Public Speaking Quotes

Audience Involvement Techniques: STYLE: Drama, Eye Communication, Movement, Use of Visuals INTERACTION: Questioning, Demonstrations, Gimmicks CONTENT: Interest, Humor

What is the amateur speaker’s number one mistake? Looking away from the audience to read from slides or visual aids. Use a script or cue cards instead, or look at the original on the overhead projector while facing the audience.

Woodrow Wilson was once asked how long it would take him to prepare for a 10 minute speech. He replied “Two weeks”. He was then asked how long it would take for a 1 hour speech. “One week”, he replied. 2 hour speech? “I’m ready right now,” he replied. (It’s easy to fill in time with “fat”. It’s much more difficult and takes more advance preparation to succinctly trim the fat and deliver the “lean”.)

The process of successful communication breaks down into 3 parts: 1. Know yourself 2. Know your objective and the major points of your message 3. Know your audience and speak to the individual (even in large groups) Consider: Timing, Listening & Sensitivity

8 GREATEST SPEECH BLUNDERS: 1. Dullness itself: Relying on only one or two illustrations to make your points. (Use salient statistics … timely quotes … appropriate examples … personal stories to help visualize and remember) 2. NOT repeating your message enough. (Repetition is crucial to retention. Half an hour after a presentation, the average listener has already forgotten 40 percent of what was said. By the end of the week, 90 percent is usually forgotten. The more you repeat and illustration your message, the more retention you’ll get.) 3. NOT answering the audience’s most major question, “What’s in it for me?” 4. Burying your point. (Use signal phrases such as “What’s important here,” or “This can’t be overemphasized” to focus people’s attention on the most important parts of your speech.) 5. Forgetting to practice (and time) your speech out loud. 6. Forgetting to check visual aids for readability. 7. Answering hypothetical questions after the speech. (Turn the question back to reality by saying “Based on these facts and the existing situation, this is how I would handle the situation” or ask others in the audience for how they would handle.) 8. Getting distracted before you speak. (Always take 5 minutes or more to collect your thoughts, focus on your message and breathe before stepping up to the lectern.)

Tips on SPONTANEOUS SPEAKING: Don’t get unnerved. Take a few deep breaths. Compose self/thoughts. Discuss only 2-3 key points (don’t give an A-Z). Stick to one subject. Close firmly. Don’t ramble on.

Public Speaking IMPACT is based 55% on VISUAL (how you look when you say it), 38% on VOCAL (how you say it) and 7% on VERBAL (what you say). To illustrate the impact of the VISUAL, pick a few pictures from a recent issue of a magazine, describe them (ad for hotel, car etc.) one at a time, then show picture to audience. If a picture does that, what would a REAL LIVE DEMONSTRATION do? (an actual tour of a hotel, sit in a new car, etc.)

ORATORY: The art of making deep noises from the chest sound like important messages from the brain.

KEEP IT SIMPLE The Lord’s Prayer contains 56 words The Gettysburg Address contains 272 words The Ten Commandments contains 297 words The USA Declaration of Independence contains 300 words A bag of Lay’s Potato Chips contains 401 words The IRS Form 1040EZ contains 418 words Average USA-Today cover story contains 1,200 words A recent federal publication on setting the price of cabbage contains 26,911 words

To keep audience focus and attention during a presentation, do a “prize” give-away every 20 minutes or so. Ask a review question on a pertinent point you recently made, first person with the correct answer gets the prize.

It has been said that every speaker has his moment, and some listeners wish it was just that – a moment. So, remembering that the capacity of the mind to absorb is limited by what the seat can endure, I will keep my remarks short.

Governor Claude A. Swanson of Virginia had made a long and rambling speech. Afterwards a woman came up to… shake his hand. “How did you like my speech?” he asked. She answered, “I liked it fine. But it seems to me you missed several excellent opportunities.” Swanson was puzzled. “Several excellent opportunities to do what?” “To quit,” she replied.

