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You Got This: Everything You Need to Master Authentic Public Speaking
306Overview
Inspiring and Authentic! Boring and Incomprehensible!
Which of these phrases best describes your speech presentations? Lisa Kleiman is a speaking consultant with a passion for communication. She has coached hundreds of individuals and facilitated classes, workshops, and seminars across the globe. In You Got This, she shares her secrets about stepping out in front of any group and successfully delivering your message with clarity, confidence, and authenticity.
Filled with worksheets and helpful tips, You Got This helps you prepare for every possibility—from big picture issues like determining your audience to the smallest details, such as the clothes you’ll wear. Lisa’s easy-to-use guide gives you all the tools you need to present a speech that delivers, including the following—
• Managing speech anxiety
• Planning, speech writing, and practicing
• Strategies to becoming a better presenter
• Knowing when and how to smoothly adapt your message during your speech
• Effectively planning, managing, and addressing audience questions
• Speaking authentically and using humor effectively
• And more!
Not just for formal speeches, You Got This also includes advice for employment interviews, wedding toasts, and other impromptu speeches that everybody encounters at some point in their lives. Say goodbye to the often incapacitating stress of public speaking. With these practical and strategic guidelines, you will triumph every time! Recent graduates just starting out in their careers and repeat veteran speakers who continually struggle with crafting impactful presentations will want this must-read on their bookshelves.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781632992321 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Greenleaf Book Group, LLC |
| Publication date: | 07/23/2019 |
| Pages: | 306 |
| Product dimensions: | 6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.69(d) |
About the Author
Read an Excerpt
CHAPTER 1
Know Your Purpose
You won't achieve what you want if you don't know what you want.
The first step in planning a speech is to identify why you're making the presentation. Think through what you want to achieve and what you want your audience to get out of the presentation. Knowing your goal from the beginning will help you with the design, tone, organization, and administration of your presentation. To get started, answer these four questions:
1. What is the goal of my speech?
2. What do I want my audience to know?
3. What do I want my audience to do with the information I am providing?
4. What do I hope to achieve?
WHAT IS THE GOAL OF MY SPEECH?
Start by identifying your goal and focus on what you want to accomplish. Ask yourself why you're presenting and how it's meaningful for you and your audience. Consider also whether you want to inform, persuade, or entertain the audience.
WHAT DO I WANT MY AUDIENCE TO KNOW?
Next, identify what you want your audience to understand, learn, or do. For example, perhaps you want your audience to learn how to do something or learn about something new.
WHAT DO I WANT MY AUDIENCE TO DO WITH THE INFORMATION I AM PROVIDING?
After you've established what knowledge you are bestowing on your audience, consider whether you want them to act on this information, and if so, how. For example, if you want your audience to volunteer their time for a cause you are promoting, you could send them a sign-up form by email, a link through social media, or pass around a sign-up sheet during or after your presentation. You could place the sign-up sheet on a table near the door where the audience will exit. Your method will depend on the location and audience.
WHAT DO I HOPE TO ACHIEVE?
Assess what you want to ultimately get out of the presentation. You may want to build your credibility, garner support for a cause, or get funding for a start-up business. Consider why it's worth the time and energy (and pressure or anxiety) to deliver a speech.
Here's a simple example: Let's say that Mia, a sales representative for a clothing wholesaler, has been asked by her boss to give a presentation about the current trends in casual and lifestyle clothing at an upcoming apparel and accessories trade show. Mia's company plans to be an exhibitor at the show to grow brand awareness and establish new accounts. In planning her speech, Mia considers these questions:
• What is the purpose of my speech?
* The purpose of Mia's speech is to educate retailers about current trends in fashion.
• What do I want my audience to know?
* Mia will want the audience to know which merchandise is a good investment.
• What do I want my audience to do with the information?
* Mia wants the audience to know the type of merchandise they should purchase.
• What do I hope to achieve?
* Mia hopes to inspire retailers to purchase from her company.
Knowing the answers to these questions, no matter what your own presentation is about, will help you outline and organize your speech, and you'll be able to tailor your speech to your purpose. In Mia's case, her next steps may include adding details that better address and support her purpose. For example, she may need to address demand, the competition, application, and availability of the product.
