This is Harvey Mackay's 35 secrets to tweak your public speaking! It is specially dedicated to people who want to be a trainer!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the course of speaking to
innumerable audiences all over the world, Harvey has gleaned invaluable tips
and tricks for giving speeches in any setting. He shares them here in his “35
To Stay Alive.”
1.
Room size.
2.
Room size.
3.
Room size. If a hundred are going to
attend, the room size should hold 75. If five hundred people are coming, the
room should hold four hundred. You want the excitement of a standing room only
bumper to bumper crowd.
4.
If there is extra space at the back
of the room, put up screens or use plants to cut down the excess space. Also,
try to avoid high ceiling rooms.
5.
Avoid stages that are so high you
look like the Ayatollah glaring down at your subjects.
6.
Studies show that people remember
more and laugh more in brightness. Turn the lights up full blast, unless you
are showing slides. Then, dim the screen area but light up the audience. Now,
you can still have excellent eye contact with your audience.
7.
Set the podium back a few feet so
you can walk in front of it.
8.
If you are addressing a breakfast,
lunch, or dinner audience, ask your introducer to request politely that the
people with their backs to the stage turn their chairs forward so they don’t
have to crane their necks.
9.
Request that the photographer not
take pictures during the first 10-15 minutes of your speech. You want no
distractions while you are in the process of feeling out the microphone,
adjusting to the lights, and getting the pulse of the audience.
10.
Always carry a ruler and masking
tape in case the lip of the podium is not high enough for your papers… then
build your own lip.
11.
Use masking tape to strap down any
cranking door latches that might shut with a bang while you are talking. (Hotel
rooms are notorious for this!)
12.
You can also use masking tape to
seal off the back rows in order to insure the audience will fill in the front
rows first. Your audience will want to scatter… you want them compact.
13.
Always try to have a real pro
introduce you… not someone who is a poor speaker being given the honor because
of their status in the organization. Introducers are critical… the stage must
be set.
14.
Have the first row set very close to
the stage. Too much space between the speaker and the first row creates a lack
of chemistry with the audience.
15.
Outside noise from the adjoining
rooms and hallways is the #1 killer of meetings. In fact, if another event is
being held in the rooms adjacent to my talk, I will make every effort to book
another venue. If you can’t hear a pin drop, you’re in the wrong room. A quick
phone call to the catering manager will insure total quiet.
16.
Never, never, never end your program
with a question and answer session. You cannot control the agenda or the
quality of the questions and the fireworks of your topic can end with a fizzle.
Start the Q & A five minutes before the end of your talk, then transition
from one of your answers to a real climax.
17.
Most people are shy about asking the
first question; therefore, you may get stymied by an awkward silence. Break the
ice by stating that problem and then saying… “Okay, we’ll start with the second
question!”
18.
If you have a questionable story,
try it out on the person who invited you to speak and at least two others
before using it. Better yet, if in doubt, don’t tell it at all.
19.
Find out who the group’s last three
to five speakers were and how they were accepted. Probe as to why they were
successful or why they failed.
20.
Sometimes you may be wise to turn
down a speech, no matter how badly you want the order. Do your homework before
you say yes. If it’s not within your area of expertise or the sponsoring
organization really should not have invited you, be candid and turn it down.
Ultimately, the negative word of mouth will come back and cost you much more
than the value of the honorarium.
21.
Allow every organization to audio or
video tape you gratis. Put your bread on the water and don’t get too big headed
for your own good.
22.
Always request that an engineer be
in the room during your entire talk in case of microphone problems.
23.
Request verbatim copies of any or
all rating surveys from your talks. There is no substitute for constant,
immediate, unfiltered audience feedback.
24.
Ask for copies of any prepared
remarks from any other speakers if available. This can dramatically help your
research on the company or the industry.
25.
Constantly update your prepared
introductions. And, be sure they are written to be read as is. Don’t risk an
under-rehearsed introducer stumbling through your bio.
26.
Contact the Chamber of Commerce of
any city you are to speak in. They will give you loads of information to
familiarize you with the local surroundings and help you personalize your
remarks.
27.
Never, never mispronounce a proper
name – - if you’re not sure, check with the sponsor. Then double check.
28.
Send a creative gift to the key
person who helped you with the logistics, set up, and preparation for your
speech. They are often overworked and underappreciated. They will never forget
you for it.
29.
Whether it’s ten minutes, or ten
hours, do not go over your allotted time. This puts additional pressure on all
concerned. Remember: Agreements prevent disagreements. Have a perfect
understanding of your time frame and what is expected of you.
30.
In doing your homework for a
presentation ask for:
§ Investor relations kit (if publicly held company)
§ Annual reports
§ New and old newspaper, magazine stories
§ Video/audio information on company or organization
§ Company house newsletter
§ Industry publications
§ Company web sites
31.
Station someone in the back of the
room whose sole job is to put out fires for you. Let them search for extra
chairs, adjust the lights, quell outside noise, welcome late arrivals, and
catch slamming doors, so you don’t have to think about it.
32.
Never check a room out with any of
the audience present. If the audience has already started to arrive, you’re
already too late to make substantive changes. Furthermore, you want the first
impression to be you, on stage and in control, not sweating over a
malfunctioning mike.
33.
Make a special effort to contact the
competitors of the company you are addressing. Nothing gets the audience’s
attention like the mention of an arch-rival.
34.
If you don’t have a smashing
“opener” and “closer,” go back to the drawing board. And, don’t step up to the
microphone until you do.
Debrief yourself within twenty-four hours of a
speech, and take ten minutes to write down what you could do better the next
time. With so many unknowns, the amount to be learned is infinite. Try
something new every time you speak and you’ll never become stale.
By: Harvey Mackay
