43. Don't lean on the lectern.
44. Learn the difference between a lectern and a podium.
45. A podium is what you stand on. Don’t picture your audience naked, as you may
have heard or read about to deal with anxiety.
46. Don’t picture your audience. Instead, focus on one person at a time.
47. Visualize your audience giving you a standing ovation.
48. Have a series of one-on-one conversations with people in your audience, whether it
is three people or three thousand.
49. Don’t eye surf-don't have your eyes dart quickly across the room.
50. Learning how to give a good speech is even simpler that learning how to ride a
bike, because you already know how to do everything needed in speaking.
51. Never give a 15-30 minute SPEECH. Instead, give a series of three minute stories
that make a point. Each story should have a setting, dialogue, questions, a problem, a
resolution and a point.
52. Always use a teleprompter-if you are like the President of the United States and
have to give three speeches a day and have no time to rehearse.
53. If you are not the President, then NEVER USE A TELEPROMPTER. It will make you sound
stiff, boring, monotone and robotic-and it will give you false confidence and make you
less inclined to practice.
54. Always read a speech from a fully-prepared text-if you are like the Chairman of the
Federal Reserve and any misplaced nuance may cause markets changes.
55. Never read a speech if you are anyone other than the Chairman of the Fed. If you do
read a speech, you will sound boring, dull, flat, and insecure. Your audience may dislike
you for boring them and implying that they are too stupid to know how to read. Better to
pass out the written text.
56. Never start a speech by thanking the person introducing you. If the first thing out
of your mouth is boring and utterly predictable, you are sending a message to your
audience that now would be a good time for them to tune out.
57. Thank people after the speech before you take questions.
58. Don’t start by saying, "Today I’m going to talk to you about."
59. Good speakers occasionally use notes.
60. Great speakers never use notes.
61. Horrible speakers usually use prepared full texts.
62. Do not commit a speech to memory. If you sound like you are reading a speech off of
the teleprompter in your brain, you will sound just as canned and phony as if you had the
script in front of you.
63. Never YELL at your audience if you have a microphone.
64. Always use a microphone if you are speaking to more than 10 people.
65. Lecterns are for cowards, don’t use them.
66. After you have risen to speak, and before you have started, pause for three long
beats while gazing out at the audience with a look of total confidence and ease.
67. Variety is your friend.
68. Vary the length of your sentences.
69. Vary your sentence structure-sometimes ask rhetorical questions.
70. Vary your speed, go faster, then slower.
71. Pause.
72. Vary the distance between each word.
73. Be conversational.
74. Don’t say "um," "uh," or "er," to fill up space
between words or sentences. This is not like first grade where you have to color every
inch of the paper or you receive a frown from your teacher.
75. Instead of saying "um," "uh," or er, simply pause. Silence can
be golden.
76. If you persist in saying "uh" while speaking, then type the word
"uh" and write a read "no" symbol slash through it. Place one of these
on your computer screen, one on your bathroom mirror and one on the "12" on your
watch. Leave them there for a week. After a week, you should be able to catch yourself
before the "uhs" pop out of your mouth.
77. You wouldn’t send out a letter to an important client that hadn’t been
spell-checked, edited and reviewed, so don’t be so cavalier with your spoken word.
Videotape your speech in advance and then review it sentence by sentence. Get rid of the
stuff you don’t like and doesn’t address your key messages.
78. If you don’t have time to do a video rehearsal of your speech, then create an
audio recording and listen to it.
79. If you don’t have time to do an audio rehearsal, then stand in front of a
mirror and do a rehearsal.
80. If you don’t have time to do any rehearsal, then you don’t have time to
do a speech, so don’t do it.
81. The best way not to be nervous is to speak at every opportunity you can- at every
meeting, at the dinner table, a toast at a wedding
82. If you are an interesting speaker, a 5 hour speech can seem too short.
83. If you are a boring speaker, a 2-minute speech can seem too long.
84. No, you do not have to start a speech by telling a funny story.
85. Don’t tell "jokes."
86. If you do tell a joke, don't announce it by saying things like "here's a funny
story..."
87. Don’t start by saying "a funny thing happened on the way over here
tonight" unless it really happened, and it was funny.