TIP
Consider your general purpose first. For example, do you want to sell or inform, or do you want to seek information from your audience? Next, draft an objective, possibly identifying one thing that you want your audience to think, feel, or do.
If you're asked to present, make sure you understand the reasons for the request. Find out the purpose of the presentation from the person or organization who asked you to speak:
• What would you like me to talk about?
• What are your/company/audience expectations for the presentation?
• What do you want your audience to get out of the presentation?
• Why did you ask me to present?
I recommend documenting the answers, so you can refer to them as needed to stay on track as you develop your speech. You don't want to lose sight of what was asked of you.
CHAPTER 2Know Your Audience
Take the time to learn about your prospective audience.
If you want your presentation to be well received, it must be interesting and engaging, and this means knowing something about your audience. Knowing about your audience's interests and their knowledge of your topic helps you understand how to draft and target your message. A speech about basic photography would likely bore an audience of experienced photographers. However, a speech about a high-tech camera that's new to the market could interest professional photographers who might want to purchase this product. No one wants to sit through a long speech about something they have no interest in, don't see or understand the value of, that's too simplistic or too technical, or addresses content they perceive as personally offensive.
TIP
An effective presentation takes full consideration of the audience needs to capture their interest, develop their understanding, inspire their confidence, and achieve the presenter's objectives.
Learn as much as you can about your audience, such as their age, culture, education and economic status, work experience, needs and concerns, interests, rapport (with you), and expectations. Consider how these factors may affect how you should communicate your ideas. For example, if you were going to talk to a teenage audience about the dangers of drinking and driving, then age would be an important factor in how you convey that message. In this case, showing images of crashes caused by drunk drivers might be more impactful than presenting a detailed table or bar chart of crash statistics.
Considering your audience also applies to any presentations you post on the internet. For example, if you want to post a video presentation about dog obedience training (to promote your dog obedience services business), then you need to understand how you can best reach potential customers (i.e., which social media platform, if applicable) and captivate their interest. (Of course, some presentations posted online spread like wildfire, quickly reaching the masses — despite the presenter not knowing much about who views them.)
Address these questions to learn about your audience:
• Who is my direct audience?
• Who will be affected by the message?
• What is my relationship to the audience?
• How will my audience respond to the message?
• What does my audience need to know?
• What do I want the audience to do with the information?
• How do I want the audience to feel about my message?
METHODS TO COLLECT DATA ABOUT YOUR AUDIENCE
You may already know a good bit about your audience, especially if they're people you know well, such as family members and friends or those you work with regularly. However, if you don't know who will be attending your presentation, there are methods of finding out what you can about them.
Online surveys
Require those who sign up to attend your presentation to fill out a survey. Whether it's online or some other format, include questions that will reveal information to help you tailor your speech to your audience. You might ask about their interest in your topic, their age, their education, or their financial situation. What can you ask about their demographic that might tell you something about what they want to know and learn? Keep in mind, though, that people may be turned off by completing any kind of online survey, so you may need to include a promotional incentive.
Face-to-face interview
By talking to people face-to-face and getting information directly from them, you'll also be able to observe their nonverbal language. You'll be able to revise your questions as needed, getting direct and possibly more specific responses. Respondents will also have more time to consider their answers and provide you with more detailed insight.
Research
You can always glean information about your audience through secondary information. For example, when speaking to members of a specific organization, such as Habitat for Humanity or the American Advertising Federation, visiting their website and any related and applicable third-party sources could reveal insights about the goals, activities, and beliefs of the organization. A quick internet search is an easy way to find out about your audience.
Site analytics
If you already have online content, such as a website, consider reviewing the data you have available to you about your visitors. Some analytic tools tell you where your visitors are coming from and which of your topics and pages get the most traffic. Some track what customers are doing on your page, such as their mouse movements and how far down the page they scroll. There are plenty of tools out there that collect user information, thus giving you insight into your unique web visitors. This can be very helpful when you're trying to figure out where your audience's interests lie.
