks off with the dynamic PowerPoint slides. Everything should be perfect, right? WRONG!!!

If you were to look at your audience (which you cannot, because you are reading your script) you would see them either riveted to the screen or to the handout in front of them, but not at you. The audience members who are eye weary from all the information you have packed into the slides are closing their eyes just to rest them. What went wrong?

Experienced speakers know that to engage their audience, they must build rapport. Reading from a script makes this difficult, if not impossible, because connecting with an audience requires direct eye contact. No matter how well written your speech, if you read your presentation to an audience, you will lose them.

Reading to your audience can also make you seem less authoritative. The audience wonders, "If you know so much about the topic, why can't you just talk about it? Why are you reading?"

Here are 5 tips for getting and keeping your audience's attention:

Make Eye Contact

Free yourself from the written page and demonstrate your expertise by using one of these ideas:
1. Memorization
If you want to memorize your speech, it is helpful to rehearse it out loud just before you go to sleep and right when you get up.

2. Outline
If you use the outline method to create your script, you can simply go back and clean it up and use that for the presentation. If you don't have an outline prepared you can create one using the major points of your presentation.

3. Key word method
This technique calls for you to select key words from your script that represent a paragraph or two of information. These key words should jog your memory so that you can speak extemporaneously. You can use a single page of key words, or place them on 3x5 cards (always number the cards). If you are a visually oriented person you can find an image that represents the key word and create a pictogram.

4. Teleprompter
Nothing helps you maintain good eye contact without memorization like the teleprompter

When speaking to an audience, you want to make everyone in the audience feel that the message is being directed to them personally. If you find that actually looking into the eyes of your audience is difficult and distracting, look at the tops of their heads which will create the illusion that you are speaking directly to them.

In order to include the whole audience, use a "Z" pattern. Start by looking at the front left section of the audience. After finishing your thought, turn your gaze to the front right section. Again, finish your thought and direct your gaze to the center section. Then look at the rear left section and after completing your thought look to the rear right section.

Know your audience

The more you know about your audience's wants, needs and level of understanding, the better able you are to craft a speech they will feel compelled to listen to. Too often speakers give the same presentation to different groups. "Generic" speeches tend to lose most of the audience. A speech needs to be relevant and specific.

You need to make sure that you are using words and ideas that are easily grasped by your audience. This doesn't mean you have to "dumb down" your speech, but it does mean checking to make sure that you are not using jargon or acronyms that are only known by a few.

Your audience is always thinking, "What's in this for me?" Keep this question in mind when you craft your speech.

Throw away your PowerPoint

I think that there is no other element of a presentation that can bore an audience more quickly than PowerPoint slides. Okay, I know you are starting to curse at me now. Get rid of PowerPoint? Well, maybe I need to restate that. You can keep PowerPoint, if you use it properly and effectively and not as an eye sight test. Follow these simple rules:

1. Choose an easy font to read, such as Arial or Times Roman.
2. Font size should be at least 28 pt (bulleted items should be at least 22 pt).
3. Use colors carefully (reds and oranges are hard to focus on).
4. Don't crowd too many words on the screen (3 lines of type is more than enough).
5. Keep the slides simple, clean and easy to read.
6. View the PowerPoint presentation on the screen after you have created the slides and prior to your presentation. Check for ease of readability. The slides really do look different on the screen.
7. Don't read the slides verbatim. Quite frankly, most of your audience will be able to read the slide, so why repeat it?

I think the most powerful PowerPoints are those that use only pictures, a key word or phrase or graphics. There is no reason to simply use a slide to repeat what you have said. Instead, use a visual aid to reinforce your point. It is true that a picture is worth a thousand words.

You should direct your audiences attention to the screen and back to you. Simply turn your gaze to the screen for a moment or two and then look back to your audience. These subtle cues allow your audiences attention to move from the screen then back to you.

Give hand-outs after your presentation.

If you are making a presentation that has a lot of important and/or technical information, you can provide a hand-out, but only AFTER the presentation. If people have your slides while you are speaking they tend to read ahead or stay glued to the hand-out and not to you. If you give them the hand out after your presentation, it will reinforce all of your material without stealing attention from you.

