by Edward J. Barks

From the Publication "Financial Services Journal Online," November 1998

Picture this opportunity: You are about to address a conference room full of business prospects. The host presents you with a glowing introduction. You stride to the podium brimming with confidence. You flash that million dollar smile, and take a sip of water to prepare yourself. What's that you say? The picture looks out of focus? Perhaps you are one of the many financial services professionals who shine in one-on-one situations but crawl into the shadows when asked to address a group of opinion leaders or be part of a panel discussion at an industry conference.

I'm here to tell you it doesn't have to be that way. At Barks Communications (feel free to visit us at http://barkscomm.com), our workshops shed light on methods for delivering great speeches. How? By using what I like to call the Three Keys to Great Speechmaking - Preparation, Presentation, and Feedback.

Your first key is Preparation. Just as you would research a potential client, so too must you research your audience. Determine where your interests intersect. Then decide upon your main messages and weave them throughout your remarks. Reinforce those vital messages at every turn, including the question and answer session. As you draft your remarks, don't forget to add some zip. Use tools like colorful language, quotes, anecdotes, and personal stories. Aim for verbal pictures that will capture your listeners' attention.

Preparation also means that you absolutely, positively must practice, practice, practice! Read your remarks aloud to any audience you can find - co-workers, family, even loyal old Rover if no one else will listen. Video or audio tape yourself, too, so you can see and hear the person that your audience will experience.

Your second key is Presentation. Walk to the front of the room with a purpose and with confidence. Need a confidence boost? Just keep in mind that you are the expert, otherwise you wouldn't have been invited to share your special knowledge.

Another essential part of Presentation centers around how you act. It matters because everyone came to see you. So fill up the room with your presence. How do you accomplish this? In our Barks training workshops, we school our clients to use their video keys and audio keys to maximum effectiveness.

We can spend hours talking about these keys, as we do in our communications training workshops. To get you moving in the right direction, here's a quick bonus primer on your video keys: Be animated - move around a little and look alive. Position yourself for best effect - get close to your audience. Use props when appropriate - but don't feel obligated to use them in every instance. Make solid eye contact - connect with your audience members.

Want a bonus lesson on your audio keys, too? Here you go: Use colorful language - utilize vivid words and phrases. Vary the loudness of your voice. Show some emotion - if you don't care about your subject, why should anyone else? Alter your rate of speech - a change of pace works wonders to catch listeners' ears.

The third Key to Great Speechmaking is Feedback. Too many speakers neglect this important step. You cannot afford to be one of them if you want to succeed in front of influential audiences. Winners assess and learn from feedback in any number of ways. There are formal methods, such as evaluation forms. And there are informal techniques, like calling your host to ask how you did. Of course, the truest measure you have hit a Mark McGwire-like home run occurs when you are asked to return and speak again next year.

So, you see, there is no reason to fear having the spotlight shine on you when you speak in public. You can succeed if you take advantage of Barks Communications' Three Keys to Great Speechmaking - Preparation, Presentation, and Feedback.

Come out from the shadows of public speaking-induced fear. Transform your fears into a new dawn of countless opportunities. Remember, roomfuls of clients beckon.

Edward J. Barks, President of Barks Communications, is an expert in media, presentation skills, and testimony training. The firm also operates Barkscomm.com, the Internet's Communications Training Resource, at http://www.barkscomm.com/.

Ed invites you to subscribe to his free e-zine, Personal Trainer, at http://www.barkscomm.com/. He can be reached at (540) 955-0600 or by e-mail.

© Barks Communications 2003