Making the "Un-Presentation"
Beware: That "Meeting" or "Informal Chat" Could Be a Presentation in Disguise
It happens every day. The unsuspecting mark gets a request to "talk" at a meeting. It sounds informal, but it isn't. Every word, every gesture, every answer to every question will be under "formal" scrutiny. To dodge this hoax, learn the warning signs—and be ready with a few tricks of your own. Here are some of the ways you may be led down this path—and some tips on turning things to your advantage.


Grand Finales
The Secrets of Ending Well
A truly effective speaker knows when to end-and how to end. A persuasive ending has two key elements, a call to action and a reason to act. As the talk draws to an end, be clear in telling your audience what they need to feel, think, or do. And make certain that you link this call to action to a solid reason to act, a reason that matters to them, not necessarily to you.


Slow Down, You're Talking Too Fast!
Fast speech is like fine print. It's easy to ignore. Listeners tune out if speakers don't make listening comfortable. It's the speaker's job to make it easy and comfortable for the audience to listen. Pace is a form of oral punctuation. Learn techniques to control your pace so you don't speak in a blur of run-on sentences that make it too hard for your audience to really listen to what you're saying.


Instead of Fumbling… Pause
Using Silence as a Powerful Tool in Speaking
Learning to pause can add clarity and strength to your speech. It can also eliminate those pesky filler words that tend to creep into the gaps between phrases. Instead of saying "Uh" or "you know" at the end of a phrase, use silence to add weight to your words and avoid those foolish fillers. A similar technique works when you forget what you were planning to say. A focused pause will not only help you think faster on your feet, but it will also avoid those awkward moments of fumbling for words that tell your audience you have no earthly idea what you're saying.


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