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NEWS - PLANNING
Making the perfect pitch
3/2/2005
PowerPoint slides are fine, but they won't make a persuasive speech; technology will only get you so far, and if you lack the confidence or "voice" to stand and deliver a compelling presentation, then it's time to sharpen your performance.
Mary Atkins, author of Finding Your Voice: Ten Steps to Successful Public Speaking (Lothian Books) says that with practice, almost anyone can deliver a competent oration, but confidence is the key.
Atkins has spent 20 years teaching chefs and food professionals in television and radio how to spruik; now, she is translating that experience into coaching people for business presentations, chairing a meeting and delivering toasts.
There are some simple rules to delivering well on your feet, she says.
• Stay cool: Lose the stage fright along with the jargon, overworked cliches, pretentious vogue words, and the dramas that can explode around technology such as PowerPoint. Atkins says: "People use jargon as a security blanket, but they only bore and alienate the audience with their attempt to look clever."
• Use your own words: If the language is outside the audience's experience and understanding, it can be interpreted as elitist and rude. If you must use technology, keep it to a minimum: sometimes chalk-and-talk is better than badly structured slides.
• Be prepared: "Check the subject matter and get a brief of what you will be speaking on, the likely audience, how long you will be required to speak and the location, then start to prepare some notes straight away," Atkins says. "At a lot of events and conferences people tend not to read briefs, speak over time and don't seem to have done the necessary preparation work beforehand - and you can tell. Don't leave it until the last minute and try to wing it. There is nothing worse than a paper-shuffling presenter who ums and ers their way through a speech."
• Keep it short: Always tailor your speech to finish about five minutes before the allocated time to take account of the audience response.
• Plan the content: Atkins uses "mind mapping" (where thoughts are placed around a key word or subject) to generate "an explosion of great ideas" for a speech. Think up some zingers, one-liners, or find quotes from famous people. It's important to get some "texture" into your speech and be creative, says Atkins. While a bit of nervous energy is good, just visualise the situation beforehand, breathe, and if you've got a dry mouth, try biting the inside of your mouth or the tip of your tongue to get the juices going.
• Practice makes perfect: "Make a fool of yourself in front of the mirror, not during the speech," Atkins says. "A little bit of humour can lighten up the room and relieve some of the pressure, but just remember, you're not a comedian." Communication is not just spoken words. It's more complicated than that and language is just one part of communication. "Vocal tone, rate of speech, pitch and volume can actually convey more meaning than the words you use," Atkins says.
• Keep it simple: Atkins says a speech is no place for grand gestures and a dismissive shrug, folded arms, nervous fingers pulling earlobes or touching the face can ruin a presentation. Avoid being too theatrical: you don't want to look like an out-of-work actor. Any gestures should be natural - perhaps lift an eyebrow now and then. But eye contact with your audience is essential. Practise looking up and working the room, so you can really connect with the audience.
Reproduced from the Australian Financial Review - 2 Mar 2005
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