When you build a solid brand via a book or writing a professional blog consistently for a long time, something really #RockHot™ happens.
You get invited to speak and present in front of really cool people. When you’re really accomplished you get to keynote, like Jay Baer who’s traveling the country talking about his new book, .
I have been speaking a lot in the last few years using a variety of mediums:
- Podcasting with my dear friend and colleague Jon Buscall right , and about a variety of topics mainly small business marketing, my first book and social media leadership.
- E-learning classes to the University of Tennessee Executive MBA Leadership class featuring a headset and microphone speaking to others on headsets in listen-only mode.
- To tiny classrooms at local colleges to assist the adjunct professors who teach in their spare time for peanuts.
- To groups of my peers in workshops and day conferences (where I recently presented on Savvier Social Media Across the Marketing Blend in Louisville right here).
7 Tips About Speaking to Consider
- Find the Friendly. If you get an opportunity to meet folks in advance prior to your presentation and you can build a quick connection, invite them to sit toward the front of the room. You must zero in on a friendly face when you present. All speakers need a nod of encouragement or a grin at a lame joke to keep the pace and delivery going smoothly.
- Embrace the Hecklers. Not only are hecklers fearsome for speakers, they are necessary and should sit right in the front row. The last two times I presented to larger crowds, a row of hecklers sat right in front and they laughed where they were supposed to, interjected a question or answer and listened intently. There were a few wise cracks, too; all in the name of support and positivity. (Want to know who the best hecklers are?and
- Use One Liners to Advantage. Invariably, the audience will shoot something out in response to a speaker’s statement. If it’s someone who has been controlling every presentation, go ahead and shoot something snarky in return IF that’s the tone of your presentation. It can go both ways, so be confident you can pull it off as a presenter.
- Go Off Script to Connect. Seasoned presenters know their decks by heart and often they talk on the same topic so the content has become second nature. Because many people travel to many conferences and they often get a chance to hear you present more than once, be sure to freshen your content with something new from the audience. That natural connectivity is so important to an audience; especially when you’re listening intently and reincorporating instant commentary into your presentation.
- Listen to Others’ Presentations. Prior to your session, unless you’re on first, listen to what all the speakers are saying. Better yet, listen to the questions from the audience. You can insert these comments and subjects into your presentation at the last minute. It makes what you’re saying relevant and drills home a more personalized presentation.
- Insert Tweets. Get the time of your presentation. Get the hashtag for the event. Write tweets and schedule them DURING your presentation so when the audience is ready to tweet something, they will be impressed that you already prepared tweets for them to retweet. (I did this for a recent presentation, and the tweets in response were complimentary.)
- Put an Ad in the Deck. I invited Trackur to send me an advertisement for my presentation deck, and I built in a segue to that ad. There was a discount for this social media listening tool for attendees, and the ad remains in my deck posted on SlideShare. Smart, eh?
What say you?
Hi Jayme,
Delivery! I never heard each tip before. Creative as can be.
Especially embracing hecklers. I imagine this is a the worst nightmare, someone who wants to test you a bit. Embrace them. Many are good natured. Only a few are outright nasty and we will let karma deal with these lower energies, thank you 😉
Thanks for the entertaining share Jayme!
Ryan
Embrace the hecklers, I would never heckle. 😉
Joshua Wilner/A Writer Writes Eh? That’s a joke if I ever heard one! But, I would embrace you if you were in my front row!
Love the “embrace the hecklers” idea — I’m already thinking of some creative ways to do this. Thanks!
RyanKBiddulph Hi, Ryan! You’re so wonderful. I see your supportive comments all over Triberr, and I love that you came here to share, as well.
Thanks for saying. These things you don’t really learn until you stand in front of people attempting to deliver content that draws a few laughs or makes people think a bit.
The first few times in front of my peers, I really was nervous; once you move into your deck though and feed off the audience, you can pull off an energetic prez. Cheers!
sierratierra Hi, Sierra! (And, I love your creative ID! Like saying it!). Thanks for stopping in. If you present soon and incorporate that tip, come back (if you think of it) and share what happened! Would love to know!
Brava mon amie.
jennwhinnem Thanks, Jenn Jenn.
Embrace the Hecklers…hmm, wonder why I like that expression so much. Oh yeah – Hecklers’ Hangout!
dbvickery Of course, Brian! Makes PERFECT sense!!
Great post, Jayme. Especially love the suggestion to listen to others’ presentations and insert relevant questions from their sessions into yours. Definitely personalizes the presentation and makes yours all the more relevant. Thanks!
Jayme, having spoken to you on the phone and in G+ hangouts, I know you’ve got the personality and natural ability to connect with your audience — even if the audience is just one person — which is the secret weapon of the VERY best speakers! Your sense of humor, quick wit, and sharp intuition, combined with your grasp of how social media and PR combine to create a marketing machine make you the dynamic speaker you are. Thanks for sharing these additional tips with us so we can make our own presentations smarter and more enjoyable!
What?! I totally do not heckle. I have no idea what you’re talking about. As if.
ginidietrich OMG ROFLMAO.
New England Multimedia Michelle…you’re so lovely. I appreciate you always. Thanks for saying, Girlie! Really.
acjandler We have an opportunity to do that coming right up, too! Will be so great to see you, A!
Hi Jayme. These are great tips. Number 1 is the most useful tip ever, especially for people new to presenting. When we’re nervous, it’s so easy to focus on the disengaged person. Finding the “friendly” (I love that term and may need to steal it), is absolutely critical sometimes to helping the presenter get through the nerves and into flow.
Awesome as always,
Sharon
Sharon Gilmour Glover Steal away! Happy to help, Sharon! LOL thanks for coming over to say so!
You’re welcome and thanks for letting me steal which I guess makes it borrowing?
Soulati | Hybrid PR ginidietrich Two or three Martinis before you speak and everything looks different.
As for me, I am not really an advocate of drinking before I speak but it doesn’t hurt to know you have brought along a friend to every speaking engagement. I know from experience.
TheJackB Soulati | Hybrid PR ginidietrich Wait, no one said a thing about drinking BEFORE a presentation! The night before is NOT before a presentation.
Hey Jayme. I think I’ve heard some of these before! You know someone had to be the jerk to say it, right? 🙂 In my coaching, I’m always encouraging people to do #1, #2 and especially #4 which seems to be the hardest. Speakers get so addicted to their outline or script that they are afraid to deviate. It’s so important because you need to stay present in the moment with your audience. It allows you to connect on a deep level because you show you care about their experience and want them to get the most from your speech.
Michelle_Mazur LOL, Michelle! Well, can’t say I wrote that headline to get a naysayer to read!! But, for sure…these are not secrets and someone with your expertise better be incorporating these into public speaking, right?
I feed off the audience when I present, and I also thrive on that Friendly. They make me feel comfortable when I’m up there, and it makes it feel as if I can ask a question to corroborate what I’m saying.
Speaking, like blogging, is such an art form. The delivery actually nearly matters more than the content. Thanks so much for coming by, Lady!