88. Don’t use humor from some book you checked out at the library.
89. If you are naturally funny, incorporate your natural humor into your presentation.
90. If you have told a personal story that tells something about you to friends, and
they all laughed, you may wish to incorporate this into a presentation if it helps make a
point.
91. If your humor doesn’t have a point to it, then you are just trying to be a
comedian and people will compare you to Jerry Seinfeld and other famous comedians-and you
won’t seem very funny in comparison.
92. Only use humor if it makes a point.
93. If you aren’t a funny person with your friends and family, then don’t try
to be funny for the first time when giving a speech.
94. If you are trying to use humor, timing is everything.
95. Timing is most often a function of pausing properly.
96. Avoid carbonated drinks before speaking-they will make you belch.
97. Don’t start speaking until everyone has stopped speaking.
98. Don’t be afraid to ask people to leave the room if they need to talk.
99. When speaking to smaller audiences let people ask questions throughout the
presentation, don’t force people to wait until the end
100. Move your face. (your eyebrows, mouth, and forehead)
101. Move your hands.
102. Move your head.
103. Move your feet.
104. Don’t rock back and forth in a consistent manner-you’ll seem nervous.
105. Don’t put your hands in your pockets.
106. Don’t rest your hands on a lectern.
107. Don’t bite your lips.
108. Don’t play with your jewelry.
109. To be a great athlete or artist you need to have real talent. But you can be a
very good speaker without any innate skill.
110. If you come across better during question and answer sessions than you do during
the speech, then you need to copy what you are doing in Q & A and do it during your
speech.
111. After your speech is over, ask people to tell you all the points they remember.
112. People won’t remember much.
113. Be excited about something you have to say
114. Show some passion.
115. Don’t button your jacket while you are walking up to the stage to speak.
116. Button your jacket while you are seated.
117. Shine your shoes.
118. Make sure your shoes don’t have holes in their soles. If you are up on a
stage, people will see the bottoms of your shoes.
119. Don’t finish your speech while walking back to your seat.
120. If you eliminate all of the things nervous people do when they speak, no one will
ever know you are still nervous.
121. If you want to be a great speaker, study every speaker you can find-watch C-SPAN.
122. When you are in an audience and everyone is laughing or attentive, figure out why
and take notes.
123. Ask your friends who they like to hear speak and why.
124. Don’t drink milk right before you speak. It will make your mouth have extra
mucous and it would be harder to talk.
125. Don’t drink coffee before you speak. You don’t need extra caffeine or
milk.
126. Don’t bore your audience.
127. Never start a speech by apologizing for some inadequacy.
128. "Read" your audience. You should look at their eyes and faces. Are they
looking at you and nodding? Or looking down and doodling?
129. If you are running short on time, don't start speaking faster to "squeeze it
all in." You might as well start speaking "gibberish" because your audience
will absorb nothing you say.
130. Bullet point lists work well on paper, and even some books (like this one), but
they don't make a speech.
131. If you have a list of favorite writers, then develop a list of favorite speakers.
Study them, analyze them, listen to their audios, and watch them on video.
132. Bring an element of joy to your speaking opportunities. If it's not fun for you,
it won't be fun for your audience.
133. You don't have to rehearse as long as you give the same speech every day for a
year.
134. The sad reality is that if you give a speech to 50 or more people, at least three
will always come up to you to tell you "great speech." They will do this no
matter how lousy or boring you were.
135. Abstract feedback on your speech like "you were great," is almost
worthless except that it can help build your confidence for the next speech.
136. When someone tells you they loved your speech, ask them exactly what part they
loved about your speaking and EXACTLY what points they remembered.
137. Make mental notes on what resonated and then give greater emphasis on those parts
in the next speech.
138. If the people who came up to you and told you how great you were can't name any
specific message points you were trying to deliver, rest assured, you failed completely in
your speech delivery, no matter how many nice things an audience member is saying.
139. We all love compliments, but remember that some people will compliment anyone
after a speech because they have a secret agenda: wanting a job, trying to get you as a
client, wanting a date from you, or wanting to seem important by talking to the speaker.
140. Most people will lie to you and tell you that you were great after a speech
because they don't want to insult you and they wouldn't want criticism of their own
speaking.