Rehearse

I know people hate to rehearse. It is hard not to feel silly when practicing your speech. However, there is nothing that helps a speaker more than the familiarity and ease you get from saying the words out loud. (Yes, it does make a difference to say the words out loud.) I practice when I am in my car driving alone or while on the treadmill at home. The shower can also be a great place to practice.

Try these ideas with your next presentation. Even if you only use one or two of these tips, you will have taken a huge step toward being the speaker that your audience will be compelled to stay awake and listen to. No one will be snoring in the back row.

Published At: Isnare Free Articles Directory http://www.isnare.com

Laurie Brown is an international speaker, trainer and consultant who works to help people improve their sales, service and presentation skills. She is the author of The Teleprompter Manual, for Executives, Politicians, Broadcasters and Speakers. Laurie can be contacted through http://www.thedifference.net, or 1-877.999.3433, or at lauriebrown@thedifference.net

Don't Use PowerPoint as a Teleprompter

I will never forget what it was like to attend one of the official Windows 95 launch events. A few hundred people were gathered in an auditorium to watch a pair of Microsoft employees extol the virtues of their shiny new operating system.

So what do I remember most vividly about that event? Was it the list of wonderful new features in Windows 95? Was it the fancy new user interface? Was it the sight of Bill Gates on video, showing Jay Leno how easy it was to use the new operating system?

No, the most memorable aspect of that evening was the presentation by the two Microsoft employees. It's not because their presentation was slick or professional, mind you. Quite the contrary; while they had clearly put a lot of effort into their presentation, they clearly weren't prepared enough.

The problem was with their PowerPoint presentation. As the Microsoft drones read their list of the top ten features in Windows 95, they made the same mistake that many PowerPoint users commit. They projected their slides onto the screen, and then they read the slides out loud to the audience. Naturally, before the presenters had uttered more than a couple of words, the listeners had already read the entire text. The entire audience must have been thinking, "Why are these people reading the slides to us? We can do that ourselves!"

This is an all-too-common occurrence. I'm sure that most of us have attended meetings wherein the presenters simply read the text on their slides-in effect, using PowerPoint as a teleprompter. At best, this can make the presentation boring and unprofessional. At worst, it can be insulting to the audience; after all, they can read the words far more quickly than the presenter can vocalize them. When presenters fail to understand this, they come across as being lazy and unprepared-perhaps even incompetent.

There's a critical difference between a teleprompter and a PowerPoint presentation. Teleprompters make the words visible to the speaker BUT NOT THE AUDIENCE. This allows the speaker to read the words while still looking in the general direction of the audience. When used effectively, they make the speaker look polished and well prepared. It creates the illusion that he knows exactly what to say.

In contrast, a PowerPoint presentation can usually be seen by the entire audience. This shatters the illlusion. When the speaker reads the words out loud, it makes him look as though he has poor recall and was too lazy to master his material. As a result, he comes across as ineffectual rather than intelligent.

That is why it's best to use the PowerPoint presentation to highlight key points instead. An effective speaker would then rephrase and expand on each of the points in the slides. If necessary, one can even rely on written notes for additional information-without reading these notes verbatim, of course. Is this more work for the speaker? Certainly, but remember... when giving a presentation, the PowerPoint slides are not primarily for the speaker's convenience. Rather, they exist for the benefit of the audience. Their main purpose is to help the audience follow and understand the discussion more effectively, and that will require preparation on the part of the presenter.

About the Author

Dr. Velasco works for a bioscience firm that provides PBMC samples, ELISPOT assay tools and colony counters.

The Many Ways on How to Share Powerpoint Presentations

Not a lot of people actually know that there are multiple ways on how to share Powerpoint presentation. It doesn't have to be available on demand only, and its accessibility makes it one of the most effective methods of communication in the media.

So how can you exactly share your information in the Powerpoint presentation?

1. Save and store them in CDs. If you're coming with kits for your products, then your product Powerpoint presentation is a perfect addition. You can save them in CDs, which you can distribute during your product launches. Moreover, just in case you're worrying that it's going to be double work for you, you can simply make use of the one you've created, so you don't have to make a completely different presentation to give away.

