What’s the best speech title you ever came up with?
Whilst you’re thinking about it I’ll carry on.

My best title was… “The Tyranny of the Or”

“The Tyranny of the Or” is a concept discussed in the book “Built to Last” published by the Stanford Business School.
In the Authors words…
 

“The tyranny of the or moves people to believe that things must be one way or another… but never both.

You can be either conservative or bold, work for purpose or profit, be a low-cost producer or offer a high quality product… but never both.”

I took that idea and applied it to the lives of everyday folk, pointing out how we limit our potential and pigeon hole ourselves.

“As toddlers we’re shy or precocious, independent or clingy…..

Yes, I can see a few mummy’s boys out there.

At school we’re lots of things, sporty or academic, dunce or swot,

doing well….. or could do better.”

I gave that speech at the Association of Speakers Clubs National Finals in 2008 and even now, people quote the title back to me.

Seems that titles are powerful things, so let’s delve a little deeper.
 

The secret of a good speech title

According to Laura Rozakis author of “The Idiot’s Guide to Public Speaking” speech titles have two purposes:

“They suggest the general content of the speech while simultaneously grabbing the audience’s attention.

Think of the title as an advertisement. If successful, the title should make the listener want to hear more.”

So there you have it, follow the lead of the advertisers, make your titles punchy, catchy, and memorable.

Who knows, perhaps your next speech title will be:

“Lip smacking, thirst quenching, ace tasting, motivating, good buzzing, cool walking, high talking, fast living, ever giving…..PEPSI!”

Too long?

OK try the Renault advert:

“Rain? Kiss my glass.”

Ooooh, now that is naughty, but it’s a title you won’t forget.

Write your title last

Because titles come at the beginning, people assume that you have to write them first, but you don’t.

When you write your speech ideas will come in thick and fast and those ideas will include speech titles.

Keep a record of the titles you come up with and take a fresh look at them once you’ve finished writing your speech.

“Write the title last, after you have finished the entire speech.

Creating a title that is both intriguing and suitable will be easier after you have written the rest of the speech.”

Laura Rozakis, Ph.D.

There’s no rush to decide on a title.

It’s not needed until your speech is finished, so write it last.
 

To create closure… finish on your speech title

When you deliver your final line, the audience has to know that it’s your final line and they will start clapping… hopefully.

If they don’t know it’s your final line, they won’t clap and you will be forced to say… “Thank you” the audience will then clap and you will be taken away by the “Speech ending” police and shot.

“The conclusion must give your audience a feeling that your presentation is complete.

People have a psychological need for closure.

They want a presentation to have a beginning, a middle and an end – especially an end.

They don’t want to be left hanging. Your conclusion must address this need.”

Malcolm Kushner

A sure fire way to let the audience know that you are delivering your final line, is to finish on your Speech title.

I gave a speech whose purpose was to persuade people to go on a skiing holiday.

The title was “An Alpine Aria.”

During the speech I said…

“You’ll make lots of pals skiing and they’re all slightly odd.

I used to ski with a guy called Marko.

During the summer he worked at Glyndebourne opera house, and when he skied he sang an alpine aria to the whole mountain.”

I finished with…

“And so madam chairman, ladies and gentlemen, I ask you to join me.

To see those mountains, to ski those slopes, and to sing your own, alpine aria.”

Do you see how it puts a full stop at the end of the speech?

It gives a marvellous sense of closure and cues the audience to start their standing ovation… if only.

Ideas for great speech titles

It can be difficult to come up with a good speech title, so here are a few ideas to get you started:

1. Adapt a book title – “The Unbearable Darkness of Seeing”
2. A film (movie) title – “The Good, The Bad and The Ugly”
3. Use a pun – “Product Pricing: Now Makes Cents!”
4. Ask a question – “Now I’ve got a Computer, What Do I Do with it?”
5. Be surprising – “Say Yes to Stress”
6. Be a little naughty – “Discipline without Bondage”
7. Adapt a saying – “Sedimentary My Dear Watson”

Hope that those help, but if they don’t, there is one method of finding a speech title that never fails….

Your title is in your speech

The truth is, your title is often hidden in your speech.

A phrase, a sentence a little flash of rhetoric.

“Lincoln, in his first inaugural address said:

“The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave, to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched… by the better angels of our nature.”

The phrase “mystic chords of memory” would have made an eloquent title of that speech if custom didn’t dictate that it be simply labelled “Inaugural Address.”

Thomas Montalbo

So write your speech in full then read it through and find that magic phrase that sums up your speech and then you can go with “Inaugural Address” or you can use your own “Mystic Chords of Memory”.

A trick for your blog post titles

Blog post titles are a little trickier than speech titles because not only are you writing for people, you’re writing for the Search Engine bots and in particular Mr Googlebot.

That means that your title has to be a great advert and contain your keywords… seems like an impossible task.

So here’s my solution:

When you first publish your post go with that punchy eye-catching headline.

Once the interest drops off and the comments stop coming in, change the title to one that contains your keywords.

Works for me, hope it works for you.

Time to have your say

So what’s the best title you’ve come up with?

