Life’s Grand Mosaic

Impact by equinoxefr

The opening of your speech can make or break it.

It will determine whether your audience pays attention or tunes out after 10 minutes (or less).

To be successful the introduction needs to relate to the audience and show an understanding of the audience.

And it needs to be consistent with both the topic and tone of the speech.

The technique you use should help you to introduce the themes, ideas and subject of your speech.

Use one of the following techniques to grab your audience’s attention.

Famous Quotes

The strengths of a quote are that it can help you establish your knowledge and authority.

See also my detailed article on using quotes: 4 Tips for using Quotes as a Public Speaker

Humor

The strengths of a humorous introduction are that it will relax the audience and help you create a connection with audience members.

However, poorly chosen or badly delivered, humor has the greatest potential to fall flat and even distance the audience from the speaker.

Story

The strengths of telling a story include relaxing the audience, making a connection by relating the subject to the audience. For example, if the audience is mainly engineers, the story should include an engineer or a setting familiar to engineers.

Question or Statement

The strengths of using a question or statement include opening the minds of the audience, shocking them or creating curiosity.

A question may be rhetorical, or be a question that you plan to answer in the speech.

Examples of a statement include citing statistics or asserting your opinion or the opinion of someone known to the audience.

When you are trying to open the minds of your audience, a question or statement will usually be less subtle than a story, humor or a quote.

See also:

• Speech Introductions - the Three Steps you Need
• 4 Tips for using Quotes as a Public Speaker
• Turning a Joke into a Great Story
• 10 Ideas for using Stories and Case Studies in your next Speech

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by roland

A speech introduction is in many ways similar to an introduction to a prize fight. It catches the attention of the audience, identifies the participants and situation, and sets the stage for the primary event - the fight.

The body of the speech is the main event and the beginning merely prepares the audience for it.

A good introduction includes three things:

1. Attention Step - The first step is to catch the attention of the listeners.

This can be done in many ways: a  shocking statement; a point-blank question; a joke or other humor; a story related to the speech topic.

This step needs to draw the audience’s attention and interest in your subject.

However, you are not being a clown or a shock-jock - this would only distract the audience or put them off.

Two things will help you decide which technique to use: the purpose of your speech; and what you know about the audience.

See my post 4 Ways to Introduce Your Speech with Impact for more detail using quotes, stories, humor, statements and questions.

Note: frequently this step needs to be preceded by various remarks in response to the master of ceremonies or in reference to the occasion for speaking.

2. Need-to-Know Step - Tell your audience why they need to know what you will be saying.

How will the speech  affect them?

For example, if an audience can see that listening to the speech may make them money, better their health or protect their property, then they will listen.

3. Preview Step - Many speakers use a “preview” before beginning the body of their speech. This step essentially sets forth the main points that are to follow, one by one.

For example, a speaker might state that “First I will explain the problem of juvenile delinquency, and secondly I will tell you what I think is the best solution to it.” In another case, a speaker might say, “Today I am going to try to show that nuclear weapons should immediately be banned for moral reasons, financial reasons, psychological reasons, and reasons of simple survival.”

The main points of the speech are enumerated and the audience knows where the speech is headed before it really begins.

In case of a hostile audience, however, you may want to delay your preview step until you have presented many of your ideas. The members of the audience will then be better disposed to accept your suggestions.

Finally, with all three steps, keep in mind the purpose of your speech, the reaction you want from your audience (enjoyment or action) and what you know about your audience.

by snappybex

The reason many speeches fail is that the speaker does not understand one simple fact:

A speech is a dialogue, not a monologue.

You are the speaker and the audience is a silently questioning listener.

In the listener’s mind you are having a conversation and their side of it will include “that makes sense”, “interesting but why is …?” and “can you tell me about something else as well?”

The success of your speech depends on answering these silent questions.

The first step to creating this dialog is that you are already persuaded by your ideas. To engage in the conversation you must have feeling for your subject and commitment to your ideas.

Secondly, when you are speaking you must be natural, real, sincere and earnest. Remember that public speaking is creative and constructive.  You are not reciting or acting for your audience.

