How To Give Great Speeches To Groups Of Any Size

Written by Jim Meisenheimer

The fear of public speaking ranks pretty high on any list of what people fear most. I've seen it rank higher than death and even skydiving.

As a teenager I had the worst fear of public speaking imaginable. I won't bore you with the details. But it is enough to say that during the last 19.5 years I have earned a living as a professional speaker. Heck - I've even been nominated to the Speaker Hall Of Fame five times.

The bottom line is - if I can do it, anyone can do it. From time to time, if you're in sales, you're going to give presentations to different groups both large and small.

There's no need for you to suffer any anxiety - like I did.

Here's a list of 9 things you can do to make your stand-up presentations stand-out:

1. Do everything you can to make your presentation a conversation with your audience which means you have to get them involved. The easiest way to do this is to ask open ended questions.

2. Focus on what you want them to remember instead of overwhelming them with nauseating details. Less is always more.

3. Beware of the dreaded monotone. The only way to tell if you speak in a monotone is to record yourself. Treat yourself and listen to what your audiences are listening to. This is so simple yet it's so scary and intimidating to most people - only a small minority of salespeople actually record and listen to their presentations.

4. Have some fun. Forget about being perfect, it's not worth the effort. Enjoy yourself, enjoy your audience and just be yourself. In the speaking business, that's referred to as being authentic - the real thing!

5. Most people are tired of seeing PowerPoint presentations. So - skip the PowerPoint and tell stories and share experiences which are more meaningful and ultimately more memorable.

6. Don't cling to the podium. Move around as you're speaking to your group. You'll come across as being more relaxed doing it this way.

7. It should go without saying, but I'll say it anyway, inject passion and enthusiasm throughout your presentation. It's the biggest energizer on the planet and you don't want to leave home without it.

8. Finish strong and leave them wanting to hear more from you.

9. The four best ways to start and end your presentation are: Start with a quotation. Start with a compelling statement. Start with a rhetorical question. Start by telling a meaningful short story.

When you start your presentation you want to grab them. When you end your presentation you want to WOW them.

A big No-No. Never read your presentation. Never!

If you incorporate these speaking tips into your stand-up presentations, you'll be sure to stand-out!

Jim Meisenheimer -
	Jim Meisenheimer is a former US Army Officer, was Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Baxter International, the creator of the Sales Trailblazer V.I.P. Selling Club and the publisher of The Sales Trailblazer Newsletter. He's been nominated to the Speaker Hall Of Fame four times. Use this link to sign-up for Jim's FREE Start Selling More Newsletter. http://www.startsellingmore.com Read More >>
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