What gems have you crafted over the years?

Please feel free to leave a comment, ask a question or pass on tips of your own.

About Keith Davis
A Yorkshireman who now lives in Solihull in the West Midlands about half an hour from Stratford-upon-Avon.

I’m a member of the Association of Speakers Clubs and I’ve appeared in both their Speech and Evaluation National finals.

My CommentLuv profile describes me as…
“A passionate Public Speaker with a mission to help you overcome your fear of Public Speaking.”
Hope you enjoy the post.

Credits:
My thanks and gratitude to the following from whose books I have learnt much and quoted often.

Laura Rozakis, Ph.D. “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Public Speaking”

Malcolm Kushner “Public Speaking for Dummies”

Thomas Montalbo “The Power of Eloquence”

Stanford Business School “Built to last”

And thanks to the following whose graphics add something that words never could.

UggBoy via Flickr for the Meaning of Life graphic.

J from the UK via Flickr for the Mariah Carey graphic.

When I tell people that I’m a member of a Speakers Club at which we give speeches for fun, they look at me as though I’m a few fries short of a happy meal.

When I tell them that some of the speeches are impromptu, they look at me with the eyes of a man who has been to the edge… and looked over.

If public speaking makes people slightly uneasy, then impromptu speaking makes them shake like a rumba dancer in the throes of colic.

It seems that in the hierarchy of Public Speaking fears, impromptu speaking deserves top billing.

“In the speech biz, speaking at a gathering with very little preparation and without the use of notes is called impromptu speaking. In everyday life, it’s often called “hell” and a few other words we can’t print here.
But despite its terrifying reputation, impromptu speaking need not be likened to trial by fire.”

Laura Rozakis, Ph.D.

Sure, impromptu speaking can be scary but there’s a lot you can do to make things easier.
 

Your speech is already written

The first thing to remember is that you are not likely to be asked to give an impromptu speech unless you know about the subject, so you’re already ahead of the game.
The second thing to remember is that your speech is already written!
Don’t believe me?
Here’s a little story to show you what I mean…

A man had just given a speech… it had gone down a storm.
The crowd were on their feet, clapping, shouting, asking for more.
When the applause had died down, the speaker returned to his seat, and the man next to him leant across and said….

“That was the finest speech I’ve ever heard, tell me, how long did it take you to write it?”

And the speaker replied…

“All my life….. all my life.”

He didn’t mean he’d been scribbling this speech all his life,
He meant that your speeches are shaped by your experiences.
Who you are, what you are, what you believe in.

The process of writing your speech is really about organising your thoughts, researching facts and presenting your material in the most eloquent and persuasive way possible.
You know before you start what you want to say.
In truth, your speeches are written… long before you pick up the pen.

When you walk to the front to deliver your impromptu speech, don’t forget, you’ve been preparing for that speech… all your life.

Be prepared

Someone once said of Winston Churchill, “Winston has devoted the best years of his life to preparing his impromptu speeches.”

Although it was intended as a putdown, it’s actually a compliment, because smart speakers are always prepared – to speak.

“If you’re going to a meeting where there is the slightest chance that someone might ask you to speak, go the Boy Scout route: Be prepared.
Make some notes about the topic that might come up in the discussion.
Jot down ideas throughout the presentation or panel discussions.”

Laura Rozakis, Ph.D.

Same applies to you, if you’re going to an event and there’s any chance that you will be asked to speak, prepare a few notes.

Your speech should have a purpose and a pattern

Your speech may be off-the-cuff, but you should still stick to the rules.

Firstly, your speech must have a purpose.

I don’t think that I’ve ever given a speech whose purpose was anything other than to persuade the audience to my way of thinking.
When you speak to persuade it brings out your passion and enthusiasm. You become alive and animated.
Whatever your subject, speak to persuade.

“The common knowledge divides presentations by various purposes.
Traditionally the big three are speeches to inform, speeches to entertain and speeches to persuade.

The uncommon knowledge is that everything you say involves persuasion.”

Malcolm Kushner

Secondly, your speech must flow logically and be easy to follow… it must have a pattern.

Here’s a simple pattern that you can use for any speech, prepared or impromptu:

1. Introduction – an attention grabbing opening and an indication of what your speech is about.
2. Development – three points to explain your argument and back up your point of view.
3. Conclusion – a summary of your main points, a call to action and a big finish.

As speech patterns go they don’t come easier than this one – use it when you’re under pressure and have minimum time to prepare.
 

Build up a stock of all purpose openings

The beginning is one of the most important parts of your speech; it’s also the time when you’re most nervous.
Make it easy on yourself – put together a list of “all purpose” openings.

Here are a couple to point you in the right direction:

If the audience know you have been asked to give an impromptu speech…
“At the very start, let me just say that we both have something in common.
You don’t know what I’m going to say… and neither do I.”
Robert Orben

My pal used to say, “I know very little about politics / economic / world affairs / cats / dogs / Mr Blobby… and care even less.” But maybe we should care.
Keith Davis
 

Quotes and one-liners are a great source of “all purpose” openings. And they’re easy to remember.
Here are a few to get you started plus an indication of the subjects where they can be used.

