Are You Really Afraid of Public Speaking?

Many people are afraid of public speaking as if expressing their thoughts and ideas in front of an audience is their lifetime challenge. Public speaking is not necessarily an outstanding talent, but the ability to convey orally information, something that we want to share. It is interesting that in writing we are more flexible simply because we have the feeling that what we want to convey is secured and we can control our inner voice.

When it comes to public speaking, things get a little complicated because many people are first of all afraid of hearing their voice and hey fail to match thoughts and beliefs with tonality and rhythm. This gap has a great impact on speaker's attitude. In addition to this match between inner and outer is generally doubled by an external pressure. The speaker perceives his audience as an almighty judge and the moment when he feels losing control, the fear of failure menaces strongly his capacity to organize and structure information. Although you might not consider yourself a talented orator, you could apply some techniques that will reinforce your fluency and the ability to capture and keep focused your audience's interest.

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Dealing With Public Speaking Nerves

Nervousness tends to set in when a speaker is to address their audience and different speakers have different reasons for their fear. Often times it comes down to the simple fact that they are afraid of being embarrassed if a blunder occurs during the speech or presentation.

The best way to get over the fear of public speaking is to be well prepared, but at the same time you should take into consideration that things may go wrong, so you should not be alarmed if something does. Be prepared to implement a plan B if plan A fails so that there is limited room for surprises. If you are to deliver a speech, try to have it written down and practice saying it before the mirror. After you have passed the mirror test, go to members of your family and say the speech for them. Say it so many times that it becomes imprinted in your brain and you do not necessarily need slides. If you do need slides, you should be at a point where the slides only contain summaries or a list of topics, so that you remember what to talk about and the order in which to talk about it. But your speech must be flexible so that you can skip to another point if you are asked a question or if something changes.

If your public speaking involves a presentation; the first thing to do is to ensure that you have all your visual and audio equipment if needed. Visit the venue before the actual presentation and ensure that everything works before time. You do not want to plan your presentation on a visual component and then find out that the electrical outlets at the venue are faulty and you are not able to supply power to your device. The worst thing that can happen when you deliver a public presentation or speech is to go into a state of panic; this is where you will start to make blunders after blunders because you will become more nervous after each one.

The tactic of imaging the audience naked has never worked for me, instead, I look past the audience and try not to focus on anyone person. Everyone can perform this task, but some persons are not aware that they can do it. You can practice it by focusing on an object and then proceed to look past it. This is what you will do with the audience as a whole, they will get the impression that you are looking at them, but you will actually be looking past them and not allowing any one particular face to get you nervous or distracted.

To become better at public speaking, you will need to get used to being in the spotlight, so try to get involved in other similar activities that requires you to get and keep other peoples attention.

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Getting Over Stage Fright While Speaking in Public

You will eventually feel more comfortable and relaxed the more you practice speaking in front of crowds of people. Being nervous is a typical reaction and lasts for a short period of time. But some suffer from constant and debilitating stage fright. Stage fright consists of a tense feeling which does not dissipate or weaken. Most persons do not make it to the stage, others are left speechless and still while staring down at the many faces beyond. This is stage fright and it may take a long time to control it. There are ways in which you can prevent this from happening by practicing a few tips.

Firstly, studying your speech is important. If you have studied it well then there is a lesser chance of forgetting it. It is also important to feel comfortable and at ease with the topic you will be presenting. Make an effort to find as much information as you will need for your speech. You will not have to include it all but if you have knowledge on your topic then you can pull from your memory and add tips to your notes. If you get lost in the middle of your speech, this knowledge will prove very useful. When your audience appears interested in certain things throughout your speech you can speak at length about it.

Practicing in front of a mirror is an age old answer to a current question. When standing in front of a mirror you will be able to grade your performance as a whole and not just rely on whether you know your lines or not. Take note of your hand gestures and posture as these can come across unintentionally lazy and uninterested to your audience. Some persons over-exaggerate their movements and actions while speech-giving. Eliminate excessive hand gestures where you deem necessary.

Gather a small audience at your home with your family and close friends. This is a group you feel comfortable with and won't experience stage fright in front of. Ask your friends and family to take notes of your demeanor, your tone and your gestures and at the end of the speech tell you what you can get rid of or keep. This preliminary speech will help you to gain more confidence in yourself to stand in front of bigger crowds since you have already tested yourself. This also helps you to develop skills with other people and how you relate to them.

Arrive early at the venue in which you will be giving your speech and walk around the area. Take into account how big or small the area is. This will help you to adjust your pitch and volume while speaking as well as prepare you for persons filling the seats. Stand in front of the stage or area in which you will be standing and imagine being an onlooker. Practice your lines and imagine looking out into many people. Familiarity routines like this will help you to feel more comfortable in your surroundings and help you to prepare for your speech. It is perfectly normal to undergo some anxiety and nervousness before speaking in public. It is more important to face your fears and feel confident. These simple preparations will help you to become a more confident and better speaker.

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Key Simple Principles of Public Speaking

Should Not Be Stressful

For one to effectively handle stress relating to public speaking of any degree, the person needs to realize that public speaking is not essentially stressful. Several persons out there have been able to device means of speaking effectively before group of persons with little or no stress. Majority of these persons being referred to used to find it difficult to stand and speak in the presence of many persons, it was so bad that they their feet would wobble, their voice quaking, and every of their thinking suddenly muddled, the end result is that they end up not giving a coherent presentation. In spite of all these, those persons forged ahead and were able to conquer the feet wobbling, quaking voice and muddled thoughts, finally becoming good public speakers or motivational speakers.

You are a human just as they are, such that with determination you can also overcome the stress associated with public speaking, just as they did. It only takes you adopting the proper attitude, right comprehension and the proper use of effective techniques that will help you to achieve this aim.

You Don't Have To Be Faultless

Most times when some persons watch a public speaker doing his or her thing, they kind of think they would never be able to achieve such a marvelous feat, assuming that it can only take somebody who is elegant, humorous, eccentric and entertaining to be a public speaker. Not really, you do not exceptionally have to be any of these for you to thrive in the world of public speaking. One can be a successful public speaker even if you already started out by making mistakes, getting so nervous that could not effectively complete presentations, or even remember what next to say. You can be an outstanding speaker even if you do not include jokes in your presentation, whoever said that inclusion of jokes or being humorous is what makes a successful public speaker.

You only have to concentrate on giving a valuable presentation to your listeners. This is where your success story begins. If at the end of presentation and your listeners go back to their various destinations believing that they have achieved one or more valuable things from your presentation, feeling that your presentation will aid in making them better persons than they already are, having the feeling of being fulfilled and entertained, then you are already a successful public speaker.

Though some also may not have been affected this same way by your presentation, but then in every presentation or public speaking, criticism is allowed and is also beneficial. It will help you to improve and advance to the next level and does not necessarily make you less of a successful speaker.

Don't Go Overboard

Most persons think that for one to be a successful public speaker, one should prepare and deliver an enormous pile of facts. Research has shown that a story or lecture cut short is more beneficial to the listeners or audience than a longer story. Making your presentation minimal will achieve better results from your listeners. Engaging them in a long presentation will only make them become bored and subsequently loose interest in what is being said or done. Always stick to few but powerful points and you are on your way to being a successful public speaker.

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Involving Humor in Public Speaking

Humor is contagious and almost everyone responds to it positively. It is everywhere, in everyday happenings and in lifetime achievements. The easiest way to include humor in a speech is to share experiences with your audience. When used correctly, it can be the most effective tool in public speaking, making your speech educational, informational and most importantly, entertaining.

Public speeches usually include one or two run-of-the-mill jokes, sometimes even a knock-knock joke. Telling simple jokes at any time during a speech is a bad idea. They never translate well with the audience. They will assume that you are as uncommitted and insincere as your joke. These corny and flat jokes usually backfire and you are left with an audience that is no longer interested or inspired by your comments, if they are even still listening. People are smart, and most can tell when your humor is insincere. Most public speakers think this route is the way to go but there are many different ways to entertain and gain attention during your speech by using things other than simple jokes.

There are two different types of jokes in these circumstances. A joke, when told, is a short laugh in return and inattentiveness for the remainder of your speech. And a joke, when told, is relevant to your story or main point and is both funny and keeps all eyes and minds on you. When you use humor that is unrelated to your purpose, this only distracts your audience from the rest of your speech.

Humor, when used correctly, with enhance the effectiveness of your speech. If you are using storytelling as a part of your speech then use a life experience that was both humorous and educational. It is important to think about the importance of that experience and if it is going to be beneficial to your speech. Irony is a great tool to use in speeches as they are not apparent until the very end. It is a great way to keep your audience's attention. Some stories are not obviously humorous, it is up to you to find one that is significant, and find the humor in it.

