Channel Pro - February 2009

audience has little effect. “I refuse to read anything when I speak, because I’m there as the expert in my field,” she says. “If I have to read it, then I’m not the expert. I might as well just give them my text and walk out the door.”

One of the best ways to keep an audience engaged is by illustrating your talking points with a story that everyone can relate to. “You want people to be able to say, ‘I get it. I’ve been there. I had that same problem last week when I was dealing with that customer,’” says Lett. “When you are speaking to a smaller group, involve them by asking for their stories. A good speaker invites the audience to be a part of what he or she is talking about.”

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

There are a number of everyday situations in which to hone your presentation skills. Lett advises would-be presenters to practice on family and friends by recounting anecdotes about their day or what happened to them on the way to work. She also notes that introducing people provides a prime opportunity to practice your skills. “Learning how to do that well will give you a lot of confidence in being able to get in front of people you don’t know,” she says.

The basics of good speaking apply to

whether you’re addressing an executive team of five individuals or an audience of 50, but your delivery should change somewhat depending on the size of the group. “While speakers want to create an intimate atmosphere and clearly speak to the people, there is one situation in which you’re speaking to the audience, and there is another where you are engaging the audience,” explains Thoreson. Although the goal is to do both, “in a smaller group you must be much more relaxed and a lot less formal because you want interactivity,” he says.

Even an event that isn’t classified as a sales presentation is, in a way, a sales pitch. “Too many times, solution providers get caught up in making a presentation around a product or their company, and they are telling people about what they have or what they do,” says Thoreson. “They are not selling them.”

So providing information is only half the battle, says Thoresen: “Good speakers— whether they are speaking on a technical topic or in a sales environment—have to remember that their presentation is a sales presentation.”

CAROLYN HEINZE isafreelance writer/editor. Reach her at carolynheinze.blogspot.com.

Conquering the Fear Factor

AFTER DEATH, ADULTS’ NUMBER ONE FEAR is speaking in front of a crowd, according to a recent survey by reasontospeak.com, an online learning program for public speaking. While Stephan Schiffman, president of D.E.I. Management Group, argues that there are worse things to be frightened of, he acknowledges that many people panic in front of a crowd because they’re afraid of the unknown—such as tough questions.

“Don’t be surprised if someone asks a difficult question,” advises Schiffman. “Be prepared for it. If it’s a real question and it’s something that you want to answer, [do so] in the best way you can.” That doesn’t mean providing a lengthy explanation that may take you off topic, however. “People think that the audience is looking for this very special answer, when usually all they want is a ‘yes’ or ‘no.’”

Ken Thoreson, president of Acumen Management Group, suggests that those who are uncomfortable speaking in front of a group memorize the first three minutes of the presentation. “Have outlined what you are going to say in your first two sentences, and how you’re going to transition,” he says. “There is nothing wrong with having an outline of what you are going to say laying in front of you on the podium or the table.” While you may write out your entire speech for rehearsal purposes, don’t bring a copy to the presentation—the temptation to read from it might be too great.

Finally, remember that the people you are speaking to are willing participants in the presentation, says Cynthia Lett, director and CEO of The Lett Group. “You have already been acknowledged as someone who knows more about the subject than your audience does,” she says. “We would not be invited to stand in front of a group if we did not already have that acknowledgment from the audience.”