141. Ask audience members, especially friends, who have complimented you after a speech
to name one area where they think you could improve for your next speech.
142. This provides them with a graceful way of pointing out your weaknesses.
143. Compliments to speakers are almost worthless unless they are highly specific.
144. Whenever possible, get members of your audience to provide written anonymous
critiques and reviews of your speeches. People will be more honest and you will get higher
quality critiques.
145. Always make yourself available as a last minute substitute speaker.
146. Let your colleagues and friends know that you like to give speeches and you
appreciate any speaking opportunities they can send your way.
147. If you are wearing a suit jacket, button it.
148. If your jacket is too tight, people will ignore your message and will instead
place wagers on how many people will be injured when your buttons pop off.
149. Focus on your message, your stories, your audience; and the length of your speech
will take care of itself.
150. Don’t wear tinted glasses.
151. Create a list of speaking goals for yourself along with a timeline.
152. Don’t tell the audience more than they want to know.
153. Know when to end.
154. Be confident.
155. If you can't be confident, then appear confident
156. Build your confidence by listening and reading about praise of your speaking.
157. Don't pass out handouts just because everyone else does.
158. You don't want to give people an excuse not to look at you and pay attention to
you.
159. Use handouts if you have a couple of concepts that can only become clear if they
are conveyed visually.
160. Make sure your handout materials are free of misspellings.
161. If you are using handouts, make sure you have enough copies for everyone in the
audience.
162. Whether you are a CEO of a public company, an entrepreneur seeking venture capital
or a street preacher, never forget that speaking is primarily about conveying positive
emotions between you and your audience.
163. Don't try to survive every speech, try to improve every speech over the last one.
164. Your colleagues and competitors spent on average 12, 16, or even 20 years on daily
instruction on how to write well in school, but most of them never received more than 15
minutes on how to speak well. This is an opportunity for you because it means that with
only a little time and effort, you can shine above your competitors.
165. If you are in a fascinating conversation, you are "in the moment." You
aren't thinking about what you are going to say five minutes from now. If you want to be a
great speaker, you must learn how to be "in the moment."
166. Nervousness is inversely related to preparation.
167. Relaxation techniques--tense each body part (one at a time) for five seconds
before you speak
168. If you are incredibly nervous, as a last resort, ask your doctor to prescribe a
drug know as a "beta blocker."
169. Know what you are talking about.
170. Practice.
171. Practice.
172. Practice.
173. Walk around the room before you speak (while it is empty) and touch the chairs.
Get comfortable with the room.
174. Don't speak on an empty stomach.
175. Don't drink alcohol before you speak.
176. Stay away from smoke before you speak.
177. If you hint that the only reason you are giving a speech is because you have to,
then the audience will tune you out. Would you enjoy a date with someone who showed up
only because he/she "had" to?
178. Don't smoke pot before you speak.
179. Internalize your message in your gut.
180. Read every other book you can find on making speeches.
181. If you get loud feedback from your microphone, quickly turn it off, walk further
away from the speakers, then turn the mic back on.
182. Have a strong close.
183. When you are done, take a step back and give a nod--no words have to be spoken.
184. If people are applauding when you finish your speech, nod and say thank you.
185. Don't eat a big meal before speaking, it will make you sleepy.
186. Don't eat sugary deserts, they will thicken your saliva.
187. If you are told your speech must shrink from 20 minutes to ten, don't panic. And
don't rush.
188. Simply make fewer points and tell fewer stories.
189. If you repeat yourself in an interesting way constantly using different examples,
facts and anecdotes, no one will ever accuse you of repeating yourself too often.
190. A speech is not a press release.
191. A speech is not a column.
192. A speech is not a book.
193. A speech is not a brochure.
194. A speech has very little to do with any printed medium.
195. Relax.
196. Focus on the audience, not yourself.
197. There is nothing virtuous about "thinking on your feet" when used as an
excuse not to prepare in advance.
198. To seem like you are great at "thinking on your feet," plan and practice
well in advance.
199. If you actually have to think on your feet, it means you were too lazy or busy to
think in advance.
200. Have good, smooth transitions between your stories.
201. If you consistently bore people when you give your speech, but enthrall them when
you answer questions, then change what you are doing. Next time you give a speech, simply
ask yourself questions and then answer them in the same lively way you always do--and
dispense with the "formal speech."