Humor doesn't only sprout from what you say but by how it is said or even simply, by your facial expressions. If you lack the ability of telling a sincere joke or even an ironic story then let your hands, posture and facial expressions do all the work. Humor is much more than what is said but works in conjunction with physical movements and moments.

Humor can be a method of overcoming your fear. It can also be used as a method of keeping your audience interested in your speech. Most crowds are not fond of listening to public speakers. Use your humor to make them feel comfortable and rid them of their negative or neutral expectations of you. It is also very useful when wanting to appear personable with co-workers, employees and potential clients. Using humor in your public speaking will make you both entertaining and relevant.

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Speaking Up During Public Speaking

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Public speaking scares the life out of many people. Probably more then any other thing they may do in their lifetime. They may have to speak at a meeting in work or as a best man at a wedding or even to a conference, all can be hard but there are things you can do to prepare to help relieve the nerves.

- May seem easy but prepare as best you can what you are going to say. Spend time getting what you want to get across sorted with as much time to spare as possible. Allow time for changes to requirements and for timescales to change. This is crucial if it's a business related speech where things can change often and suddenly. Start with headings for each of the stages in the speech and then flesh those parts out.

- Jokes or funny lines are good but only when they work, be aware how good you are at delivering jokes normally. Be very aware of your audience as well and how they may react to what you say. Be prepared to alter or drop portions of the speech if it becomes obvious bits aren't working or if they may be upsetting or offending anyone.

- Make sure any props you use are working before hand and make sure they are ready to be used, don't cue a picture in if its going to take a minute to appear. Make sure all items are ready; in the correct order and that they are all relevant. Unfortunately it's also worth bearing in mind that sometimes technology breaks down and you may have to survive without it. Good preparation and knowledge of how the equipment works will of course lessen the chances of something going wrong.

- Practise making the speech whenever you can; whether it's to a mirror or to a few selected people will help to calm your nerves. This gives you a chance to gauge reactions to it, change things if need be and to work out how long it will last. If the actual delivery of the speech is a problem then try to recreate the practise in the real place you will speak. Try and think of your audience as only a very small amount of people, even try and think they aren't there. If possible try and get to the location before hand so you can see how people will be positioned. This allows you to judge where to focus and how to deliver the speech.

Above all realise you wont be the only person who gets nervous at giving speeches. Most politicians have writers as well as people telling them how to deliver the lines. They will practise and they will get used to it. Feel free to ask for help and to practise until you are ready. Also unless you are an experienced thespian write down the words, no matter how long the speech don't try and memorise it.

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Prepare Yourself Mentally to Speak in Public

It is very important to avoid negative thoughts when speaking in public, as these will hinder any talent and anybody who has them will not be able to deliver a successful speech. These negative thoughts or mental images can paralyze us, make us lose our breath, make us shake and forget everything. If we are able to identify these negative thoughts, it will be easier to overcome them. These are some of those bad thoughts to be avoided:

- "What I am about to say is worthless, or will be too obvious and everybody will laugh at me..." Do not anticipate any outcome of the speech. It is very common to feel insecure especially if the message to be delivered hasn't been well prepared.

- "I hate to speak loud, I don't like it at all, and it is ridiculous..." To evaluate negatively ones voice and the fact that it may sound improper will affect the way we modulate. Only very few people have an extremely beautiful voice, and most of us range in the normal. The audience is there to evaluate the information, not the voice that is delivering it.

- "I am unable to do it, I can't speak. Other people may be able to do it but I wasn't born with the ability to speak in public": To negate our own capacity and talents will only make things worse. We are the worst and less objective judges of our own abilities and if we negate them from the very start, it will be hard to convince others of what we are capable of.

- "Everything I do, I do wrong. If I ever do this I will fail..." To accept defeat before the fight even starts will lead to an assured fail.

- "I am getting nervous, everyone will notice I am sweating, and that my legs are shaking. They probably can see that my hands are twisting and that my voice is failing me..." To feel nervous is a very natural reaction of the human body. The substances released prepare the body for extreme situations and the hyperventilation or tense muscles are normal. Cicero said that, the more important the speed, the more the normal nervousness.

- "I wish this was over soon, I will speak faster and try to disappear as soon as possible..." To avoid any kind of unpleasant situation will not prepare us for any eventuality in life. Life is dangerous, and not taking any risks is even more dangerous. Those who successfully deliver speeches, who have achieved power and fame did take a lot of risks and could overcome them.

- "I remember the first time I had to speak in public, it was disastrous..." To rely on past experiences is good, unless these experiences are negative. Everybody has the ability and intelligence to learn from past mistakes and try the best to avoid them.

These are some of the negative thoughts that should be avoided. If you feel you are being assaulted by any of these negative mental states, think that you are not the only one who ever had them or who ever will. The secret is to identify them before they appear.

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Essence of a Perfect Presentation

A presentation in entity consists of the reading material that is displayed in front of an audience, usually in the form of Power Point slides and the individual or group of people who are presenting on a given topic. The problem that occurs is that not everybody is able to give a good presentation. There are various reasons behind this such as bad oral communication, ineffective slides or uncontrollable factors such as bias etc. which can undermine the overall presentation. Literally many ways and methods in which a presentation can be improved are present, but a perfect or a near perfect presentation can be obtained by following a few simple steps.

These are:

1.Oral Communication: Keeping a blank face in front of the audience while some slide is being displayed is not creditable, you have to be able to convey the information for that particular topic orally and in a way that it is understandable by everyone who is present there. If you are a good speaker than you can go a step further by using impromptu quotes or references in order to increase your credibility or establish a rapport with the audience. The main thing to take from this is your voice should be audible and clear enough so that everyone can understand. The rest depends on your speaking skills.

2.Text size and color: Whatever the slide design you have given, it is important that the audience should be able to discern what information is being displayed in front of them otherwise they will lose interest so the size of the text should be appropriate and the color of the text should be such that it contrasts with the background e.g. black text on a white background.

3.Body Language: This is important because if you are not confident in your own presenting ability then it is indicated in your movement and oral delivery. To counter this you have to be knowledgeable on the subject that which you are presenting on and should have rehearsed before so that you know what to say and how to say it.

4.Know your audience: This helps because you can then customize your presentation according to them and how they would like it because a good presentation is a combination of good information and a satisfied group of people.

5.Timing: If you do not finish in the allotted time you lose credit due to lack of preparation, it is simple as that.

6.Space: This applies that you should be aware of the dimensions of the presenting area because you can then adjust accordingly in terms of voice and eye contact with the audience.

7.Room lighting: It should be dimmed so that the focus of the audience is on the slides but not to that extent that you or the group is completely hidden. Remember that a good presentation relies heavily on how you are presenting the necessary information.

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I'm Going to Talk to You About - ZZZZZ

Let's be honest. As much as people hate giving a presentation, it's no thrill listening to most of them. The first cue we're in for a rough time? When the speaker (make that the majority of speakers) begins with "I'm going to talk to you today about (fill in the blank)." Cue the snooze!

Then there is that a stack of pages the speaker is holding. Pages, in full text, indicating the seasons might change before it's through. Or the alternative - the speaker balancing, seemingly, hundreds of index cards. At least we can amuse ourselves waiting for a stack of cards to drop, or for the speaker to become flustered when a card is out of sequence.

Speakers: how do you capture our attention from the very start when you are already nervous about speaking? By shocking us as soon as you open your mouth. By motivating us to listen to you. Yes, public speaking is the number one fear. However, it is your first few lines that offer you the greatest anxiety - and threaten us with an anticipated nap. To avoid dispensing "verbal Ambien," script those lines:

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How to Increase Your Self Confidence at Public Speaking

Somehow, when we were young, we thought everything was possible for us. We could easily say "I want to be an astronaut" and truly believe so! No matter what happened, we could speak (and also laugh, cry and shout) in front of a lot of people, without even noticing it!

Somehow, as we grew older, our self confidence became nimbler and weaker, product of social conditioning, and now we sweat and tremble when we're asked to address a few words!
Quite a job they have been doing with our minds, huh?

Nowadays, if we want to feel more comfortable while speaking in public, no matter what scenario we are into, we have to increase our self confidence and start really enjoying the little time we have on stage! When you get to feel more grounded, you will have a wonderful time while having others to have a great time as well!

Here are 3 simple steps you can take right now to increase your self confidence.

Step 1 First of all, we have to be very conscious about the way others see us. This is achieved by practicing in front of a mirror. This is really important, because a mirror will neither lie nor conceive. We can get a brutally honest friend to do this job as well, but a mirror will do.

Once we are in front of the mirror, we should practice our speech (or at least saying a few words, if you haven't got your speech figured out!). Try doing faces, laughing, crying, shouting, standing up and sitting down, walking, etc.

