<i>Sales Speak</i>: Overcoming the Great Myth of Public Speaking

Start by personally introducing yourself to attendees before the presentation begins. Doing so sets a positive tone, builds rapport, and begins to establish trust. It also puts you at ease because you develop a comfortable connection with each individual. If the audience is too large, walk around and shake hands with a cross-section of the group. Try to remember a few names as well so that you can reference your quick meeting and possibly encourage friendly participation.

Ask Questions

To shake off the initial anxiety, consider asking the audience a question at the outset. It helps to immediately engage the listeners and further enhances your comfort level. Prompting others to raise their hands can also positively involve them in the presentation.

Consider questions that will be easy to answer and are relevant to most of the audience members. For example, “How many people have ever had to ask for directions and decided not to?” Or, “Has anyone here ever experienced a flight delay?” These questions are easy to answer and will probably evoke a vivid memory that your audience members can apply the point you are planning to make. It instantly connects them to the lesson.

Don't Apologize

While you may have less energy due to an early trip or are recovering from a cold, don't apologize for it. Although it may seem polite, it sends the audience a signal that it should expect less, and encourages individuals to limit their attention. You will only prompt them to check their e-mail even sooner. They genuinely want you to prosper, so intentionally lowering their expectations will introduce a barrier that will be hard to overcome during your time together.

Survey Your Audience

In an effort to tailor your presentation, consider asking the event organizer to distribute a very brief link to a Web-based tool such as SurveyMonkey.com in advance to learn more about the prospective participants before you arrive. Survey responses allow the speaker to customize the discussion by citing actual quotes and relevant metrics. It will also permit you to directly focus on the interests of the attendees. You can also gamify your discussion by asking the audience to guess what the survey revealed based on various choices you provide on a PowerPoint slide.

Tell Stories

Storytelling is a critical element of public speaking. Sharing stories that are authentic, relevant, and illustrative help to captivate listeners and often provide details to which they can relate. It also puts the speaker at ease because it permits him or her to recall a meaningful moment.

In fact, sincere anecdotes tend to be naturally entertaining, emotional, and interesting. They give the listener insight into the speaker's experience and approach. Consider keeping a file of personal and professional stories that are important to you, and try to identify a lesson that each teaches. Set up an e-mail folder for “great stories” to hold messages that either contain or reference an interesting narrative for future review.

Make Eye Contact

It is critical to engage individuals to whom you are speaking with a warm level of eye contact. Instead of staring at specific people, consider shifting your gaze as you speak, but visually connecting with each individual as often as possible. This exercise will help you stay connected to your audience, but it will also force you to look up from your notes or avoid reading directly from your slides.

Incorporate Imagery

In lieu of notes, use visual cues to help guide the presentation both for you and for the audience. Strong imagery gives a presenter the chance to capture attention without fueling distraction. Wikipedia and a variety of websites such as Morguefile.com offer great photos that are in the public domain.

Don't worry about using the perfect photo, just make sure it is clear and has some relevance to the point you are trying to make. A pretty good photo is often better than fantastic text. It will spark a conversation and set the foundation for follow-up.

Prepare; Then Prepare Again

Ultimately, you can fight a fear of public speaking with preparation. Public speaking makes everyone uncomfortable, but by preparing and getting to know your audience, you are certain to find success. When my kids were younger, I would prepare for upcoming programs in my home office while they sat on a nearby couch. I remember pausing at one point to ask the audience if there were any questions. My son raised his hand and when I called on him, he asked: “Who are you talking to and what are you talking about?” I thanked him for his excellent question and moved on to the next slide, commenting to the rest of the audience (consisting only of his sister sitting next to him) that one can never predict the questions he or she will receive so it is important to take everything in stride. We all laughed.

I know my son will deliver a great middle school presentation with that memory in mind and am confident that by following the tips above, you will too.

Ari Kaplan, a member of this newsletter's Board of Editors, is the founder of Lawcountability. He provides a variety of training programs at law firms, including one on public speaking. For a copy of his infographic called “10 Ways to Empower Your Public Speaking,” e-mail him at [email protected].