Vitality Central - Public Speaking

Eight Steps to Better Public Speaking

Mon, 05 Dec 2005 14:13:36 -0600

by Robert Scheer

Eight Steps to Better Public Speaking
By Robert Scheer

Be prepared. If you’re naturally nervous about public speaking, then being poorly prepared will only make matters worse. Make investment and take the time do your homework properly. Plan what you’re going to say, do the research, and take thorough notes. Knowing you are ready before you get up on stage will give you more confidence.

Public Speaking: Delivering A Killer Opening

Mon, 05 Dec 2005 14:10:31 -0600

by Brad Phillips

How many times have you watched an actress give an edge-of-your-seat, awe-inspiring performance in a film – only to watch her give one of the most sleep inducing Academy Award acceptance speeches in history?

Usually, she begins with a listing of the people she’d like to thank. “I’d like to thank my producer, my director, my cinematographer, my makeup gal, the key grip, my caterer, my limo driver, my hair stylist, my phone dialer….”

Make Money Doing Free Engagements!

Mon, 05 Dec 2005 14:08:21 -0600

by Wendi McNeill

My main goal by writing this article is to stir the creativity that each one of you has inside you, maybe it has been sitting dormant for quite sometime or you feel you just don’t have the time….my suggestion is to make time and lets wake up the creativity bones hidden deep inside you! Perhaps your thinking, I already sell BOR products…But are you happy with just placing a few CD’s on the back table or a few of your books? Why not utilize ALL your resources?

Speakers - How to Get Booked!

Mon, 05 Dec 2005 14:04:51 -0600

by Wendi McNeill

A handful of tips to help position yourself within the speaking arena and get those speaking engagements!

Find your Niche

One of the biggest mistakes a speaker can make is having a “general” topic. You want to narrow your expert niche as much as possible. Research the industry so you know “what’s hot” and “what’s not”. Take that research and develop a niche around it, be sure it is something you have experience with and will be able to present it as a professional expert speaker in that field. Don’t waste your time, energy and money on developing a “niche” that just isn’t going to get any recognition because it isn’t something that planners or organizations will be looking for! I do put emphasis on this tip! Once you have discovered your niche, you must continue to practice your speaking skills and update your material and presentations to keep-up with the trends and changing issues of today's society.

Terrific Seminars Are Like Roller Skating

Mon, 05 Dec 2005 13:54:16 -0600

by Joan Clout-Kruse

“What does roller skating have to do with developing a terrific, exciting, well-received training program or presentation?” you are asking. My answer is, “Shouldn’t our training programs be as much fun and exciting as roller skating?”

Terrific seminars have many of the similarities of skating. A skater experiences
many things such as, 1) fun, 2) fast, 3) never boring, 4) awareness of your
surroundings, 5) being a fearless kid, and 6) good timing.

Three Tips to A Terrific Talk

Mon, 05 Dec 2005 13:49:58 -0600

by Katie Schwartz

People who give a very occasional speech are often worried
that the presentation won't be interesting to the audience.
The audience wants a great presentation, too! Here's how to
make sure it is well written.

First, learn as much as possible about your audience. Are
they knowledgeable about your topic? Do they agree with
your point of view about the topic? What are their age
ranges, occupations or company affiliation, if they are all
from one group?

Presentation Ethics -- It's a Matter of Trust

Mon, 05 Dec 2005 13:47:29 -0600

by Chris King

There are ethics and principles that we, as speakers, should embrace and follow. In this article I am going to highlight and explain the speaker’s ethics and principles in which I believe.

The true professional presenter walks his or her talk. This means that we don’t pretend to be someone we aren’t. We must be genuine. If, for example, we never set goals, I feel we shouldn’t urge our listeners to set goals. It is difficult to learn about business, leadership and success from someone who has never run a business, been a leader or experienced success.

Handling Questions and Answers -- The Seven Secrets

Mon, 05 Dec 2005 13:45:07 -0600

by Chris King

Whether or not you will be faced with questions you are expected to answer depends upon the type of presentation you are giving, the time available, and your topic. To handle this possibly daunting feat, you should find my following suggestions helpful.

1. Repeat the question. Even though you heard the question, others in the room might not have, so repeat it for their benefit. Also, repeat it for your benefit. You may not be positive what the questioner is actually asking, so repeating it will give you the chance to clarify the meaning. It will also give you a bit of time to phrase your answer.