2. Send them through e-mail. Just think of spam e-mails. Some of them contain Powerpoint presentations and are dropped into your mailbox, hoping that you will be able to share it with others or that you will watch it yourself and take their bait. You're not going to do the same thing with your clients or even with your bosses, but you can still e-mail your Powerpoint templates, especially if you have various offices located in different parts of the world. Unlike MP3 and video files, Powerpoint presentations are a lot smaller in file size, so they can be sent conveniently through e-mail. You, however, should cut down on the number of slides or Powerpoint templates or the use of too much animation if the file size exceeds to 5MB, which is the average accepted limit for an attached file per e-mail. Otherwise, you need to break the Powerpoint presentations to different parts.

3. Convert them to web-accessible presentations. If you want to know how to share Powerpoint presentation to the public, then you're in luck. There are a lot of ways to do that, but the easiest is converting them to an HTML version. This by far is the only effective way to ensure that the Powerpoint presentations, together with the Powerpoint templates, can be read directly on the screen. The users who already have a Powerpoint application installed in their computer will be able to see the file immediately and move from one slide to another. Those who don't can utilize Microsoft Internet Explorer, which has a Powerpoint plug-in installed. Otherwise, you may have to download it from Microsoft's Help page, and install it manually into your computer. Nevertheless, the process doesn't take long to complete.

4. Archive them into your network. Usually, a company will have its own network database, which can be accessed by any person who needs references or information, or by persons who are authorized to make use of them. You can simply place the Powerpoint presentation into a Shared folder to make them more accessible, or you can identify the computers or the individuals that can open them.

The next time you're going to create a Powerpoint presentation, don't delete it right away. You can share it in different ways, making information not only useful today but also in the future.
About Daniel McMillan

Daniel McMillan operates Inspired Piece where you can download wide varieties of Powerpoint templates, which you can use for different purposes. They are completely for free.

Published At: Isnare Free Articles Directory http://www.isnare.com
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How To Prepare An Outstanding Presentation In Thirty Minutes Or Less

It's 2 p.m. and your manager walks up to you with that look on his face. He announces that the company president wants you to give a presentation to him concerning the high profile project you have been working on�and he wants the presentation to start in thirty minutes. Now you have a look on your face as if you had just seen a ghost.

No problem. The following are seven secrets to preparing an outstanding presentation when you have less than thirty minutes:

1. You Don't Need the Perfect Presentation

Get started! Don't freeze expecting perfection. When you think you need to be perfect, this can lead to paralysis. Management realizes, because of the short time period, that you will not be perfect. The key is to work quickly, not frantically.

2. Start With an End in Mind

Ask yourself, "What do I want to accomplish with my presentation?" Do you want to persuade, entertain, or move the audience to action? Once you have these answers, work to develop your presentation to achieve these goals.

3. It's About the Audience

Ask the following questions:

* "Who is my audience?

* "What does the audience want?"

* "What does the audience want to gain from the speech?"

* "What is the level of expertise of the audience members?"

Once you have the answers to these questions, you can tailor your speech to meet the audience's needs.

4. Keep It Simple

Don't be overwhelmed with information overhaul. Keep your presentation clear and concise by focusing on three main points. This will save you time when collecting your backup information.

5. Make an Outline

Create an outline of your speech. Depending on your own individual thought process, you may want to mind map, a freestyle way of putting ideas together, or outline. Outline your beginning, body with three points, and ending.

6. Start and End Strong

Concentrate on knowing the beginning and ending of your presentation. Feel confident in giving the beginning of your presentation, and you will become more comfortable giving the rest of your speech. End on a strong note because your speech ending will be the last thing your audience will remember about your presentation.

7. Your Presentation Starts in the Mind

Find five minutes before your presentation; go to a quiet place, if possible; and meditate. Think about the positive results of your presentation. Visualize your giving an outstanding presentation and how well the audience is receiving your speech. Also find a mirror; hopefully, in a private area; and look into the mirror and say any of the following affirmations:

* "This presentation is a great opportunity for me."

* "Every opportunity to speak is an opportunity for success."

* "I am a great speaker."

* "The audience will enjoy my presentation."

* "I have something of valuable to share with the audience."

* "I appreciate this opportunity to make a presentation."

Note: Your affirmations become more powerful when you keep them short and keep them in the present state (Future state example: I will become a better speaker.).

Now that you have read these secrets, you have twenty-five minutes left. Remember, the speech will not break your career. However, being able to rise to the occasion and give an outstanding presentation can enhance your career, business, and life opportunities. Apply these seven secrets and you, too, will give an outstanding presentation in less than thirty minutes.