1. They say that change is inevitable… unless it’s from a vending machine.
   (time / the passage of time / changes in society)
2. Everything is possible… apart from skiing through a revolving door.
   (opportunities / life planning / challenges)
3. I must admit, whenever I feel the desire to exercise… I lie down until it goes away.
   (keep fit / diet / health / exercise / modern life)
4. My old boss used to say “There are only two things you need to know about life – Where there’s money there’s corruption and where there’s men and women – there’s hanky panky.” But was he right?
   (money / greed / life / life’s problems / complexity of modern life)
5. Clint Eastwood playing Harry Callaghan (Dirty Harry) once said to his lieutenant “I like a man who knows his limitations.” So what are your limitations?
   (setting goals / achievement / self imposed limitations)

That should get you started.
Please feel free to use them or better still, put together a list of your own.
 

Practise your impromptu… Join a Speakers Club

If you’re a regular visitor to easyP you’ll know that I’m a passionate advocate of Speakers Clubs. They are great places to learn all things Public Speaking related and they even have opportunities for you to practise your impromptu speaking.

The two big Speakers Club organisations are Toastmasters (internationally) and The Association of Speakers Clubs (throughout the UK).

Both offer challenges, which are specific to impromptu speaking:

1. The impromptu Speech assignment – in this assignment you are given three speech titles and you have ten minutes to choose one of the titles and prepare a six to eight minute speech. The impromptu speech assignment is a bit like ballet… it keeps you on your toes.
2. Topics – no preparation time at all here, you’re given a topic (a topic can be a word, a phrase, a saying, anything) and you walk to the front and deliver a two or three minute speech complete with introduction, development and conclusion.
   The topics session is often called the fun part of the evening… I’ve never understood why.

Speakers Clubs, a great place to learn the art of Public Speaking, impromptu or otherwise.
What are you waiting for?
Join today!
 

Time to have your say

What do you think?
Are you a little more relaxed about your impromptu speaking?
Do you have an impromptu speech success to share?
Please feel free to leave a comment, ask a question or pass on tips of your own?
 

Many many months ago I promised Melanie Kissell over at Solo Mompreneur that I would write a post on impromptu speaking. But then came the summer and my resolve faded in the bright summer sun.

To the indictment for Serious Procrastination, all I can do is hold up my hands and say “Guilty as charged.”

Here it finally is Mel, my sincere apologies and I hope you enjoy it.

Credits:
My thanks and gratitude to the following from whose books I have learnt much and quoted often:

Laura Rozakis, Ph.D. “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Public Speaking”

Malcolm Kushner “Public Speaking for Dummies”

Tony Carlson “The How of Wow”

“Like fine wine trickling out of a decanter.”
That was my initial description of Randy Cantrell’s voice.
As soon as I heard it, I knew that I had to share it with you, so I contacted Randy.

I contacted him one Friday night and received his video early on Saturday morning – now that is service with a smile.

With a voice like that, I assumed that Randy would be some big shot with an American TV network or maybe a voice over artist for MGM or at least the guy who announces…

“This is Jack Killian, “The Nighthawk” on KJCM, 98.3 and Good night America… wherever you are.”

But no, Randy tells me he’s no big shot in the US, just a guy who enjoys producing videos.

So ladies and gentlemen, my original intention was to treat you to the mellifluous tones of Randy’s voice, but his video is far more than the celebration of a glorious voice.

An online video speech

With that voice Randy could read the telephone book and sound interesting, but thankfully he didn’t. He put together a talk that is a real and polished speech.

It has an introduction, a development and a conclusion with a real call to action.

It’s sprinkled with humour, it contains gestures, he varies his voice, he talks to the audience and most importantly… his talk has a purpose.

Watch Randy’s short video (3min 55secs) and then we’ll take a look at the speech elements in more detail – enjoy.

What makes Randy’s presentation a real speech?

If you’ve recovered from listening to that voice, let’s take a look at the points that make Randy’s presentation a real speech.

1. An introduction that grabs your attention – “… they all stem from a single question, two words… why not?” notice the pause after “two words” – makes you really wonder what those words are.
2. Concrete examples to prove the point – Benjamin Franklin and his inventions relating to the question “why not”.
3. Rhetorical questions to involve the audience – “You know those library stools…”
4. Repetition to drive home the point and make it memorable – “why not…. why not… well why not.”
5. Answers the question “what’s in it for me” by moving from the general to the personal – “A valid question to ask when it comes to our own personal desires and dreams and aspirations, why not?”
6. Addresses your fears and reluctance – “We have such self limiting beliefs and notions, we cross bridges that we’ll never get to.”
7. Humour to put your fears into perspective – “Oh and heaven forbid if it should fail, if it should not work…”
8. Conversational language to put you at ease – “Maybe old Ben was the one sitting around…. kinda teeter.”
9. Gestures to add to and reinforce the words – “We can rock back and forth…”
10. A definite and well signalled ending – “My question to you, that I’m going to leave you with is… why not you?”