Experience based
If direct information about your audience is limited, use your personal experience to consider characteristics, beliefs, and motives your audience might have. For example, you may have already presented the same speech to a similar audience. You could also speak with people who may be like the type of people attending your speech and ask them for information. You could do the same with your audience before you begin your presentation, spending some time meeting and greeting people, introducing yourself, and asking about them. Connecting with your audience before you present has the added benefit of creating legitimacy and rapport with the group.
BE CAREFUL ABOUT STEREOTYPING
Avoid classifying everyone into one group; beware of preconceived notions. A thorough audience analysis will help you refine and better understand your audience's interests, goals, and knowledge of your topic, but fixing beliefs and opinions about people neglects possible individual differences, resulting in flawed reasoning of the audience overall. The best way to avoid incorrect stereotyping is to learn as much as you can about your audience rather than making assumptions, and rely on varying sources of information.
CONTINUE TO ANALYZE THE AUDIENCE
An audience analysis doesn't just happen during the planning stages of a presentation. It can be done during the presentation as well. Continue to get feedback from your audience as you go through your speech. When giving a live presentation, you may want to revise your approach on the spot if you notice that your audience appears bored or confused. Depending on your audience, you might have to provide necessary explanations or background information to clarify ideas, or you may have to pull out some tricks to get the audience better engaged and more alert.
APPROACH
A speech to an audience you already know well might be a different speech than one to people you've never met before. You'll likely use a less formal approach when speaking to colleagues and a more formal approach when speaking to potential investors or new customers.
The following is a worksheet you may find helpful for understanding your audience. When planning your presentation, I recommend filling out as much information on this worksheet as possible. The better you know your audience, the better you will be set up for success in giving your presentation.
CHAPTER 3Know the Location
Find out as much as you can about the location where you will present.
Early on in my academic career, the university where I worked assigned me to teach an evening course at a small military base off-site. Due to the base's strict security, I wasn't allowed access into the building to review the classroom prior to the first class. However, I had taught the same course on campus in well-equipped classrooms. I assumed that the room at the base where I would conduct the class would be adequately set up for a teaching and learning environment.
I was excited to work with the military students and had several activities prepared to keep the students engaged and active involving the use of video and online content. I was ready, but my first day of class didn't go as anticipated.
I arrived at the base about an hour before the evening class started, so I had enough time to make copies, get all my materials set up, and be prepared and ready when the students arrived. However, the administration building where the copier was located was locked, and I couldn't find anyone around to help me. No matter, I thought; I could still proceed without the handouts. However, I soon found out that the only instructional tool available in the classroom was a chalkboard. There was no access to an internet connection or screen projection equipment. I had a lesson prepared for the entire three hours of the class that I couldn't use because I didn't have the technology and equipment needed. I also didn't have a plan B.
Fortunately, I knew the material well enough and had a few tricks up my sleeve for engaging the students. An hour and a half into the class, we took a fifteen-minute break. I was the only one who went outside for the break, not knowing that in the evening, the doors to exit the building automatically locked. I was locked out and had no way to contact the students to let me back in. After thirty minutes, a student finally came outside, planning to leave for the night because the class thought I had left and wasn't coming back! We both went back inside, and I explained to the class what had happened. They were sympathetic, but I could tell they weren't amused. They were tired, it was the end of a long day of work for them, and they understandably didn't want their time wasted.
Had I taken the time before the class started to learn as much as I could about the location of the classroom and resources, the outcome would have been different.
To prevent unexpected issues and deliver your speech with confidence, become familiar with the room and space where you'll be speaking. If possible, visit the place where you'll present so you can assess the environment and plan accordingly. Be aware of how you'll be entering and exiting the venue, and make sure any equipment you need for your presentation is available. If it's not, that's something you'll need to bring with you. Becoming familiar with your venue will help you anticipate and prevent any surprises when it's time for your presentation.
If you are presenting online, become familiar with the platform you'll be using to reach your target audience. Know the software well and have a backup plan for any issues. This is especially important if you will be presenting live, in real time, so you can manage the experience and address issues immediately. (See Chapter 25 for more details about presenting online.)
Take these steps to avoid potential issues during your presentation:
• Do your own setup. Don't rely completely on others to do this for you. By setting up for your presentation yourself, you'll have a better idea of what to expect and how to handle any unexpected mishaps during your speech. That stated, consider having others available who can quickly assist you with any issues if need be.