If you do this whenever you have to speak in public, you will get a good idea about how you are seen by others! As simple as it sounds, practicing in front of a mirror is a vital step if you want to increase your self-confidence.

Step 2: Prepare yourself! If you have practiced in front of the mirror, you have been preparing the image you will project at stage. Now it's time to prepare the subject. Whether you have to give a short on-the-go speech, or talk in a 50 minutes academic lecture, preparation is central.

Internet makes this step easier, because you can search the web about virtually anything you need to know. Do your homework: Investigate about the place, the people, the news where this subject is mentioned, the history of the subject and how it applies to our lives today.

Use your imagination! Anything you may find out about that thing you need to talk about will help you assembling your speech and answering questions if needed.

Step 3: Now that you know how you look and what you are going to say, it's time to put together your speech in the best way possible. This is achieved by following the next scheme:

At the beginning of the speech, try to think as a journalist. Make a brief introduction of the subject while mentioning the two or three most relevant points you will talk about. As long as the speech develops, you will deepen into these few topics. Stick to them! You don't want to bore your audience to the death while trying to say everything there is to know about the subject! Just stick to the central points.

If writing your speech down makes you feel more comfortable, do it. But once you did it, throw it away! Don't try to memorize your speech; don't try to say it to the letter, as this will make you feel more rigid and insecure, and if you forget a single word, you will be in a lot of trouble! Is better to come up with a few keynotes and leave some space to improvise.

Following these simple steps, you will feel more prepared and grounded, whatever your scenario is.

Remember: The main secret is to relax and have fun! If you have fun, you will let go, and everyone will notice it, following your relaxation as well! The more fun you have, the better your speech will be!

Good luck!

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Job of Motivational Keynote Speaker

The main aim of hiring the services of motivational keynote speaker in organization is to pass on new viewpoints to the employees. It is a speech which is delivered at the beginning of an event or when it has scheduled to be given. A speech which is delivered in a group is required to be in good tone so that it enhances the spirits of the crowd.

A motivational keynote speaker is a person who will ensure you to make the event as a memorable one. The speech that has been delivered will make the event to move in a smooth way and at last it will end up in a successful event. Management of the organization organizes such events so as to raise the level of spirits in its employees and this will improve the performance of team. Almost every industry and business enterprises will hire their service so as to achieve the set goals in a stated manner and in a much energetic way. Whether it is a sales, management, education, technology, health, info-tech, entertainment, food and beverage, housing organization everyone would require their service directly or indirectly.

A person who performs the is required to be as an expert person in his field of presentation. Their job is to motivate workers of a particular organization so that they are able to perform well and in a much innovative way. The design of the speech will be drawn in such a way so that it is able to increase the productivity and profitability of the workers and management persons too. They will start their proceedings in a function, meeting, convocation or a political propaganda.

It is very essential for the speaker to know the necessities and standards of that particular organization. They must ensure that their speech gets in touch with the audience that is present in the event and they must also assure that they are able to hold up the key of audience for the rest of the event. In majority of the cases it has been observed that due to their hard work and efforts events turn out to be in a grand success. Hence for this reason motivational keynote speaker(s) are considered to be as a most important person in a particular event that is been organized.

Organizations that hire the services of motivational keynote speaker must clearly state out their goals and what an organization is expecting from them. Their speech will include inspirational quotes, motivational terms, games, puzzles, query solving section, authoritative speech, question and answers section and doubts clearance section. Apart from this a section for hearing of personal problems and what difficulties an employee is facing to complete the given task and what all he/she needs to complete the work successfully. Guidance is offered and various tips are also shared by the spoke person for the benefits of audience. These tips will help employees in future to boost up their spirits when they feel that they are being de-motivated.

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Best Man Wedding Speech - The Day I Realized There Was More to This Than Bachelor Parties

I was incredibly honored when my life long friend asked me to be his Best Man. Then the warm feeling faded to be replaced by a sinking feeling: this was more than just a cool title, what the hell was I actually being asked to do?

Well, I didn't want to let my friend down, and I am one of those people who have to feel that they did their best at what ever they do, so I turned to the web for some clue as to what I had (rashly) set myself up for.

First of all, I discovered that there was more to this than just organizing a stag night. I wasn't about to throw the exotic dancers phone numbers away just yet, but still, it could wait. So what were my many roles to be?

The essence of the Best Man goes back to days of yore, as does much that we consider to be chivalrous. My duties in the Middle Ages, and right through to the industrial revolution, would have been to protect my man's best interests. This could be especially the case at the wedding itself, when unwelcome suitors could try and muscle in on the Bride-to-be. The Best Man would then fight of the intruders while the Groom married. (Incidentally, the tradition of the Groom standing to the right of the Bride is so that his sword arm is free!)

Of course things are not so violent (well, some of our family weddings can descend into fighting, but that's different, and usually only happens at the night reception.) However, most of the roles of the Best Man remain linked to this "I've got your back" attitude. Hence, your main responsibility is looking after the Groom's interests; getting him to the church on time; looking after the ring; witnessing the marriage certificate; getting his suit back to the hire shop after he has jetted off on the honeymoon; sleeping with the Maid of Honor (optional, although highly recommended); and of course orchestrating events at the reception.

Part of the last duty is to deliver one of the key speeches: the usual order is Father of the Bride (welcomes everyone, especially the Groom into his family, his family etc), then the Groom replies (sometimes on behalf of the Bride, although it is the modern trend for the Bride to make her own speech), then it's your turn.

The Best Man speech is usually directed at the Groom, although traditionally you would also be speaking on behalf of the Bride's maids as well. Now, everyone thinks that it is a good idea to embarrass the Groom as much as possible, however, I would not recommend that you say anything that is not already know to the key people in the room, especially those who this information may upset. If you go ahead and reveal that the Groom slept with every girl in college, and the Bride thinks that she was the first, you will be the asshole (even though the Groom will be in trouble as well, no-one is going to thank you for saying it). It is a good idea to run the speech past the Bride and Groom first (or at least the outline), then add a few well considered surprises.

Your speech should be around 5 minutes in length, too long and everyone will fall asleep, too short and you won't say anything, and remember it is the bride and grooms big day, you are there to make sure that this is the case.

Then the fun can begin: your first dance should be with the Maid of Honor. Don't forget though that your duties extend to the very end of the reception and beyond.

My space here was limited and there is a lot more to this whole thing than I could tell you, so do yourself a favor: make an effort, your friend deserves for you to be the best-Best Man that you can be, so do some research, be there for him and work on your speech. I had a great time, and not only that, the experience of actually finding out how to make a good public speech has helped me in my life since the wedding.

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Fear Factor - Public Speaking

Does the idea of speaking in front of people make you faint? Would you rather visit the dentist every day for a month instead of giving a keynote speech? Does the thought of speaking in front of a roomful of strangers induce a powerful need to flee the country?

The good news is you are not alone. The even better news is you can learn to be a better public speaker. Here are eleven tips to help you speak in public with confidence and poise.

- Nobody wants you to fail. It is a better visual than people in their underpants. Nobody paid for this conference or workshop to see shoddy speakers. They want you to do well. Take your confidence from that idea and run with it.

- Be a "goalie." Know the goals of the presentation, why you are there and what you need to accomplish. You were invited for a reason - make the organizers glad they invited such an asset to participate.

- Use your opportunity wisely. Respect yourself and your audience by being prepared, do not just fly by the seat of your pants. Do not waste their time or yours.

- Use stories. Stories that illustrate your point will be remembered long after the nametags are dumped in the garbage and hotel rooms are emptied. People remember and pay attention to good stories.

- Practice! This cannot be understated. You should know your presentation so thoroughly you could do the whole thing (PowerPoint included) without notes. You should not have your eyes glued to your note cards; they should be a gentle reminder once in a while. Remember, if you fail to prepare, you prepare to fail.

- They want solutions. Your audience is looking to you to provide answers to their problems, not to watch you boast about your company. Give them what they want.

- No Death by PowerPoint. Show pictures, charts, cartoons, or short videos. Bulleted lists are a surefire way to douse enthusiasm: yours and the audience's. Reading verbatim from your slides is BORING.

- Respect time limits. This is where your practice will be key - run your speech a few times to get pacing and timing down so that you fit into the time slot allowed. Do not go over. Do not go under. Like Goldilocks, you want it just right.

- Backups. Make sure your presentation is backed up and that you have access to copies in multiple places. Email it to yourself. Put it on a memory stick. Whatever you need, just in case.

- Get there early. You will need time to get the lay of the land, meet the organizers and their teams, check A/V, and fend off potential problems. If you're comfortable with the room, you will be able to deliver a more relaxed address.

