If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to The Secrets of Public Speaking using the box in the right hand navigation bar. That way you won't miss a single tip! Thanks for visiting.

One of the reasons that many people fear taking the podium is because they are afraid of being the focal point of everyone’s attention and they don’t want to make a fool of themselves. There are several things you can do to put your best foot forward every time. Here are 10 of them.

1. Take the time to prepare well for your presentation.

Preparation enhances your confidence and it’s also an opportunity to refine any weak areas in your presentation.

2. Begin and end your presentation on time.

Arriving late to your presentation is simply unprofessional; not to mention that it won’t win you any points with your crowd. Also speaking over time shows your audience that you don’t value their time.
Read more »

In any presentation, there are basic pieces of information that an audience expects to receive from the presenter. You are the problem solver presenting a solution that will benefit your audience. Even if you are just blessing the newlyweds at your best friend’s wedding, you still have questions that must be answered. These questions are the classic five Ws and an H: who, what, when, where, why and how. Read on to better understand what I mean.

Who

Who is your target audience? What would they like to know about regarding your topic? Do they have any preconceived notions about your material? What are their concerns? Are you addressing the “who” you targeted in your research? When you address the “who” of your message, you are better able to relate with your audience. They will feel like you are speaking directly to them. They will give you their attention because they feel like their needs are being addressed.
Read more »

O.K. The moment we’ve all been waiting for, the Peroratio or final appeal. This is where you make your last stand and close out your presentation.

The key ingredients to a good Peroratio are:

The strongest and most eloquent arguments in support of your topic,

Just enough emotion to evoke a response in your audience,

A call to action.

Here are some examples:

Job Interview: “I believe that I’ve illustrated that I’m a good match for this position. I’m excited to get started and help your department meet its goals. Is there any reason why you can’t offer me the job right now?”

Sales Pitch: “The Acme Widget saves you time and money. It will give you the time you need to spend with your family and enjoy your life. How would you like to pay for this?”
Read more »

O.K. You’ve introduced yourself. You’ve laid out what you’re going to say. You’ve even discussed evidence that backs you up. You’re ready close, right?

Wrong. Now you must go through what the classical Greek and Roman orators called the Refutatio.

This is the part of your presentation where you address counter arguments, doubts and concerns. For example,

If this is a job interview, you might say something like “I recognize that I do not have all the requirements of the job …”

If this is a presentation to convince the audience to take some action, you might say “Some may argue that …”

If this is a sales pitch, you might say “You have probably looked at my competitors and I recognize that they have good features to offer too …”

But, guess what? There’s a “but”! All of these counter arguments you bring up can easily be refuted. So you do just that:
Read more »

So far, I’ve discussed the opening or exordium and the narratio or brief outline of the speech. With these two parts, you’ve warmed up the audience to you and your topic. Now its time to get down to business.

The next part of a presentation is the Partitio. Here is where you set out the main arguments that you want to make.

If this is a speech to convince the audience of your views, you might says something like “What we need to do to address this problem is …”.

If this is a sales speech, you might say “The reason my products or services are particularly suited to solve your problem is …”.

If this is an expository or educational presentation, such as our dog-training example, you might say “The first thing you need to establish is your dominance in the pack. Your dog much know that you are the alpha dog.”
Read more »