1. Use personal stories

Develop 3 or 4 key points that are the backbone of your presentation. Around each of your key points tell personal stories, examples, anecdotes or case studies that you are very familiar with and have been directly involved with. This then means that you do not have to learn a script, or read from notes, as you are telling a story, your story, that you know well and can recount without notes. And if the order of the story, the exact details change each time you tell it, that does not matter as the crux of the story, the essence remains the same and illustrates the point that you are trying to emphasise.

Build your bank of stories around each point that you speak on. And as you build you these you have more to call upon when you are speaking. You will have both sides of the story with a positive example and a negative example. If your mind goes blank and you forget that particular story which you usually tell to illustrate that point, then you calmly call upon the other example that you have in your story bank. As you build your story bank, you will have different stories that then become more appropriate for different audiences. The stories that I use when speaking to health professionals are different to the stories that I use when speaking to financial advisors.

Your stories need to be short, they need to have a point and the point needs to link to your core message. Build your bank of stories.

The easiest way to do this is to have conviction, absolute conviction in your own message and what you are saying. That is an unwavering belief that your message, your service, your product will really help people in their lives. Your message will help transform people’s lives by addressing some of the issues, pain or problems they are experiencing. Or alternatively your message will help people achieve some success or goal which is important to them and will help them in their lives.

In marketing terms, they say that "the first sale must be to yourself". This simply means that you buy 100% what you are saying. You believe in your message wholeheartedly and you know that it is a message that will help your target audience one way or the other. To not believe your own message lends you to being seen as not honest, not genuine and similar to a snake oil or magic remedy salesperson.

If you don’t speak with conviction, then most audiences will detect this and they won’t buy your message. Have conviction every time you speak, because if you don’t believe what you are saying is important and valuable, why are you saying it. 

Regardless of what you speak on, or your area of expertise, there will always be those 3 or 4 common questions that are frequently asked. And of course as an expert or knowledgeable person in that area, you know the answers, solutions and ways to overcome these problems. Use these 3 or 4 common questions as the 3 or 4 anchor points for your speech and then give the answers and the information needed around each question.

For example, if I was going to give a speech on the 4 most important things that you can do to increase your effectiveness as a presenter, I would say.

            Learn to speak with confidence and reduce any nerves

            Use a simple and effective structure

            Design your core message to meet the needs of your audience

            Build rapport and connect with your audience

I know these 4 questions off by heart and I know the answers, as I have been teaching them for many years. There is speech structure all organised and simple to remember.

Lack of good eye contact can mean several things and this includes

• A sign of nerves
• Lack of confidence and uncertainty
• Lack of honesty or conviction around what you are saying – if you don’t know the answer – then don’t try and answer it.
• Thinking about the future (eyes to the roof) or searching the past (eyes to the floor)
• Lack of interest or engagement with your audience.

Eye contact is important as it allows you to

• Share yourself openly with the audience- the eyes are the windows to your sole
• Demonstrate sincerity and honesty in your message
• Attend to the audience and read the audience. You will see if they are flagging or going to sleep, or shaking their head in disagreement. This allows you to change tack to reengage the audience.

My philosophy on eye contact is that my lips should never move unless I am looking at 1 person. I encourage you to look at 1 person at a time and spend a few milliseconds and speak to them and then move to another person. Do this in a random but inclusive pattern around the room, remembering that in a big audience, if you look at 1 person, the 10 people sitting directly around that person will think that you are looking at them. If you want use a model to ensure that you cover the room fully, you can use a Z pattern or an X pattern, which enables you to track and ensure that you are covering all parts of the room.

Common errors regarding eye contact include

• Speaking with you back to the audience
• Looking to the back of the room  - over the tops of everyone’s heads
• Looking at the ceiling or the floor while speaking
• Scanning the room with a vacant gaze, not actually looking at an individual
• Lighthouse eye contact, where you move systematically, like a lighthouse, from left to right of the room, without actually stopping to look at individuals as you go.

Use your eye contact when presenting, develop your confidence with eye contact, get feedback on how well you use your eye contact, after all it is one of the keys to building rapport and connecting to your audience.

In my public speaking workshops, I get each person to do mini speeches and I get the other participants to analyse and critique the mini speech. I also analyse the speech and give feedback and comments and I coach for speaking improvement. This way everyone adds to the learning environment, and the student speakers become the teachers, at the same time receiving valuable feedback from myself and the other participants.

I have just conducted a half day workshop in Bunbury and over the 3 mini speeches each person did, people saw amazing growth and learning take place, just by being open to analyzing and watching other students speak.

You have probably watched Anna Bligh speak over the past weeks in relation to the Queensalnd Floods and cyclone. You would have noticed her honesty, authenticity and emotion that she put into her regulat updates to the people of Queensland and Australia. She was realy able to connect and build rapport and trust with the audience. By watching Anna Blight you can learn so much about effective communication and public speaking.

You have probably watched Barack Obamma speak on TV and noticed how he speaks very fast, but has great use of pause and pacing, which makes him very easy to listen too. By watching Barack Obama you can learn the power of using pause and pacing to create interest and impact. If you do speak fast, take a lesson from Barack Obama.

So take the opportunity whenever you can to observe other speakers, either in person or on TV and look for the lessons. There are plenty to be learned.

•  lets you know of areas where you may be able to improve
• can identify any problems or distracting behavior
• gives you an idea of how you are going from the audiences perspective, which is usually a lot better than you give yourself credit for

  For feedback to be useful, it needs to be

•         Specific
•         Immediate
•         Honest
•         Actionable

There are many ways that you can get feedback including, video record yourself and watch it later, practice in front of a mirror and observe yourself and have a friend or audience member that you have briefed before your presentation to give you feedback.