Thirdly, it is important to have an understanding of your audience.  Information that will change the way you present your ideas includes:

• age;
• educational level;
• sex;
• cultural background;
• interests;
• customs, values and prejudices
• mood;
• number; and
• regional or sectional biases.

The more you adapt your speech to your audience, the better chance you will have of joining the conversation in their minds.

Aim to use words, phrases, illustrations, and arguments that you think your audience will readily understand. Avoid anything which would cause confusion, distraction, or prejudice.

Quotes are a powerful tool for public speakers. As Rudyard Kipling said:

Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind.

by TheAlieness GiselaGiardino²³

However, quotes are often overused and misused.

For example, a poorly chosen quote will distract your audience, particularly if you misunderstood its meaning.

My four tips for using quotes effectively are:

1. Your Quote should Speak for Itself - we all know that if we need to explain a joke it won’t be funny. Likewise, if you need to explain your quotes they will lose impact. Ask a few friends what they think your quote means. Does it confuse them, or does their answer confuse you?
2. Quality not Quantity - two or three well chosen and relevant quotes will have more impact than eight or ten.  Remember that the quotes you choose are meant to strengthen your message.  Too many quotes will confuse the audience about whose ideas they are hearing and weaken your influence. One way to make the most of a quote is to repeat it, either immediately for emphasis, or later in the speech to reinforce or reiterate the point it makes.
3. Include a Quote in your Introduction - a quote can be a great way to start your speech with credibility. It will help you get the attention and interest of the audience.
4. Authority or Illustration - in your mind you need t be clear on whether your quote is intended to add authority to your ideas or to illustrate them.  Some quotes can fill both roles, but remember tip 1 and focus on either authority or illustration.  It will be a bonus if some of your audience understand the quote both ways.

See My Top 8 Quote Sites for many great sources of quotes.

You can also get the free gift Quotes for Public Speakers Ezine (12 weekly issues) with my manual Be a Public Speaking Success: Secrets of the Great Orators.

My last thought is a question:

Do you think the quote I used above is appropriate for this article?

by mattlemmon

Here’s my choice for the 8 best quote sites on the internet.

You should never be at a loss to find quotes for speeches, essays or presentations.

I have chosen these sites based on their ease of use and range of quotes.

1. The Quotations Page - the oldest quote database on the internet, it has 9 collections that you can search by word, phrase or author.
2. Think Exist - this database has the best advanced search that I have seen. For example, you can exclude particular words, authors or occupations from the search results.
3. LitQuotes - quotes from great works of literature. You can browse by title, author and subject. You can also search by word or phrase. From Jane Austen to Charles Dickens all the greats are here.
4. BrainyQuote - a general database. An excellent feature of this site is browsing by type of author, for example, comedian, economist or coach. You can also browse by name and topic and search by keyword or phrase.
5. The Quote Garden - this site is great for subject specific quotes and quotes related to specific occasions or holidays like labor day, Thanksgiving or weddings.  The advertising is obtrusive on this site but the quotes are excellent. You can search the site by keyword or phrase.
6. Wisdom Quotes - quotes to inspire and challenge. You can browse by category or search by keyword/phrase. This site stands out because the owner is selective in picking quotes, including only those quotes that he finds challenging, inspiring or interesting.
7. Internet Movie Database - for movie and tv quotes.  You can search by phrase, cast or crew member, genre  and year or decade.
8. Quoteland - the highlight of Quoteland is the discussion forum where you can ask for help finding a quote for a speech. In the database the quotes can be browsed by topic and author and searched by keyword or phrase.

Are there any great sites that I have left out? Let me know in the comments below.

Also, for tips on using quotes in a speech see: 4 Tips for using Quotes as a Public Speaker.

by tillwe

Tip 1 - You may be nervous but the audience doesn’t come close to seeing what you are feeling.

Unless you pass out or continually say “I am so nervous” your audience will never notice your feelings of anxiety.

You can assume that your audience are your friends, and are ready to receive kindly what you have to say. This will have a wonderfully steadying effect on your nerves.

I remember giving a speech before 150 people.  While I was waiting I told the Chairmen that I was feeling nervous.  He told me not to worry and then introduced me.  After the speech the Chairmen told the audience about my nerves and complimented me on the speech.  People I spoke to afterwards said that I looked confident and that I didn’t appear nervous at all.

