Organizing Your Presentation So the Audience 'Gets It'

“ At the very start, let me say that we both have something in common:

You don’t know what I’m going to say… and neither do I.”

Robert Orben – speechwriter for former president Gerald Ford.

Communication is the act of conveying an intended meaning to another person through the use of speech and gestures, body language, facial expression, eye contact, and how one dresses. Speech also contains nonverbal elements known as paralanguage, e.g. rhythm, intonation, tempo, and stress. Research has shown that up to 55% of human communication may occur through non-verbal facial expressions, and a further 38% through rhythm, intonation, tempo, and stress.

Given all of what I just said, is it any wonder that some of us just ‘wing it’ when it’s our turn to give a speech? It’s just so hard to actually prepare a speech and memorize it and then deliver it.

In Toastmasters one of the first things we learn is that someone is timing our speech. Some clubs are pretty forgiving if you run over your time, in others the audience will stand up until you sit down, in some clubs the audience will clap you down until you shut up.

1-Decide on a topic and write it in a sentence

2-Research your topic and use an outline or Mind Map; choose three points

3- Write your opening and conclusion

In the first 7 seconds, your audience will decide if they are going to listen to you – or not. Ask rhetorical questions, state something amazing, Use the list you compiled while doing research.

Then “tell ‘em what you’re going to tell ‘em! This is where your thesis statement comes in. Add that in.

NO NEW MATERIAL IN THE CONCLUSION –recap your points. Leqave your audience with things to remember about your talk.

4-Read/ time and Edit

5- Rehearse relentlessly and repeatedly

Add deliberate gestures

Add pauses to emphasize points, words or phrases

Add vocal variety to help your audience stay interested

Delivery: Add lots of enthusiasm to your opening paragraph. Have someone introduce you so the audience knows why you are qualified to talk about this subject/who you are so you don’t have to say “My name is…” When you reach the last paragraph, recap your points, slow your vocal pace and, at the last sentence, you’re your voice so the audience knows you are done. DON’T SAY THANK YOU; instead, uplift your palm toward the next person to come up (emcee) and shake her hand before taking your seat.