How to Succeed as a Business Speaker ~ Structuring a Speech.
You need to be able to communicate efficiently and produce quality talks to succeed as a business speaker.
Never assume that an expert on business topics can provide a quality presentation.
Full-time, business speaker John Bell describes some of the techniques he uses that have resulted in delegates voting him 'Speaker of the Year' on so many occasions.
In this article John gives an overview of how a professional business speaker goes about creating order by giving a speech some sense of structure.
They may be confident, experiences business gurus, but stick them in front of an audience to speak and they may go to pieces.
Let me make one thing perfectly clear from the outset ~ quality business speakers are not born with a natural ability to captivate and inform an audience.
Great business speakers learn the skills required to give an effective speech and then repeatedly practise to perfect.
What follows are the basics of preparing a public presentation as a business speaker.
The first thing you need to establish is the title and purpose of your presentation. That could be 'Giving a Business Speech' as the title with the intention of giving an overview of the skills required to deliver an informative speech.
Clarify the purpose of your role as a business speaker by asking the client what they would prefer the audience knew or felt at the conclusion of your speech.
It's also wise as a business speaker to know exactly how long your speech is expected to last in the event's proceedings.
Get ready for action by removing all unnecessary rubbish from your office desk.
As a professional business speaker I usually start by writing the title and aim of my talk onto two separate 'Post-it' note sheets and place them near the middle of my office desk.
Brainstorm the title and aim of your business speech and place your ideas onto more Post-it slips around the title and objective.
Once you have covered your desk you will then need to cull. Get rid of anything that is not central to the objectives of your presentation as a business speaker.
Think about the time you have been given to talk as a quality speaker and whether it is usual at such events to invite questions from the audience on the business issues you have addressed.
I work on the basis that each topic or issue I include as a business speaker will normally require around three minutes of time.
Establish order in your business speaker presentation by separating the Post-its and creating a beginning, middle and end in your speech. The beginning might be related to what existed prior to the production of the the amazing, new product, the middle a reference to the main advantages of the product, and the end perhaps some reference to the future benefits the delegates will achieve when they use the fantastic product.
You will also require a quick 'overview', normally placed near the front of your presentation, that tells the audience what you will be covering during your speech.
The conclusion provided by a business speaker usually consists of little more than a brief summary of the presentation and an equally short 'thank you for listening' comment or an 'any questions in the time remaining?' type statement.
Remember that important matters in your business speech may mean other less important material needs to be dropped. Quality business speakers know how to allocate time to talk topics.
Providing a sound platform for which to launch a business speech is a sure-fire way to gain the admiration of those who make up the audience.
Business speaker John Bell is one of the most popular speakers on the professional circuit. Working internationally, he offers his many clients an 'all-in' speaker fee. Visit his website to watch short show-reel videos of him performing, to better understand how he provides a 'total satisfaction guarantee' to his many clients. John's Website
Published April 2nd, 2009
Filed in Business