This is the second part of a two part series on public speaking. You will notice that in this article and the previous article I avoided using the word "speech". That is because I think when most of us hear the word "speech" we visualize a very formal setting and a very formal presentation. I prefer to use the word "talk". Unless you become a professional speaker, most of your opportunities to speak will most likely be of an informal nature to local business groups or organizations.

However, even if this is not the case, a good talk or "speech" should, to the very best of your ability, use a conversational tone and language. In every situation that I can think of, public speaking should come across as a conversation with the audience, not a stuffy speech.

The three parts of a public speaking talk are the opening, the body, and the closing. As you would logically conclude, the body is the largest of the three, and usually accounts for about 90% of the presentation time. Though the opening and closing only take about 10 percent of the allotted time, they are easily the most critical parts of your talk.

The Opening.

If the opening is slow, tentative and boring, the audience will mentally check out early on. Most likely you will never win them back once that has happened.

Your opening is the first and best opportunity to grab and hold the audience's interest. On the other hand, it is very likely a time of a high level of nervousness on your part. Things can go downhill quickly if the audience senses your nervousness or anxiety. They may lose interest entirely.

So how do you effectively capture and hold their attention? By coming on full force. To do this with confidence (as we discussed in the previous article) you must learn your opening and practice it until you could do it in your sleep.

Examples of some effective opening techniques include: questions, either literal or rhetorical; humor that directly relates to the talk- especially a funny story (even better if it is about yourself); a quotation from a well known individual; a startling fact or statistic; or perhaps even an audience participation activity.

The Closing.

Similarly, prepare a well-rehearsed, powerful close. Keep in mind that even a mediocre presentation can be "rescued" with a strong close. The closing provides a speaker a last chance to help the audience remember the key points or drive home an important message. Unfortunately, however, even some experienced speakers do not plan an effective closing sequence. They just wind down, thank the audience and sit down.