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Using PowerPoint to time your presentations?

Zainul at How-to Geek writes …

Delivering a presentation is not just about giving good slides, it is also about making sure that our presentation finishes by the time our audience wants to have their tea break—so practicing how long to speak for each slide is essential for a proper presentation.

and goes on to explain how to rehearse the timing of the presentation, even how to set up the slide show to run by itself.
Useful information for when you have a presentation that needs no flexibility. Thank you How-to Geek!

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Storytelling tips

Jay O’Callahan writes:

When my own children were young they would ask me at dinner to “tell when you were bad, Daddy.” Recalling small things that happened to me as a boy allowed them to have fun but also to see that I, too, was small and worried and hurt and naughty. Suddenly, I was no longer just “Daddy” but a friend sharing a world they knew.
When my son was a third grader, he used to come home each day telling ordinary stories about his teacher. “Mr. McCurdy is making Portuguese bread again tonight. It’s an egg bread and sticky. He had to answer the phone last night just when both hands were covered with a sticky mess. . .” Or, “Mr. McCurdy doesn’t like New York City. His wife has to hold on to him on the sidewalk there ’cause he gets terribly dizzy.”
We are all human – and stories remind us of our humanity, our sense of fun and wonder and struggle. The stories you begin to collect can be personal, folk, adventure, mystery. It depends on you, your students, your interests and theirs. But tell them, tell them, tell them.

in an article 16 Storytelling Tips for the Tellerwhich is not only hugely valuable for storytellers, for speakers using stories, but also for improving public speaking itself.

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Once More With Feeling

At the lectern the physician-scientist spoke with passion and enthusiasm, lowering his voice and then raising it, changing its pace and rhythm, using metaphors and analogies, describing vividly a particular treatment and why it should be approved. Into his presentation he wove the story of a particular patient, one for whom several treatments had failed, not only lowering the quality of her life but increasingly endangering that life.
Not for a second did the physician-scientist ignore the data. The evidence with which he supported his message was compelling. He spoke with authority, creating the kind of credibility that engages listeners’ trust.
Yet in his presentation he elevated pathos, an appeal to emotion. He did so by telling a story, by choosing words for their emotional value, by using figurative language, and by varying his delivery – all techniques that can help a speaker evoke and use audience emotion to persuade.
CHOICES
Our physician-scientist could have chosen one of the other two means of persuasion to guide his talk.
… => bit.ly/9WTcLp

Friends with Cognitive Benefits

Having a friendly chat with a colleague before a big presentation or test may be a good strategy. A recent study found that pleasant social interactions help people perform better on cognitive tasks.

http://bit.ly/b6cpHy

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Public Speaking – Facts Tell But Stories Sell

The truly successful speaker understands the power of story. Most speeches or presentations overflow with facts, figures and information. We’re bombarded with data.
But before your audience can believe in your facts, they need to believe in you. Telling stories is a good way of helping your audience get to know you – which is the first step towards believing you.
Stories don’t have to be long. Just make sure the anecdote or story is simple, clear and relevant. (And won’t alienate any group within your audience). Stories:
• are a good way of engaging the audience;
• let the audience know you can be trusted;
• give structure to information and make data memorable;
• help keep the audience constantly engaged;
• are a wonderful teaching tool;
• touch us in a way facts don’t.
Parkinson’s Disease is a fact. Actor Michael J. Fox’s struggle with Parkinson’s Disease is a story that drives medical research, agitates for political change, and has people reaching into wallets and purses to finance the search for a cure.
Try to tell a story at least every 5 minutes in your speech or presentation.
Even accountants have stories
I worked with one group who said: “We are accountants. We don’t have stories.” Believe me, even accountants have stories. Anyone who achieves a personal or professional goal, but has to overcome difficulties to do it, has a story. Because at the heart of story is a character confronting difficulties to achieve something worthwhile.
Put a human face on your data. Convert your facts and figures into a story people will remember and your audience will hang on to every word you say.
Facts tell – but stories sell.
Neil Everton is a media skills trainer and presentation skills coach with Podium Media & Communications Coaching

The 10 psychological stages of public speaking

Michael Hyatt writes that he has spoken publicly about a dozen times in the last three weeks. Because this is more than usual, he has begun to notice a pattern in his psychological state as he goes through the speaking cycle.
He goes on to list 10 stages that seem to apply to each speaking situation. I have to agree that it is heartening to know that the less comfortable stages are “normal” for you and that they have their part to play in a successful presentation.
And I think I have quite a few stages in common with him, but not all.
What about You?