There you have it folks, ten points that turn a casual chat into a polished and professional speech and all presented in a 3 min 55 sec video.

Time to have your say

Does Randy have the coolest voice on the internet or do you know an even smoother one?
How many speech techniques did you spot in Randy’s video?
Have you ever thought of videoing your own speeches or have you done it already?
Let me have your thoughts on anything and everything in the comments below.

My name is Keith Davis… see ya.

About Randy – Randy Cantrell is the Founder of Bula Network, LLC, a company designed to teach, inspire and encourage higher human performance in education and business.
Sharing 35+ years of business building leadership with public education in an effort to give teachers and administrators real world solutions to one of our society’s biggest problems – how to make schools work better.
The focus is individual performance and small group performance. Entrepreneurs, creatives, employees, educators – I help the people involved in the chase.

Credits:
My thanks and gratitude to:

Randy Cantrell for sharing his voice, for sending me a video in double quick time and for waiting patiently for me to publish it.

Randy’s main site is http://bulanetwork.com/
Hope you’ll pay him a visit.

If you want to know how to add power and dynamism to your blog, visit Marcus Sheridan, Ingrid Abboud or Danny Brown.

If you want to have a little banter and get involved with the blogging community try Melanie Kissell, Theresa Bradley-Banta or Barbara Swafford.

For WordPress security John Hoff, for stunning WordPress themes Nick Roach and for how to turn the technique of online video into an art form… Mr. Tom Breeze.

The art and technique of online video

I first came across the phrase Un Art… Une Technique in Georges Joubert’s book “Le Ski: Un Art… Une Technique.”
In his book Joubert explains that behind every great artist there is a serious amount of technique which allows them to express their art.
Take away the technique and the art is diluted and lost like tears in the rain.
As Joubert puts it…..

“What skier was able to contain their admiration while watching Ingemar Stenmark play with the difficulties in a slalom which the other skiers wildly attack like savages?

Who wasn’t aware of the touch of genius in some of Franz Klammer’s downhill runs?

Certainly it is inspiration that makes them artists, but without technique, how would they express their inspiration?”

Georges Joubert – “Le Ski: Un Art… Une Technique.”

So, before you can express your inspiration via online video, you have to learn a little technique.
In the video below, Tom Breeze of Tom Breeze TV covers ten techniques that are essential if you want to master online video.
Watch, listen, learn and be aware… you are in the presence of an artist.
BTW – Tom’s video is in HD so if you want to see him in full screen mode, just click on the expand icon at the bottom right of the video – enjoy.

Tom’s mini course in Online Video

In answering my ten bullet point questions Tom has given us a mini course in online video.
To act as a memory jogger, here is a list of the points in the order that Tom covered them.

1. That zoom in and out that you do.
2. Audio quality.
3. How to speak to the camera as though it were an audience – keeping it conversational.
4. How to sound confident.
5. Script, notes or off the cuff.
6. Adding a little humour to liven things up.
7. Sitting down or moving about.
8. Smiling and making your smile look genuine.
9. Equipment.
10. Background – not cluttered.

There you have it folks, all the technique you’ll ever need and the art?…. that’s up to you.

Time to have your say

Tom would love to have some feedback so please feel free to leave a comment or ask a question.
Which technique did you find most helpful?
What else would you like to know?
Do you have any tips of your own that you can share with us?
And perhaps most importantly of all… do you believe Tom when he says that he doesn’t watch Eastenders?

About Tom– Tom Breeze is an Online Video Marketing Expert and runs three very successful businesses using video marketing as his main strategy for business generation. Since creating his first business video in 2007, the world of video marketing has seen many changes and technological advances, making it a must for any business owner.
Tom states that, “If you’re one of the ‘good guys’ and truly care about your customers and clients then through video you’ll build long lasting relationships that will serve your business well. If you believe that business is about building relationships, then make it your business to build relationships.”
Tom now focuses most of his energy on his new site tombreeze.tv – go check it out and say hello!

Credits:
My thanks and gratitude to:

Tom Breeze for his fantastic video Tom’s main site isTom Breeze TV

What a great occasion, the 2011 Oscars Award Ceremony, attended by the great and the good and there standing out like a varicose vein in winter, “The King’s Speech“.
Best film, best director, best original screenplay and of course best actor, Mr Colin Firth.
From Darcy’s wet shirted enticement to stirrings in his abdomen… does this man have no self control?

But enough talk of his peccadilloes let’s take a look at Colin Firth’s acceptance speech.
I don’t know what you think, but I loved it. This is my take on his speech:

1. Humorous opening – “I have a feeling my career has just peaked” – nice easy start to his speech, relaxes the audience and the laughter relaxes him.
2. Humility – “I’m going to be brief with my gratitude for being on this extraordinary list of nominees” – even hugely successful movie stars need humility.
3. Gave thanks – “My deepest thanks to the academy” – one of the main purposes of an acceptance speech is to give thanks.
4. Humour throughout – “Harvey who took me on twenty years ago… when I was a mere child sensation” – a smattering of humour throughout keeps the audience with you.
5. One serious point to give the speech focus – “David Seidler whose own struggles have given very many people the benefits of his beautiful voice” – even a humorous speech needs one serious point or the speech becomes a piece of fluff.
6. Just enough emotion – he stays in control but there is just a hint that his voice is on the verge of cracking.
7. Spoke to the time he was given – the winners have obviously been told to be brief… and he is. It’s just good manners to stick to the time you have been given.
8. Finished by going back to the beginning – “And now if you’ll all excuse me, I have some impulses I have to attend to back stage” – audiences love closure, finishing by going back to the beginning is a great way of providing closure and signalling that you have finished.