202. It is Ok to read a speech if you are testifying before a congressional
subcommittee and there are no media present and all of the members of congress are
ignoring you anyway.
203. If you get invited to give a speech, then speak. If you get invited to a reading,
then read. (However, great authors don't read at their own book readings, they tell
stories instead.)
204. Question your audience repeatedly.
205. Cliches are great for getting quoted in the media, but don't work when giving
speeches.
206. Don’t say "last but not least."
207. Don’t say, "I’m very pleased to be here." The fewer numbers
you use, the better people will remember what you were communicating.
208. Don't say "I’m really nervous," even if you are.
209. If you are running short on time, don't waste even more time by saying, "wow,
I'm really running short on time so..."
210. If music is being piped in, ask for it to be shut off.
211. If applicable, be prepared to start your speech early--the previous speaker might
not have arrived.
212. Make sure your pants are zipped up.
213. Ask yourself what you want to have happen after you give your speech.
214. Tape your rehearsal of your speech.
215. You will feel silly rehearsing the first time.
216. You will feel worse than silly in front of a live audience if you don’t
rehearse.
217. Listen to your tape several times so it sinks in.
218. Don't write your speech in one sitting--instead, takes notes and write down
anecdotes as they occur to you.
219. Say something provocative, funny, challenging, or out of the ordinary in the first
30 seconds.
220. Speak in the active voice; it is more engaging.
221. If a point you make isn't worth the time it takes to give examples for it, then
it's not worth making the point in the first place.
222. When using visual aids, use color.
223. Don't try to sound authoritative by lowering your voice--that will make you harder
to hear and you'll sound like unprofessional.
224. Try to avoid ice in your drinks. Room temperature liquids or warm drinks are
relaxing to the throat.
225. Avoid salty foods before you speak; they will make you thirsty.
226. If you are really sick before a speech-cancel.
227. Constantly edit and improve your material after every rehearsal.
228. Constantly edit and improve your speech after every speech.
229. Go to the bathroom before you speak.
230. Start on time.
231. If you wait for the last few stragglers, everyone who showed up on time will think
you don’t care about their time.
232. If speaking to audiences that don't speak your language as their first language,
speak slower and clearer than usual.
233. Most people who think they are great speakers aren’t.
234. If your hands and underarms perspire too heavily on a regular basis, see a
dermatologist regarding botox injections.
235. If you try to memorize your speech, it will only make you nervous because the
chances are so high that you will get off track.
236. Instead, you should familiarize yourself with your message and your stories.
237. There are few careers that are harmed by being a great speaker.
238. If you want to have an impact on your audience, you must ask them to do something
i.e., invest in your company today, vote for your candidate, march to war.
239. "Winging it" is unprofessional!
240. Create a great title for your speech that is descriptive and explains the benefits
to the audience.
241. Humor should be personal and original.
242. Humor should be self-deprecating.
243. Humor should be clean.
244. Don't stand in a fig leaf position.
245. Don't put your hands together like you are praying.
246. Don't tug on various body parts.
247. Gesture with both hands, not just one hand.
248. Listen to all criticism, but don't buy it all.
249. Props--be careful. Use only when needed, not just for gags.
250. When you go to the video store, occasionally rent videos of famous historical
speakers.
251. Practice your speech in front of other people, not a mirror.
252. Political conventions were destroyed when every speaker started using the
teleprompter.
253. People will be watching you long before you speak, avoid any nervous or annoying
actions.
254. Constantly observe your surroundings before and during your speech.
255. Act as though you own the room.
256. Enjoy yourself while speaking.
257. The bigger the room you speak in, the slower you must speak. It takes time for the
sound to bounce around the room.
258. Wait for everyone’s attention before you speak.
259. Speak loud enough to be heard.
260. If anyone can't hear you, don't continue until everyone can hear you
easily--otherwise, there's no point.
261. Remember, your speech is not THAT important to anyone in your audience.
262. Don’t put your notes on the lectern ahead of time, someone may walk off with
them.
263. A speech can not be written for you unless the speechwriter knows you very well
and spends time talking with you.
264. A great speech will express at least one original thought.
265. Don't write out your speech from beginning to end--instead, try brainstorming a
list of topics, ideas and stories.
