Motivating talk expert John Bell describes how to motivate and inspire audiences. Using delegate evaluation scores he has been voted Best UK Conference Speaker of the Year on four occasions.
It can be flattering and exciting to have someone call and ask you to speak at a conference or convention. To get such a call suggests you are considered to be an expert in your particular field. If this were not the case you would not have received the call! However, being both a recognised expert and putting over your point to an audience in a constructive, educational and entertaining manner requires careful planning and a high degree of skills. Your aim ought to be to motivate and inspire the audience with your expertise and speaking ability.
There is a saying, ‘Failing to plan is planning to fail’. Your research and planning begins when you get that phone call. There are important initial questions you must ask the person who has contacted you if you are to stand any chance of success.
Firstly, the obvious - you need to know the date and venue of the conference. Asking this question at the beginning can save a lot of wasted time. Excitement at being offered the honour of representing a company at an important event can sometimes fog your usual clear thinking. Take into consideration the venue - if it is some distance away organisers will prefer you to arrive the day before. To do so removes the worry that you might be delayed en route to an airport or railway station. Ask the organiser if they would prefer you to arrive the day before. If they do, it may affect the fee you quote!
The next thing to establish is a title for your talk. Most organisers already have a rough idea for the theme or basis of your presentation. Agreeing the title of the talk with the organiser will allow you to focus your mind on content later. It is worth taking a little time here to clarify an important issue which, if not addressed at the outset, may later cause disappointment for the audience, yourself, and the organiser: there is a distinction between the title of your talk - sometimes referred to as topic - and the objectives of the organiser.
For example, the title of your talk may have been agreed as, let's say, ‘New Appliances in the Fight Against Asthma’. The title is a short overview of the topic. However, your client’s desire might be that by the end of your presentation, delegates attending the conference will have an understanding of the benefits of their new product. This is an important clarification in the early stages of the development of your presentation. From experience I have found the simplest way to clarify the object is to ask the organiser/client immediately after the title has been agreed. Ask them, ‘By the end of the presentation, what do you want delegates to be aware of?’ In other words, ‘what is the aim/objective of the talk?’
Your next move is to establish who will make up the bulk of the audience: what level are they in their organisations?, what skills do they possess?, etc. Knowing their level of knowledge will also be useful. Knowledge of the audience at an early stage is an important factor which can determine whether your client’s goals and objectives will be achieved. For example an audience of consultants specialising in asthma will have different learning priorities to trainee doctors. Pitching your presentation at the correct level is an important part of successful presentation.
Learning about your audience before you start, and preparing, before presenting are paramount. You need to know exactly who they are, as a group. For example, if you are told it is a conference for members of a profession, ask the organiser where the delegates stand in that organisation. As a generalisation, merely for the purpose of illustration, managers tend to have been trained as managers and have little to no knowledge of technical matters. Reception staff and administrators may know little about sales, and sales staff may not have a clue about financial matters, and so on.
It is important to establish not only who they are, but also what they are. If they are doctors, what is their level of knowledge likely to be on the subject you have been asked to present on? There is little point in talking to nurses for 45 minutes on a basic understanding of asthma if they are asthma specialists with a better understanding of the disease than some general practitioners (and probably you!).
Ask your client to establish what the audience are likely to want to know. Experts on asthma may be keen to learn about a new delivery method for asthma medication. Add information like this to what the client would like as a ‘go away with’ message and you are well on the way towards a successful speech.
Follow the tips I will provide in this the first in a series of articles on public speaking at conferences, conventions and seminars and you will deliver a polished presentation that motivates and inspires delegates.
Thursday, 1 May 2008
Humorous Talks
Humor is always linked to comedy. It is generally recognized as something acceptable to, and enjoyed by everyone, no matter what his or her age. Learning to smile is one of the first recognizable displayed characteristics of newborn babies. The rhythmic expulsion of air from the lungs is recognized as laughter in a matter of weeks following the birth, and is a primitive form of basic communication. Mother Nature has already equipped young babies with a powerful tool they can use to good advantage as a key factor in human bonding, the building of special relationships and social cohesion in the years that follow.
If asked, most people would state they had a good sense of humor. Used for professional entertainment it becomes an art, whether it is for business or pleasure. It requires careful planning and skilful delivery. I have learned from experience that such skills can be taught and then must be regularly practiced by those interested in becoming comedians.
