HOW TO GIVE AN EFFECTIVE PRESENTATION
Dot La Motta
Dot is a multi-genre writer focusing on romance, children's, fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. She has published short stories and poetry in multiple anthologies, The Master Gardener's Newsletter, and was co-editor of the Johnson County Literary and Historical Journal in 2022 and 2023. She was commissioned as a guest judge for writing contests several times for the General Federation of Women's Clubs and the Church of God.
There is nothing like oratory. It is a skill that can turn a commoner into a king.
~Winston Churchill
Welcome back, Neuse River Writers. This is a follow-up to our Open Mic session at our monthly meeting on March 13th. I was asked to submit some of the Toastmaster tips I spoke about during our ‘critique’ part of the evening. Due to time limitations, I couldn’t go into a lot of detail, so I added more information in this article.
I was the Educational VP for Toastmasters for thirteen years during my working career and knew how important public speaking skills were in climbing the ladder. This is a condensed version of some very effective tips I have learned over the years.
You are about to take the plunge into the real world of ‘verbal’ communication. The place where your words and actions tell people how much you know, how confident you are, and how enthusiastic and sincere you feel about your subject.
KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE:
* When asked to speak to an organization, ask questions like: who is the audience, how many usually attend (in case you have handouts), what do they expect from me, or want to learn from me, do they have the equipment/connections for your laptop, a screen, a microphone, a podium, etc. Arrive early and test everything.
* Know the location, address, time you are allotted on the agenda, and the contact person’s name and telephone number in case you get lost or have additional questions.
* Give your bio/background to the person who will introduce you ahead of time for their review.
* Thank the person who introduced you and welcome the audience
KNOW YOUR SUBJECT MATTER:
* Three basic rules:
1] Have something of interest or educational value to say
2] Have an organized plan to say it, and
3] Use effective methods to keep your audience interested
* Research your topic for the latest information
* Give it a Title
* Know the purpose of your talk. Do you want to inform, persuade, motivate, or help?
* Write or type your speech out with a beginning, middle, and conclusion
* Tell your audience what you will cover (Beginning). Expand on your talk with facts, stories, poems, proof, scriptures, quotes, etc. (Middle), Review key points (Conclusion)
* Practice, practice, practice so you are not glued to your notes. Time yourself so you stay within the time limit allowed, especially if there are other speakers on the agenda.
* Give your audience something to remember or take home that they didn’t know before you spoke to them
MEMORIZE YOUR OPENING AND CLOSING:
* Practice two or three sentences without looking at your notes. This will give you direct eye contact with your audience and connect with them quickly. Your closing should do the same. Leave them with a quote, a startling statement, a short, meaningful poem related to your subject matter, or even a joke if you feel comfortable with humor. Your closing should briefly summarize ‘key points’ only without repeating too much of what you already told them.
DRESS CODE:
* Toastmasters believe in dressing one level higher than your audience. If you are in doubt, dress in a ‘business casual’ and you will always be safe. Showing up in a T-shirt and jeans when asked to speak shows a lack of respect for yourself and the organization that asked you to speak. Always present yourself as a professional, even if you are among friends. Remember that people will often forget some of what you said, but they will never forget what you looked like.
EYE CONTACT:
* This is crucial to the success of your presentation. If you practice enough, you don’t have to constantly glance at your notes. When you scan the room slowly, you connect with your audience. If you feel nervous, glance at one or two people in front of you for a few seconds and not the entire audience. Take a deep breath, smile, and continue to scan the room. Everyone out there deserves your attention.
BODY LANGUAGE/HAND GESTURES/FACIAL EXPRESSIONS/SOUND EFFECTS:
* Try not to slouch. Stand up straight. It helps with your breathing also. Try not to clutch the podium like you’re strangling it. Relax. Limit your hand gestures unless you have to describe something that the audience can envision. Facial expressions can add effectiveness to your presentation. Practice in front of a mirror, making different facial expressions: smiling, frowning, etc. This is what the audience will see.
USE OF NOTES:
* If using a typed version of your speech, double space it on 8 1/2x11, or condense key points onto 4x6 cards and number them. If they fall, you can quickly put them back in order.
* NEVER read a personal story. If it really happened to you, then you should be able to talk about it from memory. Once you lose eye contact, you also lose the impact of the story.
HANDOUTS:
* If you want them to follow along with your speech, give them out beforehand. If not, give them out at the end as a ‘takeaway’ with screenshots or key points. Otherwise, they will be looking at the handout instead of paying attention to you. Use your discretion.
SELF EVALUATION:
* If possible, tape record your speech at home and play it back several times. Did you like what you heard? Did you talk too slow, too fast, too soft, or too loud? Did you say Uh, Um, or Okay, a hundred times? How was your pronunciation? If you didn’t like what you heard, make some changes before you do the real thing.
Q&A:
* Try to anticipate questions and cover that material in your talk. It will save time in the end. If there is still time, ask the audience if they have any questions. If your time ran out, offer to speak to them after the meeting. I leave you with…….
ADVICE FROM A POLAR BEAR
Live large
Sniff out opportunities
Learn some good icebreakers
Be thick-skinned
Be fearless
Appreciate long winter nights
Keep it cool!
(From: My Advice for Life.com)
