The Art of Speeches and Presentations: The Secrets of Making People Remember What You Say

CHAPTER SIX

DELIVERY

Even though you have by now learnt how to improve your material you still face the nerve-wracking prospect of delivering the speech. You should draw confidence from the fact that your material is in good order but the performance to come will no doubt still be fraying the nerves. You ought to rehearse the speech as much as you can before you stand up to deliver it. Effective rehearsal is actually the bridge between the editing process and the moment of delivery. Poor phrasing and repetitive argument are a lot more obvious to the ear than they may appear as written text on the page. Then, when you have completed the final part of the editing process, there are ten tips you can take with you onto the podium as you speak:

1. Find out who is going to introduce you

2. Don’t ditch the script

3. Learn the beginning and the end even if you insist on speaking spontaneously in the middle

4. Don’t just read it out

5. If autocue is an option, take it

6. Turn your speech into notes from the full text

7. Use the cards well by looking down, taking in the information and speaking only when you look up

8. Stand tall and speak up

9. Ask yourself if you really are funny and

10. Try, if you possibly can, not to use slides. Really, try not to

Making these tips become second nature to you as a speaker will take some time but it will come, and that will complete your transformation into an effective public speaker, something you probably never thought was possible.

So You Don’t ...