I’m not saying it was a perfect speech, there were a few umms and ahhhs and he kept looking down at the award… but eh, I enjoyed it. Take a look at the video below and see what you think.
This is the best quality video I could find, my apologies for the sound and picture quality.

Did you notice how quiet the audience were?
Silence can mean boredom, and I should know, but on this occasion the audience are quiet because they are listening intently to what Colin Firth has to say. They want to hear more.
Colin has both good content and delivery, but he has something else that lifts his speech… occasion.

Content delivery and…. occasion

In my last post I looked at Content and Delivery but both are secondary to the occasion.
If you look at the truly great speeches, they were all delivered at times of heightened emotion or emotional turmoil.

• Abraham Lincoln – “Four score and seven years ago our fathers…”
• Winston Churchill – “We shall fight them on the beaches…”
• Martin Luther King – “I have a dream that one day this nation…”
• John F Kennedy – “Ask not what your country can do for you…”
• Earl Spencer – “I stand before you today the representative of a family in grief…”

Five classic speeches delivered on occasions of high emotion and I defy anyone to read them… and not be moved.

“Churchill’s speech after the military disaster that led to the evacuation of the British Army from Europe at Dunkirk… is a great speech… not only was the prime minister’s deep throated delivery forcefully defiant in a hushed Parliament, and broadcast to the world, but the overriding reason was the historic occasion: at that moment tyranny was on the verge of victory, and democracy’s main weapon was Churchill’s rallying voice.”
Great Speeches in History – William Safire

The Oscars may not have the gravitas of the occasions above, but there is plenty of emotion flying around. As Paul Hogan points out in his 3G’s speech… “The atmosphere is pure electricity.”

Your speeches, your great occasions

What are your great occasions, your occasions of heightened emotion?
You may never have to deliver a “Fight them on the beaches” speech, but there will be times when you can make a difference.

• Family events – christenings, weddings, funerals.
• Work related – job interviews, presentations.
• Social – your speeches at the Speakers Club you’ve just joined.
• Blogging – videos, guest posts.

I know what you’re going to say… these aren’t great occasions. Well they are to you so perhaps you should treat everything you write or perform, as though it was your Gettysburg Address, just in case.

Time to have your say

What did you think of Colin Firth’s acceptance speech?
What great speeches have you heard and what was the occasion?
Do you deliver your speeches as though every occasion was a great occasion?
Do you write your blog posts as though each one is a historical gem?
Let me have your thoughts on anything and everything in the comments below – look forward to hearing from you.

Credits:
My thanks and gratitude to:

Period Dramas for the Colin Firth thumbnail

I was chatting to Colin Firth last week…. not that Colin Firth, my neighbour Colin Firth.

Incidentally my wife has never been the same since she saw that Colin Firth in the lake scene in Pride and Prejudice.
Even now if you mention Mr. Darcy… her legs turn to jelly.

Anyway, I was explaining to Colin that many actors just can’t give speeches. They can breathe life into lines written by others, they can add drama and passion, but ask them to be themselves and deliver their own material and they deliver the lines with all the verve and panache of a speaking clock.

“…the only example of an actor who did become a great public speaker that I can think of is Ronald Reagan, but he’d already been rolling his own speeches on the lecture circuit for General Electric long before he became Governor of California – with a contract from the company that required him to tour GE plants ten weeks out of the year, often demanding of him fourteen speeches per day”
Professor Max Atkinson

And it was reassuring to know that Colin agreed with me. He may have had a couple of white wines, but he did agree with me.

Thing is, a great speech is a mixture of two things… content and delivery.
The content gives a speech form and meaning and the delivery holds the attention of the audience and makes your words stand out, like a varicose vein in winter.
Content and delivery, the Yin and Yang of a great speech, without both, your speech falls apart.

A great speech needs content and delivery

What an actor brings to a speech is the delivery, so if you want to learn how to deliver a speech watch the actors.
If you really want to see actors deliver a speech, take in a little Shakespeare at your local theatre. There are lots of great speeches in Shakespeare’s plays and stage actors really know how to use their voices.

“We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition:
And gentlemen in England now a-bed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day.”
Shakespeare – Henry V

Fortunately I live about half an hour from Stratford-upon-Avon so I’m a regular visitor to the RSC and Swan theatres. Don’t worry if you can’t make it to the theatre, take a look at this fantastic video with over 40 examples of great speeches in films.
It’s only a couple of minutes long and don’t blink… or you’ll miis half a dozen.