Regardless of how you obtain the feedback, ensure it is specific, immediate, honest and actionable. It is no good asking someone "how was that", or "what did you think". You need to ask them before you speak to give you feedback on 1 or 2 particular aspects of your presentation that you wish to work on. Give them permission to be honest and let them know that you are aware of this problem and ask them for the feedback immediately after your presentation. 

Every time you present or undertake some public speaking, use as an opportunity to grow and improve; use it as an opportunity to get open and honest feedback

There is a famous marketing quote that states, “People buy from people they know, like, and trust.” I am unsure of the author, but it is in much of the marketing literature. I have slightly adapted this quote to say “People listen and learn from people they know, like, and trust.” As a speaker and presenter, you are selling knowledge, information, your experience, a new way of thinking and you are doing this to help the audience in one way or another. Generally you are helping your audience to solve a problem, overcome adversity, alleviate some pain, achieve a goal or reach some dream in their lives. Before selling these messages to your audience, first take the time to build rapport and connect.

Some tips for rapport building and audience connecting presentations include:

• ·         Know what you are talking about
• ·         Do what you say “Walk The Talk”
• ·         Have some credentials and experience
• ·         Reveal you vulnerability or your journey
• ·         Share your struggle
• ·         Be humble and open to the audience ideas
• ·         Build trust
• ·         Remain behind at the end of your presentation – be the last to leave
• ·         Give them extra value by providing bonuses, newsletters and other free stuff
• ·         Follow up on what you agreed to do – find the answers to those difficult questions

Next time you speak, take the time to connect and build rapport before you move into the teaching, selling, persuasive or information stage of your presentation. Earn the right to “sell” your message first.

Other research also finds that gestures are extremely important and integral in successfully getting your message across when public speaking and presenting. From the research and my own experience as a speaker and trainer, it is clear that body language cannot be underestimated in its impact in helping a speaker deliver their message. 

Some Tips to Start Using More Gestures

Over time gradually expand the range and complexity of gestures that you can use. Develop the depth and the range and the variety of gestures that you can use.

As you grow your gestural vocabulary, get feedback on the effectiveness and appropriates of your gestures. Get feedback by video recording your speeches, practising in front of a mirror or have someone in the audience take notes and provide you specific feedback on your gestures.

Don’t fake or act out your gestures. They need to be spontaneous, genuine and real gestures. It is important to use body language within your range of what is natural. It is also important not to spill over into acting; the audience will sense that you are acting and you risk losing your authenticity as a speaker.

If a speaker is trying to persuade and speak sincerely on a topic but is standing stiffly without any body language, the audience will see this and possibly think the speaker is not sincere and therefore be less likely to believe the message. 

Don’t be afraid to make large and bold gestures.  If the audience is large and you gesture small, they will only see small gestures and they may not match what you are saying. The larger the audience the larger the gestures and body movement needs to be in order to be effective.

The recommended resting positions, when not gesturing are keeping your hands by your side, or a gentle clasp that falls effortlessly in front of you. If using a lectern, then resting them on the lectern when not gesturing will have them ready for action. 

Avoid distracting gestures and movements such as finger twiddles or hand gymnastics, clapping of hands, rubbing, playing with pens, jewellery and other distracting items. Try to remain calm and centred on the stage and avoid pacing, rocking, swaying, foot tapping or other distracting movements that we sometime see.

So the next time you prepare to speak or present, what are you going to do to prepare to be effective and more open with your gestures? How are you going to get feedback to see how you went and what can you enhance or change to make your gestures and body language even more effective? Remember a large amount of your communication; your sincerity and your message are in your body language. Let your body talk.

I have been watching the regular reporting of the Queensland floods and have been shocked and shaken by the enormity of the disaster. I have also been watching with great interest the interviews that have been given by Anna Bligh, Premier of Queensland and Julia Gillard, Prime Minister of Australia.

Anna Bligh has delivered very effective and natural interviews full of honesty, sincerity and emotion and has used natural and free flowing hand gestures as required. The gestures do not dominate and are not repetitive and they blend in with the content being spoken.

Julia Gillard on the other hand has been much less natural and used gestures that distract from what she is saying. This results in her coming across to me as less genuine and less authentic, even though I am sure she is equally genuine in what she is saying. Many of the gestures are repetitive, stilted; do not match the content that is being said and are not consistent with the emotion that is trying to be demonstrated.

The essence of the difference between the two leaders has been captured very well in the West Australian Newspaper on the 14 January, and I enclose a copy for your interest. 

One of the big lessons for me in the movie was right at the end in the new Kings first speech to the nation.  The King was getting ready to speak into the radio microphone to millions of people in the UK and around the world to other Nations in the Empire. The speech pathologist, played by Geoffrey Rush, said to the King “Just speak to me and speak to me as a friend”.

This advice is very valuable and anyone who is nervous about speaking, has anxiety or fear and finds themselves in front of the biggest crowd in their lives should adopt it. Yes it may be the biggest crowd you have ever spoken in front of, but just speak to one person at a time and think of them all as friends. As you move your eye contact around the room just have a chat with that one person for a moment, and then another person, and then another so you entire speech is simply having a chat with friends, one person at a time.

If you can adopt this attitude and this framework, it will be easier to relax and be more confident as you speak; after all it is just a one on one conversation with a friend, even though there are 100 people in the room who you don’t know.

Next time you have to speak, just imagine that you are speaking to one person, having a casual and honest chat, and that person is a friend.