Tiger Woods - Crashes his car, and his image? TJ Walker discusses how Woods is handling his media crisis.
Never read a speech to your audience. Never read a speech. NEVER READ A SPEECH!
I say that all the time to my clients. Every presentation coach says this. Why?
Because 99.99999% of the world reads a speech in such a way that their voice becomes flat, monotone, lifeless and boring. The audience falls instantly to sleep.
However, there is a way to read a speech effectively, even though the method is rarely used. Ronald Reagan was a practitioner of this art form. (I'm not talking about when he or others use a TelePrompTer)
Here is the process. You reformat your speech on your page so that there is only one phrase per line (not a whole sentence, just one phrase). The phrase must be short enough that it fits on one line and does not have to continue onto the next line.
Next, you put a space between each line of text. Now comes the reading part, and this is the hard part. You must silently look down at your paper and read a line, then look up and give someone in your audience direct eye contact. Then and only then do you verbalize the line. You must say it in a conversational way, full of inflection. It doesn't have to be memorized, because it is very short and you just read it a second ago. If you change a word here or there, it shouldn't matter. The key is to say it so that you sound like you are just talking to one person in an informal way.
The next part is tricky for most people. You must pause, silently, while you glance back down at your notes to read the next line. Your audience will appreciate the pause; it gives them a chance to catch up and digest what you are saying. Your pauses will make you seem much more confident and relaxed.
The problem for most speakers is that it feels awkward and weird to pause while they are reading the next line. So what do they do? They figure, "I'll kill two birds with one stone and read and talk at the same time." The puts us back to the beginning: sounding flat, boring and monotone.
The key is to remember never to read when you are talking and to never talk when you are reading. If you can master the concept of doing one thing at a time, you can read a speech effectively to any audience.
~ TJ Walker
Click the title to play
Getting Introduced Properly Before your Speech
You can maximize your chances of being introduced the way you want by having two copies of a 50-word introduction prepared in 20-point type.
Write out your introduction exactly the way you think it would be most interesting to the particular audience you are speaking to.
Don’t write out the introduction word for word. Instead, write out the first few sentences word for word.
Then list your accomplishments and credentials in bullet point format. This will allow your introducer to speak in a more conversational manner.
This way you make your introducer look better; and you look better in the process by not seeming as though you have shackled your introducer.
End with a couple of sentences that you do want the introducer to read word for word.
That way you have set yourself up for maximum approval as you begin.
Give a copy to the introducer in advance. When that one is lost, give the introducer the spare copy.
Preparing your Sound Bites for your Interview.
Give great examples.
If you wish to be quoted, you must convert your message points into sound bites.
Analogies make good quotes and sound bites.
Bold action words make good quotes and sound bites.
Emotions and examples (the more personal the better) make good quotes and sound bites.
2 SHORT VIDEO
LESSONS OF THE DAY
AUDIO
LESSON OF THE DAY
Watch Joel Osteen speak effectively using the third person. This is a complex technique, but when done well can be effective.
The Speaking Channel Newsletter is provided by Media Training Worldwide Media Training Worldwide provides more media and presentation training workshops and seminars (54 separate courses) than any other company in the world. Media Training Worldwide also publishes more than 100 presentation training books, DVD's, CDs, and other information products and is the largest presentation/media training publisher in the world. For a product catalog or more information on training services call 800-755-7220 or visit us online.
Never read a speech to your audience. Never read a speech. NEVER READ A SPEECH! 
