Monterey Institute of International Studies 
MA Commercial Diplomacy Program

Below are some helpful hints about speaking in public in professional settings.  Although we won’t be able to cover everything in a short (but intensive!) weekend workshop, I do want you to ask some questions about areas that you are interested in learning more about.  You are also able to access some additional information (including a Power Point slide show and notes) for public speaking for the CD student/professional on the ICDP website (http://www.icdp.org).

Hopefully our intensive work together will give you a good start on practicing and perfecting your public speaking skills for your professional and academic requirements and responsibilities!

AUDIENCE ANALYSIS 

      Consider: 

• audience affiliations

• audience background (education level, socio-cultural background, age, gender)

• audience expectations of information presented

• size of audience

• event time

• size and layout of auditorium

• presentation context

SIX FACTORS OF AUDIENCE ATTENTION INCLUDE 

• Intensity

• Relevance

• Contrast

• Activity

• Repetition

• Novelty

Incorporate these factors into your presentation for maximum audience attention and success!

PURPOSE 

      Consider: 

• overall purpose of presentation by clearly illustrating why there is a need for your venture and/or services.

• purpose statement presented very early on in the introduction so your audience knows where you are headed and why.

LANGUAGE and DELIVERY 

      Language has the ability to: 

• make your listeners see

• bring listeners together

• encourage action

• persuade, convince, motivate

• help listeners remember

• convey your commitment and enthusiasm

Strive for CLARITY, use COLORFUL, VIVID vocabulary, develop CONCRETE
images, check CORRECTNESS and be CONCISE.

Components of Delivery should include:            

• Conversational quality

• Enthusiasm

• Eye contact and natural gestures

• Spontaneity

• Voice:  pitch, volume, rate/pace, tone, variety, articulation, pronunciation and expressiveness.

• Use your voice to underline and highlight your main points.  When you practice, ask yourself: is this the voice that I would like to listen to if I were in the audience?  If not, work on changing it through further practice and perhaps by audio taping yourself and playing it back for critique or by modeling your voice after a speaker you admire.

• NO FILLERS (um, ah, yeah, you know, like)!  Just breathe and pause, which will only last for a few seconds.  The audience won't notice and the pause will give them a chance to absorb your information.

• If you notice your voice shaking, breathe deeply and quietly.

• DON'T READ TO THE AUDIENCE!  Your voice will be lost in the podium, you will have no eye contact and the audience will take a nap.  Communicate your information in a conversational style.  Use an outline form with key words and short phrases. 

ORGANIZATION and CONTENT  

• Plan on a solid introduction, body and conclusion for your presentation.

• The audience will decide in the first few minutes of your presentation whether to listen to you or not.  GRAB their attention right away and use the 6 factors of audience attention to keep it.
• Be creative and interesting.  Discuss the most relevant portions of your research.

• Make sure your main points are clearly stated at the beginning of the presentation.

• Use facts, figures, statistics and other sources to establish your credibility (as well as your own!) and worth but don't just read the audience a list of numbers.  COMMUNICATE MEANINGFUL INFORMATION!

• Pay attention to transitions between sections and speakers.  Make sure these flow smoothly instead of being choppy and awkward.

• Maintain professionalism throughout the entire presentation.  The audience makes judgments on you from the second you stand up until you take your seat after the Q & A period.

• The Q & A period should enhance the information in your presentation.  Repeat the question into the microphone for the audience.  Speak directly into the microphone when answering. If a particular question requires a lengthy response, be brief and concise and then talk with that person after your presentation concludes.

TECHNICAL ASPECTS  

• SYMBOL 183 \f "Symbol" \s 10 \hThe use of audio visual equipment is a necessary part of any good, professional presentation.

• SYMBOL 183 \f "Symbol" \s 10 \hPlan in advance (graphics, handouts, music) in order to become familiar with your materials, practice how to use them effectively and make changes if necessary (and AV requires you to do this anyway!).

• Do not go overboard on graphics! The audio visual aids are to enhance and support your well-founded research project.  You don't want the audience to only remember your cool slide show - then you haven't done justice to your research!

• When using graphics, make sure that they are easy to read from ALL seats in the audience.  It is best to use bullet points, short phrases and key words only.

•      Use a standard color scheme and format so each slide presented has the same "look" - too many colors, fancy fonts and clip art are definitely distracting!

• SYMBOL 183 \f "Symbol" \s 10 \h      You must have all of your AV equipment and materials ready to use during the practice sessions.  Don't think that it will go as planned - it won't.  BE PREPARED.  Know how to use a microphone.  Make sure, if you're running the slide show from behind the screen, that you are in sync with the speaker's notes.  As a speaker, you do not need to turn and look at the screen.  The audience does not wish to see the back of your head and your voice will be lost behind you!

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE, and then PRACTICE again!

REMEMBER:  EVERY DETAIL COUNTS