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Quotation of the month:
People won't follow you unless they can see the promise of the future.
–Jim Rohn
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Saturday Speaking Seminars with Kathryn
Projected Dates:
Sept 18 and Sept 25
Stay tuned. More information to follow!
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Opening: Has anyone ever invited you on a journey with him/her? What enticed you, engaged you, and intrigued you so much that you just couldn't wait to go along?
Promise: A speech or presentation is similar to a journey and you, the speaker, is the person inviting an audience to accompany you. To have the audience keen enough to listen attentively, you must engage them immediately and keep them engaged throughout your talk if you want them to travel along with you to reach a more enlightened place; otherwise, you'll end up journeying alone leaving them behind.
Roadmap: Using a checklist format, we'll ensure you pack your suitcase with only the essentials for a great speech: items for solid structure, compelling content, and dynamic delivery.
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PACK THE ESSENTIALS! Necessary Checklist for your Journey
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Before I start packing, I must ask myself: Am I clear in what I want the audience to think, feel, say or do differently after I finish speaking? Is my foundational phrase or take away message brief and concise?
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- STRUCTURE: HOW YOU SET IT UP
Do I plan to pack:
- a strong opening for my speech by hooking them in and engaging them right away making it all about and for the audience?
- a big promise about the benefits, rewards or opportunities they'll receive by listening and adhering to my message?
- a clear roadmap and destination for the audience as they need to know where they're going?
- signposts and transitions along the way demonstrating good organization and an easy flow from one point to the next?
- times when I touch base and connect? (i.e., rhetorical reflective statements and questions)?
- a well thought out closing which will state a clear, doable next step for my audience to take home with them ?
- CONTENT: WHAT YOU SAY
Do I intend to pack:
- a clear foundational phrase/takeaway message? Is it fewer than 10 words, 'You-focused, and a catchy repeatable phrase?
- anchors for my point(s)?
- any reflection type questions I can ask my audience?
- any techniques to achieve the results suggested?
- a strong attempt to sell them my message by posing negative consequences if they don't buy into my message, and positive results if they do?
- the use of story, with characters/dialogue as opposed to simply facts?
- the word 'you' to stress my 'you-focused' messages?
- the use of humour?
- a title that intrigues, tempts, and makes them curious about what I am going to impart or does it give away the message?
- a conclusion?
(If you haven't asked them to think differently or do something new by now, the closing is your final opportunity. What was it you intended the audience to think feel, say or do differently after you finished speaking?)
- DELIVERY: HOW YOU SAY IT
Are you packing these your necessary accessories:
Energy – awareness of initially matching the audience's level and then taking them to where I want them to go?
- varying my levels along the way by using pauses to avoid stepping on the audience's thoughts and laughs?
Movement – planning my movement on the platform with purpose and ensuring congruency between body language and words?
Words – am I going to avoid packing into my speech suitcase:
- preaching
- giving a monologue (Talking AT them, as opposed to WITH them?
- being unnatural in my voice as in 'speaker man' or 'speaker woman'?
- speaking to the entire group using words like: how many of you, who here, does anyone, etc.?
- lip-synching with slides if I'm using power-point?
- speaking with the same projection, pace, and pitch?
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Next time you speak, I challenge you to pack your suitcase with the essentials for an inspiring speech. Entice your audience to unquestionably want to journey with you so they can return home in a more enlightened, hopeful way.
Bon voyage, my fellow speakers!
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www.kathrynmackenzie.com
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