That is one great video, which I first saw over at JohnZimmer’s Public Speaking site and I hope it reminds you of some of your favourite films and some of the great speeches in them.
Point is, as the video shows, actors can deliver great speeches, but they need great material to produce a great speech.

Time to have your say

So what’s your strong point, content or delivery?
I guess that most bloggers are good with content, but could you deliver your content with power and passion?
Perhaps you have a great voice but can’t write a speech to save your life?
Let me have your thoughts on anything and everything in the comments below.

Credits:
My thanks and gratitude to:

Professor Max Atkinson for his post on Award Speeches
RSC for the Actor thumbnail
John Zimmer over at Manner of Speaking for posting the film clips video

All this talk about which film will win the best film award, The King’s Speech, Black Swan or The Social Network, has got me thinking about the Oscars.
And when you think about the Oscars, you can’t help but think about those awful acceptance speeches.

These guys may be trained actors who know how to use their voice and deliver lines, but when it comes to a real speech, they couldn’t lead a congregation in silent prayer.

But why should we expect actors to be any good at giving speeches?
This is what Professor Max Atkinson has to say:

“After all, their skill is to deliver other people’s lines in a way that portrays characters other than themselves, which is a very different business from writing your own lines and coming across as yourself.”

Fair comment Prof.
So if you’re an Oscar nominee looking for advice before you pen your acceptance speech, fear not dear friend, your acceptance speech doesn’t have to be a blubber fest, easypublicspeaking is here for you.

Advice from Crocodile Dundee

Fortunately Mr Paul Hogan, Crocodile Dundee himself, has looked into the problem and has some useful advice for the winners when they deliver their speeches.
His advice can be summed up in the three G’s.

• Be Gracious
• Be Grateful
• Get off

I don’t think that I can improve on that so just sit back and let Mr Hogan spin his straw words of wisdom into golden nuggets of advice.

There you have it dear friends, the 3 G’s of golden advice from Mr Hogan himself.
And in closing I’d like to thank my mother, my father, my…………
I love you all, goodnight.

Time for you to have your say

So what do you think?
Why are acceptance speeches so bad?
What’s the most cringeworthy acceptance speech you’ve ever heard. The one that made you wriggle with embarrassment?
Are there any Brits out there who changed their nationality after watching Kate Winslet’s acceptance speech at the 2009 Golden Globe awards?
Let me have your thoughts on anything and everything in the comments below.

Credits:
My thanks and gratitude to:

Professor Max Atkinson for his post on Award Speeches
Prayitno for the Oscar photo thumbnail on flickr
Melanie Kissell over at SOLO MOMPRENEUR for showing me how to write short sharp posts

I watched a great film over the Christmas break, Chocolat starring Juliette Binoche, Judi Dench, Alfred Molina and Captain Jack Sparrow himself… Johnny Depp. I’ve seen it before but I’d forgotten what a clever film it is, well worth a second viewing.

The film is set in a small French village and the plot revolves around the arrival of a single mother who sets up a chocolaterie and begins to tempt the locals with the sensual pleasures of her offerings. Unfortunately this is not a village that is big on sensual pleasures and the Mayor and Priest are soon plotting our heroine’s downfall.
Enter Johnny Depp as an itinerant river gypsy whose alternative lifestyle only increases the threat to the values and lifestyle of the village.

This is a film that examines human frailty, it deals with prejudice, bigotry, hypocrisy, self interest but ultimately… it offers us redemption.

These are weighty issues, issues that most of us would rather ignore. Hardly the stuff of riveting viewing.
So why is the film so successful?
Because it does three things…

1. It makes a serious point, it has a purpose – this is not a film about chocolate, although the French are very serious about their chocolate. In fact they consider UK chocolate to be grossly inferior to their own. An attitude for which every Frenchman should be horsewhipped. But I’m a tolerant man… and forgive them that.
   It’s a film that shows you how others behave and then asks you to look at your own behaviour.
2. It makes the point without preaching or lecturing – there are no lengthy sermons or bouts of breast beating in this film. It simply uses gentle humour and caricature to shine a light on the darker side of human nature.
3. It has an ending that leaves you feeling good – there are emotional highs and lows throughout the film, you laugh you cry, but as the closing credits roll you feel that perhaps the world is not such a bad place. The ending offers us redemption and leaves you feeling optimistic and positive about the future.

Three little things that turn a celluloid piece of eye candy into a satisfying and uplifting experience.

Try it in your Speeches and Presentations

Strikes me that the movie moguls have come up with a winning formula so let’s see how you can apply the Chocolat principles to your speeches and presentations.

Make sure that your speech or presentation has a purpose

Before you start writing your speech make sure you have a clear purpose. What are you trying to achieve? To clarify what you are trying to achieve, and to remind you when you start to wander, at the top of your script write… “The purpose of this speech is……………”
Everything you write should be written with your purpose in mind.

