Saturday, April 2, 2011

What makes a great speaker?

What makes a great speaker?

I recently saw Suze Orman, the financial guru, speak at a conference. As soon as she walked on stage, she connected with us. She was down-to-earth, funny, and knowledgeable. She shared her own personal story Bvlgari Sunglasses of growing up in Chicago, working as a waitress for several years making only $400 a month. Although she has achieved great success and fame, she had her ups and downs just like you and me. Because she shared authentically from her heart, she had us all sitting on the edge of our seats listening to every word she said.

Here’s 10 valuable tips to draw the audience to you from the beginning to end of your talk.

  1. Know who’s in your audience before you speak. Call the event or program planner to find out the profile of the people attending.
  2. Arrive early before you speak and walk around introducing yourself to some of the people. This helps to relax you and get you related to them.
  3. If you’re speaking for a half-hour to cheap designer sunglassesan hour, your talk should cover only 3-4 points. The audience can only retain a limited amount of information in a short period of time.
  4. Let the audience know at the beginning what you’ll be talking about and how long you’ll be speaking.
  5. Speak to only one person at a time for about 4-5 seconds. Don’t look over their heads. Speak to them. This helps to reduce nervousness, increase confidence, and connect with the audience.
  6. Create a compelling memorable story. People are interested in “you.” By sharing a memorable story, you’re connecting with the audience at a more personal level. They now will feel more related to you and what you have to say.
  7. Engage the audience throughout your presentation and make it interactive. Check in with them by asking questions. It’s much more fun when you include them.
  8. Throughout your talk, share other stories about people who you helped and the results. People love to hear real-life stories of triumph and success.
  9. End your talk with a “call to action.” What do you want as an outcome for your talk? Do you want the audience to take an Miu Miu Sunglassesaction step? Do you want them to buy your product or service?
  10. Capture your audience. If you want to keep in touch with them, offer to send them notes from your talk or give a gift if they give you their business cards.

Here’s a story from a person who took my tips and the results he achieved.

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