How To Speak In Public

Opportunities for public speaking can occur at any time. In the first part of this article, I focused on the stress factors and ways to circumvent the worst parts of the oratory realm. You are now ready to learn how to master public speaking more concretely.

You may be asked to do a corporate presentation, speak to the press or praise newlyweds with a toast. You should always be prepared since you only have one chance to make a perfect first impression.

Best Man Speech
The big day has finally come and you stand up at the table of honor, dressed in your finest. You thought it was a privilege to serve as best man at your best friend's wedding, but you're not so sure now that the spotlight is on you. Fortunately, you came prepared with these tips.

Relate a story
Don't go into a monologue about all the women the groom has been fortunate enough to have in the backseat of his sedan. Not only is this the wrong venue, but the bride might think it an interference with her fairy-tale day. Offer a funny but harmless anecdote about how the groom became a changed man upon meeting the bride.

Stay away from inside jokes that only a few people will understand. Your speech should be understood and appreciated by all attendees. Humiliating the groom should be limited to the bachelor party; this is the couple's day, not yours.

Keep it clean
Again, your job is to appeal to the whole, not just a select few. Steer clear of vulgarities, keeping in mind that there will be people of all ages present. You can use humor, but don't be too racy.

Enlist supporters
While your goal is to come off as amusing and (sniff, sniff) sensitive, it doesn't hurt to have some friends in the back of the room who will applaud at just the right moment. Perhaps your speech won't be as groundbreaking as you thought it would be, but at least your prearranged supporters will jump-start the crowd.

Avoid drinking
Yes, it's a wedding and you're entitled to have fun just like the other guests, but don't marinate in the booze. After your speech is over, feel free to toss a few stiff ones back, but until then, moderation is your friend.

Liquor sometimes loosens the tongue a little too much and we utter things we wouldn't say under normal circumstances.

speaking to the media
In this day and age, the media is democratized, which makes it very probable that everyone will achieve the 15 minutes of fame that Andy Warhol is famous for predicting.

Imagine that your company has just popped into the Fortune 500 and you must handle a press conference. Or perhaps a reporter questions you on the fly while you're accompanying your supermodel wife to a Hollywood premiere. Whatever the reason, you need to be primed.

Sound like a pro
"It's like, you know, this dude..." Unless you're 12 years old, find a more appropriate and professional vocabulary. The idea is to appear as if you've actually spoken to the press before.

Also, since journalists are experts at twisting answers into the version of the truth they intend to publish, it's important for you to annihilate all ambiguity. Repeat every question before uttering your reply so that your answer matches the inquiry to a tee.

Be honest and concise
To avoid falling victim to the journalistic tactic of misrepresenting facts, keep your answers short without giving too much information about anything. Weigh your words carefully so you can nevertheless get your point across in an unambiguous manner.

If you don't know enough about the topic, don't be shy to pass on the question to someone else. The most important thing to remember is to never lie to a journalist; entire careers have been ruined because people have been caught lying.

Be prepared
Whenever possible, find out what you'll be queried on so you can arrange your thoughts in a coherent fashion. If you're not prepared, your improvisation will definitely be apparent to the audience.

Don't be self-indulgent
Just because you're being interviewed doesn't mean that the discussion is about you. It's not the time to talk about how great you are and how the world would crumble to blackened ashes of despair without you. You don't have to glorify yourself and be as hedonistic as certain business tycoons or sports celebrities who shall remain nameless.

corporate presentation
Things are going well for you, especially in light of that new assignment your boss has given you. Now the only thing standing between you and your Beverly Hills mansion is a presentation on enabling scalable synergistic technologies.

You know in your heart that the project is viable, and if only those Wall Street types could understand your point of view, you'd be on the next cover of Forbes. Here's what to keep in mind while giving your presentation.

Use visual aids
Distribute a brief agenda of your presentation before you start. Use bullet points to make things clear and concise. This will not only give them proof of your expertise, but also something to study later.

You also need visual aids during your presentation. The good part about living in this high-tech age is that everything can be done on your laptop, which can then be plugged into the room's video screen. Use pictures, diagrams and charts. Don't write complex sentences; use short words and bold fonts to draw attention to the central issues.

Be unequivocal
Your meeting is the only chance you'll have to sell this puppy. If the deal doesn't go down, you will. It's important to be very clear when explaining your project. Leave the heavy jargon out and don't be too technical.

In addition, use relevant examples to prove your point, especially if this lecture is taking place outside the company.
Be entertaining
While nobody is asking you to put on a comedy routine, do your best to be lively. Make an effort to be energetic, and for the love of anything that's decent in this world, don't read.

Involve the audience
Have a premise to your presentation. Perhaps you can use a running example that will serve as a recurring theme to keep things fresh. Another gimmick that will prevent the crowd from phasing out is peppering your speech with rhetorical questions.

The trick is to be silent for a second before giving the answer; it will keep the audience on its toes. But be careful; if your pause is too long, people will think you're expecting an answer.

Wrap up in style
Your conclusion should take into consideration that even the best spectators can't remember everything. You should therefore close with an executive summary that will remind them of the key points.

Moreover, be ready to answer questions. This is your opportunity to drive this baby home, to render your ideas in plain speak to the very people who make decisions. Be prepared and answer the questions to the best of your abilities.

reach for the stars
Public speaking is less difficult and stressful when you've taken the time to organize adequately. Remember not to go off on tangents, not to use foul language and never to settle scores in public.

If you have a purpose to your speech, it should be to impart something to your audience, not to see what you can get out of it. Thus, you will not only be in the right frame of mind, but the experience will be all the less traumatic.

Resources:
www.stresscure.com
www.public-speaking.org
www.ljlseminars.com
www.confetti.co.uk
original story: askmen.com