Six Steps To Becoming A Powerful Public Speaker
Sintilia Miecevole

Public speaking ranks right up there in terms of the things we
are afraid to do. Whether it's the fear of being watched
closely by others, or the insecurity and self-conscious feeling
of slipping up during the presentation, these six tips will help
you give a polished, professional speech that you (and your
audience) can be proud of!

1. Know your audience. This is the single best piece of advice
for delivering a presentation. What are there interests? Their
backgrounds? Why are they coming to hear you speak? What ideas
do you have to share with them? Approaching your speech as more
of a "me-to-you" discussion rather than a full-blown broadcast
makes it less stressful.

2. What do you want your audience to do as a result of your
speech? What's really at the heart of your presentation? By
concentrating on the "end result" rather than slogging through
the beginning, you create a powerful punch that drives home
your message instead of rambling on.

3. Share a story. In public speaking circles, this is called a
"hook" – something that gets your audience's attention and
makes them sit up and listen. Start off by asking questions or
sharing an experience you had. People like to be active, rather
than passive listeners. By giving them something that they can
identify with, you'll find that these people are just like you;
that makes giving a presentation a whole lot easier. Be sure
your story has a beginning, a point, and an ending. There's
nothing quite as bad as telling a story to an engaged audience
and then forgetting why you told it!

4. If you're selling a product, focus on the benefits instead
of the features. People would much rather hear WHAT a product
can do for them than HOW it does it. Narrow down your product's
features until you get to the core of how it solves a problem.
If you need help with figuring out the difference between a
feature and a benefit, ask yourself "So What?" For example, if
you're selling a vacuum cleaner that has a hypoallergenic
filter, put yourself in the customer's shoes and ask yourself
"so what?" The answer would be something like, "It picks up
dust, mold and pet dander". Again, "so what?" Answer, "You'll
feel relief from runny nose and sneezing plus itchy, water
eyes." Now THAT's a benefit!

5 Powerpoint presentations are great but they can be
overwhelming – or downright boring. Instead, give your audience
something to DO by providing them with fill-in-the-blank flip
charts or "team activities". These help reinforce and emphasize
your message in ways that a computer presentation simply cannot.


6. Make sure your speech ends in a way that reiterates the
beginning. Speakers can get carried away with the details and
leave their audiences asking, "What was the point of all that?"
People naturally digest information in "chunks", so focus on the
big picture rather than all the pieces. If the details are just
as important, save it for an after-speech handout that the
audience can take with them and read over at their leisure.

If you keep these six tips in mind, you'll not only have an
easier time overcoming your fear of public speaking, but you'll
have a very appreciative audience who will in turn be more
receptive and eager to try your product or service. Go get 'em!


About The Author: http://www.bornspeaker.com is Sintilia
Miecevole's site with all kinds of speaker information from
keynote, motivational, professional and dynamic speakers to
car, stereo, motorcycle, outdoor speakers and much more. Be
sure to visit http://www.bornspeaker.com for all of your
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