Your purpose could be:

• To inform people of the reasons for the Credit Crunch
• To entertain people at a social gathering
• To persuade people to vote for you

“The common knowledge divides presentations by various purposes. Traditionally, the big three are speeches to inform, speeches to entertain and speeches to persuade. The uncommon knowledge is that everything you say involves persuasion” – Malcolm Kushner

Once you decide the purpose of your speech or presentation… writing it becomes a whole lot easier and the end result will be much more effective.

Don’t preach or lecture to the audience

What’s the old saying? “You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.” It’s the same when speaking to an audience. They don’t want to listen to you preaching and telling them that they should change their ways. Forget the vinegar and start using the jam.
Entertain the audience, add some humour, tell them a story and get them on your side, and then you can fulfil your purpose and make the points you want to make.

“When the mouth is open for laughter, you may be able to shove in a little food for thought.” – Dr Virginia Trooper

Amuse, entertain, add a bit of showbiz. The audience will have a good time and don’t worry, they’ll remember your message.

Make sure the audience leave feeling better than when they arrived

If you want to depress the audience, ask them to watch the TV news or read a newspaper. Your job as a public speaker is to inspire the audience and leave them feeling positive and optimistic. The audience should leave happy, content and full of the warm fuzzies.
Give the audience good news, give them solutions to their problems, transform the poverty of their expectations with the riches of your words.

Even if the situation appears hopeless and you don’t have an answer or a solution, point to the future give them hope. For a brief moment for a fleeting second, let them believe.

Let me have your thoughts

Have you seen the film?
Do you apply the Chocolat principles to your speeches and presentations?
Do you apply the Chocolat principles to your blog posts?
Let me have your thoughts and ideas in the comments below.

Credits:
My thanks and gratitude to:

The Internet Movie Database for the Chocolat thumbnail
EuroMagic – Martin L for The Chocolates photo on flickr

Last week in June, first week in July… Wimbledon fortnight, in the UK sales of tennis rackets go through the roof as people are inspired by their heroes.
The icy coolness of Borg, the grit and determination of Nadal, the sheer bloody mindedness of McEnroe and the balletic arrogance of Federer. Each of them transforms a simple game into an art form and provides inspiration along the way.

It’s the same in any area of life, you meet inspirational people who point your life in a completely new direction. That school teacher who inspired you to work towards getting to university, your first boss who showed you what could be achieved by sheer hard work and that good friend who showed you the value of real friendship.

Public Speaking is no different, we all need inspiration and this video will provide just that. It will move you, inspire you and take your Public Speaking to the next level.

This is a TED video, which I first saw on John Zimmer’s website, “Manner of Speaking“. John has some great material on his site so if you get a few minutes, head on over and take a look.

“TED is a small non-profit organisation devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. It started out (in 1984) as a conference bringing together people from three worlds: Technology, Entertainment, Design. Since then its scope has become ever broader. Along with two annual conferences — the TED Conference in Long Beach and Palm Springs each spring, and the TEDGlobal conference in Oxford UK each summer — TED includes the award-winning TEDTalks video site, the Open Translation Project and Open TV Project, the inspiring TED Fellows and TEDx programs, and the annual TED Prize.”
From the TED website http://www.ted.com

The video is over 20 minutes long, but I guarantee that if you watch the first minute, you’ll watch it to the end. And believe me… this is one ending you won’t want to miss!

Don’t analyse just watch, learn and above all… enjoy.

Were you inspired?

What do you think?
What did you like most about the speech, the message, the humour, the interplay with the audience?
Has the video made you look at Public Speaking in a new way?
Leave me a comment and let me have your thoughts.

Credits:
My thanks and gratitude to:

John Zimmer for posting the video on his website.
TED for providing such great material.

Take a look at the photo, what do you see?

A letter, a lady and a light, but I bet you’re not satisfied with just the facts. You want to know the story behind those facts….. Who’s the lady? What’s in the letter? Is it a love letter? And most importantly is the ending to this story happy or sad?

Don’t know what you decided but for me that flickering candle can only mean one thing… sad, sad, sad.

We’re all the same, you, me, Mr Spock, we see the world through a mist of facts but we make sense of it with our emotions.

Writers and Playwrights use emotions…

"If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge?"
Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare

Songwriters use emotions…

"And when no hope was left in sight. On that starry, starry night. You took your life, as lovers often do. But I could have told you, Vincent. This world was never meant for one as beautiful as you."
Vincent by Don McLean

Film makers use emotions…

"I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser gate. All those moments will be lost in time… like tears in rain… Time to die"
The replicant Batty from the film Blade Runner

And as a Public Speaker… you should definitely use emotions.

Why use emotions in your Speeches and Presentations?

It can be scary to stand in front of an audience and show your emotions, you’re letting them see the real you. Much easier to deliver your speech from behind a protective cloak of formality and facts. Here are a few reasons you should throw that cloak away, take a few risks and lift your Public Speaking to the next level.