266. If you bore people in the first couple of minutes in your speech, they will
remember your whole speech as boring.
267. Don't ask the audience manipulative questions that insult their intelligence like,
"how many of you wish you had more money?"
268. Avoid sounding cocky.
269. Don't write your speech unless you are willing to re-write it 10 times.
270. 20 minutes is a nice length for most speeches.
271. Everyday you speak to colleagues, clients and associates on areas of expertise
without using notes. Public speaking should be no different.
272. Don't have a plastered smile on your face.
273. Don’t wear a silly grin.
274. Your face must be alive with expression.
275. Don't use video unless you have to. Video will take the emphasis off of you.
276. If you do have to use notes, don't use them in the first 60 seconds of your
speech.
277. You can be a fabulous speaker without ever using humor or getting a single laugh.
278. Use words that paint pictures.
279. Don’t be overly formal.
280. If you want to preach, go to seminary.
281. Put yourself on the side of the audience. Talk about "us" instead of
"you people."
282. If you do have to read or glance at notes, move your eyes down, not your entire
head.
283. Don't just focus on friendly faces in the audience, look at as many individuals as
possible.
284. If a fly gets caught in your throat, say, "excuse me" and slowly take a
sip of water. Don’t panic.
285. A disruption isn't a disruption unless it bothers you.
286. Create a profile of your audience.
287. Get glasses that aren't heavy or thick unless you want people to focus on your
glasses.
288. Check the sound system in a room before you speak.
289. A warm room can put people to sleep-try to make it cooler. (70-72 degrees
Fahrenheit is a nice temperature)
290. Look at the floor between your chair and the lectern, if applicable, to spot
bumps, chords and other obstructions.
291. You can maximize your chances of being introduced the way you want by having two
copies of a 50-word introduction prepared in 20-point type. Give a copy to the introducer.
292. The advantage of every visual aid must be offset by the chance that the visual aid
will fall apart or not work properly.
293. Eliminate empty chairs from the room--you want a full house.
294. Don't blow on the microphone.
295. Don't tap on the microphone.
296. Don’t say, "is this on?" into the microphone.
297. Don't ask, "can you hear me?"
298. Look for recognition from the back of the room.
299. If you speak a little louder than usual, you expend energy that will make you less
nervous.
300. Use as many one and two syllable words as possible.
301. Avoid jargon.
302. Don't use acronyms unless they are FBI, CIA or SCUBA. The audience should
understand the acronyms.
303. A little slang goes a long way.
304. Pronounce words correctly--if you're not sure, look it up before the presentation.
305. Give your audience time to react to what you are saying--don't rush.
306. Know exactly why you were asked to speak to this audience.
307. Occasionally startle your audience.
308. When possible, reference something that is in the news today.
309. Write for the ear, not for the eye.
310. Minimize the use of qualifiers. (kinds, sorta, maybe)
311. Ask yourself, "what benefits will an audience member receive after listening
to my speech?"
312. Don't slouch.
313. Don't be stiff.
314. Don't stare off into space.
315. Don’t obsess over your mistakes.
316. Don’t stare at a spot on the back wall.
317. Don't fiddle with a pen--you should have already written your speech and only an
egotist writes down quotes from himself during a speech.
318. Your facial expressions should match the emotions of your message.
319. Your eyes are your most powerful weapon with your audience.
320. If you never use your hands in normal conversation, then don't try to start using
them when making a presentation.
321. Hand gestures must be in sync with your message and voice.
322. The bigger the audience the bigger your gestures and expressions and movement need
to be.
323. Ask more questions of your audience.
324. Speak in visual terms.
325. A good speaker realizes it is easier to speak in the nude without being
embarrassed than it is to deliver a speech well by reading a prepared text.
326. When preparing notes for a speech, write down only the few essential facts and
figures that can't be easily remembered.
327. If you must use notes, put them in large type on 4x6 cards.
328. Don't use a standard outline.
329. Instead, number each point successively and number each card.
330. Don’t carry the cards in your hand up to the lectern, you don't want the
audience to see them. Instead, keep them in your pocket until you have arrived at your
speaking spot.