- Learn a new language. Body language is the top factor in how people will react to your speech. Above your words, above your pedigree, body language trumps them all. During your practice you can videotape yourself and catch physical habits like hair touching, shuffling, slouching, and lack of eye contact with your audience.

This is just the beginning of your career as a great public speaker. The best way to get better is to practice so get out there and get speaking.

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Public Speaking Series - A Basic Guideline

Want to improve your public speaking skill? We will tell you how... just follow these 8 simple steps:

1. Find out who your audience are and what they want out of the speech. Understanding your audience will help you to prepare your speech to suit their interests.

2. Whether you are a new or an experience speaker, it is good to have your speech written in full. Structure your speech such that it is easy for your audience to follow. A good and simple structure is to have an introduction, a body and a conclusion.

3. The introduction does not necessarily have to be dramatic but it must be compelling enough to capture the attention of your audience and make them want to stay focus on what you have to say.

4. The body is where your main message will be delivered. Organise it in a logical manner. Use short sentences and simple words that can be easily understood. This will also help you to remember what you want to say and to avoid mispronouncing the words.

5. A common and proven technique used to conclude your speech is to give a brief summary of the key points of your message. You want the audience to remember what you have said and to take action where relevant.

6. Remember, practice makes perfect. So practise your speech at every chance you get, prior to the actual delivery. Rehearse it with your family, friends and colleagues. Have them give you honest feedback so you can fine tune and improve on it.

7. On the actual day, ensure that you are dressed appropriately and arrive early at the venue. This will help you to relax and feel confident. It also gives you time to check that all equipment such as microphone and audio/visual aids are setup correctly.

8. When called to deliver your speech, walk confidently and position yourself so that your audience can see you. Pause for a few seconds then begin your speech and while you are speaking remember to maintain eye contact with your audience. At the end of your speech, thank your audience and address any questions they may have.

These 8 steps are the basic guidelines you need to make a good speech. There are a lot more that you can learn to help you become a superb speaker.

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Public Speaking - Confidence VS Hubris

I was driving along today and for some reason a past experience popped into my head that I thought I would share. As a public speaker, I attend a lot of other speaker's events. I am basically just there to steal any good ideas they may have so I can later present them as my own. I also study their techniques and styles and know well that the most important quality a speaker can have is confidence. We all know about the fear of public speaking, and even those that do it for a living have varying degrees of confidence. We also have our quirks; I for example am the epitome of confidence, unless I have an equipment malfunction, at which point I will get all flapped up and run around in circles like a boob.

There is a fine line between confidence and hubris. Actually, that line may not be that fine. Confidence inspires everyone; hubris, on the other hand annoys most people. The past experience that I remembered was long before I ever got involved in Public Speaking. I was involved in commercial shopping center development for many years. While I never got huge, I was involved with over 70 regional shopping centers and malls across the U.S. over about a ten year period. The trade group for that industry is the International Council of Shopping Centers, which was a big group at the time, I assume much smaller now. ICSC had their annual convention in Las Vegas every year and usually about 35,000 people would attend, so it was a pretty big group. The attendees included a who's who of the industry and of course the many vendors who support the industry. One year, when things were going good, the keynote address at the main luncheon was given by a pioneer in the field and CEO of the largest mall owner at the time. He gets up to the podium, scans the full house crowd and says "I could shoot off a shotgun from here and not hit anybody important". I am sure he intended it to be funny; I looked around a saw a few people awkwardly chuckling. I looked at this man who I had envied, respected and was looking forward to hearing and thought "What an A-hole". Thirteen words out of his mouth, changed my opinion of him forever.

At another annual event for the Society for Environmental Graphic Design held every year at the time at Cranbrook Academy in Bloomfield Hills, I witnessed a similar situation. SEGD is a trade group for graphic designers, which were integral in making shopping centers visually exciting. They had asked the Co-Founder of one of the most respected firms in the field to speak for their keynote luncheon address. Many of the younger attendees were eagerly awaiting what wisdom he might impart. After making everyone wait for too long, he comes sauntering in from stage left eating a piece of fried chicken. He continued eating while everybody was starting to look at each other confused. When he finally finished he tossed the chicken bone over his shoulder on the floor and proceeded to tell everyone that they could never be as good as he was and that they might as well just leave the business. Well, I always knew this dude was a vain S.O.B. so my opinions were simply confirmed, but I could almost hear the rest of the crowd murmur under their breath "What an A-Hole".

On another occasion I was attending a local Real Estate Investors Meet-up group for the first time just to check it out. This particular meetup was held at a Village Inn so I was already doubting the potential value and like a lot of meetups, they were going to have a speaker. I am sitting in the back room with a bunch of other people, mostly slum lord wannabees, and I'm looking around to figure out if the speaker had arrived. The host suddenly introduced the speaker who stood up from the middle of the crowd of SLWs. Here's this old disheveled guy, looking like he just stepped out of the half-off sale at the Salvation Army. He's gonna talk to us about "paper", as in property notes. He waddles up the the head of the table and says "You're All Stupid", a classic attention getter. He then proceeds to tell us how he makes "millions" owning paper.

Common Millionaire's Car

Now at least the first two examples were people who were actually successful; not that that gives anyone the "right" to be a jerk. Of course this guy was selling his "Getting Rich Owning Paper" program (normally $999, but just for us... $99 if we sign-up tonight). I was stuck for the whole windbag pitch as I was trapped between to large people and did not get to finally leave until about the same time he did. At least he waved goodbye to me as he drove off in his 1976 Ford Granada. A-Hole.

So my point, if I have one, is: Confidence

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A Eulogy For a Friend Should Say it All

It is hard to write a eulogy for a friend yet it is an honour to be asked to give one. A eulogy for a friend should speak about your relationship with him or her. It should sum up that relationship in loving words.
You might speak for instance, of a childhood friendship that has lasted the years. Alternatively, you might speak of how and where you met. You may have been in the same class together in school. You might have gone to the same evening class as an adult. You could have met at a party or in work. Wherever it was try to paint a picture of your first meeting and your growing friendship.
A eulogy for a friend is a very personal thing. You should remember, though, that others are mourning the loss of a family member, a colleague or a friend. So try to explain just what your own relationship was with the person they loved too. Speak of hobbies you shared or interests you had in common. Speak about vacations you spent together.
Above all speak of incidents you shared. Talk about going to see a donkey derby together and how his or her donkey kept going sideways instead of towards the finishing post. Speak about how often you visited his or her home. Speak of troubles you had and how he or she was always there to support you and to care for you. A eulogy for a friend should speak of the happy times you spent together. It should express just what that friendship meant in your everyday life.
In your eulogy for a friend you should speak about how much you will miss him or her. You should talk about how you liked to go shopping together or to watch games of football. Speak about a special concert you both enjoyed. Above all speak about how your friend was always delighted to share your good news.
A eulogy for a friend should paint a picture of your relationship. It is your last opportunity to say publicly how much that relationship meant. Finally, speak of his or her belief in the afterlife if that is appropriate because others will find that consoling. If your friend had no such beliefs say that though he or she is gone the memories of times shared will always enrich your life.


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A Eulogy For a Mother Should Bring Her to Life

A eulogy for a mother should reflect the fact that the heart has gone from the home. No matter how hard everyone tries there is nobody can take the place of a mother. If you are giving a eulogy for a mother then you should speak of that gap she has left behind. Your words should convey just how much she meant to her family and friends and how much she will be missed. A eulogy for a mother should be short, sweet and sincere. How, though, do you condense a lifetime's loving and caring into a few minutes?

You can start by giving a little potted history of her life. You can tell where she was born and say a word or two about her family. You can talk about her career and her marriage. Above all, though, a eulogy for a mother should be about the real person behind those statistics. You should talk about her interests and foibles too because a bit of humour makes such a eulogy more real. After all she was a mother not a saint.

You should speak about what she did for her family. Now is the time to remember how she read stories to you as a child or visited you every day in hospital when you were ill. Now is the time when you remember how she taught you to bake as a child or the fun you had with her when you were on family vacations. She may have taught you to swim or to appreciate nature. You may have gone camping together or travelled a lot. Now is the time to express your fond memories.

It is time too to remember that she was more than just a mother to you. She was also a family member, a neighbour a colleague and a friend. Speak a little about her kindness to the neighbours or her hospitality to her family. Speak about her pride in her work or her fondness for her colleagues. They too will be mourning her loss. You may be speaking about a sudden death or how she has died after a long illness. Speak about what that death meant to you.

Above all a eulogy for a mother should reflect on your own relationship with her. You may speak of the standards she instilled in you or how she supported you when times were bad. You should speak of her encouragement and love all through your life. If you are speaking on behalf of your siblings make it clear how much she meant to each one of them too collectively and individually. Finally, if she had religious beliefs speak of them and the consolation they give. If not, end by saying you hope that she has found the peace and happiness she so richly deserved. End by saying she will always be in your heart.

