Speaking Like a Pro

By Deborah O’Connor

 

Dear Deborah:

I am not a public speaker and rarely give speeches. But I do run meetings, meet with managers, and in general seem to be talking most of the day. I would like some points to improve my manner of everyday speaking. I know I could be doing better.

Dave

 

Dear Dave,

In many senses we are all public speakers and we need to know some basic tenets regarding public speaking. Here are some basic pointers to help you in your day-to-day speaking as well as some tried and true rules regarding public speaking.

• Keep it simple. Most people use too much time to say something simple. Get to the point, make it, and move on.

• Dress professionally. You will be taken much more seriously if you look the business part.

• Try not to hold papers or objects in your hands. One tends to wave them all over, use pens as a pointer, and this is just plain distracting.

• Speak up. Most of us speak too softly and everyone is always straining to hear what you are saying. It gets exhausting, so enunciate and speak clearly.

• Record yourself speaking and count the umms, wells, you knows, etc. Work on eliminating these from your speaking in general. It is especially irritating in a long speech.

• Make sure you do not have food stuck in your teeth. It can be very distracting and your audience tends to be fixated on the piece of lettuce lodged between your teeth. They are not really paying attention to what you are saying.

• Use humor to make a point. The mood can get serious and a little joke can break the ice. You don’t have to be Jimmy Fallon or Tina Fey, but showing a sense of humor can make you seem more human.

• Do not ever, and I mean never, read a PowerPoint Presentation. Your audience can see it and it makes you look lazy. It is fine to elaborate or add to your presentation.

• Practice, practice, practice. The way to be prepared and know your talking points is to go over it time and again.

• Hand out an agenda if possible. It gives the audience some idea of where you are going with your presentation.

• Target one or two persons at a time. It feels like you are talking directly to them and it easily engages your audience. But be sure to switch to others as you speak and continue to make your way around the room or the conference table.

• Never brag. Nobody likes a show-off and they will resent you. Tell on yourself instead. If you made a mistake, let people know in a funny way. It makes you appear more human and you want to encourage empathy.

• Do not speak in a monotone. Your audience will fall asleep and I really mean it. Change your cadence and keep moving around. If possible, walk around the room. You can reach more people this way. You can ask questions and let them use your mic to answer. It keeps things moving and involves everyone.

• Ask questions. People like to answer and it lets them share their knowledge.

• Pass around handouts if you can. It gets your message out there and it makes the audience feel like they came away with something of value.

• If circumstances warrant it, have a drawing. Have everyone put their card in a container and pick one at the end. Give away an hour of your services. It could help grow your business.

• Call on people in the audience. This is different than asking questions. Ask someone to give their opinion of the view you just shared. It is a way to engage the audience and ascertain if they are listening.

 

With a little preparation and forethought, you can speak like a pro, whether in the boardroom, on the dias, or at the office.

 

 

Please feel free to send questions to Deborah at: www.successfulimage.biz.

She will answer them in her weekly column.

Deborah O’Connor is a social strategist and founder and president of Successful Image LLC with offices in Columbia and Atlanta. She offers training and seminars on image management, workplace etiquette, and social skills necessary to succeed in life professionally and personally. Contact at:  [email protected]        www.successfulimage.biz