Before your next talk, practice these 10 things and I guarantee both you and your audience will be glad you did.

1. Be prepared :
First and foremost, you must talk about something that you have earned the right to talk about. Something you have seen, touched, tasted or otherwise experienced or something that you have studied until it is now a personal and familiar interest to you. In other words, it must be obvious you really know a lot about the subject. Go over your notes several times as the date grows near and one last time the night before. Be prepared and both your audience and you will enjoy the speech more. Bullet point your notes when you take them to the podium so you can simply refer to them and then use your own words.........NEVER just stand up there and read the notes.....you don't need a speech in that case......you could have emailed the notes..

2. Dress and Appearance
Wear clothes suitable for the occasion that fit you well. Clothes similar to what the audience is wearing. Clothes must be clean, clean, clean. If you are a man, shoes shined, hair neatly cut and fingernails clean. If lady, neat hair do and go easy on the make up. Both sexes, wear deodorant but no perfume. Wear comfortable shoes.

3. Breaking the ice
You have to "break the ice" before you go on stage. Arrive early - greet people as they come in and introduce yourself. Shake hands and smile, smile, smile, and let your enthusiasm show. When you take the microphone - the ice must be already broken and in the glass. When it is time to go on stage, you must go up and "take charge" in the first few minutes.

4. Confidence
Speaking to a group of people is frightening. The fear of it is second only to the fear of dying. It's the same whether you are performing before a thousand people, or a supervisor/manager talking to a dozen of your employees. The butterflies will come. The weak knees and the dry mouth. My advice is to have "Notes". Not big long pages, but a 5X7 note book with index cards that you have punched holes in to fit the notebook. Have only one point on each card and flip them one by one as you move through your talk. This little note book will give you confidence, even if you are a "seasoned "speaker, because a lot of times "When you stand up, your mind sits down".

There was a joke about this. A lady was to make a speech on the way she got brave and threw away her notes. She got up to the mike and looked over her audience and said. "Ladies and gentlemen, when I came in this place tonight, only God and I knew what I was going to say. Now, only HE knows!"

5. Grab Your Audience's Attention Early on. Experts say that if you don't get the people's attention in the first 2 or 3 minutes, you will not get it at all. Remember to keep smiling and try one or more of the following:

1. First, establish some common ground. Let them know you know something about their city, their occupations, their football teams, etc. Maybe something they are famous for. Make it funny if at all possible.

2. Tell them that what you have to say will change their lives....absolutely!.

3. Promise them something.....a good time, some fun, something they have never heard before, etc.

6. Keep Them Interested You must use some humor if you are to keep them interested. When they laugh, it sends oxygen to the brain. It also brings everyone to the same level like family. Have a few funnies that are related to the subject and make them part of your talk.

If the speech starts to drag, declare "comic relief" time and tell a couple of really funny jokes from your note book pocket (your "comic relief" jokes do not have to relate to your subject....just funny!. Remember, if they are not funny to you, they will not be funny to them). Everybody likes to laugh. It will keep your audience interested ...........and awake!

7. Knowing When to Stop If you have been asked to speak 45 minutes. STOP in 45 minutes. Always know what you are going to end with.....and if things start dragging be ready to go into your closing remarks...even if your time is not completely up.

8. Have extra stuff If you run out of material before you are finished ...always have a few extra cards in the back of your notebook. These will contain points on your subject or a related story or poem, that you can use if necessary.

9. Close With a Flourish You want them to remember you. When you close, review the most important points of your talk (not in detail)...just skimming over them. Then have a great poem or quotation and close something like this " I will close with a little poem that wraps up what we have talked about today, but before the poem I want to wish you good luck and God Speed". .......then do the ending with renewed enthusiasm. Don't let yourself get weary at the end and keep smiling! . Sometimes you may have to use the "as if" principle. You may have to act "as if" you are enthusiastic. I promise you the "as if" principle will work for you every time.

10. Stay Around for a While. Don't rush off. Stay around and let the people talk to you. If you have books, etc, sign them and tell each person how much you enjoyed being with them. Shake hands and smile, smile, smile.......and maybe a few hugs! You want the memories of the event to be pleasant.

If you have a DVD player you are set. All of Mildred's videos on DVD:
Super Supervisor 1 DVD & workbook/facilitator guide
Super Supervisor 2 DVD & workbook/facilitator guide
Winner Warts and All motivational
Samples of Superman and Superwoman hat, gold pin, set of books

Only $995.00 (saves over $400)

Dear Doug,

I just wanted to let you know that I recently trained over 90 of our Super Supervisors using your video training program. Thanks to you and Mildred, it was extremely successful. I have heard nothing but positive comments regarding the information that was presented. The discussion that followed was beneficial to all of the participants. The material that is provided is easy to understand and will be reviewed by our Super Supervisors in the coming months.

However, because of the overwhelming turn-out, we need 25 more books..... any 'special' deals for 'special' customers? :) I'd really appreciate it!!

Becky

If you would like more information on Mildred or the Supervisor please visit positivepresentations.com

Volunteer to speak when the next opportunity arises and use the ten tips....email me and let me know how it went.

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Links to the Current Super Supervisor Communication Skills 6 part Series:

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This comprehensive 6 part series addresses human communications and its evolution since the cave days. Hope you enjoy it and find it useful....Exclusive to PZ subscribers

1.Breakthroughs in Communications.(a historical overview and a peek into the future)
2. 3 - D Communication skills. (Connecting with team members' body, mind and spirit using Mildred's employee triangle).
3. Effective One way Communication Skills (using FAD technique for one on one or one to group reporting)
4. Optimizing Group Communications (Applying de Bono's "6 hats" to interactive sessions like, team meetings, creative brainstorms, classroom training, e-mail, internet, phone).
5. Mildred's Top Ten Tips on Public Speaking.(this issue) (Tips that have made Mildred Live! seminars so successful)
6. Effective one on one communications: The Talking/Listening balancing act. It's an exchange! (next month)

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