Tip 2 - Make sure that everything you say is undeniably factual.

Your comments, slides and other materials need to be backed up by objective, documented evidence. You must have the data. Armed with that, you will know your subject better than anyone else.

However, you do not need to present all the evidence. This would be boring and tedious.

Having the evidence that makes you the expert. That instills personal confidence.

Tip 3 - You must hold the highest moral ground.

In other words, you must be right. Whatever position you take when you present, you must be right. Say the right thing; do the right thing; recommend the right thing; believe the right thing.

Rudyard Kipling is quoted as saying “Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind.”

Don’t let the power go to your head.

Tip 4 - The best advice anyone can give you is: “Give speeches”.

In other words, the more you do it, the more comfortable you will get.

When you take on this challenge, keep in mind the advice Franklin D Roosevelt gave to his son, James, about speech-making:

“Be sincere… be brief… be seated.”

Tip 5 - Don’t memorize your speech.

As a general rule, you will deliver a better speech if you don’t memorize it.

Knowing the substance of your speech well is better than to have a flowery oration weighing down your memory.

You can write your speech out in full to help you connect all your ideas, but I recommend tossing this before you are able to memorize it. Use a short speaking outline to guide you.

If you practice enough to be familiar with your ideas you will find that, when you give the speech, you will be able to adapt to any unexpected needs of your audience, i.e. you will be able to ‘think on your feet’.

The exception is a joke, quote or story where the effect depends upon accuracy.

by Singapor3

Singapore is one of my favorite cities to visit. This picture shows it in all its splendor.

I will keep going back to Singapore for many reasons, not least the friendly people, great food and the beautiful gardens and wildlife.

A highlight of my last trip was spending a couple of hours walking around the Botanical Gardens. My memories include some stunning sculptures, a huge  variety of plants and the relaxed feeling I had walking around.

by Andrew Feinberg

The secrets to conversational and lively public speaking relate to 4 areas:

• Practice
• Delivery
• Posture
• Voice

Practising the Speech

• The aim is not to memorize the speech. You may wish to write it out in full to help you connect all your ideas, but we recommend tossing this before you are able to memorize it.
• Practice as you intend to deliver the speech to your audience.
• Practice enough to be familiar with your ideas.
• Use a short speaking outline to guide you.
• Use extemporaneous speaking – word your ideas at the moment of delivery – this allows a conversational tone and ‘thinking on your feet’ during the speech. You will be able to adapt the speech to any unexpected needs of the audience.

Delivering the Speech

• Intend to use a direct, conversational and lively delivery.
• Approach the position were you will speak with energy and purpose.
• Take a firm but comfortable stance directly facing the audience.
• Pause briefly and begin to speak.
• Look at members of your audience, talking to one long enough to complete a thought, and then move to another.
• Be friendly, conversational, animated and enthusiastic.
• Your hands should be at your side when not used in gesturing.
• Speak with your whole body and your whole mind.
• The first breath you take establishes your lung capacity for the speech - make it a deep one.  This will allow you to breath less often through the speech.

A warm-up exercise that will help is to slowly raise your arms above your head, then lower them, allowing your rib cage to remain high. Gently swing your arms back and forth, so that your rib cage feels as if it’s floating.

Posture
Our recommended posture for conversational and lively public speaking:

• Stand firmly on both feet, distributing the weight of your body-evenly.
• Do not lean on the podium unless it is for specific effect, and then do not do it often.
• Don’t tie your hands to your hips, and for that matter, don’t keep them in any one place for any great length of time.
• Your posture should express your feeling about and interest in the subject and the audience.

Vocal Variety
To increase the variety and impact of your voice, there are 4 aspects that you can improve: rate, pitch, force, and quality. To read more on these aspects see Creating Vocal Variety.

In public speaking and day to day life, a monotonous voice is dull and impotent. However, too much variety is childlike.

Find what is most comfortable for you, most consistent with your personality, and most significant for the ideas you express. Such a voice will be most meaningful and forceful to your audience.