Humor is totally subjective, always provoking, and generates different reactions from different people. Effective comedians are few and far between partly because what is funny to one person is not funny to another. The large majority of an audience must quickly consider they have some kind of rapport with a comedian. The best comedians are considered to be intellectual observers of human activity. They are philosophical spectators of the humorous anomalies found in life.
Making others laugh is a masterful skill that can change lives. People who can get others laughing are usually seen as being charismatic and are usually highly admired in society. Humor also takes a key part in the act of attraction. In many cultures giggling is often a sign of a secret sexual tension expressed by both men and women. You're giggling aren't you?
Humor makes uncomfortable situations more comfortable. It allows individuals to laugh no matter how grim living gets. It is such a nice feeling people will pay money to others to make them laugh. It is cathartic; it encourages an individual to purge their problems and painful emotions through the joy of laughter.
Study top comedians and you will soon realize that those skilled in delivering humor are great storytellers. Comedy is often based upon conflicting drama thrown up in life. It is not funny having to be funny. You need to be seriously funny to impress others. It is no joke. I mean that seriously.
Comedy and wit have little to do with an ability to tell jokes. People who 'tell jokes' are often seen as boring individuals with little sense of humor. They often begin their comedy routine with words along the line of ‘Have you heard the one about”? True comedy is the practically enacted theory of the absurdities so often found in human relationships.
Experienced comedians are not afraid to laugh at themselves because humor is a universal human activity that allows the comedian to become a philosophical spectator of his own life in relation to those around him. Popular topics often revolve around the boss, their children and/or their partner or spouse.
As a professional speaker I have two roles. As an after-dinner speaker my sole purpose is to entertain the audience. As a keynote, motivational presenter I become a serious speaker seeking to help my audience remember important messages by using humor as a powerful tool. I have learned from experience that even the most focussed of audiences have an attention span of less than seven minutes. By injecting humor into my talks I help my audience stay alert and absorb important material.
Laughter is the best medicine. Unless of course you are asthmatic when inhaled steroids are likely to come highest on your list. Which is why I am so popular with healthcare professionals. As the saying goes 'Physician heal thy self' this is exactly what I am helping to facilitate when I make my medical audiences laugh.
Laughter is a physiological response to a trigger I activate in the audience. Members of the medical profession are no different to anyone else. They regularly feel anxiety, stress and even anger. By making them laugh I pull on a laughter trigger that releases endorphins, which in turn, counteracts the unpleasantness they may be feeling at that moment in time. Furthermore, happy people feel good to be around. Patients can feel so much better simply by being around healthcare professionals who appear happy. Everyone hates a 'doctor death' character who always look as if they are about to give out bad news.
Laughter in the workplace is important too for the boosting of staff morale and for the increase in productivity that usually follows. A happy staff is a productive staff.
During the talks I give around the world I often use examples of humorous real-life examples from my own family relationships to illustrate the principles of human awareness. Looking at an audience I can usually tell those going through a difficult relationship. They are the miserable looking individuals who work so hard trying not to even smile when those around them are struggling to stem a flow of uncontrollable laughter. I always work on the principle 'you can't please all of the people all of the time'. I think Abraham Lincoln said that. Or was it Bob Dylan?
What I am in no doubt about is that laughter is the key to a happy marriage. If you are able to laugh at each other, it shows you are able to affectionately tease and play - something so important in all human relationships. Like comedy, a happy marriage takes effort.
In conclusion ~ humor is a fundamental basic in the art of effective public speaking. It can make the difference between a great talk with an enthusiastic audience and a disastrous monotonous monologue.
If asked, most people would state they had a good sense of humor. Used for professional entertainment it becomes an art, whether it is for business or pleasure. It requires careful planning and skilful delivery. I have learned from experience that such skills can be taught and then must be regularly practiced by those interested in becoming comedians.
Humor is totally subjective, always provoking, and generates different reactions from different people. Effective comedians are few and far between partly because what is funny to one person is not funny to another. The large majority of an audience must quickly consider they have some kind of rapport with a comedian. The best comedians are considered to be intellectual observers of human activity. They are philosophical spectators of the humorous anomalies found in life.
Making others laugh is a masterful skill that can change lives. People who can get others laughing are usually seen as being charismatic and are usually highly admired in society. Humor also takes a key part in the act of attraction. In many cultures giggling is often a sign of a secret sexual tension expressed by both men and women. You're giggling aren't you?