Published At: Isnare Free Articles Directory http://www.isnare.com

Ed Sykes is a highly sought after expert, author, professional speaker, and success coach in the areas of leadership, motivation, customer service, and team building. You can e-mail him at mailto:esykes@thesykesgrp.com, go to http://www.thesykesgrp.com, or call him at (757) 427-7032. Free e-Books.

The Value of Listening in Good Public Speaking

You talk; they listen. You move; they watch. You make a joke; they laugh. You say something profound; they muse or applaud or frown. My question to you is whether you 'listen' to your audience or not. As much as you are the center of attention when addressing an audience, are you aware of the conversation happening in the room?

Good public speakers understand that, while they may be the one doing all of the talking, the reaction of their audience to their words is the conversation. Public speaking is not acting - it is the art of effective communication with an audience. What this means is that the response of your audience to your presentation is the communication process.

Were the definition of public speaking 'effective communication at an audience,' then the response of your listeners would not be a variable. Because good public speaking is similar to that of having a conversation, it is of utmost importance that you listen and watch the reaction of your audience to your words.

If, for example, the group is more intent on their blackberries, Ipods, or laptops, they obviously are not paying attention to you. If they are talking amongst themselves or are unobtrusively drifting out of the room, then you are failing to motivate them, educate them, or persuade them to your way of thinking. If they are struggling to keep their eyes (and ears) open, then you have not made them part of your conversation.

Being aware of your audience's reaction to you is vital if you want them to heed your words. While it is important to deliver a well-scripted speech or presentation with passion and good delivery skills, it is just as important to 'read' your audience as you speak. Are they with you or are you losing them? Are they 'hearing' what you are saying? The only way you can answer these questions is to listen and watch their response to you.

What can aid you in this method of communicating is to know your audience in advance, definitely one of the trade secrets of good public speakers. When you are booked to speak, create your material with them in mind. Were I invited to speak to a group of policemen, my topic would deal with projection of the voice, not presentation skills. If, on the other hand, I were to address the top administrative level of the police force, I would focus on presentation skills and not on the ability to increase one's volume without shouting.

The next time you are scheduled to speak, know your audience and then listen to their reaction to you as you communicate with them, not at them.

About the Author

The Voice Lady Nancy Daniels is President of Voice Dynamic as well as Selfgrowth's Official Guide to Public Speaking. Holding private, corporate and group workshops in voice and presentation skills, she also offers Voicing It!, the only video training program on voice improvement.

Public speaking is an art, but most of us get nervous while speaking in public. Tips on public speaking can help you to kill the anxiety. Here we discuss the 10 most effective ones.

Public speaking is an art, but most of us get nervous while speaking in public. Tips on public speaking can help you to kill the anxiety. Here we discuss the 10 most effective ones.

1. One of the best ways to deliver an effective speech is to have the thorough knowledge about the material. It is always better to pick up a topic of your interest whenever possible. You can also include personal stories and conversational language to make the speech appear more natural and comfortable.

2. Practice your speech several times before the event as it will make you feel confident and comfortable. You can rehearse aloud in front of the mirror or a group of friends.

3. If possible visit the venue early and check for the microphone, visual aids and the speaking area which will help you to get comfortable with the overall ambience.

4. If you are aware of your target audience in advance, then you can deliver your speech more effectively as it boosts your confidence level.

5. Unwind your senses by taking a deep breath or a sip of water before delivering your speech. Take a pause, smile towards the audience and count three before starting your speech.

6. Feel confident about yourself and your speech. Just keep in mind that audience wants you to be informative, interesting and entertaining.

7. Visualizing yourself giving a speech and getting accolades definitely boost your self confidence level.

8. Just concentrate on your speech and eliminate any other anxiety or uneasiness.

9. Do not feel apologetic about any problem that is not even noticed by the audience.

10. Last but not the least, have a positive attitude and feel confident to overcome any hurdle.

These simple tips on public speaking will help you immensely to overcome fear of speaking.

For NO COST video showing step-by-step how to overcome negative thinking patterns please visit www.farewell-anxiety.com

Presentation Skills - No Joking Matter

Presentation Skills training during your professional career should have included a lesson about telling jokes in a presentation. That lesson should have been, "Don't tell jokes!"

