If you search for “public speaking” on Google, you come up mostly with information about the dreaded fear of public speaking. The real problem is not the fear of speaking it is the ability to speak in public effectively.

Speaking at meetings or conferences is probably the best way to skyrocket your career because so few others want to do it or can do it effectively!

So, how do you become a better public speaker? Here are some tips:

1. You must be able to write down what you want to get across on one Post It. Doing this will make you focus on what’s important.
2. Create an outline of what is important. Eliminate what isn’t important.
3. Consider different ways of getting the points across. You may want to use stories, statistics, quotes, graphics/pictures, videos, and more.
4. Stories work best! People remember a stories best.
5. If you use PowerPoint, make sure you are looking at the Post It sheet to keep you on track. Incidentally, giving away your PowerPoint slides as a handout doesn’t make sense. If the slides make sense without you, they didn’t need you to speak. If the slides don’t make sense without you, it silly to give it away.
6. Always provide a handout…either digital or on paper. Regardless of how good a speaker you are, the audience will forget most of what you said…quickly. Handouts are the best way to help them remember.

Need help? Please contact me.