Three exercises that will help you develop vocal variety are:

Rate – Record yourself reading aloud from a book, memo, letter, newspaper, or other source as if speaking to an audience. Listen to the recording and count the words per minute.

The average rate of speaking is 120-180 words/minute. If the rate is slower or faster than this average, comprehension may be sacrificed for some segment of the audience. Practice until you feel the difference in speaking rate and until you are comfortable.

Improved breathing – Lie flat on your back, with an object on your stomach, and observe the object as it rises and falls.

Articulation – Read aloud and record the following paragraph and then listen to the recording:

“You wished to know all about my grandfather. Well, he is nearly 93 years old; he dresses himself in an ancient black frock coat, usually minus several buttons; yet he still thinks as swiftly as ever. A long, flowing beard clings to his chin, giving those who observe him a pronounced feeling of the utmost respect. When he speaks, his voice is just a bit cracked and quivers a trifle. Twice each day he plays skillfully and with zest upon our small organ. Except in the winter when the ooze or snow or ice prevents, he slowly takes a short walk in the open air each day. We have urged him to walk more and smoke less, but he always answers, “Banana Oil!” Grandfather likes to be modern in his language.”

The aim of this is to assess and practice vocal variety and articulation, determining whether all the words are understandable. Ask a friend or co-worker to listen to the recording. Does the listener understand all the words? Does you voice have variety or is monotonous. Record the paragraph a second time. Notice that articulating the words slows down the rate of speaking. Think about where you can use pauses and which words you can emphasise. Practice until the articulation and rate work together comfortably (and sound like normal speech) to aid the comprehension of the message.

[This paragraph was devised by Dr. Charles Van Riper of Western Michigan University to contain all of the speech sounds in the English language. It was used to test astronaut candidates in the Mercury program to see how clearly their voices would transmit from a space capsule. (Interpretive Skills "Communications" Lesson Plan, SER, 1983).]

This post accompanies issue 1 of my free newsletter “How to be a Confident and Influential Public Speaker”. If you would like more information on the ideas below please signup below. You can unsubscribe at any time.

There are five means that you can use in a speech:

• joking with the audience (humor),
• telling a story (narration),
• presenting data (exposition),
• justifying (argument), or
• appealing to the audience (motivation).

The audience’s attitude and level of understanding is one of the two criteria for selecting the means to be used in your speech.

This Chart will will help you make a decision based on the audience attitude and level of understanding.

How to use the Chart: Set the pointer in the upper arc on the point that most closely identifies the audience’s understanding of and attitude toward your speech topic. The pointer in the lower arc then indicates the means that will tend to be more effective in accomplishing your purpose.

Ezine Subscription
Please fill in the form below to subscribe to me free How to Be A Confident and Inspiring Public Speaker Ezine filled with public speaking tips that will help you become an inspirational and confident speaker. You can unsubscribe at any time.

You will also be able to download a free chapter of my manual Be a Public Speaking Success: Secrets of the Great Orators.

This Chapter is the most important in the entire manual. From this Chapter alone you will be able to transform your public speaking and increase your influence over the audience.

There’s no obligation. It’s a free gift only for a limited time.

Will Rogers gave the following eulogy following the death of President Woodrow Wilson in February 1924.

At the height of his popularity, Will Rogers had occasion to give several performances before President Woodrow Wilson.

This speech is analyzed in my manual Be a Public Speaking Success: Secrets of the Great Orators.

Some of the most glowing and deserving tributes ever paid to the memory of an American have been paid in the last few days to our past president, Woodrow Wilson. They have been paid by learned men of this and all nations who knew what to say, and how to express their feelings. They spoke of their close association and personal contact with him. Now I want to add my little mite, even though it be of no importance..

The Friars Club of New York, one of the biggest theatrical social clubs in New York, had decided to make a whirlwind tour of the principal cities of the East, all in one week. We played a different city every night. We made a one‐night stand out of Chicago and New York. We were billed for Baltimore, but not for Washington. President Wilson came over from Washington to see the performance. It was the first time in theatrical history that the president of the United States came over to Baltimore, just to see a comedy show.

It was just at the time that we were having our little set‐to with Mexico, and when we were at the height of our note‐exchanging career with Germany and Austria.