Humor makes uncomfortable situations more comfortable. It allows individuals to laugh no matter how grim living gets. It is such a nice feeling people will pay money to others to make them laugh. It is cathartic; it encourages an individual to purge their problems and painful emotions through the joy of laughter.
Study top comedians and you will soon realize that those skilled in delivering humor are great storytellers. Comedy is often based upon conflicting drama thrown up in life. It is not funny having to be funny. You need to be seriously funny to impress others. It is no joke. I mean that seriously.
Comedy and wit have little to do with an ability to tell jokes. People who 'tell jokes' are often seen as boring individuals with little sense of humor. They often begin their comedy routine with words along the line of ‘Have you heard the one about”? True comedy is the practically enacted theory of the absurdities so often found in human relationships.
Experienced comedians are not afraid to laugh at themselves because humor is a universal human activity that allows the comedian to become a philosophical spectator of his own life in relation to those around him. Popular topics often revolve around the boss, their children and/or their partner or spouse.
As a professional speaker I have two roles. As an after-dinner speaker my sole purpose is to entertain the audience. As a keynote, motivational presenter I become a serious speaker seeking to help my audience remember important messages by using humor as a powerful tool. I have learned from experience that even the most focussed of audiences have an attention span of less than seven minutes. By injecting humor into my talks I help my audience stay alert and absorb important material.
Laughter is the best medicine. Unless of course you are asthmatic when inhaled steroids are likely to come highest on your list. Which is why I am so popular with healthcare professionals. As the saying goes 'Physician heal thy self' this is exactly what I am helping to facilitate when I make my medical audiences laugh.
Laughter is a physiological response to a trigger I activate in the audience. Members of the medical profession are no different to anyone else. They regularly feel anxiety, stress and even anger. By making them laugh I pull on a laughter trigger that releases endorphins, which in turn, counteracts the unpleasantness they may be feeling at that moment in time. Furthermore, happy people feel good to be around. Patients can feel so much better simply by being around healthcare professionals who appear happy. Everyone hates a 'doctor death' character who always look as if they are about to give out bad news.
Laughter in the workplace is important too for the boosting of staff morale and for the increase in productivity that usually follows. A happy staff is a productive staff.
During the talks I give around the world I often use examples of humorous real-life examples from my own family relationships to illustrate the principles of human awareness. Looking at an audience I can usually tell those going through a difficult relationship. They are the miserable looking individuals who work so hard trying not to even smile when those around them are struggling to stem a flow of uncontrollable laughter. I always work on the principle 'you can't please all of the people all of the time'. I think Abraham Lincoln said that. Or was it Bob Dylan?
What I am in no doubt about is that laughter is the key to a happy marriage. If you are able to laugh at each other, it shows you are able to affectionately tease and play - something so important in all human relationships. Like comedy, a happy marriage takes effort.
In conclusion ~ humor is a fundamental basic in the art of effective public speaking. It can make the difference between a great talk with an enthusiastic audience and a disastrous monotonous monologue.
Wedding Speech ~ Twenty Top Tips
Motivating talk expert John Bell describes how to give a wedding speech.
Giving a speech can be a daunting task for most people. In this article top professional speaker John Bell gives twenty useful tips to the groom, best man, and father of the bride on how to give a successful and polished speech at a wedding.
1. The main purpose of a wedding reception is to celebrate the happy event and to give guests, from both families, the opportunity to meet and get to know one another. You can create the desired atmosphere through the wedding speeches.
2. Speeches are primarily a way to congratulate the happy couple on their marriage and to give thanks to those people who have taken an active part in the proceedings. They are also an ideal opportunity to add humour and fun to what is otherwise a serious event.
3. Find a balance - Speeches should be sincere but also provide an element of entertainment for guests. Delivered correctly, they are an important element of a successful wedding and, for you giving the speech, serve as an opportunity to express your best wishes for the happy couple.
4. Despite having a solemn element, marriages are also meant to be happy occasions so don’t get bogged down in any lengthy, boring procedures after the official ceremony has passed. Short, amusing speeches from the best man, groom and brides father are more than sufficient for most audiences. If you wish to have more formality the bride, maid of honour etc can be added to the list of those speaking.
5. The running order of the speeches is not set in stone but here is one of the most popular timetables:
a. The master of ceremonies or best man calls on the father of the bride to propose a toast to the bride and groom. The bride’s father then welcomes the guests before saying a few words about his daughter.
b. The groom replies by thanking his parents and normally concludes with a toast to the bridesmaids and the presentation of small gifts to them of his appreciation.
c. The best man then replies on behalf of the bridesmaids and sets the tone for the remainder of the day with a short, humorous speech.
