Ever hear the expression, "It's not what you say, it's how you say it"?
Many people are reluctant to get up and speak for fear the audience won't listen to them. Maybe they’re not naturally witty and afraid if they're not funny, nobody will pay attention. Maybe they’re worried the audience knows more about the topic than they do and will be sitting in judgment and finding them wanting.
These beliefs are false.
When you speak to a group of any size, you have a job to do and a gift to give the audience. Your gift is the knowledge they need that you have to give. Your job is to focus on them and make sure they receive your gift, so that they'll leave the room knowing more than when they walked in.
Ask yourself these questions: "What is the great benefit the audience will receive from spending this time with me? What would I want to hear that would make me happy if I had to sit here and listen?"
Find out what the audience’s point of view is. Are they there because they want to be or because they have to be?
As a lead-in to new or controversial ideas, pepper your speech with thoughts or subject matter they're somewhat familiar with. Find colorful explanations for difficult ideas. A reliable and popular technique is to tell stories to illustrate your points. Let in as much humor as you feel comfortable with, but let the humor come naturally from your stories. Unless you're a great joke teller, leave the jokes for Saturday
night with the gang.
Audiences don't want to work too hard to understand you. Do you all speak the same language? Do you have a strong accent or are you planning to use a vocabulary that's unfamiliar to them, i.e. technical jargon or slang? If their native language is different from yours, will you need a translator? A signer for the hearing impaired? A major part of the success of your speech depends on whether or not your audience is
able to receive it.
If you're speaking to a sympathetic audience, present your subject straightforwardly and enthusiastically, encouraging them to come along with you on this exciting ride. If your topic is controversial or oppositional, be careful to make choices that take into account possible disagreement. Do your homework and be prepared with information to counteract any hostility.
The more you know about the audience and what they're hoping to learn from you, the more they'll pay attention and be happy they came. You're their magic key to getting the information they need to move forward. Your gift to them is to give them what they came for.