331. Don’t be monotone.
332. Don’t mumble.
333. Don't drone.
334. Present information in a creative manner.
335. Find out as much as possible about your audience. Find common ground with your
audience.
336. Build suspense.
337. Don’t get too technical.
338. Compliment the audience without pandering.
339. Don’t B.S.
340. Don’t be overly personal when it’s not appropriate.
341. Exercise before you speak. Exercise will energize you and help eliminate nervous
tension.
342. If you don’t wish to answer questions until the end of your speech, politely
and unapologetically inform the audience.
343. You want to fit in with what your audience is wearing, but it is OK to be a slight
cut above what everyone else is wearing.
344. Vary your volume
345. Vary your sentence length.
346. To emphasize a point, don't yell. Instead, pause.
347. Or whisper loudly.
348. Get plenty of sleep before you speak.
349. Do something out of the ordinary.
350. There's nothing wrong with ending your speech early.
351. After you’ve learned all the rules, occasionally break them.
352. The chances of being told you repeat yourself are very small.
353. The chances of no one remembering anything you say are high.
354. Develop a database of stories you can use to give speech on a moment’s
notice.
355. Conduct adequate research for your speech.
356. You aren’t going to be loved by 100% of the audience. If one person is
ignoring you or sleeping, don’t obsess over it.
357. You won’t be great the first time you give a speech, but that’s OK.
358. Don’t expect to be a really good speaker until you speak at least once a
month.
359. Empty your pockets so there are no bulges and no clinking noises.
360. Don’t stand in the military "at ease" position.
361. Don’t stand with your hands on your hips.
362. Don’t hold one arm as if you were walking wounded.
363. Don’t stand with your arms crossed.
364. If you ever meditate, then do it before you speak.
365. Take one last good look in a mirror before you speak.
366. If you hate your voice, get over it, it’s probably not that bad.
367. You probably just need to get used to your voice, which you can do by listening to
more of your audio rehearsal tapes.
368. If you have a truly awful voice, consult a voice coach.
369. If you have a strong accent that is hard for people to understand, then consult
with an accent coach.
370. Your voice does not have to sound like a network news announcer in order to be a
good communication tool.
371. Learn to love your voice.
372. Don’t shift you weight back and forth from one foot to another. You’ll
seem nervous.
373. Don’t rock back and forth from heel to toe; you’ll seem nervous.
374. Don’t move your hands or any other part of your body in a repetitive way;
you’ll seem like a robot.
375. If you have ever been interesting in 1 conversation, you can be a great speaker.
376. If you are going to write a speech, start at least one week before you have to
deliver it.
377. Don't be literary.
378. It’s natural to be nervous before a speech.
379. Forget about your previous speaking failures.
380. Use quotes sparingly.
381. Speaking isn’t brain surgery. There is more than one way to deliver a good
speech.
382. A written speech is just a blueprint or a starting point-play with it, tinker,
review, and rewrite.
383. Be conversational.
384. Don't stare at people's noses--look into their eyes.
385. Be sincere.
386. It would be nice if your speech solved a problem that your audience has.
387. Demonstrate whenever possible.
388. Smile with your eyes.
389. An occasional non-flirtations wink to audience members goes a long way to showing
you’re not a stuffed shirt.
390. Don’t use overused quotes.
391. Don’t use overused stories such as the frog not jumping out of the slow
boiling pot or the ship telling the lighthouse to change course.
392. Don’t ever suggest to your audience that your speech could have been better
if you had spent more time researching, writing it or practicing it.
393. When given a choice, always speak first. The audience will be fresher.
394. Rehearse by talking your speech out loud. Don’t just say it silently.
395. The best way to seem spontaneous is to rehearse.
396. Not rehearsing because you want to seem spontaneous is a silly excuse that fools
no one.
397. Speak from the diaphragm, not just from your voicebox.
398. Right before you speak, visualize other speaking successes you have had.
399. Right before you speak, visualize your speech being a stunning success.
400. Tell yourself that you are incredibly happy to have the opportunity to speak to an
audience.
401. Walk forcefully to the lectern with your head held high and a smile to the crowd.
402. Don't chew gum.
403. A man's shirt collar must fit perfectly.
404. Bow ties make a certain statement. Make sure it is the statement you want to make.
Don't wear white socks unless you are wearing white shoes and white pants.