6. The ideal length for a total of all the speeches is around 20 minutes. For three speakers, therefore, the duration of each should be around seven minutes. Experience has shown that the guests will have an attention span of around seven minutes. One or two main points in a talk are ample material for each of the speakers.
7. It follows that if your speech is to be short you don’t need piles of notes. Trying to remember where you are up to with lots of sheets of paper will cause you unnecessary stress. Your level of stress will increase dramatically if you were to drop the sheets!
8. A single index card is more than sufficient for a wedding speech. Don’t attempt to write down your speech verbatim. Reading a speech is viewed as amateurish and handwriting easily becomes illegible when standing ‘in the spotlight’ at the front of an audience.
9. If absolutely necessary write the odd word or two to aid you. Notes are meant to jog your memory and ensure you don’t leave some important point out – nothing more. Use a large font with different coloured inks if possible to separate different sections of your talk.
10. Speeches normally come after the meal and before the cutting of the cake. Know the place and approximate time in the proceedings when you will be expected to speak. Remember around of half of the audience are likely to have no idea who you are so begin by identifying yourself. Speak clearly and slowly to assist the audience to digest your masterpiece. Remember, they have already digested a substantial meal if it is a formal dining reception.
11. If of the persuasion, try your utmost not to have more than the odd alcoholic drink before giving your speech. One drink may assist in helping you relax, whereas two can seriously impair your judgement and overall performance. There is a saying ‘Everyone likes a drink. No one likes a drunk’.
12. Avoid making fun of anything associated with religion or politics, as there is a very good chance someone, somewhere in the audience, will end up being offended.
13. References that have strong sexual connotations are also taboo. The wedding reception ethos is not the same as might be found at a Stag or Hen Night celebration! Stories or jokes that are too rude will make the parents of any children at the reception feel somewhat uncomfortable. Your speech material should be fit to be on a family television programme shown before 9pm.
14. The biggest mistake made by those giving a speech is that they try too hard and end up well out of their comfort zone. Be natural; speak as you do with friends in polite company and, if possible, do it from the heart. Showing you are a caring, emotional person always goes down well with ladies in the audience.
15. Providing you don’t cause any embarrassment, attempt to include stories that involve guests at the reception. People like amusing stories in which they are included. It is all about building a rapport with your audience.
16. Comment on something that happened at the church or reception the guests will marvel at you ability to ad lib and will laugh all the more during your speech. It doesn’t need to be side- splittingly funny. If they feel part of your humorous observation their laughter will be loud and often becomes contagious.
17. If possible, throw off the constraints of a ‘prepared speech’ by interacting with light-hearted banter that always comes from a happy and perhaps slightly tipsy audience. Get the tone and pace of your talk right and you will have the audience eating out of your hand.
18. If you are speaking but are not down to give a toast, I have found that an ‘So, here’s again to the happy couple’ can be useful in letting the guests know you have finished and gives them an excuse to have another quick swig of champagne.
19. The wedding celebration is for your enjoyment too. Prepare your material well in advance. Practise and practise again. Get to a point where you feel you know your material without having to refer to notes. It is not essential to get it word perfect. Relax, be natural, don’t try too hard and there is every possibility your speech will be a fantastic success, admired and enjoyed by all.
20. In conclusion a few words of caution: don’t get too carried away when your speech goes down well with the audience and start believing they want you to go on for a lot, lot longer! You will quickly over stay your welcome and a great speech will become a ‘It was ok, but he went on too long!’ saga.
Do your seven minutes, stop and leave them wanting more.
I wish you a great day and every success with your speech.
Giving a speech can be a daunting task for most people. In this article top professional speaker John Bell gives twenty useful tips to the groom, best man, and father of the bride on how to give a successful and polished speech at a wedding.
1. The main purpose of a wedding reception is to celebrate the happy event and to give guests, from both families, the opportunity to meet and get to know one another. You can create the desired atmosphere through the wedding speeches.
2. Speeches are primarily a way to congratulate the happy couple on their marriage and to give thanks to those people who have taken an active part in the proceedings. They are also an ideal opportunity to add humour and fun to what is otherwise a serious event.
3. Find a balance - Speeches should be sincere but also provide an element of entertainment for guests. Delivered correctly, they are an important element of a successful wedding and, for you giving the speech, serve as an opportunity to express your best wishes for the happy couple.
