1.) Think Audience first
One of the main reasons why we often wonder when sitting through another tedious presentation 'What's this actually all about?' is that the speaker concentrated on the topic not us, the audience, when creating his or her speech. At first this might sound strange. After all, shouldn't the topic be the main concern?

No, it shouldn't. The people sitting down there listening to us share a part of their life with us that will never come back. They cannot just rewind it and live it again if we bore them out of their wits. And they will ask only one question: 'What is in it for me?'

That is why we always have to put the audience first. Find an answer to the following questions:
>> Who are they?
>> What makes them tick?
>> Why are they here? What do they want to get out of this?

That will enable you to know your audience intimately and put together a presentation that will excite THEM not just us. For the 20 minutes or one hour of their life give them something worth their while, and for that you need to know what they value. They deserve it.

2.) Get Your Facts Right
This might sound obvious but all to often speakers sprinkle their material with details that they pick out of newspapers, Wikipedia, TV programmes, etc. but have not checked. Equally, you might read something that relates to your subject and when it comes to it you cannot quite remember, let's say, a figure that is supposed to support your point. So a 'Well, it's about...' has to do.

The problem is, it won't. One of the biggest risks is that someone in the audience knows the exact figure, the name, the organisation and so forth. Some will just recognise the error and keep it to themselves. Nevertheless, their knowledge can be quite damaging if they start mentioning it to others, especially potential future clients of yours.

The real trouble starts when the person in question likes to make it public during your talk or in the Question and Answer session that they know something you don't.

3.) Give it Structure
This is no more sophisticated than the good old
- Intro
- Body
- Conclusion

It is proven fact that the human mind can most easily cope with things that come in threes. This partition is no exception.

- Tell them what you are going to tell them
- Tell them
- Tell them what you have just told them

That way you not just add structure but also add the element of repetition - such an important factor in memorising. Once again this is not rocket science. Take your audience on a journey ==> tell them where you are going to take them so they don't have to try and find out themselves by analysing but can listen to what you have to say. Then tell them ==> show them sights and attractions. Finally, when the journey is complete ==> remind them of the highlights.

In so far as Plutarch and other ancient sources can be believed 384 BC was a rather significant year for public speaking. It saw the birth of Demosthenes, one of the most famous orators of all time.

Of course, in those days the writing and giving of speeches was held in the highest regard. Official speakers were part and parcel of the legal as well as the political scene and philosophers distributed their ideas with the help of public addresses. As lawyers were still unknown, litigants had to make their case with the help of two discourses for which they often employed speech writers such as Demosthenes. Down the centuries he inspired the Roman philosopher Cicero and is part of a line of all-time greats in public speaking that includes Winston Churchill and Martin Luther King.

The question is why that should be important to you. Well, there are two parts to the answer.

Firstly, the technical principles they employed have changed very little over the centuries. In 500 BC speakers used a fine-honed combination of voice, gesturing, content and eloquence to create and exact influence.

Which leads us to the second reason for taking a look back. The better a person develops his or her speech craft the better are the chances of following in the foot steps of those great orators who built personal power through good public speaking.

What is also essential to realise is they all cultivated their very own style. That meant to have a good grounding in the fundamental principles and then adapt them depending on the purpose of the speech, the environment, the mood, and above all their audience - flavoured with their own personality.

I encourage you to do the same. And please don't say that you cannot be that good. Others have done it and so can you, if you have the right mind set. However, you have to know the rules first before you can benefit from them, bend them to your purpose or discard them.

It is important to realise that public speaking is nothing to be frightened of. There is no black magic involved just common sense. By all means cast aside what you think is not right or you do not feel comfortable with.

Above all, be patient and persevere. Becoming a better speaker and communicator cannot be rushed. Whoever promises you success with titles such as "Better Public Speaking While You Sleep" or "The Most Fantastic Orator of all Times in 6 Easy Lessons" promises you something that looks too good to be true - and, therefore, usually is.