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Retirement Speeches Should Summarise a Working Life

Depending on their attitude people can either dread their retirement or look forward to it with great anticipation. Retirement speeches from a retiree will show to which camp he or she belongs.

Retirement means a great life change and retirement speeches should reflect that. For those who dread it their retirement speeches will be dull and uninteresting. They will only look only to the past. For those who look forward their retirement speeches will be full of hope. After all our working lives give us little opportunity and time to do the things we most enjoy. So it is fitting that such speeches reflect that fact.

It is important too that retirees speak of their work and the colleagues and friends they have made through that work. This is especially true if they have spent many years working for the same company. It is especially gracious if they mention such unsung heroes and heroines as the janitor or a cleaner or tea lady, people they may have known for forty years. Obviously they will speak kindly of their boss and those with whom they work closely.

This is a time for reminiscences. Retirement speeches will certainly be better if the retiree speaks of something amusing or strange that happened over the years of their working lives. It is a time too to speak of the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. Sometimes family members will be present and it is fitting that they should be mentioned. Retirement speeches from the retiree should end on a positive and upbeat note.

The same applies to retirement speeches to the retiree. They should be cheerful and optimistic about the future. A boss or colleague should do some homework on the retiree before speaking. Otherwise the speech will be banal and its sentiments will have been heard before. So whatever colleague is speaking should speak of the actual individual contribution made by the employee. Obviously that will include the work done by the retiree. It should though also include, for instance, his or her kindness or generosity. Your might speak too about his or her sense of humour which you could say was greatly appreciated by everyone in the office. Such retirement speeches will usually end with the presentation of a gift.

Whether you are giving a retirement speech because a colleague is retiring or because you are retiring it should include a touch of humour. That coupled with some nostalgia, mention of friendships made and plans for the future will ensure that those retirement speeches are a little out of the ordinary.

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Inspirational Speeches Can Change a Life

Inspirational speeches can make a huge difference. Whatever the subject if they are good enough they can make someone in the audience want to change their lives for the better. Of course the more inspirational the speech the more people will be influenced.

Not all of us can speak like Martin Luther King or President Kennedy. Not all of us have the charisma of Nelson Mandela. Yet most of us have core values or deep beliefs that we would like to share with others. We may want to inspire them to become leaders or to become captains of industry. Our inspirational speeches should inspire them to do something wonderful and great with their lives.

There seems to be a fine line between motivational and inspirational speeches. One motivates us to do something, the other inspires us by appealing to our intellect, making us want to be better people in some way. Such inspirational speeches may inspire us to have passion in what we do, for instance, or to be a protester for change.

There are, of course, thousands of inspirational sayings. Oliver Wendell Holmes said, "What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." That probably summarises the message you are trying to get across in an inspirational speech. You are telling your audience that they can make a difference, that they have it in them to change for the better.

You cannot inspire others unless you are inspiring yourself. If your speech is dull it won't be inspirational. You cannot make an audience sit up and take notice unless you are telling them something new and exciting and, above all, feasible.

Few of us really believe that we can make a success of our lives. We are hesitant and find reasons why it cannot be so. We are often defeated before we start. Inspirational speeches cannot, of course, change personalities but they can change the way people look at things. They can install self- belief. If speakers can give an example it really makes the speech. If they can tell what inspired them their audience will react because it is a true story and they can empathise with it.

Most of us want to be more successful and happier. Inspirational speeches can make us believe this is possible. Christ was only one person yet his speeches persuaded millions to follow him. If you have a message of your own you too can inspire others to be bigger and better people. All you have to do is speak with passion and belief.

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Eradicating the Fear of Presentation - Part 1

What causes people to be afraid of public speaking? Is it suddenly being the centre of attention, the audience in silence, and all of their eyes being upon them? For many the answer is yes! They imagine, for no rational reason, that they are going to mess it up, (which could simply be that they fear that they will be less than perfect), that people will laugh at them and they will never live it down. But the real problem here is not about making a fool of yourself, it is about not being able to cope with making a fool of yourself. Indeed, making a mistake can be the best thing that you can do in a presentation. If you then joke about it you will find that nothing will endear you more to your audience.

Example - a simple one is that you could pretend that you have forgotten what to say and just announce "I've forgotten what I was going to say, I'll just take a sip of water while I think about it!" Try it - it works! Imagine you are talking to an audience about a project that is supposed to lead to significant improvements in revenue. You could say perhaps "When we have implemented this system I fully expect sales to rise by £3,000 a month (when you and the audience are expecting a figure of around £300,000), hesitate briefly watching the audience develop looks that seem to say "why are we here listening to this nonsense?" then simply say, "oh well I'd better cancel the family holiday to Australia that I'd planned with my bonus this year!" Then follow up with "of course I meant £300,000". The audience will relax immediately, many will smirk and some will even laugh.

Think about how you feel when you are nervous about having to give a presentation. Adrenaline is flowing through your body, equipping you to fight or flight, but unfortunately you cannot run away (well you could but that would probably be just too embarrassing!) and there is nothing to fight. We need to find a way to use all that adrenaline and by pure coincidence, you can use it by utilising the presenter's number one weapon when it comes to delivering great presentations - enthusiasm! Use that energy to give your presentation vibrancy and passion. The fact is without some nerves where will you get the energy from, the passion from, to sound convincing in your delivery? Nowhere! Nerves are good!

How else can we help ourselves to calm down before we start our presentation?

We can try deep breathing which does help to relieve tense muscles, a quaking voice and queasy stomach. When we are nervous, we tend to take shallow breaths. This robs our brain of oxygen and can create a negative reinforcing cycle. What happens is that we take a shallow breath out of nervousness and as we try to speak, we realize that we will not be able to finish our sentence, so we speed up. That makes us more nervous, so we take even more shallow breaths. When this cycle occurs, just pause, take a deep breath, and continue.

You are much better than you think you

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Tips For Public Speaking - 3 Ways to Make a Great Impression

1. Tell them a Story

A very effective tip for public speaking way is to include a story or anecdote in your speech. This will make your speech more personal and warm, and help you to 'connect' with your audience. It also sends a message to your listeners that you are not just there to pass on information, but that you also understand the connection between your topic and 'real life'.

The story could be about someone you know, or something you have heard. If it is about someone you know, make sure you have their permission to tell the story if it contains personal information or could potentially cause them embarrassment. Alternatively you can tell the story in such a way that they aren't identified.

The most powerful stories are the ones we tell about ourselves, particularly if they illustrate a 'weakness' or mistake we have made, or reveal a private joy or tragedy that has occurred in our lives. Such stories create a high level of trust and identification with our audience, because they say "I am human, just like you."

In a long speech, you can include several stories or anecdotes. As long as they add value by illustrating or emphasising a point you have made, your audience will thank you for adding this extra dimension to your speech.

2. Paint a Picture

Public speaking is an art. And like the so-called 'visual arts', such as painting and drawing, it relies on the use of images and pictures. The only difference is that these images and pictures are drawn with words, rather than a brush or pencil.

So a very effective tip for public speaking is to use images and pictures to bring your speech alive, and leave your audience with memories that go beyond a compilation of facts and figures. You can do this by using powerful, expressive adjectives that conjure up vivid images in a listener's mind.

For example, instead of saying '"there was a fire in an empty shop on Johnson Street", say "orange, crackling flames and a huge plume of black smoke streamed up into the sky above the derelict old drapery store".

The old saying 'a picture is worth a thousand words' is as true today as it ever was, especially in public speaking.

3. Express Yourself

Speeches delivered in a monotone are boring and one dimensional, no matter how important the information you are delivering or how knowledgeable you are about the subject.

So another very useful tip for public speaking is to employ, and vary, all the expressive qualities of your voice. These qualities include volume, speed and pitch.

Firstly, make sure that the volume of your voice matches the venue and the audience. This seems obvious but is often not fully considered by public speakers. If you can, practice beforehand - ask someone to stand at the back of the venue and see if they can hear you. Secondly, vary the volume of your voice to emphasise the main points of your speech or for dramatic purposes.

The rate at which you speak is also very important. It is easy to let nerves get the better of you and rush through your speech in an unconscious desire to quickly get to the other end! Practice delivering your speech in a controlled, deliberate manner, using pauses where necessary for effect and to allow you to breathe properly. You need to achieve a balance between being slow enough for your audience to understand and appreciate what you are trying to say, and fast enough to maintain their energy and interest.

The third aspect of your speaking voice is its pitch, or whether it sounds 'high' or 'low'.A moderate, balanced pitch is usually best. In some circumstances you may wish to introduce an element of drama or to modify the mood of the audience. In this respect, lowering your voice will introduce a more sombre mood, while a high pitch will signify excitement.