1. Emotions let the audience know that you are human – the audience don’t want to listen to a fact spitting machine, they want to connect with a living breathing human being. Make that connection by showing your emotions and letting them know you are just like them. You get angry, you get sad, you know how to have fun and you know when to show compassion.
2. Emotions help us to remember – we remember things that have emotional connections, for instance… what scene do you remember most from Walt Disney’s Bambi? I bet it’s the scene where Bambi’s mum senses the hunters and shouts "Run Bambi Run". We see Bambi running and then we hear a shot…..
   Why do most of us remember that scene? Because that scene smashes into our hearts like an emotional juggernaut and we bear the scars forever. If you want the audience to remember your speech, your main points, your call to action, give them a few emotional hooks to remember.
3. Emotions make us take action – Phan Thị Kim Phúc is the child in the Pulitzer Prize winning photograph taken during the Vietnam War. The iconic photo shows her at about age nine running naked on a road after being burned on her back by a napalm attack. Once the public had seen that photograph the politics were swept aside by emotion… the war had to end.
   

   "Change happens in the boiler room of our emotions – so find out how to light their fires."
   Jeff Dewar

No need to become Mr Angry overnight, build up your emotional arsenal piece by piece.
Start by injecting a little enthusiasm and passion into your speeches and presentations. Then add a sprinkling of fun, enjoyment and happiness. And when you have the right subject and feel comfortable… bring in the emotions that have the biggest impact but most of us are reluctant to use, anger and sadness.

"A speech is not about facts and numbers; it’s about story, meaning. A memorable speech rests on the quality of the connection between the speaker and the audience."
Tony Carlson from his book The How of Wow

How to show emotions

As a Public Speaker you have a great advantage when it comes to using emotion. You can use emotive words but more importantly, you can use your voice and your body.

"Learning takes place when you kick them into a higher attention level. Touch their hearts, their minds will follow."
Lilly Walters

So lets say that you want to show the audience how enthusiastic you are about something… what do you do? Just think what you do normally when you’re enthusiastic. I speak louder, speak quicker, become animated, my face lights up and I smile. You may do that or you may do something different.

Once you know what you do normally, do the same in front of the audience, but exaggerate everything. How much you exaggerate depends on the size of the audience. If you’re talking to three people, there’s no need to exaggerate at all. If you’re talking to thirty people, you exaggerate slightly. If you’re talking to three hundred people… you can really let it go. And if you’re talking to three thousand people… could you please send me the name of your agent.

Here is a check list to run through when you’re trying to convey a particular emotion.

1. Use the right words – no need to use big words, but at moments of high emotion you can use a little rhetoric to add impact. In the opening line of his eulogy to his sister Diane Princess of Wales, Lord Spencer uses a list of three to emphasise his simple words.
   

   “I stand before you today the representative of a family in grief, in a country in mourning before a world in shock.”
   Lord Spencer at the funeral of his sister Diana Princess of Wales

2. Use the right voice – your voice is the most important element in conveying emotion. You can change volume, pace, pitch, intonation and you can….. pause, to convey emotion.
3. Body gestures – make sure your body is in sync with your voice. If you are talking quickly to show enthusiasm, make sure you are animated. If you pause to show sadness, make sure you stand still.
4. Facial gestures – take a look at the two girls in the photo at the start of this section. Great facial gesture done without thinking. What facial gestures can you use to convey your emotion? Even if the audience can’t see your face, making the gesture will have an effect on your voice, which the audience will hear.

Best way to use emotions

Here are a few tips on how to get the most out of using emotions.

1. Use emotions in short bursts – if you use an emotion for too long, it loses its impact. The solution is to use emotions in short bursts with normal bits in between. Light and shade, ebb and flow.
2. Go easy on the negative emotions – emotions such as anger and sadness can have the greatest effect on an audience but too much can make them feel uneasy. Use the negative emotions sparingly.
3. Mix up those emotions – to get the maximum impact from an emotion, contrast it against an opposing emotion. For example, if you have a sad section in your speech make the preceding section light hearted and humourous. Then slowly lead the audience into the sad section. Make em laugh, make em cry.
   

   "Humour is only a fragrance, a decoration… everything human is pathetic. The secret source of humour itself is not joy but sorrow."
   Mark Twain

4. Finish on a positive – don’t forget… if you’ve taken the audience to a dark place, don’t leave them there. Bring them back by offering them a solution, giving them hope, showing them that they can change things for the better. Make sure they leave feeling better than when they arrived.
   

   "Audiences want speakers to end speeches on a high note – to give them a fleeting look at the land of promise. Who wants to listen to the preachers of doom and gloom?"
   Thomas Montalbo from his book The Power of Eloquence

5. Don’t try and fake it – only use emotions that you genuinely feel. Exaggerate those emotions but don’t try and fake it. You’re a Public Speaker not a con man.

How do you use Emotions?

If you’re a Public Speaker, someone who gives Presentations, a writer or a blogger, how do you use emotions? Do you concentrate on happiness, do you concentrate on sadness, do you use a mixture? Are there emotions you avoid. Let me have your thoughts and ideas in the comments below.

Credits:
My thanks and gratitude to:

Simon Howden for Victorian Love Letter photo on free digital photos
John Steven Fernandez for The Eye photo on flickr
Ali Brohi for Two Girls photo on flickr
Elena Lagaria for Girl with Tear photo on flickr