Storytelling Audience Participation Adds Pizzazz

There are many forms of storytelling audience participation from the subtle interaction between teller and listeners to the many out-and-out call and response between teller and audience members. In this article, I address the why, what, how, when, where, and who.

Murphy's Law: How Speakers Can Prepare for the Unexpected

Public speaking may still be the number one fear but it's not just speaking that scares people. Many speakers are afraid of what can go wrong-once they're already on the platform. Sooner or later you'll come face-to-face with Murphy. So your best offense is a good defense

Profit From Effective Public Speaking

Developing and utilizing presentation skills can result in increased income for you. Here are a few ways that you can turn your public speaking experience into business profits.

Public Speaking: Glossary P - T

PA: Abbreviation for public address system. Panel: A group of presenters, normally seated, that hold a discussion on a particular subject. Audience members are invited to pose questions to individual presenters or to the group as a whole. Parody: A humorous imitation of a serious piece of literature or ...

Public Speaking: I Get So Emotional

If you want to get real action out of your audience during a public speaking engagement, then tugging on their heart strings can help make it happen. This is where your storytelling ability can really make you shine.

Public Speaking: Bribes

I don't believe in penny pinching when you get in a pinch...

Public Speaking: Rapport

THIS WILL SURPRISE YOU (especially if you know me) You can be a lousy public speaker and still be great on the speaking platform. By lousy, I mean that technically you do everything wrong. You look terrible. Your grammar and diction stink and you might have dandruff. Do not think for a moment that I want you to be these terrible things. In fact, I sell videos teaching you NOT to be pitiful technically when you present. What I want you to see is the bigger picture...

Public Speaking: Tips for Television, Videotape, and Videoconferencing

Here are some things you should keep in mind when a television camera is trained on you:

Pausest

A true NO ZZZZZs presenter doesn't feel that he or she must jabber away constantly to keep the audience awake. Skilled presenters use silence to add to the effectiveness and polish of a program. Theatrical folks have identified a whole bunch of neat pauses which I'm sure they have a ball playing with. I'm only going to address some of the most obvious and important ones here.

YOU as a Public Speaker!

Tips on Public Speaking

Public Speaking: Give Me a Brake

... a mental brake that is. Here are some mind tricks when you speak too fast.

Public Speaking: Add Magic to Your Presentations

There is just something about a magic trick during a public speaking engagement that grabs people. The nice thing about it is that as a public speaker who uses magic to make a point, you are not held to the high standards you would be held to if you were a professional magician.

Public Speaking: Stand Still

One of the most common problems I see, even with experienced public speakers, is that they do not seem to be capable of standing still when they should. It is very distracting to try to listen to a public speaking presentation when someone is wandering and swaying around on stage.

Public Speaking: Show 'em When You Cross Cultures

Regardless of one's nationality and culture, cartoons and comic strips are the most universally accepted format for humor in public speaking engagements. These pieces of visual humor are seen in newspapers and magazines in most areas of the world. They may be found in newsstands in large cities, or in large libraries.

Public Speaking: Humorous Signs

I run across funny signs all the time. I try to take a mental note or take a picture of the sign for later use during a public speaking engagement. John Jay Daly, a speaker friend of mine, does a hysterical slide presentation called 'The Wacky, Wonderful World of Washington.' Many of the slides are of signs that he has seen around Washington, D.C.