The house was packed with the elite of Baltimore. The show was going great. It was a collection of clever skits, written mostly by our stage’s greatest man, George M Cohan, and even down to the minor bits was played by stars with big reputations. I was the least‐known member of the entire aggregation, doing my little specialty with a rope, and telling jokes on national affairs, just a very ordinary little vaudeville act, by chance sandwiched in among this great array.

Finally a warden knocked at my dressing room door, and said, ‘You die in five minutes for kidding your country.’ They just literally shoved me out on the stage.

Now, by a stroke of what I call good fortune (for I will keep them always), I have a copy of the entire act that I did for President Wilson on the five times I worked for him. My first remark in Baltimore was ‘I am kinder nervous here tonight.’ Now, that is not an especially bright remark, and I don’t hope to go down in history on the strength of it, but it was so apparent to the audience that I was speaking the truth that they laughed heartily at it. After all, we all love honesty.

Then I said, ‘I shouldn’t be nervous, for this is really my second presidential appearance. The first time was when William Jennings Bryan spoke in our town once, and I was to follow his speech and do my little roping act.’ Well you all know that Bryan never made the White House, even though he was the Democratic candidate three times, but I heard them laughing, so I took a sly glance at the president’s box, and sure enough he was laughing just as big as any one. So I went on, ‘As I say, I was to follow him, but he spoke so long that it was so dark when he finished, they couldn’t see my roping.’ That went over great, so I said, ‘I wonder what ever become of him?’ That was all right, it got over, but still I had made no direct reference to the president.

Now, General Pershing was in Mexico at the time, and there was a lot in the papers for and against the invasion into Mexican territory to capture Pancho Villa, after he had raided an American town.

I said, ‘I see where they have captured Villa. Yes, they got him in the morning editions, and then the afternoon ones let him get away.’ Now everybody in the house before they would laugh looked at the president, to see how he was going to take it. Well, he started laughing, and they all followed suit.

‘Villa raided Columbus, New Mexico. We had a man on guard that night at the post. But to show you how crooked this Villa is, he sneaked up on the opposite side. We chased him over the line five miles, but run into a lot of government red tape, and had to come back. There is some talk of getting a machine gun, if we can borrow one. The one we have now they are using to train our army with in Plattsburg. If we go to war, we will just about have to go to the trouble of getting another gun.’

Now, mind you, the president was being criticized on all sides for lack of preparations, yet he sat there and led that entire audience in laughing at the gags on himself.

At that time there was talk of forming an army of two hundred thousand men. So I said, ‘We are going to have an army of two hundred thousand men. Henry Ford makes three hundred thousand cars ever year. I think, Mr President, we ought to at least have a man to every car. I see where they got Villa hemmed in between the Atlantic and Pacific. Now all we got to do is to stop up both ends. Pershing located him at a town called Los Quas Ka Jasbo. Now all we got to do is to locate Los Quas Ka Jasbo… ’

After various other ones on Mexico, I started in on European affairs which at that time was long before we entered the war. ‘We are facing another crisis tonight, but our president here has had so many of them lately that he can just lay right down and sleep beside one of those things.’ Then I pulled the one which he afterwards repeated to various friends as the best one told on him:‘President Wilson is getting along fine now to what he was a few months ago. Do you realize, people, that at one time in our negotiations with Germany he was five notes behind?’

How he did laugh at that! Well, due to him being a good fellow and setting a real example, I had the proudest and most successful night I ever had on the stage. I had lots of gags on other subjects, but the ones on him were the heartiest laughs with him; and so it was on all other occasions I played for him. He come backstage at intermission, and chatted and shook hands with all.

What he stood for and died for will be strived after for years. It will take time, for with all our boasted advancement and civilization, it’s hard to stamp out selfishness and greed. For after all, nations are nothing for individuals, and you can’t even stop brothers from fighting sometimes. But he helped it along a lot, and what a wonderful cause to have laid down your life for! The world lost a friend. The theater lost its greatest supporter. And I lost the most distinguished person who ever laughed at my little nonsensical jokes. I looked forward to playing for him every year.

Now I have only to look on it as my greatest memory.