Category Archives: Techniques
Getting Advice From Toastmaster Champs
One of the presentation tools that I’ve recently discovered is watching the Toastmaster Champions on Youtube. For anyone unfamiliar with Toastmasters, it is a non-profit that costs about $80/yr. The skill ranges from masterful speakers to amateurs. However, to reach the championship level is arduous with numerous regional contests that one has to win. Subsequently … Continue reading
Enthusiasm Is the Most Important Presentation Technique
Enthusiasm and a positive tone will win over the crowd. People are attracted to positive people. Nothing is different in public speaking. You have to sincerely care about your presentation topic. Audiences will respect you and your message if you display genuine enthusiasm. Most speakers do not have the energy needed to excite the audience. … Continue reading
How Not to Open a Presentation
If you want to improve public speaking, sometimes it is useful to discuss what not to do. It is now important to discuss some common examples of poor opening. Speakers often tell a story or a joke that has nothing to do with the presentation topic. This is a definite no-no. Amateurs always seem to … Continue reading
Opening Your Presentation
The opening is the hook of your presentation. It is what draws in the audience. It is absolutely crucial that you nail this part of your presentation. You want to spend the majority of your time writing and rehearsing the opening and the conclusion. The reason is that after a few days, the only parts … Continue reading
How to Introduce Someone
You may be asked to introduce a fellow speaker. The most important distinction between an introduction and a presentation that you have prepared is that an introduction should not be read from notes. There is nothing more impersonal than reading the background or biography of a fellow speaker word for word. There are several components … Continue reading
Set the Tone of Your Presentation in the First Minute
The tone of a presentation is similar to the tone of a movie. Within the first scene or two the producers of the movie give you an idea of whether or not you’re watching a screwball comedy or drama. If you are confused about the type of movie you are watching then the producer has … Continue reading
Why You Need to Grab the Audience
You have about twenty to thirty seconds to “grab” the attention of the audience. It is no different than when you meet someone on a personal level. You have nanoseconds to make a first impression. On a subconscious level people are making dozens of snap judgments. Is this person successful? Confident and relaxed? Is this … Continue reading