With practice, these three tips for public speaking will become second nature and ensure that all your speeches will leave the audience wanting more!

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Public Speaking Fear - 5 Unique Ways to Deal With It

Is speaking in public a night mare to you? If your answer is yes then you have just embarked on a journey of loosing those fears! Try these tips and see yourself become a greater speaker of your time!

1. Become a Friend of Yourself.
You can become a friend of yourself by converting your fears into confidence. To deal with fear of speaking in public, you need to allow yourself to be your friend. Make yourself understand that speaking is a way of life whether it is done privately or publicly. Being a friend of yourself grows your confidence level thereby making your real you gain balance each time you speak publicly.

2. Know and Understand Your Subject.
If you are a first timer in public speaking you need to know and understand what your subject is. Many people fail to pass a message to their audience because they failed to know and understand the subject of what they speak of. It is paramount you do this because professionals who have been speaking for years still practice it. Knowing and understanding your subject means organizing and using of an outline of key of ideas and then practice delivering based on that outline.

3. Decide on What or How to Start With.
As a potential speaker, you should always have a technique for which you use to begin your speech. This is where your fear increases or decreases. See your audience as your friends. This is true because most of your audience wants you to succeed and not to fail; what you do is to develop a strategy to engage them into a friendly conversation when ever you appear before them. Once you succeed in doing this, you will see and feel a rapid growth in your confidence and urge to speak without fears.

4. Wear Good Look and Dress Properly.
Inferiority complex which is an agent of anxiety and fear normally set in each time someone feels he is not prepared for a thing. You will be amazed at the way you will feel when you dress properly with a good look on your face, noticing that your audience are smiling and looking accommodating on seeing you. Learn to make it a habit to dress properly and to know the exact dress to wear for a particular event; this most times stabilizes your mind and give your audience the mindset that you are an authority in your field. Remember keep this simple; do not make it look too obvious as a means of buying into them.

5. Always See Yourself as a Public Speaker.
This may sound funny, but it is a sure way of dealing with fear and building self confidence in speech making. Having this mindset will make you have a constant urge to work hard for a self development, knowing that you will be expected to deliver at anytime. The effort you put in to maintain the pace goes a long way to have you grounded for any upcoming task in public speaking, hence making you a better and fine public speaker you were born to be!

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Wedding Toasts As Best Man

Before we look at the best place to find , let's have a quick look at the history of the wedding speech....

The origins are a bit hazy but, wedding toasts are based on an old custom of spiking one's enemies wine.The host would then raise a glass and sit back and wait. The honest would share from the same pitcher.

After their demise, a toast of long life and happiness was bestowed on the Bride and Groom. Even this simple toast would contain the guests, wedding party etc and soon stretched into a five minute speech that we recognise today.

The difference is...
A toast is just that - raise your glass and say a sentence. A Wedding Speech is a 3 to 5 minute speech aimed to include not only the happy couple but everyone present.

It is a true privilege to give this Speech, and even if you feel a little nervous (which is good), I guarantee that if you follow the link at the bottom of this article, your speech will stand out for years to come! People will recall yours over others.

The normal manner of speeches-

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Toast the Bride and Groom

When thinking about your toast to bride and groom, consider them. Do they enjoy a good laugh? Perhaps they are easily embarrassed or maybe like some gentle ribbing? In preparation, take bit of time to consider these factors.

Speaking in public

If you're normal, the thought of public speaking and standing in front of guests listening to your every word makes you nervous. But with practice it can become very natural. It is well known that being slightly nervous before a speech or performance can actually make you perform better. Practice makes perfect and also builds confidence. Even professional performers admit to being nervous before going on stage.

Content

In Your toast to the bride and groom, you will be welcoming the families and guests -- The main part of your speech will be a tribute to the happy couple on their special day. But be sure to include the family, wedding party and guests in your speech as well. thoughts before you put pen to paper could you talk about their qualities? Do they have any habits (without embarrassing them)? Hobbies, shared interests, music social activities, professions, maybe they met through a group or mutual friend? Do you have any favorite memories of them? How is your life affected by the marriage? Are you losing a friend but gaining the use of his golf clubs etc..

You've now come to the final part of your speech. Here are some cheerful and positive ways you can finish your wedding speech...You could leave the guests with thoughts of a long and happy life together. End the toast to the bride and groom in health, happiness, and a long life etc. Then it's time to ask the wedding guests to stand and join you in rejoicing the happy couple.

So my friend, If you're not sure what words to use in your speech or how to say the toast, check out http://traditional-wedding-speeches.blogspot.com/ or toast bride groom for inspiration in creating your own wedding speech. You'll find a speech for all the wedding party from best man, matron of honor to mother of the groom. They are the perfect companion to this happy day. Thank you and good luck!

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5 Tips to Overcome the Fear of Public Speaking

Many people find public speaking stressful. However, in the course of our life, we will need to be engaged in some form of public speaking in order to accomplish certain task. The truth is, public speaking does not have to be stressful! If you can pin-point the source of public speaking stress and keep in mind a few handy tips, you will soon alleviate your fear and actually enjoy the experience.

Tip #1 - 3 main points

There is no need to deliver loads of facts to impress your audience. Most of the time, people could remember just a few facts that you tried to convey. You just need 3 main points in your speech. Your audiences just want you to deliver 3 key points that will make a difference to them. You only need to organise your talks this way and your job as a speaker is so much easier. This would eliminate the stress of trying to memorize tons of facts.

Tip #2 - Give them value

I found out that all my audience wanted at the end of my speech was something of value that they could take away. If they could feel good about themselves, feel good about some task they have to complete, you are considered a success.

Tip #3 - Be yourself

The key to be successful in public speaking is to be yourself. If you try to emulate other speakers, whose qualities you presently lack, you are adding unnecessary stress to yourself. Once you are in the right frame of mind, you become relax and you will be able to deliver your main points confidently. Always remember that you are there to give the audience something of value.

Tip #4 - Be humble

Being humble in front of your audience makes you more human and they can connect with you more easily. When you are speaking as 'one of them', you become more believable and sometimes more respected. For example, by sharing your mistakes and weaknesses, you create a safe and intimate environment for others to open up their feeling and accept you.

Tip #5 - Be in control

These are things that you need to control - your emotions, your mindset, the arrangements of your slides and other presentation materials and the layout of the room. When the audience sensed that you are in control, they will be more willing to listen to you.

Remember - The key to effective public speaking is to eliminate your fears. If you follow these tips, you are on your way to be a better speaker.

Good luck!

Do you have a strong desire to overcome stage fright, deliver high impact presentations that move your audience and convey your ideas more effectively?

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Public Speaking - Three Ways to Enjoy It!

Yes; you DID read that correctly. Public speaking doesn't have to involve a dry mouth and shaking knees and all the other symptoms of fear. In fact, as a speaker, you can have as much fun as the audience you are engaging with and here are three ways you can do it.

Firstly; props. Of course there are the obvious ones to help you, as the speaker.

A glass of water: Take a sip when you need to and be relaxed about it.

Prompt cards: Write the main points of your talk on postcards, with one main point on each card. You'll find that the content 'flows' more easily if you don't have reams of dialogue to read through, but you still keep on track.

Then there are the props related to your talk; perhaps you could have some samples that can be passed round, or something your audience can look at.

Secondly, be yourself. It's one of the most effective ways to engage your audience. If you're good at telling jokes, include a joke or two in your talk. If you're not, leave the jokes to the comedians. If you notice people in the audience nodding in agreement, acknowledge it. Say something like, "I can see there are people who agree with me". You'd be surprised at how your audience can respond when you actually include them.

Thirdly, but most importantly, RELAX! I realise that's probably easier said than done but there are many methods of relaxing that are available to you. While you are giving your talk, there's nothing wrong with creating a pause while you take a deep breath. It can actually help to grab the attention of your audience.

For some people, meditation beforehand helps to get them into the right frame of mind. Hypnotherapy is an excellent way of helping with relaxation and can actually help you to enjoy public speaking. After all, you're likely to be talking about something you're interested in and maybe even passionate about. Hypnotherapy can help you to achieve a state of complete relaxation and focus on the joy of sharing your passion with your audience, rather than the fear of it.

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Business Networking Blog

Here is a great blog about networking Business Networking Blog

Great Public Speaking: Public Speaking: Why Humor

Great Public Speaking: Public Speaking: Why Humor

Your Own Sermon Research Team

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Have you ever wished you had an assistant to help you to do research for your sermons, Bible studies, and other talks that you prepare? Have you ever thought to yourself, "If I was pastoring a megachurch, I'd have a full-time assistant to help me find illustrations, statistics, and other helpful material...then I wouldn't get so overwhelmed with all this work I have to do?"

