Public Speaking

RESEARCH YOUR AUDIENCE BEFORE WRITING YOUR PRESENTATION In a previous post I encouraged all presenters to start by asking the question”What do I want my audience to do as a result of this presentation?” The second golden rule is to tailor your presentation content to suit your audience. A “one size fits all” approach may…

Weaving humour into a speech can be a real challenge. In a earlier post I recommended that speakers avoid using jokes in favour of self-deprecating stories. Recently I had the pleasure of meeting Jan Jack of PerfectVerse who used to be a corporate secretary but is now a professional speech writer, speaker and comedian. Jan specialises in writing humorous…

The most engaging presenters are those who are both knowledgeable and passionate about their content. We can tell that they are passionate because of things like their animation, energy, vocal variety, eye contact and enthusiasm. But what about when you have to present information that you are not passionate about? Well in an ideal…

The vast majority of the presentations I listen to are essentially passive, at least from the audience’s perspective. All I am expected to do is sit and listen. I am not asked to move either physically or mentally and the result is usually the rapid onset of boredom. I was at a 4Networking…

The other day I went into the studio to record some short video clips for my website. As part of the process I wrote three scripts and emailed them to the videographer so that they were loaded onto an auto-cue ready for the shoot. I don’t know about you but, despite having given thousands of…

Southampton based Presentation Trainer, Gavin Meikle gives some some great practical suggestions for how to write a humerous speech or presentation.

A brief post about the power of personal stories in a speech or presentation

This morning I attended a networking meeting in Winchester with members of 4Networking, it was a great event with some really great people and I was particularly impressed by the communication skills of some of the group members. They spoke with confidence, authority, humour and engagement. One member had volunteered to give a 10 minute…

It was a beautiful Saturday here in the UK, sunny and warm yet I spent three hours of it in a hall listening to some of the best speakers in the South of England at a Toastmasters speech contest. Why? Because I learn so much from listening to and analysing great speakers. Iain Upton, from Solent…

In my book, presentation skills and selling skills go hand and hand. The principles of effective selling will help you to produce powerful persuasive presentation and the principles of great presenting will help you sell much better face to face. Almost every type of presentation is about persuasion. You want your audience to do something…

Start with the audience.

Building humour into your speeches and presentations

Developing a passion for what you are presenting

Presenters – dare you get your audience to move?

If you have to use an auto cue or teleprompter

How to be funny in a speech or presentation

Dare to share your story.

Speak up or shut up!

Great delivery isn’t a substitute for good content

If you want to be good at sales, you need to learn how to present