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Carolyn Smagalski
Business Basics
Founder - Editor - Host
Even if you are not
technically proficient at public speaking yet, you can reap
positive acceptance from your audience if you pay careful
attention to your pre-program research. As a scheduled
speaker, it is important that you understand the expectations
of the event organizer who asked you to speak. At the very
least, you will need to know the overall topic of the forum,
what their expectations of you may be, what the demographic
cross-section will be, who the other speakers are, the topics
they will cover, how much time will be allocated to you, and
what equipment will be available for your use.
Armed with this knowledge, you are now ready to begin your
pre-talk preparation. You will want to build rapport with the
audience, but how do you accomplish this when you have no idea
who they are? By developing your skills as a competent
Internet researcher, you can tap into scores of valuable
resources about the organization to which you will present.
Trade publications will give you a broad perspective about the
overall specialty field, as will catalog shopping or “field
trips” into retail locations connected with the group. If it
is a small local organization, review the town newspaper for
events that have been grabbing the spotlight. Look up joke
sites centered on the organization’s field of specialty.
Conduct phone interviews with a broad range of audience
members before your speaking presentation. By focusing on a
few significant questions and carefully listening to the
answers and vocabulary used, you can build your talk in a way
that will create a connection to the audience. Ask about
their daily challenges, the successes and failures of the
organization, organizational changes or new benefits, and
funny things that have happened. Be sure to provide contact
information, and present yourself as an accessible resource.
Make note of the words each organization uses, and ask for
clarification of any that may have multiple definitions. For
example, some companies refer to themselves as “organizations”
or “firms,” while others may call themselves “companies” or
“divisions” or “facilities.” Making note of these slight
nuances and using words that reflect the same tempo build good
rapport between you and your audience.
Prior to your speaking engagement, you may be asked for a
loose biography, so the emcee can introduce you. You may also
be asked for a photo, bio, or column about your future
presentation for a publicity flyer or newspaper. Feel free to
write a complete intro for the emcee, or to pen a column from
a third party point-of-view. Provide it promptly to those who
request the information, and follow through with any
additional details that are requested.
Use a checklist to evaluate your pre-talk preparation::
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Do you fully know your
subject matter?
-
Do you understand the
expectations of the event organizer?
-
What are your
credentials? Why should the audience trust your opinion?
-
Have you submitted
your pre-program obligations to the event organizer?
-
Have you
conducted phone interviews with a broad cross-section of the
audience?
-
How accessible
are you?
-
Does your
schedule provide enough time for you to arrive early, stay
late, and provide email contact and follow-up?
-
Are you able to
listen to the other speakers in the program? This will
assure that you do not duplicate their talk. You may also
pick up a technique or two that will create polish in your
own presentation.
-
Is all
necessary equipment in working order? Always provide for
redundancy for last minute hiccups on the technical side.
By setting up careful pre-talk preparation, you will assure a
connection to your audience, with greater ability to
communicate your message.
Content copyright © 2003-2008 by Carolyn
Smagalski. All rights reserved. This content was written
by Carolyn Smagalski. If you wish to use this content in any
manner, you need written permission.
Contact Carolyn Smagalski
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