The Successful Speaker

April 2009

Contents This Month

· “Any Questions? No? Good.”

· A Giraffe, a Walrus, and a Presenter Walk into a Bar…

· Caveman Sounds

· Quotations

· Update Your Email Address

· Refer Madness

“Any Questions? No? Good.”

Last month I heard a speaker say that at the end of her presentation. I’m willing to wager that you’ve heard a speaker say something like this too. Some speakers may be so nervous that they really don’t want any questions because it would merely prolong the pain of their presentation.

While you may be eager to finish your presentation, don’t cut off questions to do it. Questions are a wonderful opportunity to connect with your audience personally. Make sure you leave plenty of time at the end of your presentation for that opportunity.

If you don’t get questions initially, wait about five seconds. If you still don’t get questions, be more specific. “What questions do you have about the timelines we are proposing?” Sometimes a more specific request for questions will get you more interaction.

A Giraffe, A Walrus, and a Presenter Walk into a Bar …

Several years ago a Kinko’s commercial showed a presentations coach instructing his client to always start his presentations with jokes. The commercial was poking fun at that public speaking myth. Generally speaking, you should avoid jokes as your Attention Grabber.

Jerry Seinfeld has “bombed.” Kathy Griffin has made people roll their eyes. Jim Carrey has wondered if he was in front of a live audience or an oil painting. If you think you’re funnier than any of them, then go ahead and start with a joke. Otherwise, find another way to start your presentation and build rapport.

If you want to start with humor, tell a humorous story that pokes fun at you. As I was once told by a psychologist, “All humor is cruel to someone. So the only person you can safely ridicule is you. After telling your humorous story relate it to your presentation. While telling the story, be expressive and paint the picture thoroughly for your audience.

Caveman Sounds

One of the most maddening things any presenter can do to irritate audiences is to fill their time with “caveman sounds.” That’s what I like to call the verbalized pauses that we all pepper throughout our everyday conversations. That’s where they should stay. I don’t think you have to eliminate them completely from your presentations, but you do need to reduce them to the point of unnoticeability (that’s a word, right?).

How do you do that?

· Plan and practice your transitions. Many speakers think that if they know the content well enough, they will be able to transition from one point to the next “on the fly.” Unfortunately, this is a popular place for a gutteralized (okay, probably not a word either, but you know what I mean) um, uh, er, or so.

· Become a student of caveman sounds. Listen for when others use them. Notice them at work, home or on TV. This will sensitize your ears/brain for when you say them.

· Record your voice a couple times a week. (you can use free audio editing software – Audacity for PCs or Garageband for Macs). If you’re like most people, listening to yourself will be very uncomfortable at first but eventually you can focus on your goal of reducing the caveman sounds.

· It also helps to know that you’re not alone. While Americans prefer uh or um, other nationalities have their own caveman sounds. To check out a few, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speech_disfluencies

So what do you do instead of making those guttural sounds? Pause. This too may feel uncomfortable at first, but you will adjust over time. After all, if it feels comfortable, you’re not doing anything different!

Quotations

“You have to speak clearly and simply and purely in a language that a six-year-old-child can understand; and yet have the meanings and the overtones of language, and the implications, that appeal to the highest intelligence.” – Katherine Anne Porter (American writer)

“The chief object of education is not to learn things but to unlearn things.” – G.K. Chesterton (English writer)

Update Your Email Address

Don’t miss an issue of The Successful Speaker. If your email address is going to change, let me know about it.

Refer Madness

If you had a good experience in my workshop/seminar, share it with someone you know. If you provide me with a lead that generates new business for me, I’ll pay you (or your favorite charity) $250 (less if it is less than a full-fee engagement).

If you belong to a professional organization that needs a speaker or If you know any business or non-profit organization (including your own), that could benefit from my workshops, presentations, coaching, or needs a facilitator:

1. Tell your contact about me.

2. Tell me about your contact. Call me at 972-378-0937 or write me at dgunby@mindimensions.com

3. Wait for your check (if I get your contact’s business)

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