The good news is, that whether you are pastoring a church of 10 or 10,000, you can get the help that you need. If you are willing to lay a little groundwork, and plan your preaching and teaching ahead of time, all the assistance you need is sitting out in your auditorium on Sunday morning.

Here's what you need to do:

1) Announce that you are looking for three or four people who are interested in doing research (especially online). Or you can handpick people who you think would do a good job.

2) Meet with this group of people once every couple of months and give them the topics you will be preaching and teaching on for the next eight weeks or so, along with the Biblical references you will base those talks on. Of course, give them at least a two-week lead.

3) Ask them to search for any material that would help you to illustrate the upcoming messages that you have provided topics/texts for. Ask them to search for interesting stories, fresh statistics, jokes, etc... and to e-mail those to you at least a week prior to your message.

You will be absolutely amazed at the amount of material that you will have at your disposal if you choose the right people to help you with this. And they will be very, very glad to know that they were able to assist you. The first time they hear you use a story that they sent you, you will be able to see the satisfaction on their face.

A couple of things you must remember:

1) You need to remind your research team that you will not be able to use all the material they send you. Let them know that you are going to file any material you can't use and hopefully be able to use it at a later time.

2) Constantly thank them and let them know how much you appreciate the great work they are doing for you. And believe me, once you put this system in place, you will be truly grateful!

Oh, one more thing...once you've tried this out for awhile, drop me a line and let me know how it's going. Or better yet, post a comment on this blog to let everyone else know how helpful this practical suggestion has been to your work of ministry.

In Christ,
Barry

Dr. Barry L. Davis -- The Pastor's Helper -- http://www.pastorshelper.com

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Break Free From the Fear of Public Speaking

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Right up there with death and heights, public speaking is a fear that too many people let affect their lives.

Now, you might not have to make a speech to a room of 100 people, but if you have your own business, then you are probably going to have to make cold calling a part of your marketing strategy. Cold calling, much like public speaking, evokes a sense of dread in many people, but it doesn't have to be this way.

This fear of speaking to a stranger is present in a lot of people because of the scrutiny that they might face. But cold calling doesn't have to be torture and if used in an effective manner, it can generate a larger customer base for your business.

Remember that if you want to be a success, you can't wait for customers to come to you - you have to go after the customers on your own accord.

It can be a huge benefit to you and your business because, as opposed to the impersonal approach with direct mail, this is a type of marketing that forms relationships. It's a way to get personal with your potential customers and to allow them to associate your business with a person - you.

There are a lot of businesses out there, so you need a way to separate yours from the competition. Cold calling can be a great way to do that.

The first step to achieving effective cold calling is to get over your fears of speaking to new people. You need to develop confidence in yourself and what your business has to offer. The best way to do this is to become comfortable with the calls you will be making. Ask a friend to help you practice, so as to get you used to making your pitch to others.

It also helps to be as knowledgeable as possible about your business and what the customer would want from it. Make sure that you can answer every possible question they will throw at you. Before you start making calls, play the role of the customer and think about what you might ask and what you would want to hear.

If you're calling a company, then do your research on it beforehand and find out all you can about the type of business it conducts. Knowledge is power.

Be prepared for your call. You don't have to read a prepared script line for line, but do make sure that you have organized your thoughts in a detailed and efficient manner. Write all these points down so you have them for reference. Also, practice what you will say before you make your first call. Become comfortable with what you're saying.

For a minimal price, you can purchase a voice recorder to use as a means of improving your lines. Sometimes it can really help to hear yourself speak out loud.

Take the time to find out the right person to speak to. You don't want to waste your entire pitch on someone who isn't in charge of decision making at his/her company.

When you have the right person on the phone be confident, but not arrogant - be persistent, but also be courteous and friendly. Let them know how your business can benefit them and that you would like to meet with them to discuss it in more detail.

More so than anything, practice what you plan on saying before you call. The confidence you exude in your speech and your knowledge of both their business and yours will speak volumes.

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Putting Behind You the Fear of Public Speaking

If you are reading this article then it is very likely you familiar with the fear of public speaking: "The day has come!, you were not sleeping well last night and your appetite was quite bad in the last few days (for some of us the opposite is true means - eating compulsively). You still didn't even started your day and already feel sweat in your hands. You smell your own anxiety - a speaking anxiety.

In days like this, you have the feeling that your whole body will betray you. Even your legs are affected. You suddenly become consciousness aware of your stiff steps like you are going to stumbling in the next step... But you are not. Some how you manage to control you gestures, and give a fake smile to the people around like saying "I am feeling great today, and how are you?" Sure.....you pretending liar!

You sit in the auditorium (or classroom, or office's meeting room) and wait for your turn. You even try to listen to others presentation, and you actually hear other's words, and can nod with your head if you agree with them, but nothing of their ideas actually get into your head. You are now locked in the black hole gravity of your public speaking anxiety.

The moment has come. Your stomach ache, and you become fully aware of cold sweat warped upper body. Luckily, our body has an extra power supply raised upon emergency situations, and this is the only thing that currently hold you on your legs when standing in front of your audience. Your throat is getting dry, and it looks to you like you forgot anything you planned to say. You audience is not really notice that (unless for extreme situations) but inside, you feel like an idiot that can't control its intellect and confidence. You are now deep in the realm of self blaming.

Actually, you success quite well and do say what you planned to say, but you can't play with your ideas and make it live and interesting. Sense of time was gone and your autopilot mind brought you to the end of your presentation. You can relax a little bit and answer some questions. After all, free discussion is what you like, not psychological horror movie where you play the main character.....

The truth is that many individuals suffer the same problem as you do and has the fear of public speaking. The funny thing is that while we actually not alone in this, when it happen we are closed in our own bubble.

The good news are that holistic approach is standing now to our help. Years of experience in the fields of brain neurology, psychological treatment, imaginary exposure and relaxation techniques, has led to holistic programs that can help us get out of this fear of public speaking and train us to productivity when speaking in front of other people.

In our modern world many has decided to stay hidden behind network address and forgot the virtue of public speaking. Whether you need it for your job, your career or the most important, self esteem, you now have the choice to overcome the fear of public speaking.

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Try Some Public Speaking Exercises For Practice

If you'd like to improve your public presentations, then find some public speaking excercises in the article below. Don't forget that the key to improving your public speaking skills is to practice.

You'll get the most out of these exercises if you practice them often, and make a real effort even if they seem trivial. Getting better at even the smallest aspect of public speaking can really give your presentations more impact.

Introduce Someone Else

By putting together a very short "speech" that introduces another speaker, you can repeatedly practice your skills without having to put together a long presentation. Getting comfortable to say a few words about someone else is a good start.

Put a Speech Together Bit By Bit

Practice writing and speaking the individual parts of a speech. Write some openings. Write some closings. Write about one major point. Write a rebuttal of one part of an opponent's argument. Get used to building the different parts of a speech and delivering them.

Read a Famous Speech

You don't need to practice with your own words. Choose an inspiring speech and read it as though it were yours. Not having to worry about the words means you can concentrate on your delivery. This is one exercise that has been around for centuries, as many classical orators used to practice with other people's speeches.

Introduce Yourself

Talking about yourself should be easy since it's a topic you know well. Put together a short presentation about yourself, to introduce you to a group. You could even try this one without any notes. Another variation of this exercise is to promote your business, if you have one.

Using Motivational Quotes

Again, use another person's words to help you put a speech together for practice. Put together a short speech filled with inspirational quotes and comments, and you'll find it a breeze to present.

Tell Some Jokes

Get some of your favorite jokes together, and give a presentation intended to make everyone laugh. Obviously, it's not a serious exercise on a formal topic but just a chance to see how easy it is to lighten the mood when giving a speech. All presentations can use a joke or two.

Brian Clough is the editor of No-Fear-Public-Speaking.com, the complete guide to overcoming fear about public speaking. Get more free public speaking lessons by signing up at his site.

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Public Speaking and How to Excel in It

Public speaking is the process of speaking with a group of people in a structured, deliberate intention to inform, influence or entertain the listeners. Today, public speaking is more on the transport of ideas and less on the speaker. Mindful of audience are targeted by the information and ideas rather than the performance of the speaker. Speaking in public is a key element in this new competitive century. Public Speaking provides an advantage to keep abreast with the rapid time. We all know that public speaking has always played a key role in building and maintaining a democratic society. The impact of public speech is enormous and affects all aspects of life.

Public Speaking is an art, one needs to master it. Public speaking is not, that anything that comes out of your mouth. The great public speaker is one who attracts the public attention throughout his speech. The speaker should be clear with his ideas and should be tactful. To be an effective speaker you should follow these steps

Preparation and Presentation:

Proper preparation and presentation is the key. Mastering the subject is very important. You should have clear ideas and information so that you can deliver the speech frankly and enthusiastically. If you have subject knowledge completely you can speak with confidence.