Use QUESTIONS as an effective teaching aid: Can you imagine trying to improve your target shooting if you don’t look at the target to see the results of each shot? Questions help you to see how well you are hitting the target. Same would be true of trying to bowl by throwing the ball over a curtain that blocked the view of the pins.

For effective public speaking, remember the “SPEAK” acronym: S = Simplify your material P = Prepare & Practice E = Enthusiasm A = Anxiety – channel it K = Knowledge of your subject

The power of the VISUAL: Consider the safety instructions sheet found on every airplane. This serves as a excellent example of the power of the visual over the written. Why? Overcomes language barriers, catches your attention, more info in shorter amount of time, get a “gestalt” viewpoint, easier to remember. Use VISUALS to capture the attention and retention of YOUR audiences.

INTIMIDATION: A survivor of the Jamestown flood finally died and arrived in heaven. He asks Peter if he can give a speech regarding his experiences and how he managed to survive. Just before he gives his speech, Peter says “Oh, by the way, just one small thing you might be interested in knowing – Noah is in the audience.”

JUST FOR SPEAKERS: (Try using these statements when appropriate!) ?? These handouts may not make much sense at first, but you’ll discover that they’re very handy to doodle on when I get real boring! ?? This lighting really plays tricks on your eyes. I’m actually a lot more handsome and skinnier than I look! ?? That’s a very good question. See me during the break, and I’ll avoid answering it then, too! ?? Don’t be embarrassed to ask even the simplest, most basic question – after all, those are the only ones I’ll be able to answer! ?? Some of you in the rear may not be able to hear me. Those of you in the front may want to go back and join them. ?? I’m not being paid to speak with you tonight. So that, right of the bat, blows my credibility. ?? Before I begin, those of you with cellular phones may want to arrange for a wake-up call. ?? People always feel optimistic about listening to me. They figure the next speaker can’t possibly be as bad!

NERVOUSNESS: Nothing wrong with having butterflies; but you want to have them fly in formation. Harness your nervousness, make it work FOR you instead of AGAINST you. If you don’t have any nervousness, you’re not going to do a good job.

SEMINAR OPENER: The following quiz can be used as an ice-breaker at the beginning of a seminar. We are going to take a brief quiz designed to assess the type of audience we have here today. This quiz is based upon your individual preference for one of four symbols. The four symbols are: (Draw CIRCLE, TRIANGLE, “Z” and SQUARE) These symbols represent basic differences in personality traits. Which one appeals to you the most? (Think about it for a minute) How many thought the SQUARE best represented them? (write number down, then inform group it represents INTELLIGENCE) Then proceed with: “Z” – CREATIVITY, TRIANGLE- LEADERSHIP, CIRCLE – SEX & BOOZE. Follow with some apropos comments regarding the group!

Words must be weighed, not counted.

When the main portion of the meal was finished, the presiding person whispered to the first speaker, “Shall we let the people enjoy themselves a little longer, or would you like to deliver your speech now?”

When making a slide for a presentation, avoid the “Lord’s prayer on the head of a pin” syndrome. A whole KJV Bible has been placed on one 2 1/4 inch Microfiche. Interesting, but not very useful. Are the slides in your presentation too busy?

When in DOUBT, say NOTHING.

Understand it? Why this is so simple a 4 year old child could understand it. Quick, someone run out and get me a 4 year old child.

THINK before you SPEAK.

The story is told of the way Secretary of State William M. Evarts began a Thanksgiving dinner speech. He said, “You have been giving your attention to a turkey stuffed with sage; you are now about to consider a sage stuffed with turkey.”

The mind is a wonderful thing. It starts working the minute you’re born and never stops working until you get up to speak in public.

The heart of a fool is in his mouth, but the mouth of a wise man is in his heart.

The essential mark of an unbiased presentation is whether it addresses opposing views accurately, in their strongest forms. Propaganda, on the other hand, ignores or caricatures its opponents, or gives weak, watered-down renditions of their arguments.

The end of your speech, like the end of a pencil, should have a point!