Speak Up! Tips for Public Speaking from the Best of the Best (use these when talking to clients too!)

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of attending the Capital Speakers Club of Washington, DC's annual Workshop at the lovely Willard Intercontinental Hotel in DC. Here are tips and tricks from the pros:

Susan Miller, PhD, author of SPEAKING TO BE HEARD THE FIRST TIME, had the following advice:

1. Stride confidently to the stage and take a solid stance (without shifting side to side)

2. Smile

3. Warm up your voice by humming before you take the stage and/or by making razzes with your lips

4. POP! Project. Open jaw. Prepare your delivery.

Arnold Sanow, author of SPEAKING TO INSPIRE AND PERSUADE, suggests remembering the following acronym: SOFTEN

S=smile

O= open (your jaw and throat)

F= focus - people can only be 100 percent focused for 8 seconds or so without drifting just a bit, so keep it fresh

T- territory (stand no closer than about 13" from the person you are speaking to in the US- different distances show respect in other countries

E= eye contact - make contact with the audience but don't stare at one person for more that just a couple of seconds

N= nod in agreement and gesture where appropriate (again with hands near the heart, not with arms flailing

Jerome Barry, author of SPEAKING TO PERFORM AND ENTERTAIN, spoke of the value of elongating vowels and saying consonants faster and of ending sentences strongly, rather than letting one's voice trail off at the end of the sentence. His voice training taught him the value of proper breath when speaking and of supporting one's breath properly when speaking. Proper, upright posture is a great help when speaking in public as well...