Public Speaking Skills Training

The Art of Public Speaking
Our Public Speaking training seminars are designed for both the inexperienced presenter or as a refresher for more experienced members of your company or organization. Our training workshops are offered in most major cities across the United States and Canada. All public speaking skills training classes are small which will give you all the face to face time you need with our training team.

Our public speaking training courses (presentation training) will eliminate your fear or inexperience in public speaking and dramatically improve your speaking skills whether you are persuading, educating, or informing. Our highly interactive courses focus on professional business communication including preparation, structure, delivery, and strategy, use of visual aids, and handling questions & answers. Contact us today by phone at 713-627-7700 or via email: service@publicspeakingtraining.net

Public Speaking Skills Training: Choreograph Your Speech

We usually think of choreography in connection with plays or dance routines; I believe, however, that we can choreograph our speeches as well! Where we place ourselves when speaking can have a great impact on how audiences respond to our messages. Here are some suggestions on how to choreograph your next speech.

To start speaking, stand where you are equally distant from all members of the audience as much as possible. That is usually the center and front of the room, but if you have an unusually shaped room you may want to stand at the beginning of the speech to the left or right of the lectern—wherever each audience member has an equal opportunity of hearing and seeing you as you speak. That spot should be the focus of your position. Move away at times for emphasis or to change direction in your speech, but come back to that initial position so that you will not be favoring some portion of the audience by where you stand. Everyone in the audience wants to be included in your speech and your physical position helps insure this for the audience.

Stand to the left of the screen from the viewpoint of the audience when using slides. This may not be physically possible if the equipment is built-in to the speaking room, but do so if convenient. We typically read from left to right on a page, so standing to the left of the screen allows the audience ease in reading the material on the slide.

Take a step toward your audience when you want to emphasize a point—not away from them. Moving a step into your audience is a visual punctuation mark to the point you are making. Pacing while speaking is as distracting as a plethora of unnecessary punctuation in a sentence.

Never turn your back to the audience when using props or slides. Be familiar enough with the front of the room so that you can take a step back to the screen or the prop without tripping over chairs or tables. If you turn and face the screen, not only does the audience see just your backside, but you then have to reestablish rapport when you turn to face the group again.

Even if you're speaking from behind a lectern, avoid staying there through the entire speech. Make it a point to stand to the side or in front of the lectern at times so that you seem more open to the audience. This is especially important when you are taking questions. Standing without a physical barrier in front of you makes you seem more open to the audience and they will be encouraged to listen to you and ask questions.

If there is a section of the audience that does not seem to be listening as carefully as the rest of the audience or if there is conversation going on as you're speaking, moving into their space for just a few moments will often encourage them to give up their conversation and will bring their attention back to you.

Where you stand certainly is not a part of your speech content, but knowing these different possibilities for movement while speaking can make your content impact your audience positively.

  

Stephen Boyd: link

Subject: Public Speaking Skills Training