How to Improve your Public Speaking in Five Minutes
If I could show you a simple skill that would double or triple your effectiveness at public speaking, would you use it?
Most people shun the spotlight and when they do present in front of others, they become nervous and ineffective. That’s why you can set yourself apart if you can stand in front of a group confidently and comfortably. While there are no shortcuts to effective public speaking skills, there is a simple tool that most books and courses on the subject miss. If you can learn this tool, the other pieces of the puzzle fit together much more smoothly.
Clearly define the purpose behind why you are speaking. Develop this before you work on any other part of the message and you will find that you will be a much more effective public speaker.
Most people get caught up in learning the delivery of the message or how to create the content. Both of these are important and deserve attention. However, a well-constructed message that is impeccably delivered doesn't help if it doesn't create the end result that you want. Rhetoric, the study of how to influence others through public speaking, is exactly that, the study of how to influence. If you don't create a change in your audience, you didn't deliver an effective presentation.
Uncovering the purpose of your message is relatively easy once you understand the importance of knowing the purpose. The key is to start from the end and work backwards. In your mind, fast forward to the end of your presentation. Imagine that it went perfectly and everyone in the audience received the message you wanted to communicate. If that should happen, what would you want them to do, think, or feel?
That's your purpose.
Write the purpose on the top of the page where you are writing the notes for your message – where you will be constantly reminded of it as you write your message. You can then work backwards in your mind from that endpoint to uncover what you had to say and how you had to say it. It becomes the guide that you can use to create the presentation. You’ll know what you have to say in order to convey your purpose.
There isn't a right or wrong purpose, but it should involve some sort of change or commitment in your audience. Very few of us want to talk only to hear ourselves talk;we have a reason we are speaking in front of people. If you are in a sales presentation, your purpose could be the audience agreeing to select your product or service. If you are speaking at a city council meeting, it could be changing the mind of public officials on how they will vote. Or it could be influencing the other parents at a PTA meeting to start a recycling program. There are many different purposes; but the key is: know the reason why you are speaking, and what you want as the outcome.
While clarity of purpose isn’t the only skill necessary for effective public speaking, it’s one of the most important (and often one of the most neglected). Learn how to define the purpose of your message, and you will find questions about content and delivery become much simpler. It’s easy to decide what to saywhat you want to convey. More importantly, when you are crystal-clear about why you are standing in front of your next audience you will find your confidence increase and you will be regarded as an excellent public speaker. when you know
Posted by DFish at 12/7/2009 1:56 AM 
Categories: Selling Tips
Tags: rhetoric sales presentations Dale Carnegie rhetorical skills influence Toastmasters public speaking public speaking skills
Categories: Selling Tips
Tags: rhetoric sales presentations Dale Carnegie rhetorical skills influence Toastmasters public speaking public speaking skills
Cool,
This is some great advice to become a more affluent public speaker...
Thanks for bringing this up
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