How often have you settled down to listen to a speaker present for 20 minutes and they go on and on and on? It can be pretty annoying can’t it? How much of that presentation do you actually remember other than you were annoyed that they hadn’t kept to time?
You have to be an exceptional speaker to be able to hold an audience in the unlikely event that they go over time.
Unfortunately, for most of us when it comes to presentations and public speaking not knowing when to stop can have unpleasant results. In fact it can be very detrimental to achieving your goals or getting your message across. Not knowing when to stop can so very easy turn into waffle and you can then very easily lose your audience. All those nuggets of gold that you want to share become lost in the muddied waters of waffle.
So what can we do to prevent this happening?
- As I have mentioned many times, preparation, preparation and more preparation. It will avoid many mistakes and ensure that your presentations are concise and well organised.
- Structure your presentations and speeches. Know what you want to say – what message you want to impart, what outcomes you want to achieve. Remember Winston Churchill and his pearl of wisdom when it came to speeches – Tell them what you are going to tell them, Tell them and then Tell them what you have just told them – Opening, Body and Conclusion – the basic structure of a speech.
- Be aware of timing. If you know the length of time you have for your presentation and you have structured your speech then you will find that this will prevent you from waffling. If you do find you finish under time – keep this time for questions – don’t rush in to fill it with words that will not add to your message.
Bonus: you can also structure your responses when answering impromptu questions. If you keep in mind point, reason, example, point – a simple structure to form your response it will keep you from waffling and keep you on track. The second point indicates the necessity to conclude, stop finish your response.
Knowing when to stop when giving presentations and speeches will ensure that your message, goal or aim is achieved concisely and competently.
Want some more tips book into the online Making Speaking Easy – Quick Start Public Speaking Course to see how you too can put this into practice and learn the power of stopping! https://bit.ly/2NM6iWw
Don’t forget to download you copy of 3 Keys to Successful Public Speaking
Trish Springsteen
Creative Marketing Consultant
Get Known Be Seen Specialist
Australia’s Leading Expert in Empowering Introverts
Multi International Award Winning Mentor
Speaker, Coach
International Award Winning Best Selling Author
Host Get Known Be Seen WebTV
I Believe in You until You Believe in Yourself
Clients work with Trish because they know she can help them have the confidence and self-belief to make speaking easy. Trish typically works with small business owners, introverts, authors and advocates helping them to promote their business to be visible. Stand out and make it easy for your clients to find you.
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