4. Despite having a solemn element, marriages are also meant to be happy occasions so don’t get bogged down in any lengthy, boring procedures after the official ceremony has passed. Short, amusing speeches from the best man, groom and brides father are more than sufficient for most audiences. If you wish to have more formality the bride, maid of honour etc can be added to the list of those speaking.
5. The running order of the speeches is not set in stone but here is one of the most popular timetables:
a. The master of ceremonies or best man calls on the father of the bride to propose a toast to the bride and groom. The bride’s father then welcomes the guests before saying a few words about his daughter.
b. The groom replies by thanking his parents and normally concludes with a toast to the bridesmaids and the presentation of small gifts to them of his appreciation.
c. The best man then replies on behalf of the bridesmaids and sets the tone for the remainder of the day with a short, humorous speech.
6. The ideal length for a total of all the speeches is around 20 minutes. For three speakers, therefore, the duration of each should be around seven minutes. Experience has shown that the guests will have an attention span of around seven minutes. One or two main points in a talk are ample material for each of the speakers.
7. It follows that if your speech is to be short you don’t need piles of notes. Trying to remember where you are up to with lots of sheets of paper will cause you unnecessary stress. Your level of stress will increase dramatically if you were to drop the sheets!
8. A single index card is more than sufficient for a wedding speech. Don’t attempt to write down your speech verbatim. Reading a speech is viewed as amateurish and handwriting easily becomes illegible when standing ‘in the spotlight’ at the front of an audience.
9. If absolutely necessary write the odd word or two to aid you. Notes are meant to jog your memory and ensure you don’t leave some important point out – nothing more. Use a large font with different coloured inks if possible to separate different sections of your talk.
10. Speeches normally come after the meal and before the cutting of the cake. Know the place and approximate time in the proceedings when you will be expected to speak. Remember around of half of the audience are likely to have no idea who you are so begin by identifying yourself. Speak clearly and slowly to assist the audience to digest your masterpiece. Remember, they have already digested a substantial meal if it is a formal dining reception.
11. If of the persuasion, try your utmost not to have more than the odd alcoholic drink before giving your speech. One drink may assist in helping you relax, whereas two can seriously impair your judgement and overall performance. There is a saying ‘Everyone likes a drink. No one likes a drunk’.
12. Avoid making fun of anything associated with religion or politics, as there is a very good chance someone, somewhere in the audience, will end up being offended.
13. References that have strong sexual connotations are also taboo. The wedding reception ethos is not the same as might be found at a Stag or Hen Night celebration! Stories or jokes that are too rude will make the parents of any children at the reception feel somewhat uncomfortable. Your speech material should be fit to be on a family television programme shown before 9pm.
14. The biggest mistake made by those giving a speech is that they try too hard and end up well out of their comfort zone. Be natural; speak as you do with friends in polite company and, if possible, do it from the heart. Showing you are a caring, emotional person always goes down well with ladies in the audience.
15. Providing you don’t cause any embarrassment, attempt to include stories that involve guests at the reception. People like amusing stories in which they are included. It is all about building a rapport with your audience.
16. Comment on something that happened at the church or reception the guests will marvel at you ability to ad lib and will laugh all the more during your speech. It doesn’t need to be side- splittingly funny. If they feel part of your humorous observation their laughter will be loud and often becomes contagious.
17. If possible, throw off the constraints of a ‘prepared speech’ by interacting with light-hearted banter that always comes from a happy and perhaps slightly tipsy audience. Get the tone and pace of your talk right and you will have the audience eating out of your hand.
18. If you are speaking but are not down to give a toast, I have found that an ‘So, here’s again to the happy couple’ can be useful in letting the guests know you have finished and gives them an excuse to have another quick swig of champagne.
19. The wedding celebration is for your enjoyment too. Prepare your material well in advance. Practise and practise again. Get to a point where you feel you know your material without having to refer to notes. It is not essential to get it word perfect. Relax, be natural, don’t try too hard and there is every possibility your speech will be a fantastic success, admired and enjoyed by all.
20. In conclusion a few words of caution: don’t get too carried away when your speech goes down well with the audience and start believing they want you to go on for a lot, lot longer! You will quickly over stay your welcome and a great speech will become a ‘It was ok, but he went on too long!’ saga.
Do your seven minutes, stop and leave them wanting more.
I wish you a great day and every success with your speech.
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