Public Speaking Skills

Many subject matter experts are afraid of speaking in public yet avoid developing their public speaking skills. Developing skill in addressing the public is often not part of their professional development because it doesn't seem too important. That is - until they blow their big client pitch, share expert testimony or provide updates for research funding.
This is especially true for content experts and subject matter experts. Many presenters who are engineers, researchers, scientists and technical experts struggle with sharing their ideas with groups. These brilliant people often make foolish mistakes of ignoring the level at which the audience can receive their information.

To touch your audience, you must practice the essentials of public speaking skills. The real "make-it-or-break-it" moment is if your content touches your audience. And this has nothing to do with your expert content. You must step out of your knowledge and expertise. And into the minds of your audience. You need a kind of crystal ball set of public speaking skills to look into what matters to them.

Your content must not only reflect and condense your subject matter knowledge. It must also be framed with something that your audience values. Deeply. Passionately. Urgently. So before you start organizing your slides, gathering research data or crunching the numbers, you must do one thing.

You must quickly and immediately find out what makes your audience tick.

Understanding the audience is often said to be the most important first step in preparing a presentation and speaking in public. So put your data to the side for a moment. Ask yourself, what really matters most to your audience. Once you can answer this, you'll be ready to put all your public speaking skills into action.

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Public speaking and giving presentations is the name of the game in corporations and small business. At some companies, you would not be caught dead pitching your ideas without a complete presentation blueprint.
Yet, many professionals still struggle with getting comfortable with public speaking. Learning speaking skills in front of a group requires focus, persistence and enthusiasm. If you want to build killer skills, the kind that gets people saying, "Yes, I want what you are offering!" here is a quick 3-part series on how to get started.
Take a look at your calendar and upcoming events. I bet you are preparing a public speech or presentation right now. That's a good thing. There's nothing like the pressure of reality and the heat of a client pitch to clear your thinking. With this presentation in mind, it's time to work on your public speaking skills.
Whatever your goal for the presentation, jot it down now. This doesn't have to be a lengthy ordeal. Just write down one goal. Of course, if you have more than one, just add in two or three key payoffs you want to achieve by giving this presentation.
For example, a manager I worked with recently was preparing a presentation for his professional organization. His goals for this presentation were clear:

1. Build our organizations' reputation in the trade association
2. Spread the word informally about our new product launch
3. Let people know we are looking for partners in new product development

Think about what your presentation could mean in terms of profits. It could mean a better reputation, wider impact for a new product, and potential new partners for joint ventures and strategic partnerships. This translates into serious dollars. This one presentation could potentially generate thousands and even millions of dollars over the next years. I'm sure this makes you sit up and take notice.

What could your presentation generate? Think in terms of interest, reputation, shared ideas, momentum or client acquisition?

If you haven't jotted your targets and outcomes for your presentation%u2026do it now.

Congratulations! You've broken through the first barrier to public speaking. You have taken time to focus and think about the context of your presentation. You are already ahead of the pack - by a long shot!

Now, with this solid sense of value that can come from your presentation, you are on the right track. Look for more on Killer Public Speaking Skills coming soon.

Nearly all presenters know the value of a clear, powerful and memorable message. Yet, the big and most frequently asked question that can put your brain into a frozen standstill is, "Where To Start?"

Many presenters don't know how to approach the mind-numbing task of taking three years worth of research and condensing it into a 35-minute speech.

What's the best way to get started with planning to speak in public? Should you write out the script long hand? Should you put your thoughts into a PowerPoint deck right from the start? How can you avoid the trap of being too tedious,yet not seem to wander in the clouds free from hard facts and figures? Before you go into the nitty-gritty of how, be sure that you have this second practice in place.

The second key practice is to know your content.

You would imagine this goes without saying. But if you're going to get up in front of a group of people, know your stuff! While you may be thinking, "Of course I do!" realize this just isn't always the norm.

There are thousands of people who are getting ready to speak in public this very moment who are sweating bullets. Why? Because they aren't really ready. They don't have the public speaking skills they need. And they are not truly prepared, on the basics. Their content.

It's not that these presenters aren't brilliant. They may have a PH.D. Or a MBA or be a leader in their industry. But they don't necessarily know how to make their content and data easily accessible to their audience.

The second key practice in killer public speaking skills is to know your content. With this you will be in a position to navigate the terrain of customizing your message. In public speaking, this skill in customizing your message is how you can gain a competitive advantage.

It is the people you are presenting to. The third of three essential practices of killer public speaking are skills in understanding what your audience needs. Let's face it. The absolutely quickest way to turn off your audience is to deliver a presentation that has nothing to do with their interests and needs.

When public speakers really know their audience, it's obvious. They have immediate references, metaphors, and examples that relate to the people to whom they are speaking. Their stories are relevant and customized to match their audience. These public speaking skills are the real secret to presenting professionally.

Sadly, you have probably seen too many presentations where a smart and brilliant expert did not use his or her public speaking skills. Their presentation seemed canned. The references were not relevant. There was no mention of the company name, industry group or people in the audience.

Have you been in meetings and presentations like this? I bet you have. It's a turn off. It's obvious to everyone in the room. The presenter hasn't made an effort to connect. Their slides don't have anything relating to this group in this room. This is a good example of poor public speaking skills.

Take a moment before your next presentation to check your knowledge of your audience. Is your message matching this specific audience? If so, you are on track with building killer public speaking skills.