Making Public Speaking FUN! Part 9
More “Making Public Speaking FUN!” suggestions from the HARO mailbag…
Joel Hilchey at www.joelhilchey.com offers a suggestion to warm up with a few folks before going onstage:
Hi Tim! My name is Joel, and I’m a youth inspirational speaker.
Before I give a talk, I try to get out into the audience and chat with some people. I have a few small magic tricks that I use to break the ice with individuals in the audience ahead of time – especially people that look like they’re “leaders of the pack”.
When I get on stage, these people become my biggest supporters. Plus, afterwords, they are more likely to say hello and chat. Speaking is fun for me not just because I can make people laugh, but because it’s a chance to make a connection with people, and starting BEFORE the talk helps me do just that!
Of course, it’s also important to be so well-prepared that you can really enjoy the moments on stage without worrying that something will go awry. That frees up your mind in the moments before the show, so you can focus on who’s in the audience..
If you’ve got any kind of singing voice, you might try what Susan Lannis, Time Liberation Agent with ORGANIZATION Plus! Inc. did:
I was faced with an after-lunch group that had been sitting through non-stop, hour long, sessions that started at 7 am. I sang my opening and a room full of people who had slumped into the room suddenly sat up straight and laughed and their energy fed my energy and I was funnier than I have ever been and the group literally danced out of the room – it was an amazing experience for us all.
And then there may come a time when you’re in a unique situation where you speak to an audience that may have a language difference…let’s let Victoria H. Trabosh, Executive Coach and Speaker at victoriatrabosh.com try and explain:
I speak professionally in the US and RWANDA. I speak some Kinyarwanda – just enough to dazzle – not complete a complex thought. But when I’m there – I connect with my audience with a bit of English.
If you say Hallelujah – they will shout AMEN! So when I came back from my last trip to Rwanda in October, I started adding that to my speeches. And would say, “many of you are staring at me as they do in Rwanda and thinking, “who is this white woman and what is she doing here? And when I see that look – I shout Hallelujah, and they shout AMEN. We shall practice!” And then I sprinkle it throughout my speech… it’s amazing and brings tremendous joy and laughter. Hallelujah?
Another way to add FUN is to play a game. Anyone remember Jeopardy? Mary E. Banks of W.O.W Consulting Group in Houston does:
I do a lot of public speaking and one of the ways that I have incorporated ‘fun’ into the topic is to have the audience engage in a game of ‘Jeopardy’. It is set up like the TV show and the audience loves it.
Now here’s a clever (and yes, somewhat sneaky) idea from Ken Newman of Magnet Productions in San Francisco. Plant a ringer in the audience:
One of the devices we have used very successfully over the years, in the interest of making public speaking a bit less predicatable, is to plant a heckler in the audience.
Someone who takes a decidedly contrary position to the speaker.
One example that comes to mind was a presentation we did a number of years ago for a large investment bank. The speaker was introduced with a very impressive CV. As his presentation began, a waiter began circulating throughout the room, topping off wine glasses. As the speaker continued, the waiter began muttering comments to the seated guests, getting at various times, chuckles or not very gentle requests to, “shut up.”
This continued for a bit until our desired degree of discomfiture was reached, at which time the speaker confronted the waiter.
The presentation at this point became quite hysterical, and unlike anything that this very conservative audience was expecting.
I think just putting forth that ‘bold’ part of yourself can pay big dividends. Sara Holliday of FitBySara.com describes a particularly powerful outing…
One of the most memorial speaking engagements I did recently was for the Race for the Cure (for Breast Cancer) in front of 15,000 participants. I started off with foreboding music in the background and said, “I’m so excited to be here today because each and everyone of you is making a HUGE difference in the cure for Breast Cancer!” The crowd cheered. I said, “I’m going to warm you up with kickboxing and we’re literally going to kick cancer in the BUTT!” The crowd roared and the music was “We Got the Power” by Snap and the band got into it too. Everyone was moving even if they had no rhythm! I felt like I was floating! It was an incredible amount of energy!! In fact the Susan B. Komen foundations folks told me that people thought I was “a rockstar”!
Then 2 weeks after I did a speech about my experience of being in front of 15,000 people. I shared my dream the night before of waking up hard pounding in cold sweat. I also wore my workout outfit under my jacket, took it off, played the music, while sharing the thoughts going inside my head such as “I have so much energy in my body right now, I could pick up a car!” The audience was so into it. They laughed and sweated along with me!
Ever done any impromptu speaking? Children’s book author Sharon Rexroth of fromtheskybooks.com says she looks forward to the Q&A with her audience – which are often kids:
I speak often to schools and to civic organizations because I am the author of children’s books which are educational.
When I speak, I never use notes and I try to make the speech always be geared to the audience. I try to open up the audience with questions and answers after I present my info. That is by far the best part of the presentation, because I never know what the kids will say and it is really interesting to hear. I think the impromptu aspect is the best way to go.
So thanks to all of those great suggestions – all worthy of consideration next time you’re giving a speech. What are YOU doing to make public speaking FUN?