As I have said before, be patient and persevere. Becoming a better speaker and communicator cannot be rushed.Give yourself time and be non-judgemental. You will make mistakes and fall back into habits you thought you had overcome. That is perfectly normal and it doesn't matter. Your motto must be: "Better next time."

And then smile! See what that does for you. Smiling releases substances in our bodies that make us feel good - the better you feel the better you learn. Consequently, with a grin on your face you make yourself happier and your surroundings. Looks like a win-win situation to me.

Also, as boring as it may sound, it is nonetheless true that nothing but practice will make you competent. If you lack speaking opportunities in your work environment, offer your services for free to charities. They are often glad to get someone else than the vicar and his summer camp slides.

Develop your attitude as much as your technique and be brave enough to push the boat out once in a while. Dare to try something at least once even if it feels odd. That is the only way to determine what you are truly comfortable with.

And comfortable you need to be in order to perform with ease and in an entertaining manner. 'Can that be done,' you might ask, 'considering the panic I feel rising just thinking about it?' The answer is a simple and resounding 'Yes'. Everyone can do it, but you must allow yourself

~ to make mistakes
~ to learn from them
~ not to be perfect
~ and, above all, to have fun

After all, if you have to give a speech or communicate information you might as well get some pleasure out of it. Remember, one hour of speaking is one hour of your life that you will not be able to rewind and use again. The only moment you can live is the one you are in now! Make it a good one.

Therefore, the first resolution you should make is not to become a better speaker but to enjoy the process and the tasks ahead. It will make everything easier and increase your confidence straight away. The mind is so important in all this that we will spend more time on that subject.

As a matter of fact the intention behind everything that is written in here is not just to help you in public speaking but to inspire and motivate you to challenge yourself in other aspects of life and help you see that what frightens us is not our lack of potential but in reality the unbelievable enormity of it.

Public Speaking is surrounded by misconceptions that serve only one purpose - scaring people away from communicating with others and developing their potential to the full. So let's have a look at them and shake them up a bit because they are standing between you and what could be:

1.) Public Speaking Skills only Apply if You are in Front of at least 50 People

WRONG - Remember, public speaking is nothing else but a form of communication, and that begins the moment you encounter another human being. Therefore, what you learn can be used in any situation, whether you talk to one person at a networking event or to one thousand at a conference. The basic principles are, with little variation, always the same!

2.) I'll Have to Be Perfect or I am Going to Bomb

WRONG - Public Speaking, like so many things, is partially dependent on talent and personality. If you haven't the gift to become the greatest orator of all times, so what? You don't need to be. It will be more than enough if you achieve adequate proficiency. With practice and training everyone can become a decent public speaker, and that includes YOU.

3.) Professional or Good Amateur Speakers don't Experience Fear on Stage

WRONG - The most seasoned speakers know fear only too well - but they have learned to control it rather than being controlled by it. They turn fear into something positive by using it to create energy inside themselves that they can then radiate out to their audience, exploiting it to present their message with enthusiasm and passion.

4.) No Matter What, I Have Never Been a Good Public Speaker and I Never Will Be.

RIGHT - Yes, this presumption is absolutely correct. It is in fact a self-fulfilling prophecy. It cannot be said often enough. What you experience as a public speaker is, to a large degree, down to attitude. If you think you won't be good, you will reason yourself into failure. It's that simple. Most importantly, if you are not enthusiastic about yourself as a speaker, your speech and your being there, how can you expect the audience to be?

I am often asked how to inject humour into presentations, speeches and talks. Sometimes I am inclined to reply: 'If you have to ask, maybe you shouldn't.' But that would not only be unfair it is also not quite right.
Nevertheless, an important rule is that you should at least start out with what comes natural to you. For some of us that is telling humorous stories, for others it could be jokes or feeding off the audience and putting funny twists on everyday things.
Unless you are a stand-up comedian - and even in that bracket there are not that many who can pull it off successfully - never make jokes at other people's cost. In contrast, self-depricating humour is an almost surefire success.