• Test your timing at the location. Even if you've practiced at home or in your office, practice at the location where you'll be presenting. You may find that your timing is different. Practicing at the location can also help boost your confidence.
• Learn about the location. Find out as much as possible about the location where you'll present. If you can't access the venue prior to your speech, ask someone at the facility for answers.
I've created the following worksheet to help you assess your presentation venue.
CHAPTER 4Consider Best Time and Length
What will you say about your topic in thirty seconds and in one hour?
As you prepare for your presentation, two things that are extremely important to keep in mind are the length of your speech and what time of day you will be presenting. Consider the following two scenarios:
Nicole had just finished a light breakfast before entering the auditorium at 10:00 a.m. She grabbed some coffee provided at the entrance and found a seat near the center front. She easily settled in and was ready for the presentation to begin. By 10:45 a.m., the presentation was over. Nicole was ready to get some lunch and think about all she had learned from the speaker. About 11:30 a.m., one hour into the presentation he was attending, Ryan's stomach began growling. It would be another thirty minutes before the session would break for lunch. All he could focus on during that time was getting food, and soon!
Which scenario would you prefer your audience to experience: ready and alert or hungry and distracted? There are a variety of techniques and factors involved that affect audience engagement. Time of the day is one of them. Another is the length of your presentation. You want to present for an adequate amount of time to be able to convey your message, but if you go on for too long, your audience will stop paying attention to you. Here are four questions about time of day and length to consider when scheduling your speech.
WHICH TIME OF THE DAY IS BEST TO PRESENT?
If someone else asks you to speak, there's no flexibility regarding when you present. However, if you do have a choice, consider these optimal times: morning, midafternoon, and possibly weekends. If you're presenting online, any time will work.
Morning
If possible, present in the morning when people are usually the most alert, but avoid a late morning start because people may get hungry and focus on lunch instead of your speech. If you're presenting in the morning, you might want to plan your presentation to be over by at least 10:45 or 11:00 a.m.
(Continues…)
Excerpted from "You Got This"
by .
Copyright © 2019 Lisa Kleiman.
Excerpted by permission of River Grove Books.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
Preface,
Acknowledgments,
Introduction,
PART 1: GETTING STARTED — PLANNING,
1 Know Your Purpose,
2 Know Your Audience,
3 Know the Location,
4 Consider Best Time and Length,
5 Select the Method,
PART 2: BUILDING YOUR PRESENTATION,
6 Preparing an Outline,
7 Building Your Introduction,
8 Building the Body of Your Speech,
9 Building Your Closing,
PART 3: FINE-TUNING YOUR PRESENTATION,
10 Writing Techniques to Refine and Polish,
11 Opening Strategies,
12 Emphasizing Audience Benefits to Captivate and Inspire,
13 Using Data Strategically,
14 Using Visual Aids Thoughtfully,
PART 4: PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER,
15 Practice to Present Comfortably and Naturally,
16 Setting Up and Managing a Presentation Event,
PART 5: DELIVERY,
17 Mastering Your Voice,
18 Key Body Language Techniques,
PART 6: TYPES OF SPEECHES,
19 Impactful Welcome and Introduction Speeches,
20 Effectively Presenting an Award,
21 Nailing Impromptu Speeches,
22 Special Event Speeches,
23 Acing Employment Interview Presentations,
24 Delivering Powerful Pitches with Confidence,
25 Presenting Online,
26 Presenting to Large Groups,
27 Presenting to Small Groups,
PART 7: STRATEGIES FOR A GREAT SPEECH,
28 Overcoming Fear,
29 Using Gimmicks and Props Effectively,
30 Addressing Audience Questions,
31 The Power of Inspiration and Meditation,
32 Strategies for Managing Troublemakers,
33 Using Humor in Your Speech,
34 Preventing and Managing Presentation Mishaps,
CONCLUSION: HOW WELL DID YOU DO? MEASURING WHAT MATTERS,
Appendices: Presentation Tools,
Appendix A: Tips for Presenting Well,
Appendix B: Preparation and Evaluation Checklist,
Author's Note,
Resources,
About the Author,
Customer Reviews