Unless you are performing as a stand-up comic in a comedy club, your presentation should not start with or include a joke.

Let me give you five reasons why I think you should avoid jokes.

1. The people in your audience probably have already heard the joke.

Have you ever attended a presentation where someone told a joke and you knew it?

Alternatively, have you ever been at a party and where someone tells a joke and you've heard the same joke 25 times within the last 25 days.

If the audience knows the joke - if they've heard it - that diminishes the power you have in your presentation.

2. They might not get it.

They just flat-out don't get the humor in the joke. It might be something that's an inside joke for you or your group or your department or organization.

If they don't get it, your presentation and your message lose importance and credibility.

3. It might not be funny.

Have you ever had someone tell you a joke that you did not find even remotely amusing?

Either the person telling the joke either did a poor job of telling the joke, or, it wasn't funny.

Either way, you might have felt foolish because you weren't laughing. That situation put you and the joke teller in an awkward position.

The possibility of putting your audience in an awkward position should be enough reason for you to avoid jokes in your presentations.

4. The joke might not be relevant.

Some presenters use jokes to warm up the audience.

They might tell a joke because, to them, it is funny. The problem comes when the joke has no relevance to the topic.

All points in your presentation need to tie to your message. If the joke does not tie to your message, or, if the relevance is not clear, you lose your audience.

5. Different people have different humor quotients.

Some people have the humor quotient of a rock.

You might think that everyone in the audience understands the joke.

But, if any of these people have a low humor quotient, the joke will either go right over their heads or they'll feel embarrassed because they didn't get it.

Or, they're going to think you are being sarcastic and you are trying to embarrass or intimidate them.

Rather than tell a joke, tell a story related to your point, use humor, or tell a humorous story.

You can find humor anywhere. Humor is all around you.

Don't make fun of others. Make fun of yourself. Tell a story about something humorous that happened to you.

Let me give you an example.

For eight years, I traveled around the United States conducting seminars in hotels for two major seminar houses.

Perhaps the most memorable and the most embarrassing seminar happened on a Monday in a hotel in Lanham, Maryland.

The topic of this seminar happened to be customer service.

Unlike several of the hotel experiences I could relate, I was delighted that this hotel did an exceptional job of making sure everything was perfect for my seminar.

They even apologized to all the overnight guests for the low water pressure in the hotel showers. They explained that somewhere in the hotel, water was leaking from a pipe and that they had not yet found the source of the leak.

At 2:23 in the afternoon, my seminar participants found the source of the leak.

At 2:23, while I was in the middle of explaining a very important principle in customer service, a two foot by four foot drop-ceiling tile, completely saturated by a weekend of accumulating water, crashed down directly on my head.

Seconds before 2:23 in the afternoon, as I maintained eye contact with audience, they seemed to be moving in slow motion.

Their mouths seemed to drop open in slow motion. Their eyes opened wide in amazement in slow motion. Their arms, with almost drill team precision, moved upward to point to the ceiling tile in slow motion.

Imagine a two by four ceiling tile, completely saturated to the point where the braces holding it up could not bear the weight of another ounce of water, lets go and lands on your head.

My head was covered; my suit was covered; my glasses were covered.

Without skipping a beat, I raised my left arm, looked at my watch and said, "This looks like a great time for us to take our break. See you at 2:45."

Funny story? I think so.

Relevant? Yes.

When the participants came back from the break, I was able to relay to them all the hotel did and planned to do for me.

The participants saw first hand how quickly the hotel staff responded to make participants comfortable and content with complimentary coffee and cookies for the remainder of the seminar.

They experienced a humorous spectacle and learned a few lessons in customer service.

All of you have humorous stories to tell. Make a deposit from your memory banks and invest in a good story rather than a joke to add zest to your presentations.

Published At: Isnare Free Articles Directory http://www.isnare.com

Al Borowski, MEd, CSP, PP, is a communications skills image consultant. He helps business professionals protect or improve their images when they speak, write, or listen. He is an author, speaker, trainer, and coach. Al has been a popular seminar leader for The American Management Association, Dun & Bradstreet, and several top universities. He also speaks at conventions, conferences, and meetings. His website, http://www.connectallthedots.com offers free audio, video, and written tips as well as a bi-weekly UseLetter, to help you take your career to the next level.