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5.Speak to
level of audience. Your script should be like a conversation you would have with a member of your audience one on one. Use terminology they are used to, fond of, or wishing to know more about. Learn parlance of field you are addressing. Keep away from words they are not likely to know. Use accessible language.
6.Use eye contact! This helps you and them, especially when you wish to deliver information with an emotional impact. So often speakers look down at their papers or floor to say most important things! This is a natural impulse, it is one way we check our own emotions and feelings. Do opposite when you are presenting. Even when it is bad news. Use eye contact and a neutral gaze, allowing you and your audience to connect.
7.Use 5 Hollywood script techniques: Drama, Humor, Wisdom, Poignancy, and Surprise Ending. Find moments in your speech for these elements and it will make you unforgettable.
8.Use your own experiences and life stories as examples and metaphors. Search your life for times of conflict and identify lessons and opportunities that came out of that conflict. This is a powerful tool known as transferable metaphor. Your audience has come to see you, not what you have borrowed from somebody else.
9.Know your opening and closing by heart. These are most important times you connect with your audience. It’s important to recap your dominant thoughts, tell a final joke or important motivational ending, but know it cold!
10.Give time for questions. Always end with, “Before I close, what questions do you have?”
11.Plan your ending strategy. You can go over time if situation allows, or conversely, you can end your talk a bit sooner and finish with questions and answers.
For the past 18 years Dianne has worked with Fortune 500 Companies and top government agencies to optimize leadership & communication skills. As a veteran Broadway stage performer, Dianne knows how mastering public speaking can catapult your career, and her expert coaching makes your process a fun, meaningful exploration into your best self. Phone: 818-789-4791 Email: Dianne@diannelegro.com Web: www.diannelegro.com
