Photo courtesy of Debbie Lefever
Public speaking is difficult for most people. Whether it’s a group of 4 or 5 in a class or several hundred at an event, it can make you pretty nervous. These are five basic tips to help you speak in front of any size group.
- Do not stare above the audience. Many people will suggest the speaker focus on a spot in the back of the room and not look directly at the audience. The logic is that they won’t get as nervous if they don’t really see anyone. That’s not always true and I found something that works even better. I actually scan the crowd and look at several people now and then which makes it feel like I’m talking to just a few friends instead of a few hundred people. If you focus on just one thing, you will still know there are many people starring at you even though you’re not looking directly at them which will definitely make you nervous. The point is to deal with the situation head-on instead of avoiding it. Almost everyone is ok with talking to one or two people. Make it personal and you will feel more confident.
- Make notes. You are never too old to make notes. I use them every time I speak and so do many other famous speakers who are much older than I am. Notes shouldn’t be your whole speech. It’s better to only write bullet points or key phrases, just enough so you can remember what you want to say. Some people think that notes are only for rehearsal. That’s not true. Think about it. Wouldn’t you rather hold some notes and glance at them once in awhile than stand up there all nervous trying to remember what to say? As long as you don’t read from them, you’ll be fine and deliver a better presentation or speech.
- Rehearse. You have to know what your going to say and how you are going to say it. Use all the props that you would for the real deal so you can get a feel for it. This is one of my least favorite steps. I hate to practice or rehearse but it does work and it is a necessary part to public speaking. It’s pretty easy to listen or watch someone who knows what they are talking about, feels comfortable on stage, and makes the topic interesting. If the person isn’t prepared, not only will they be uncomfortable but they will make the audience uncomfortable too and probably put a lot of people to sleep with boredom.
- Write your own presentation. Unless you’re the President of the United States, you’re better off writing your own speech or presentation. And if you watch any public figure give a speech, wouldn’t you rather believe that they wrote at least part of what they’re saying? If they simply read it, you wonder if they even believe in their message.
- Know your audience. Even if you’re talking about business but your audience is elementary kids, make sure you talk so they can understand. That doesn’t mean talk down to them but make it interesting for the appropriate age group.
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When you don’t have to work for money, you have less attachment to it. Free money promotes free spending and less reasons to save it. When you actually have to work for the money, you don’t want to spend it as easily because you know how hard it was to earn it. Money does not grow on trees but I have seen a lot of kids that think it must because of how much “stuff” they seem to have. When you think about it, it’s not really the kid’s fault they have that concept. It’s the parent’s fault for buying them everything they want without teaching them the value of money. According to Webster’s dictionary, the first definition of an allowance is “a share or portion allotted or granted.” The very definition of the word says that there is nothing that has to be given in return.
Recently, I had the fun experience of being filmed for two different fall TV series. Due to confidentiality until they air, I can’t say the names but both feature kid-related stories.
Girl Scouts isn’t just for girls. Well, at least their B.I.G. Expo wasn’t. We heard about the expo the first week in January and immediately checked into being an exhibitor. With a little more than three weeks to go until the event, we (my parents and I) got busy making more Pencil Bugs and getting other products and marketing materials ready. With a lot of hard work, we were ready for the event.
Besides selling my products at my booth, I also had coloring pages for the kids as well as a large gift basket that people could enter to win by filling out an entry form with a few questions:
The second entry we pulled out of the hat was a valid email address but they didn’t respond within the time limit. We didn’t want to have to wait too long to find the winner. I was excited about awarding all the goodies to some lucky kid.
The gift basket included everything needed for a Pencil Bugs-themed birthday party.