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3 Presentation mistakes you have to avoid

Love this, Tim …

I’m sorry but I’m starting to get frustrated. And I’m due for a rant anyway.
If you are making these mistakes in your presentations then you’d better stop. Or I’m going to walk out. Quietly so you won’t see me.
Or I’ll just slowly stop listening.
Until all I hear is a soft buzzing of the audio equipment in the back. And the sound of a few chairs squeaking due to other uneasy victims being sucked into the vortex.
I do a lot of presentations and I’m not here to say that I am a big-time speaker. With the best slides and the A-list type content.
Someday Perhaps.
But I am watching you. To see what I can learn from you.
And lately I have been watching a lot of presentations. Great for me actually. To compare the good, the bad and the ugly. And to push myself to get better.
So I’ve picked three mistakes that I’ve seen over the past weeks. Some at a few big events (hint, I am writing from Las Vegas. Attending the Blog World Expo). As they happen, these mistakes feel like a slowly building stomach sickness. But more than that? I feel really frustrated. That quality speakers would make these mistakes:

http://bit.ly/aSc1Sn

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Organizing a Speech – The Five Steps Required

So you have to give a speech! It could be for a friend’s wedding, for an eulogy, or a presentation at work. No matter what the reason if you are not used to public speaking your first thought might be “how can I get out of it.” But don’t panic as I can help you overcome your fears with organizing a speech.
A good speech that you are complemented on is great for your self-esteem. Good preparation and practice at least twenty times is the key to success and helps deal with nervousness.
I have been public speaking since 2006 and can help you get organized. Here is what I do when organizing a speech.
All speeches have five essential steps in the following order.
1. A Goal
A goal is essential for organizing a speech. It is never part of the speech but is a guide to organizing a clear and meaningful message. Discussing everything possible about a subject is usually impossible because of time constraints and of not overwhelming your audience with information.
A goal therefore contains only one idea that specifies the speech’s purpose. It maybe to persuade, entertain or inform.
Here is an example of an effective speech goal for a Best Man speech.
“I want my audience to know the three reasons why John and Emma are the perfect couple.”
2. The Preview Statement
The preview statement is a direct result of the speech Goal. The Preview Statement should be one complete sentence that highlights the three or four things you want to say about a particular topic. Your preview statement lets the audience know what is coming in the speech.
An example for the best Man speech would be:
“The three reasons John and Emma are the perfect couple is because they love each other, they laugh with each other and they learn from each other.”
This will be the last sentence of your introduction which I will discuss in step 4.
3. Main Points
The main points make up the bulk of your speech. Your main points should be consistent with your preview statement and be in the same order because your audience now has an expectation about what you will say.
Your first main point is “they love each other.” You can then fill in the reasons, examples or stories.
Your second main point is “they laugh with each other.” You could tell a funny story or something funny that might have happened.
Your third main point is that “they learn from each other.” You could explain how much they have changed and grown since meeting.
4. Introduction
Many people think that writing an introduction is the first step to planning a speech. This is not true. The reason I have put it at number four is because it is important to know what the speech is about before you tackle the introduction.
An introduction must grab the audience attention and make sense with the rest of the speech and should set a tone. Is it funny, somber, serious or urgent? It can come in many forms: a story, a joke, or even a song. Use your preview statement as the last sentence to lead into your main body content as mentioned in number two.
5. Conclusion
The conclusion, in part, is a repeat of your preview statement. So you could start the conclusion by saying the example from the best man’s speech as follows:So “The three reasons John and Emma are the perfect couple is because they love each other, they laugh with each other and they learn from each other.”
This will let the audience know the speech is ending. You can then give a brief outline of the body of the speech to complete the conclusion.
Organizing a speech helps your audience follow your message and they will walk away remembering your key points. It is also great for self-confidence. You can do it!
Terry Luffman is the creator of Get Self Improvement. Visit My Site to find out more information and articles on Self Improvement and Overcoming Fears that will help you with giving a speech.

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Using visualisation to prepare for your speech

Visualisation is a very useful tool in preparing for a presentation.
Visualise the feelings you have as you present. They will help you prepare for passion. They will also let you know if you are being authentic.
Visualise the audience – who they are, what they are thinking, how they are responding. Everything about your speech has to be geared to those things.
Visualise the audience members as they stand to leave. What are they thinking now? What will they do in response to you presentation? And you will know, very simply, the core message of your speech.
The answers to all of these will guide you as you work through preparing your speech.

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Just for fun

The secret of success is sincerity. Once you can fake that you’ve got it made.
–Jean Giraudoux