405. Have your socks match your pants or shoes. Don't apologize.
406. If you freeze for a moment, take a drink of water--it will seem planned.
407. Don't say, "I'm running out of time." That wastes time. Simply use your
time saying what you want to say.
408. Always arrive early to a speech.
409. Don't take the last available flight to get to your speech destination.
410. Don't blame anyone else for anything that goes wrong during a speech.
411. Always have extra material available in case you are asked to speak longer.
412. Don't attack the whole audience.
413. Try to avoid a stationery microphone.
414. If you are wearing a clip-on Mic, make sure you know how long the chord is.
415. Take off the clip on Mic after you’ve finished, so you don’t tear the
Mic chord or your clothes.
416. If you are wearing a wireless Mic, take it off immediately after your speech,
especially if you are about to go to the bathroom.
417. If you have a wireless Mic, don’t be afraid to walk into the audience.
418. If you have a wired Mic, make sure you don’t trip on it when you are walking
around.
419. Rehearsing alone is better than not rehearsing at all, but not nearly as good as
rehearsing in front of other people.
420. Time your rehearsals.
421. Your actually speech should go a little longer than your rehearsals.
422. Eliminate wasteful words.
423. Cliches work great with the media but make you sound unintelligent when delivering
a speech.
424. Beginners often don’t speak with enough volume.
425. Be neat.
426. Don’t pop you "P’s into the microphone.
427. If you are speaking while sitting down, don’t lean on the table and
don’t lean back in your chair too far.
428. Be flexible. If you are speaking to a small group and the fire alarm goes off,
simply finish your presentation outside in the parking lot or under a tree.
429. There is no ideal room or setup for giving a great speech; be adaptable to any
room.
430. You should speak from the brightest area of the room.
431. You audience needs to be able to see your lips.
432. Don’t twist your Mic chord the way a teenage girl twists her hair locks.
433. If there are a lot of empty chairs and you ask people to get up and move forward,
no one will.
434. Instead, either tape up access to chairs in the back half of the room until the
front half has filled, or have the chairs stacked until more are needed.
435. While you are speaking, try to have a sign placed on the doors outside that say,
"meeting in progress, do not enter."
436. When possible, ask the banquet manager to serve the dessert and coffee with the
meal. That way you won’t be interrupted by waiters when giving you’re
after-dinner speech.
437. Write your introduction briefly and present only information about yourself that
is of interest to the audience and relevant to why you were asked to speak.
438. Ask the person introducing you to ask the audience to turn off their cell phones.
439.
440. Don’t give dictionary definitions unless you want people to feel like they
are in the first grade.
441. It is highly effective to use people in your audience as examples and to mention
them by name-as long as you mention them in a positive light.
442. If you type out your notes, make sure the letters are large.
443. Don’t use all caps-it is easier on the eye to have the variation of upper and
lower case.
444. You are the message-communicate with authenticity.
445. Don’t walk into a room where you are going to speak carrying anything.
446. Constantly look for ways to add spice to your presentation.
447. Take good notes when other people speak and borrow the techniques you like.
448. Be convincing.
449. Don’t use any other drugs to ‘relax" you.
450. Every advance in technology creates more opportunities for you to speak to more
audiences.
451. If you act like giving a speech is like having root canal, the whole audience will
feel pain-not yours, but theirs.
452. You never know who is in your audience. Don’t say anything you wouldn’t
want to be quoted in a newspaper or major trade publication.
453. Speak on what really interests you.
454. Constantly appeal to reason and emotion at the same time.
455. Never speak in front of an open window, it is too distracting.
456. Develop a library of your favorite speeches of all time to go with your favorite
books and favorite movies.
457. Develop your own critical framework for judging speakers.
458. Learn more about non-verbal communication-rent a couple of Charlie Chaplin silent
movies.
459. Hire a speech coach.
460. Take a public speaking course at a local university.
461. Join Toastmasters.
462. The more often you speak, the less you’ll have to think about a list of dos
and don’ts.
463. It is not overly promotional to tell people how to contact you if they want more
information or to ask you more questions.
464. Be ready to give out a web site address and/or a phone number.
465. Sign up for a Dale Carnegie speaking course.