Know your audience:

A public speaker, must know the target audience and try to match your ideas to their needs. Do homework before making a speech. Put everything in a logical order. Make sure that your speech should be understandable by your audience and give them full satisfaction. They should not feel uncomfortable so make your subject interesting and informative. Try to be calm and comfortable in front of your audience.

When you are about to deliver a speech you will be like an actor.All eyes will be on you so, you become the center of attraction and attention. Your body language will be watched keenly. Hence your Body language and your content should go hand in hand.There should not be an mismatch.

How do you perceive your audience is important? Always seek friendly, enthusiastic, confident, proud but not arrogant. Put your hand on your nerves and relax. Speak clearly and effectively show the emotion and feeling appropriate to your topic. Establish relationship with audience.

At the end of your speech ask your audiences to give their observations, which will widely help you to improve public speaking skills.

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Motivational Guest Speakers - Why Are They Beneficial For Your Employees?

Motivation helps people deal with obstacles that occur in their work and home life. A person needs motivation when trying to reach a goal or accomplish specific daily tasks. Lack of motivation can result in decreased work performance and interest. Any individual who shares a personal story or encourages you to succeed in an endeavor is in fact providing a motivational and uplifting speech. Employees commonly get overloaded by all the pressures surrounding them. Keynote speakers help employees gain confidence and provide some incentive to keep trying. Jobs can become mundane and build-up of multiple tasks is discouraging. When working on a tough project, a little extra motivation can go a long way. In the work environment, most motivation is provided by supervisors and co-workers. Motivational guest speakers serve many purposes including teaching company employees how to be a positive influence in the most difficult scenarios.

Every adult needs a helping hand from time to time. A little extra support and motivation can go a long way. Companies are acknowledging the benefits of a motivational speaker and hiring them for business meetings, company events, and training is becoming very common. Motivational guest speakers are in high demand by companies due to their ability to inspire employees to improve work habits, skills, and demeanor in the work place. An effective speaker can get a rise out of employees and encourage them to work harder to achieve company goals. Keynote speakers can help companies tackle tough challenges such as increasing productivity and promote good work ethics. Tough projects, long hours, and too much work are all overwhelming for employees. This can bring them down and cause them to give up. Employing a motivational speaker for your next big meeting or gathering can change attitudes and get employees on the right track again.

Changes in company structure and policies are often met with resistance. Putting together a company meeting with an influential speaker can change the mindset of managers and employees. With the right speaker, everyone will be more willing to accept the changes and work together. Other common uses for motivational guest speakers include encouraging team work, increased sales, training seminars, and employee appreciation events. Inspiring speakers are not only good for business but also work great for college students, younger children, rehabilitation centers, and entrepreneur start up companies. Colleges use these speakers to motivate students during high stress periods such as mid-terms and final exams. They can captivate any audience and get the results you are looking for.

A motivational presentation is one of the best ways to uplift employees, students, and other groups to achieve goals and work together. A common problem in the workplace and schools is inability to work as a team. Everyone is more worried about what they are doing and how it looks to teachers and employers. Use these types of speakers to provide a positive influence employees or members of your organization. They can give people the extra little push they need to succeed in the tasks they have been assigned.

Many speakers are well known for their ability to convey an overall message to an audience. Motivational speakers are effective keynote speakers that provide many benefits to employees.

For more information, visit FiveStarSpeakers.com.

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Valuable Tips For Selecting Motivational Public Speakers

Selecting speakers for an upcoming event takes time and patience. The speech they provide is not the only impression that is important when a speaker is in front of an audience. Appearance and demeanor can be just as damaging in some cases. Keep overall presentation in mind as you are interviewing and selecting motivational speakers for your next event. It only takes seconds for a person to develop an opinion and if it is negative, the battle has already been lost. Even the best public speakers can make mistakes that might not seem so obvious. The interview process will tell you how each speaker you are considering carries themselves. Use your opinion as a decision factor in how the audience will react to a particular speaker. Chances are if you were not impressed, the audience will not be either.

Everyone has had a bad experience when going to a conference or some other type of speaking event. You get excited about a particular keynote speaker only to find that they are not as knowledgeable as thought or do not provide a high quality presentation. Clothing may seem like a little thing, but it is not. The last thing you want is the audience to show up better dressed than your keynote speaker. This will automatically generate a bad opinion and make the speaker less credible. They should dress and look professional if that is the manner of the presentation. If you are not interviewing motivational public speakers in person, discuss this topic with them to ensure they know how formal your event will be. How a person looks can actually make more of an impression than what they say in today's society. With the right appearance, an audience will be more inclined to believe and listen to the motivational public speakers you have selected.

Discuss the method of delivery with each speaker as you interview as well. Some speakers prefer to use a clip microphone and improper use can be very distracting. A speaker that looks down often will end up yelling in the microphone or breathing heavily. Additional noises can be heard much easier and will distract the audience. If you are concerned that this type of microphone may reduce their ability to hold the audiences attention, discuss the possibility of using another type of microphone during the presentation.

How motivational speakers carry themselves during the interview shows how professional they will be during their speech. Discuss the audience demographic with them including ethnicity, sex, and age. This will better inform them so they can choose only appropriate jokes and comments for the audience. Knowing the audience demographics will help their speech material be more appealing. A professional speaker should be able to discuss their style and experience with the specified demographics during the interview and give you an idea of how effective they will be. You may also view previous presentations to ensure that a speaker does not use yelling as motivation, pace the stage, or strictly speaks from behind the podium. These are all very ineffective and distracting. Speakers with these qualities need to be skipped to ensure an events success.

Many people forget about all the specifics when selecting motivational speakers. When selecting a keynote speaker, consider their general appearance and demeanor during presentations.

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How to Reduce Filler Words

Recently I attended a panel discussion with three speakers. One of the young women was very well spoken but used filler words excessively. At Corporate Speech Solutions we use a barometer of two filler words in two minutes. This woman used over ten in the first minute!!

What does that mean? We are all human and tend to say an occasional uh, or um. However, more than two in two minutes will make you sound less professional and less qualified than you really are.

It was just me. After the panel discussion I turned and asked the people sitting with me if they noticed the excessive use of the word "um." They responded, "notice?" I couldn't concentrate on a word she said. All I heard was "um."

When interviewing, it is critical that you sound confident and professional. You may be asked questions that you are not prepared to answer. Don't fill your answer with excessive "um's" or even worse, be careful of "like" and "you know." These speech patterns may stand in between you and the job.

When people use these little words excessively it makes them sound unsure or insecure about the subject matter. Corporate Speech Solutions uses a barometer of two filler words in two minutes. Greater than that is excessive. The overused word can be "uh, um, like, you know, basically, so, and, even the word and!" If used as a space keeper while you are thinking and, if the word is used greater than two times in two minutes, it is considered a filler word. Don't let this happen to you.

The key to reducing filler words is a relatively easy, four step process. Like anything, it takes practice.

1. Increase your awareness by listening to yourself on tape during a telephone conversation and count the use of uh, um, like or you know. Remember, if greater than two in two minutes you need to work on modifying the habit.

2. Do you notice a pattern? I have noticed with many of my clients they habitually start sentences with "um." Others may use the word "and" as a connector instead of using a period. Still others have a tendency to add "you know?" at the end of a sentence for confirmation to what was said. The important point is to recognize your own personal pattern.

3. Now comes the work. Try to anticipate when you are going to say the word. Once you are aware of your pattern you will notice when you are about to say the overused word.

4. This is your cue to pause. We call it "strategic pausing." Strategic pausing will give you the time to think of what you want to say, say it and move on without inserting the filler word. Strategic pausing does not just give you time to think, it gives impact to your message. Resist the urge to fill the time with a "filler" word and you will automatically sound more impressive.

Practice these techniques every day until the filler words are no longer a part of your working vocabulary. Remember not to use the filler words when leaving voice mail messages. Notice other people using filler words excessively. Does it sound professional? Filler words can dilute the message and make you sound timid. Learning to eliminate your filler words will have a significant impact on your speech and you will automatically sound more professional. This technique works! You will sound more professional in the meeting, on the telephone and especially during an interview.

Still concerned about this problem visit us at http://www.corporatespeechsolutions.com to learn more about our training.

Jayne Latz M.A., CCC-SLP, is President of Corporate Speech Solutions and is a licensed Speech Language Pathologist with over twenty years of experience. She remains active as a consultant for the business community and maintains an affiliation at New York University as well as a consulting Speech -Language Pathologist to Hunter and Brooklyn College. Her professional speech background provides her with the unique skills to aid both individuals and groups in improving their corporate communication skills.

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