By Michael Venzor
Copyright © 2002 Michael Venzor/Fun Facts Publishing  

6. Learn PowerPoint. 'Nuff said.
OK I'll say a little more. Even if you don't push the limits of Multimedia, that is to say, even if you don't utilize every facet of the software with video, audio, graphics that move and dissolve in and out, even if all you have is a few words on a screen, PowerPoint is an incredible enhancement to any presentation. The software is relatively easy to learn and most of your local computer career schools offer at least a beginner's course or even a whole Microsoft Office curriculum. If you have experience with programs like Word, Word Perfect, Excel, and Frontpage, you should have no problems at all. Like anything, it will take practice to get good but with PowerPoint, you will find a refreshingly short learning curve.

7. Always have a hook.
If you can teach me something, great. But if you can teach me something, and also provide me with at least one realistic real-world use for this new skill, then you've really got something there. I am certainly going to pay attention now! Put simply (or not), this could be described as "Tell 'em why you are tellin' 'em what you told 'em you were gonna tell 'em." Give your audience a reason why they should know this information and how much it is going to improve their lives. (For an example, please re-read the first tip in this list.) You can link it to better relationships with other people, better mental and physical health, more respect from peers, or the overall best motivator: more money.

8. Ask open-ended questions to engage your audience and to test for comprehension.
This is contrary to asking closed-ended questions like:

"Do you get that?"
"Understand?"
"Do you have any questions?"

All of these questions only require "yes" or "no" answers and as a result, they hardly ever result in useful discussion. Instead ask questions like:

"What about that topic did you get, in your own words?"
"After hearing me explain all that, what's your understanding of this issue?"
"What about this concept do you think most people have questions about?"

These open-ended questions will invariably yield the kind of responses that just might teach everyone in the room, including you, something new.

9. Don't use fillers like "Uh," "Ah," "Umm," "So," "Ya Know," "Er," or anything else that you might say to fill in the gaps between coherent thoughts.
Typically when someone can't think of a word, or is having a problem linking two thoughts, or just forgot what they were about to say for a moment, that person uses one of these fillers to avoid the uncomfortable silence that would otherwise befall the situation.

Also it is a method of keeping command of the conversation so that you don't lose your turn to speak should someone bring up a new thought while you were trying to remember that word that begins with "k" and means "what goes around comes around."

"So he really got what he deserved. That's a good example of aaaaaaaaaaah karma."

The lesson here is not to be afraid of silence. Silence is an effective tool and it really deserves its' own article. It can be used to convey drama, meaning, or emotion. In this case, it conveys that you are in control, and taking a moment to remember a word, and you will continue to retain control even after the word comes to you and you continue the discussion. Make a conscious effort to stop, shut your mouth, and think:

"So he really got what he deserved. That's a good example of" (pause) "karma."

If you make embrace and make use of silence instead of resorting to habitual filler techniques, you will not only convey authority, but also you will seem more intelligent and better prepared.

10. Finally, prepare, prepare, prepare!
Prepare in front of the mirror; prepare in the shower; prepare in traffic on the highway and in line at the Post Office (in your head, ok?). And when you are done, prepare some more! Preparation is the key to public speaking because even though you'll never need to memorize your speech word for word, the less you have to focus on remembering the actual content of your presentation, the more you can focus on your body language, voice intonation, eye contact, use of silence, and all the other characteristics that will set you apart as a powerful presenter.

These are just some of the things that have worked for me in the past and although I still learn something new every time I give a public presentation, I have to say that my presentations have become 1000 times better by practicing these concepts. I hope they work for you too. Public Speaking is a wonderful tool to add to your tool box and you owe it to yourself to get good at it! Good luck!
 

Copyright © 2002 by Michael Venzor

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